Unforgettable Philippines
We rested in the Philippines in July 2019. Family of 4, children aged 9 and 14.
General. We flew to Manila, from there by a local airline to about. Bohol. We didn't find a beach there. Along the coast there are fishing houses, shacks and cardboard huts - you won’t come in. Quite dirty accordingly. But we strongly advise you to stay there for 2-3 days. Firstly, it is convenient for adapting to the climate, to the locals (they are very colorful and curious) and even to food. Secondly, there are shops and some kind of supermarkets, where the choice and prices are much lower than in the beach area. Currency exchange for pesos is also only on about. Bohol, in banks. And thirdly, we took a car with a driver for the whole day to go around all the local parks. We booked 2 rooms for 2 people. Since this time is considered the off-season, they lived alone. The rooms are basic but nothing more is needed. Difficulties with water. For some reason, it's not always there. If you vacationed on the Black Sea coast alone or with your parents in the 80s as a “savage” (or watched the movie “Be My Husband”), this is the very service and view. However, the breakfasts were nutritious, at a convenient time for us.
On the second day, we took a tricycle and drove to White Beach, on the island of Panglao (it is connected by a bridge to Bohol). As it turned out, there are many roads to get there (each driver drives in his own way, the travel time is from 25 to 40 minutes, depending on the driver. Most often we were driven past the airport). We took with us only beach accessories and one document. We separated, and while the children and my husband were swimming, I went through 8-11 hotels and chose 3 rooms that were suitable for us in terms of payment and quality. The administrators are responsive, friendly, and although it is not the season, they show the rooms and offer options. There were no rooms at all, only in the super-elite and ordinary, but across the road. This is due to the fact that there are many Chinese and Koreans, they rest in large groups and occupy 4-5 rooms at once. As a result, we chose the Lost Horizon Hotel.
The next day we packed up and moved to a hotel on the beach. THE TALE has begun! The beach is cleaned only in front of the hotels, but we went to the rock, there are boats and trees, you can lie in the shade. The sea is clean. The views are amazing. Bounty is resting! We went to a cafe for lunch. There are many of them, but the whole menu is designed for the taste of the Chinese and Koreans - everything is spicy. But there is a choice and you can feed the children. McDonald's amused me - it's there with pasta and meatballs... But desserts with ice cream and fresh juices are great !! ! At first glance, it’s a little expensive, but after you try it and decide on your favorite taste, you don’t feel sorry for the money. Pamper yourself and the kids for sure!!!
You can go from the shore to feed the tiger sharks, but we went by ferry to about. Cebu and a bus to Oslob village to see something else in the Philippines. If the children are small or can’t bear the road, or just don’t want to hassle, choose boats from the beach - there is no difference in terms of money. But according to impressions, of course, travel is worth it. But take the ferry early for the experience. The ferry takes 2 hours and another road along the island. Cebu. But on the boats you will get directly in 2 hours. We strongly advise you to feed the whale sharks, but the entertainment is not cheap - everything ended up costing us 9800 in rubles. From the beach they offered for 10.000 and without hassle... choose for yourself. On the beach we met with a Russian couple, like from Perm, they go everywhere themselves, by ferry to the islands, then they rent a motorcycle - they “jump” around the islands. There were two of them and they told us about the sharks, so we went. No regrets.
The last 4 days we lived on the island of Mindoro. It was easier to find the hotel, it took longer to get there and the beach with dark sand, so there are few people who want it out of season. There are no animals in the sea, which means there are no algae and jellyfish either. For a holiday with young children is good, but boring!! ! Everything is for an amateur.
Entertainment. All day on about. Bohol: butterfly park, snakes - the same as in Thailand and Vietnam, so if you were, you can skip it. We advise you to fly over the river on a zipline. We flew with the whole family at once, in double bags. There's an interesting moment in braking! Then we went to the dolphins. They are cute and charming, but they are not given in the hands, alas. Even though we asked. Tarsiers are all different, we found one similar to Yoda from Star Wars! Then we drove past the statue of Buddha, rice fields. We stopped where we wanted, our driver showed good landscapes for photos and sparsely populated places. There is a place on the road where all the cars and buses stop, and this is just around the corner - be careful! We visited local temples and monuments. U-turn back near the Chocolate Hills. They are also not for everyone. In general, the day was wonderful and full of impressions!
