Nice Get Away in Philippines
 

I'm gonna be stationed in Bangkok for two months. I go there every other month anyways for two weeks and I go to Manila. I want to take someone out for a weekend and we have a lot planned already and since we go to Bangkok a lot, we've seen a lot of Thailand. My friend has never been to Philippines. But I don't really like Cebu and I dont' know enough about PI besides Manila to talk much about it.

Looking for a place that is not fancy but more secluded, more relaxed. We are not disco folks but we do go out, we are not shoppers per see but we do hit markets, we are both foreigners obviously but I travel extensively. I hate the domestic terminal so would prefer using Philippine air and going out of Centenial as we can take the PR flights from BKK to Centenial.

I have a question posted about some places in Thailand we could hit but I don't like Phuket and other areas and we have a lot planned in Thailand already... so I'm thinking about taking the trip over to PI if we can come up with something nice.

Any ideas... resorts... locations.... etc.... Just a nice place to head out. Time would be July through August... We are islanders so heat is no issue. Thinking about this we could hit other places like Singapore instead...

The only good thing about the Philippines is the flight out

Boracay is beautiful. Lovely beaches, decent food and bars if you want them. If you explore the island you will find lots of non-touristy areas. Now i was there about 6 years ago, so things might have changed. But check it out on other forums. It looks like you can take Philippine Air from Centennial.

Enjoy!

This is the rainy season. Best time is November through March.

A friend just came back from Boracay and said it was fabulous. I saw the photos and vow to visit there in the not too distant future.

Will be in MNL for a month next February, but looking to head over a little early to relax somewhere. Heard of Boracay...any other suggestions? Looking for something a little secluded, but also reasonable.
Thanks!

No kidding... I'm there every other month.... but I will be staying for two months durign that time... this isn't holiday this is work why I go there. Rain won't bother us, we're used to it.

Boracay I know. it is nice but I was thinking Puerto Galera maybe....

Boracay is quickly gaining a reputation as a tourist trap, but I'd still recommend it for someone who has never been. The nightlife and beaches are great. As Mr. Roboto stated, the best time to go is from November to March. Personally, I like to do Boracay in the first week of January. March to June is the hot and dry season. The beaches will be crowded as school is out. The beautiful, clear water takes on a greenish tint from the seasonal algae. June to October is rainy and there is the risk of typhoons. It's no fun being trapped on a small island during a major storm.

Palawan is a nice destination. It's a bit cheaper than Boracay and the beaches aren't as crowded. The fares from Manila to Puerto Princessa are typically dirt cheap via Cebu Pacific.

Baguio is great for a 1-3 day trip. The climate is uncharacteristically cool and the air is clean. It's a short flight from Manila or you can reach it by car or bus in about 5-6 hours. We actually prefer to drive just to enjoy the scenery and mountain views.

Tagaytay is another nice, cool place to escape. There are hotels and inns that offer privacy at an affordable price. Taal Volcano is a local tourist site and is considered the smallest active volcano in the world. The Taal Tours are a major tourist trap, probably the worst I've encountered in the Philippines.

I can recommend many more. There are lots of nice resorts right here in Luzon. Some of them aren't as widely known as the famous spots, but are just as nice. :)

I love Boracay and it would make an easy getaway from Manila for a few days.

I initially spent 10 days there last fall and liked it so much I ended up staying almost 4 weeks :eek:

Great beaches, good diving, any sort of nightlife you could want and fantastically fresh "seafoods". Just avoid the "all you can" places...the stuff sits out in the sun for days :barfeyes:

We just returned from a short vacation at Sabangan Resort in Laiya, Batangas. Very nice and cozy resort and it's only about 2.5-3 hours from Manila by car. We were originally planning on visiting Boracay but decided to hit the less crowded beaches of Batangas. It was my first time there and I was not disappointed. My only complaint was having my sandals stolen by a pearl vendor. No kidding. :rolleyes:

There is also a new luxury resort called Aquatica Resort, adjacent to Sabangan. We were already booked at Sabangan but were able to take a tour of Aquatica. I was very impressed with the accommodations and professionalism of the staff. The place is brand new with very spacious cottages, a huge infinity pool, wet bar, etc. We are already planning to visit on our next weekend get away. ^

El Nido has some nice resorts. Also, can recommend The Pearl Farm down near Davao for a relaxed getaway.

