Hints and Tips

Safety and Security in the Philippines

The Philippines is generally safe - I would consider it as safe as London. The places we  recommend are frequented by westerners. Security is often top priority in the Philippines and you will feel both safe and relaxed at the same time.

Within cities you are fine - if you stay in Manila then Makati is the best place to be. In the provinces you will find people very friendly and you are unlikely to run into trouble. Hiring a guide or driver is recommended as it makes things easier and adds to security.

Basically the same rules apply in the Philippines as to everywhere else. Don't go flashing around large amounts of cash as this is an open invite. Try and avoid slum areas, particularly at night. If you do find yourself in a slum area you may get odd looks, but you will generally find that people are very friendly and curious!

Currently travel is not recommended to Mindanao. The trouble, however, is really confined to the southwest of Mindanao. Cities like Davao and Cagayan de Oro attract many westerners and tourists and these are considered as safe as Manila. Do check with your foreign office and also check that your insurance isn't invalidated whilst in Mindanao.

Health and Vaccinations

Consult your doctor at least 4 weeks before your visit, although 6 months before your visit is better. I would suggest Hepatitus A and B, Tetanus and Typhoid. I seem to remember that one of the Hepatitus injections requires a second booster jab, 6 months after the first.

Malaria isn't really a big risk in the cities such as Manila or Cebu or on the island of Bohol. If you travel to some more rural areas and to islands such as Palawan the Malarial risk is slightly higher. It is your decision whether or not to take anti-malarial tablets and this should be tailored to you itinerary. Whether you decide to take anti-malarial tablets or not, it may be worthwhile taking some insect repellent material/spray as the odd Mosy could visit you in the night . Mosys can also carry Dengue fever, no vaccination - just use repellent.

I would also carry some Imodium (local equivalent is Loperimide) for LBM. Loperimide is widely available, but in some places it may be a hassle to find a drug store.

Paracetamol are most commonly referred to by the brand Biogesic.

In the Philippines you should drink bottled water, which is readily available.

In the Philippines it is worth having comprehensive travel insurance, but in cities if you have money then health care is good and chemists are open 24 hours.

Oh, and don't forget the sun tan lotion, you can also buy this locally! 

Visa Requirements

British citizens do not require a visa to travel to the Philippines. I think this also applies to most westerners, but do check. Simply fill in a landing card which is given to you on your plane. Additionally you need to ensure you have a return or other ticket out of the Philippines. You are then good for 21 days. You can easily extend your stay for 56 days I think. Simply go to the Immigration office and it will cost you around 3000 peso, plus perhaps 500 pesos to speed things up. Alternatively, you can pay on departure if you overstay your visa. This is the easiest approach, stay up to 30 days extra and pay around 3000 peso on departure. Immigration will point you in the right direction. So long as you have the money then this option is hassle free and not a problem. On leaving the Philippines please remember to keep some Pesos as you will have to pay an airport terminal fee. In Manila it is 750 peso. Internal flights are usually less than 200 peso terminal fee. 

Language

People in the Philippines speak Tagalog, or a local dialect, as their first language, however the vast majority of Filipino's are more or less fluent in American English. You will have no problems as everyone will speak to you in English and all signs and everything are in English. As a bit of history the Philippines was formerly a Spanish Colony. Spanish used to be widely spoken and many of the older buildings and styles are remarkably Spanish-European. From the 20th Century, the Philippines have been very close to America and so now the youngsters are taught English rather than Spanish and can tuck into a McDonalds rather than Paella!

Money

You'll find plenty of ATM's or Cashpoints, except in rural areas. Loads in Cebu and Manila. Usually £2 charge regardless of amount you take out. Some machines only let you withdraw 4,000 peso at a time, others 10,000 peso. Max 20,000-30,000 peso  withdrawal a day. Inform your bank and credit card company before you come to the Philippines (or at least bring their number). They have a habit of blocking your account when you pay a big hotel bill! Visa, Matercard and Amex are all widely used although Mastercard is best.

There are also many money exchangers who will happily accept dollars, pounds and Yen. Try and use a reputable looking place in one of the main shopping malls (ask a security guy for directions). You can also change money at many hotels. Try and avoid dodgy looking money changers on the street who are offering amazing rates! Before venturing out into the provinces I would recommend changing money in the city as it is easier. A money exchange place is available at Manila Airport (after customs) but you may get better rates elsewhere.

Food

Filipino food is generally plain and not spicy like in other Asian countries, although you will find some spicy dishes. Most things are served with plain rice. Pork, chicken and fish are widely eaten with the rice. Pork dishes are a speciality and some are really nice! Filipino's usually eat with a spoon and fork, but a westerner is usually given a knife and fork. Most Filipino's can use chop-sticks, but you only get these if you go to a Japanese or Chinese restaurant. Food is cheap and you can get Japanese, Chinese, American, Thai, Filipino, Arabic, Indian, French and many more styles of food. Watch out for the ice in beer - in western bars, however, they usually know that we don't water down our beer! Filipino men tend to drink, but women don't drink much. Beers are about 80 peso in restaurants and a very good meal for two only costs around 1500-2500 peso. It is considered rude to comb hair at tables and also not to finish, or be wasteful with food. Don't worry about this though - we usually order too much and then it is normal to get it put in a take-out box, which you can give to a taxi-driver. 

International Flights

Most people book the cheapest flights, but please double check the timings - particularly of the return flight. Some very cheap flights will have a 12 hour connection time, which is not worth it for a few quid. You may want to consider having a stop-off half way and spending a couple of days in Dubai or Doha - if you want to do this ensure you buy an appropriate ticket (you can't change a UK-Manila flight to include a break in Dubai unless you say so when you book). Also if you do this remember to book hotels as the Middle East is very busy in winter. Another alternative, if you wish to tour Asia, may be to have a return ticket to Singapore or HongKong, you can then get cheap tickets to all Asian countries from these hubs.