Any hints on travel to Manila and Cebu to make our holiday special?

Question

I hope to travel to Manila and Cebu on holiday in December with my 8 yr old daughter. Any suggestions on interesting things we could do there to make our holiday special?

Answer 1

What about going to Tagaytay? and Baguio City would be nice too...

Answer 2

Hi. I'm from Cebu and if you're planning to stay there until end of January 2007 then you will witness the Sinulog Festival which honors Sr. Sto. Nino, the patron saint of Cebu. It is held every third Sunday in January.

It's a great festival. Have fun!

Answer 3

Interesting things and places in Manila for kids are Star City or Enchanted Kingdom, Manila Zoo, Parks and malls. In Subic, we have Ocean Adventure wherein your kids can experience an encounter with the whale, Zoobic Safari and nice beaches. In Cebu, beaches. In Bohol, whitesand beach, chocolote hills, worlds smallest monkey - Tarsier, buffet lunch while cruising at loboc river, etc. - for reservation, pls email at [e-mail] - im travel agent in Manila

Answer 4

it really depends on what you really want to do.

go to the beach, shop, eat or just go around sight seeing...

there are a lot of nice beaches in cebu which your 8 year old daughter will enjoy, just surf thru the net i am pretty sure that you will find a nice resort with a very good rate and accomodation.

shop.... i am not sure if an eight yr old will enjoy this maybe for a day or 2 its ok... go to ayala malls or sm or banilad town square...

foooooood.... well i don't know your preference but there a lot of choices from chinese,japanese,vietnamese,spanish,american or italian or tyr our filipino specialty....

sight seeing.... just ride a cab ask them to bring you around cebu, the magellans cross, sto. nino shrine, etc. buy the lonely planet philippine edition its really very helpful
good luck and try to enjoy your holiday

Answer 5

Go to Corregidor
In the CCP Complex there is a ferry that goes to Corregidor

Answer 6

walk, in your way to cebu... lols

Answer 7

A trip to a foreign country can indeed be fun and exciting. However, a fun trip can sometimes turn sour without proper planning or prior knowledge of the country. Therefore, it is always advisable for travelers to learn more about a foreign country that they are about to visit so as to expect the unexpected and take proper precautions before making the trip there. Here are some useful travel tips that can help make your trip to the Philippines enjoyable and memorable.

Climate

Philippines is blessed with a tropical climate that has relatively generous amount of rainfall and gentle winds. Basically, there are three noticeable seasons namely the wet and rainy season (June-October), the cool but dry season (November-February) and the hot and dry season (March-May).

When To Go?

The best time to make a trip to the Philippines is from the middle of December to the middle of May because that is off-season for typhoons. Any travelers to the country in December (Christmas) or April (Easter) are advised against traveling more than necessary as the entire country is on the move, making it difficult to get a seat on any type of transport.

January, May and December are the best months to visit the Philippines if colorful celebrations and fiestas are on your list of 'purpose for making the trip'. If your itinerary includes visits to the rice terraces in North Luzon, the best time to do this would be in March and April as the weather is pleasantly warm. Apart from that, these warm summer months are also ideal for island hopping. Do be advised that for those who can't take the heat, the month of May can be quite an experience of warm discomfort.

What To Bring?

The golden rule of traveling is to bring as little of your belongings as possible. Fortunately, most of the things that you might require are easily available upon arrival in the Philippines. Apart from the basic traveling necessities and your own special personal needs, it is not necessary to bring anything else other than (perhaps) a travel plug adapter, a pocket calculator, a torchlight, an umbrella and photographic supplies. Medications can be found at drug stores in major cities. In the event that you are confronted with problems when finding the things that you need, the ever-helpful staff at any Tourist Information Center will advise you as to where you can acquire them.

What To Wear?

Like its wonderfully varied culture, the country also has enough climatic changes that would require a wide variety of clothing. It is advisable to bring light and loose clothing that are suitable for tropical temperatures when visiting the cities of Philippines. If you are planning to make a trip to the mountains or scale the odd volcano, do bring along warmer clothing such as jumpers (sweaters) and a light jacket, even on the hottest months. And also, do bring along your thongs or flip-flops as you might find it useful in hotel bathrooms, showers or when you visit the beach. Don't forget to pack some of your formal clothing, as you might need it when you attend formal gatherings, festivals or religious services.

Airport Tax

Travelers are requested to pay an airport tax of P500 when departing from Manila's Ninoy Aquino International Airport. If departing from Cebu City, the airport tax is P400, while in Davao, it is P220. Travelers are advised to check with their travel agents on this issue before departure as the fees are subject to change.