Three questions, one a little off topic. Never done Asia travel, so looking for some advice, and thought I'd try here first! Thanks in advance. I'll be going to MNL Feb 2009 for a month...

1. What would be best if I'm arriving into MNL at 11PM and wanting to head out the next day?
2. Or alternatively what's easiest for a weekend get-away from MNL?

3. Never done travel to Asia before, so not sure what's best. I have a few options and need help figuring out if any of these are bad ideas...

a. MKE-DTW-NGO-MNL and back...cost is $1546, total time is 22h15m/19h30 (19h/15h45m), and equip is 744.

b. MKE-MSP-NRT-MNL and back...cost is same, total time is 23h45m/20h5m (flight time 18h48m/15h45m) and 744 equip.

c. MKE-MSP-SEA-NRT-MNL and back...cost is $1539, total time 26h10m/22h16m (flight time 20h47m/17h8m), the biggest bonus is that the tpac segment is on the A332 (NRT-MNL is still 744). The problem is that this is 2 separate tickets, with connection times in SEA of 134min and 105m (in January...). [To break things up and avoid the early morning I could fly to SEA the day before, get a hotel for <$100 and save $20 on airfare...]

You are aware that the permitted period of visa-free stay in The Philippines is 21 days? So for a month you will need either a visa before you go, or to apply for an extension once there, or to exit and re-enter.
http://www.gov.ph/faqs/visa.asp
My limited experience with Philippines bureaucracy suggests that the last option (maybe a couple of days in Hong Kong or Macau) might be the easiest, and maybe even the cheapest, option.

(Edit - oops - just seen in the other thread that you will be working, so I guess you'll be getting a visa anyway.)

Thanks for reading so closely! We will be doing the visa thing...it's an organized clinical elective, and the Dr. taking us has been many times before. I think I was going to try to stay in the Philippines...

Sorry I didn't catch that one too. Yes, the 21 day thing is in fact accurate, but is fairly easy (and inexpensive) to get a visa extension. Even more so if you strategically throw a few pesos around to the folks in immigration.

"Fixers" are quite common in any government office in the Philippines. You don't have to look for them, they will usually find you if you look well to do. If you are prepared to spend a few hundred to a thousand (pesos) extra you can accomplish more in two hours than you will all day of going it alone. The fixing angle also provides the added security of having your documents hand carried, as opposed to handing them to someone and hoping they will not be "lost." :rolleyes:

Be sure to dress nicely before going to immigration. They actually have a dress code, although a business suit might be overdress and impractical due to the climate.

It's a good thing that you are traveling with someone who is a veteran of Phils. It can be a mind numbing experience for a new comer and there are quite a few opportunistic locals who would be more than happy to take advantage of a foreigner.

Ponderosa Golf Course
 

Make sure you take a peek at the Private 9 hole Golf Course up in the mountains of Puerto Galera called Ponderosa Golf Course <http://www.philippines-travel-guide.com/ponderosa-golf-club-puerto-galera.html>. You can have a coke while up 1800 ft above sea level with a stunning view of Batangas. Say hi to Tony Taylor, the 84 yo owner who you should try to beat in a round of golf. Tell him his kids in Tokyo sent you !

Thanks, I am pretty sure we will go Puerto Galera after all.... So if have a chance will run up there. Any other suggestions on the place... I decided to stay away from some of the other places and try this one out.

When I was last in Manila (2006), Immigration (and maybe all government offices) had a no-shorts policy. I had a lovely drive from Intramuros back to Alabang back to Intramuros to get some pants.

And I second everything viking407rob said about using fixers. What they cost you in money they will more than save you in time.