“Vacation. Philippines ”- a photo with such a signature can become a worthy decoration of any family archive. Why? There are actually many prerequisites for this. Having settled in Spain, Italy and Thailand, having visited Egypt, Turkey and Tunisia several times, we strive to discover new destinations for ourselves.
So the choice falls on the Philippines, photos of which for several years have not left the covers of expensive glossy travel magazines.
Section 1. General Country Information
Not everyone even realizes that this huge state is divided into seven thousand islands, lost among the oceans and seas.
You can call a more accurate number - seven thousand one hundred and seven islands. They are all with different characters. There is everything from nature untouched by man to an abundance of clubs, discos and other entertainment.
All in all, the Philippines is full of exotic. Travelers are very interested in surfing and diving, as well as the developed resort cities, delicious cuisine, climate, local flora and fauna.
Section 2. How to get to your destination?
For Russia, flights from Moscow to Manila (albeit with transfers) are provided by two leading airlines in the world: KLM and Korean Air.
How to do this, because a vacation in the Philippines cannot but attract thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of travelers from all over the world?
According to experienced travelers, a long connection in Amsterdam is considered an uncomfortable change.
There is also the opportunity to change planes in Seoul. Flights Qatar Airways (through Doha to Cebu or Manila) are considered more convenient, because, given the connection, the flight time is only 17 hours.
And there is also another carrier, Emirates Airlines (via Dubai and to Manila). The duration of the trip, taking into account such a connection - 18 hours.
From Alma-Ata, tourists often travel through Dubai.
For Ukraine and Belarus, flights are operated by Qatar Airways and KLM and connections via Dubai, Amsterdam or Bangkok.
Section 3. Useful information: airports, visa, customs
What do you need to go on vacation in the Philippines? Map, camera, bathing suit. And also, perhaps, a set of useful information that should be armed. For example, how to get to the destination and what rules should be observed when crossing the border of a foreign country.
Although the Philippines consists of more than 7 thousand islands, almost all tourists get here by air. The most popular international Philippine airports are considered to be Angeles, Cebu, Laoag, Zomboang, Davao, Manila and Kalibo.
If we talk about comfort, the airport in Cebu, located in the very center of the archipelago, is recognized as the most convenient.
For budget tourists, Clark and Diosdado Macapagal airports are suitable, they are located in Angeles.
But the air gate called Benigno Aquino is considered one of the worst, although they are used by most travelers.
Residents of the Russian Federation traveling on holidays to the Philippines (tourism is only developing here from year to year) do not need a visa. True, the period of rest should not exceed 30 days.
Import and export of foreign currency is allowed in unlimited quantities. Also, without duty, the import of:
- 400 cigarettes;
- 250 grams of tobacco;
- 50 cigars.
Drugs, weapons and objects imitating it, pornography, inhumane and anti-state materials, fruits, vegetables and seedlings of special permission plants, wild animals and birds, antiques without special documents, gold, ivory and wood products (except for their own, which are indicated in customs declaration) it is forbidden to import.
It should be noted that in order to export jewelry or antiques from the country, you need to have a special certificate.
Section 4. When is it better to go on vacation?
The climate in the Philippines is tropical. And this means that it has its own characteristics: high temperature and humidity all year round. This should be remembered when planning your vacation in the Philippines.
In general, two seasons stand out:
- rainy (from May to November);
- dry (from December to April).
The wettest period falls on June-October, but at the same time the resorts located inside the archipelago do not rain heavily. Therefore, “Rainy Philippines” is a photo that is guaranteed to be obtained by travelers visiting the country this season.
The average air temperature in Manila is from +25 to +29 degrees Celsius.
According to experienced tourists, it is best to visit the resort in December-May. But do not forget about typhoons in the Philippines. Their peak usually occurs in July-October, but, in principle, they can form at any time.
Section 5. Cuisine, restaurants
Philippines will delight tourists with traditional cuisine. Photos of the original dishes will decorate your vacation report. The presence in the menu of something unusual and even strange is guaranteed to you. In general, this is a mixture of Western and Eastern cuisines: Chinese, Spanish, Malay.
Rice is served as a side dish for main dishes, which are most often prepared with seafood. By the way, we note that when a tourist orders any food, he is allowed to choose the option of its preparation. The most popular methods are fried garnish in sweet and sour sauce or grilled with garlic oil.
The drinks considered traditional are coconut milk - “buko”, freshly squeezed juices, cold coffee and tea, lemonades. But among the alcoholic beverages, Filipino rum, local beer, coconut-based wines, and Lambonac palm wine are the most popular.
Section 6. What is necessary to diversify your vacation in the Philippines?
- Visit a Chinese temple in Cebu and see if your wish comes true.
- Have a picnic in nature near an incredibly beautiful lake on the island of Mindanao.
- See the Chocolate Hills, famous all over the world. They are located on the island of Bohol.
- Watch the cockfights, remembering in time that they are held in almost all villages and only on Sundays.
- Ride along the river, which runs underground and is considered the main attraction of the planet, on the island of Palawan.
- Let the master conduct a national massage.
- And finally, if you are traveling to the Philippines, do not forget to take photos of the beaches without fail.