Tipping

Unlike most Asian countries, the culture of tipping in the Philippines' service industry is becoming more prevalent with much influence from western countries. Although, nearly all major hotels and restaurants have a policy of automatically adding a 10 percent service charge to your bills, a small token to show you gratitude is still expected in the form of a tip, leaving the amount for the tip to the customer's own discretion. Apart from hotels and restaurants, other smaller service establishments as well as taxi drivers expect a small gratuity in return for the service rendered.

Business Hours

In Manila, most shops are open six days a week, from 9 or 10am to 7 or 10pm. As for shopping centers, supermarkets and departmental stores, the operating hours are from 10am to 7pm daily. Shops located outside of Manila don't usually follow a fixed schedule or business hours due to shop owners' attitude of 'whatever happens' (Bahala na).

Government, private offices and public authorities operate from Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm with workers breaking for lunch from 12pm to 1pm. Some private offices are also open on Saturdays from 8am to 12 noon. Business hours for banks are Monday-Friday from 9am to 3 or 3.30pm. Embassies or consulates are open to the public at 9am and close at 1pm. The opening hours of post offices in the Philippines differ from one place to another. Usually, post offices are open from 8am to 12 noon and from 1pm to 5pm on weekdays. And for those that operate on Saturdays, the business hours are from 8am to 1pm.

Electricity

The standard voltage of electricity used by most business centers and residents in the Philippines is 220 volts AC, 60 cycles. However, quite a few major hotels in some areas also have the US-style 110 volts capability.

Time

The island republic is eight hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). When it is 12 noon in the Philippines, it is 3am in London, 8pm the previous evening in San Francisco and 11pm in New York. With the country lying near the equator, sunrise and sunset are almost equally spread at about 6am and 6pm give or take half an hour.

Philippine's time has a strange nature, which includes lack of punctuality. So, don't be surprised if you are either waited for or left waiting.


Manila Travel Tips

General travel tips for travelling in and around Manila
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The capital of the Philippines - its heart and soul -- is Manila. It sets the rhythm of life in this archipelago and is a pulsating hub that blends the Oriental with the Occidental, the quaint with the modern, the mundane with the extraordinary.

Manila was born out of the ashes of a once flourishing Malay settlement by the banks of the Pasig River. In 1571, Miguel Lopez de Legazpi established the Ever Loyal City of Manila which, until 1898, was the seat of Spanish colonial rule in Asia. He built the city within walls and called it Intramuros.

An anchor tourist destination, Manila is the very core of the 7,000 times more islands that make up the Philippines. It is a center for the performing arts in Asia.

The Grandeur of Intramuros

At the turn of the 20th century, the great American architect and city planner Daniel Burnham noted that "the old walled city of Intramuros at the mouth of the Pasig River is one of the best preserved medieval cities anywhere in the world."

The Pacific War of the 1940's took its toll

Faithful reconstruction goes on today in Intramuros. A few of the gates and ramparts have been turned into parks and performing venues, including Puerta Real and Baluarte de San Diego. Chambers found along its gates are now occupied by art galleries, souvenir shops, restaurants, even a cyber café.

Fort Santiago, the site of torture chambers and dungeons where political prisoners from Spanish to Japanese times were kept and executed, is now a lush park with flowering trees and homing pigeons. Here, one may enjoy a leisurely ride aboard a horse-drawn carriage.

At the center of Intramuros is the grand Manila Cathedral with its detailed stone carvings, stained glass mosaics and rose windows.

San Agustin Church, completed in 1606, has withstood all the fires and earthquakes that have hit Manila through the centuries. One of the four Philippine Baroque Churches inscribed in the World Heritage List, its monastery has been turned into a museum housing priceless religious artifacts. Adjoining it are the restored gardens of Fr. Jose Blanco who studied Philippine botanical life during the Spanish period.

Barrio San Luis along Juan Luna Street is made up of five faithfully reconstructed colonial houses - Casa Manila, Casa Urdaneta, Casa Blanca, Los Hidalgos and El Hogar Filipino.

Beyond the Walls

Manila has since expanded beyond Intramuros to become the nucleus of the country's largest metropolis, Greater Manila, made up of 11 other cities and five towns.

But before it spread out of its confines, history saw Manila figuring prominently in the Galleon Trade, the first trans-Pacific commerce between Asia, America and Europe for some 250 years.

The city was also scarred by many foreign invasions, ravaged by Chinese, Dutch, Portuguese and British marauders. Shortly after the country declared itself Asia's first democracy in 1898, the Americans invaded its shores and ruled for 50 years. And after the Pacific War of the 1940's, when the Japanese Imperial Army reigned for four years, Manila was the second most destroyed city in the world. The rubbles of the past have seasoned and strengthened Manila's character today.

Just off Intramuros' walls is the world-class Club Intramuros which offers day and night golfing. Adjacent to it is the 58-hectare Rizal Park, which runs from Taft Avenue up to the seawalls of the fabled Manila Bay.

In 1902, Burnham designed a U-shaped government complex within Luneta. Only three buildings were however constructed: the Executive House occupied by the National Museum, the Department of Finance Building which now houses the Museum of the Filipino People, and the Department of Tourism Building envisioned to become the future Museum for Natural Sciences.

Across the Pasig River from Fort Santiago is Binondo, or Chinatown. Not much has changed in terms of lifestyle in this quaint district although, now, high-rise buildings have started to appear in its skyline.

A stone's throw away from Rizal Park is the Ermita district which, together with the Malate district, forms what is known as Manila's Tourist Belt. Ermita is antique and art galleries, curio and souvenir shops while Malate is cozy cafes, music lounges and performance theaters.

At the heart of Manila is Quiapo. What has caught the fancy of many bargain-hunters is Ilalim ng Tulay - literally, "Under the Bridge" - where stalls sell an array of handicrafts at prices that are practically a steal.
Near Quiapo is the genteel San Miguel district, with its ancestral homes and Malacanang Palace, seat of the Philippine government. A museum of presidential memorabilia is open to the public.

A Sampling of the Country's Best

Manila mirrors the best of this country's 7,000 times more islands.
A few minutes away from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and the Fiesta Duty Free Shop in Paranaque City is Nayong Pilipino, or Philippine Village, which features the country's famous landmarks in miniature.
Weekends are good days to visit, when the park assumes a barrio fiesta (village festival) atmosphere, complete with traditional games, indigenous music, songs and dances, and craft demonstrations.

The Sunset Strip

Roxas Boulevard, which extends from Paranaque City to Manila, is the Bay Area from where one can have a view of the famed Manila sunset.
Many landmarks are found in this area, including the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Philippine Senate buildings. Within the stretch is the International Trade Center complex, the Philippine Trade Training Center and the World Trade Center. Further back is the Government Service Insurance System building which houses an art gallery by the bay.

The boulevard is also home to the country's premier performing venue, the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Within its complex are the Philippine International Convention Center, the Product Design and Development Center, the Folk Arts Theater, the Coconut Palace and the Westin Philippine Plaza Hotel.

Adjoining the complex is the Manila Yacht Club and the Philippine Navy Headquarters. A little farther is the US Embassy.

Across the Yacht Club is the Bangko Sentral (Central Bank) complex which houses the Money Museum. The bank has Asia's biggest and finest gold collection at the Metropolitan Museum, a home for the modern masters.
Roxas Boulevard is lined with posh hotels, casinos and lively nightspots.

City Lights

Greater Manila is where the country's most prestigious business addresses and the trendiest leisure establishments are found. By day, it hums with the bustle of commerce and, by night, throbs with the excitement of varied, high class entertainment.

Makati City is the country's financial center and the most prestigious business address. Many foreign embassies and multinationals call it home. Fashionable hotels, restaurants, discos, music bars, boutiques and specialty shops converge around the sleek Ayala Center.

In Makati is Forbes Park, home to the rich and famous. The most elite country club, Manila Polo Club, and golf course, Manila Golf Club, are nestled within the village.

Giving Makati a run for its money is Mandaluyong City, with Ortigas Center an impressive alternative to Ayala Center. Home to the Asian Development Bank and the Philippine Stock Exchange, it is also the site of three of Metro Manila's gigantic shopping malls - SM Megamall, Robinson's Galleria and Shangri-la EDSA Plaza.

San Juan is the hometown of President Joseph Estrada. Built on a hilly terrain, a drive along the old residential section can be a pleasurable diversion. Its Greenhills Commercial Center houses some of Metro Manila's vibrant music halls.

Quezon City was envisioned by the late President Manuel L. Quezon (after whom the city was named) to be the country's government center. Many of the national government offices are located here as well as the country's leading educational institution, the University of the Philippines.

Dominating Cubao, Quezon City's commercial center, is Araneta Coliseum, the country's biggest enclosed entertainment arena. For nightlife, the Quezon Boulevard, Timog Avenue, Tomas Morato Avenue and West Avenue strips offer varied, colorful fares.

Marikina City is the Shoe Center of the Philippines. The city takes pride in its 75.6-hectare River Park.

Paranaque City is generally associated with its dry goods and seafood market and restaurants, and Redemptorist Church, a pilgrimage site which houses the Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

Las Pinas City has retained much of its provincial appeal. Visitors flock to this city to see the world's only bamboo organ, housed at the picturesque St. Joseph's Parish Church.

City Flavors

Metro Manila is one big gastronomic trip of many cuisines. In Intramuros is Illustrado Restaurant with its colonial ambiance and Spanish provincial cuisine. The old Malate district, with Remedios Circle at its core, is the favorite watering hole of artists, designers and the café society who are only too willing to try the varied international flavors offered by the many restaurants in the area. Authentic Chinese cuisine can be had at the old financial district of Binondo. Aside from Ayala Center, many fine and theme dining establishments line Jupiter Street and Pasay Road in Makati City. From theme restaurants to beer-and-grill gardens, Tomas Morato Avenue, Timog Street, Quezon Avenue and West Avenue in Quezon City have them all. Interesting clusters of restaurants and bars are found in San Juan's Greenhills and Mandaluyong City's Ortigas Center.

The outskirts of Manila offer many places of interest that are easily accessible by day excursions. Many of these destinations can be reached in an hour or two.

CORREGIDOR

Corregidor is a tiny tadpole-shaped island lying across the entrance of Manila Bay. Also known as "The Rock," it was the focus of a protracted battle between Filipino-American and Japanese forces during the Second World War. The shell of the Mile Long Barracks still stands. Within the Malinta Tunnel, a light-and-sound show is staged for day tourists. It can be reached by de-luxe cruisers from the CCP Complex jetty in Roxas Boulevard.

LAGUNA

Laguna boasts one of the most beautiful country-sides in the Philippines with a plethora of waterfalls, springs, seven big rivers and the lake from which it got its name spanning all of 90 hectares, making Laguna de Bay the biggest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia.

The town of Los Banos ("The Baths") has numerous resorts fed by hot and cold springs. Standing guard over the resort town is Mount Makiling which houses at its slopes a botanical park and the National Arts Center, a high school for budding artists.

The quaint town of Pagsanjan was the setting of the Francis Ford Coppola's "Apocalypse Now." Its star attraction is the Pagsanjan Rapids and Falls.
In the town of Alaminos is found Hidden Valley which is actually a volcano crater. A number of hot, cold and soda springs lace a forest of towering fruit trees, tropical shrubs and flowering plants.

Also in Laguna is the historical town of Calamba where the ancestral house of Dr. Jose Rizal has been turned into a museum.

SAN PABLO CITY

In San Pablo City are found seven lakes. For a taste of plantation living, visit Villa Escudero. Here, bamboo cottages gird a river that flows into a dam.

TAGAYTAY

A one hour drive south of Manila is Tagaytay, a city perched on a ridge. From the Tagaytay Picnic Grove, there is an unobstructed view of Volcano Island, a volcano within a lake with a volcano within a lake, which is the standard description of the 406 meter-high Taal Volcano, the smallest volcano in the world.

BATANGAS

The heritage town of Taal in the Southern Tagalog province of Batangas features the largest church in the Far East, the Ionic-columned and Gothic-designed Basilica of Saint Martin of Tours.

In the southeast area of Batangas is the resort village of Anilao in Mabini town, the nearest scuba diving center to Manila. Anilao is also a jump-off point for island-hopping expeditions.

SUBIC

Also within Subic is a virgin forest where one can go on a 12-hour trek, visit a tribal village, and take a jungle survival course. Subic Bay is a rich hunting ground for both professional and Sunday anglers alike.

CLARK

Clark, in the Central Luzon province of Pampanga, is the former homebase of the United States air fleet in Southeast Asia. A short hour and a half drive north of Manila, Clark is a special economic zone that has a recreation network which include an 18-hole golf course, an aviation school, a de-luxe hotel, and duty free shops.

An hour's drive from Clark is Subic, the 18,000-hectare former US naval reservation in the province of Zambales. Subic's recreation area includes an 18-hole golf course, horseback riding trail, firing range, casinos, restaurants, duty-free shops, bowling area, a bungee jumping area, and a marina complex.

PLANNING YOUR TRIP

Manila is the main gateway to the Philippines and is readily accessible from the travel capitals of the world.

Traveling time to Manila from Hong Kong is an hour and 50 minutes; from Singapore, 3 hours and 10 minutes; from Bangkok, 3 hours and 50 minutes; Tokyo, 4 hours and 15 minutes; Sydney, 10 hours and 20 minutes; London, 20 hours and 45 minutes; Paris, 21 hours and 15 minutes; Frankfurt, 19 hours and 40 minutes; San Francisco, 16 hours and 15 minutes; Los Angeles, 15 hours and 20 minutes; and New York, 25 hours and 20 minutes. Philippine Airlines is the national carrier.