I wrote about whale sharks above. Get up very early - at 5 o'clock, well, we rented a room 3 minutes walk. The owner of the hotel gave us a person who bought tickets, stood in line and gave numbers, put us in a shuttle. There are a lot of people, all in swimsuits and with photographic equipment. Funny! You will be given a vest, but if you swim well, you can take it off. We took off and dived. Words can't describe it!!! ! Sharks are fed, they swim and do what they want. After about 10 minutes, I began to distinguish them from each other. In total, they frolicked for about 25 minutes. We were in the 6th boat, and there were just an uncountable number of people behind us. I don’t know who they saw, but in our time there were 9 fish.
On Mindoro Island, we went to a waterfall and a mangrove forest. We also took a tricycle. The driver was also a guide.
On our own, we walked around about. Cebu. (We were returning after the sharks and it was 40 minutes before the ferry). We saw their schools, markets, workshops, banks, housing. Alas, there are many poor and even beggars. It's hot to walk - take plenty of water. The port is also interesting, there is a historical zone, a square and monuments. Urns there are made in the form of basketball nets and cages. The wind blows debris away.
Hotels. You can book via the Internet, but we did this only with the first one on about. Bohol. Stardom, as in any other resort - for every taste. At the reception you can bargain, negotiate! We did just that. Everything is intelligent and polite. But you need to say exactly what you want and for what money - they will offer an option. We didn’t get to the most luxurious one, but there are rooms with private pools and sun loungers on the beach.
Food. Cafes and restaurants work for the Chinese and Koreans, but there are potatoes, chickens, and seafood everywhere. They also took it from the hands - cheap and tasty, but they are not bargained! Ice cream, juices, fresh juices are different everywhere - try in small portions - choose. Interestingly, water for 1 peso in bags, something like our soda machines from the USSR. On about. Mindoro portions are larger, but no fruit and ice cream (maybe out of season? ). But on about. Panglao portions are smaller, but there are exotic fruits, affordable prices, and super buns for every taste, on every corner!
Money. When we rested, the rate was almost 1:1. Exchange in banks, everything is long, only with documents and carefully. Have some extra time in case there is a queue. We hit once in 35 minutes. Bank branches are small. My husband changed, but they didn’t let me in with the children - a lot of people. It's hot outside and you can't leave. But we looked at how they bring money: machine guns, bulletproof vests, an armored car and several guards - my son liked it.
People. Responsive, curious, friendly, until it comes to money. They will not miss their own and become aggressive. Therefore, first negotiate a price everywhere, and then relax and have fun.
Nature. We were in the rainy season. Everything is green and juicy. The sea is clean, but after a storm, like everywhere else. The climate is hot and humid. We tolerate well, but we went everywhere with drinking water. There were rains, on about. Mindoro, 3 times. This must be seen - washes away everything and everyone. Strongly, plentifully, suddenly, cheerfully, briefly. The longest 20 minutes. And there are dogs everywhere. They are collared and not aggressive at all. They can be fed at will. But the kitten scratched me (well, I climbed to treat him myself, and he was apparently unusually hungry).
The road. I will describe our path. From Yekaterinburg to Moscow by car - 2 days. We left the car in the parking lot at the hotel near Domodedovo (easy to find on the Internet). We flew from Moscow to Manila via Dubai in about 5 hours. In Dubai, we had a 10-hour transfer (we chose this one ourselves to go to the beach and Dubai Mall). Flight from Dubai to Manila took 9 hours. In the same place, at the Manila airport, they moved to the 1st floor, where local airlines are. At the Cebu Pacific office, we bought tickets to Fr. Bohol and back immediately. (We do not recommend doing this. We liked it on Panglao Island and we didn’t want to move, but you can’t return or exchange tickets. Or rather, you can, but at a loss. In fact, we would have lost about 24.000 rubles. And there they are good money and opportunities. )
Manila - about. Bohol flew about 50 minutes. On a tricycle to the hotel. On about. Bohol 3 days. Then we moved on a tricycle to about. Panglao. Back 10 days later: tricycle Fr. Panglao - about. Bohol, air about. Bohol - Manila. Ferry from Manila to about. Mindors - 1.5 hours. There's a tricycle to the beach, and a hotel to choose from. Back to Manila also by ferry. And here lies the TRAP. On the day of departure there was a storm and the ferry did not go!!! ! And we fly home. The plane won't wait. We had already traveled and knew that the last day was not for rest. Therefore, we were in the port 14 hours before the plane.
We were brought from the main port to the technical one. And I just persuaded the cashier to sell the tickets. Only the ferry with cars left. There are very few places on it, and there are locals, tourists, workers, and schoolchildren who want to. It's a miracle that she succumbed. People were turned back in front of us! The ferry was full. Many stood and lay (about 2 hours). It became clear why so many of them die if the ferry gets into a storm. Not that scary, very anxious and tense. Adrenaline is over the top!
When we landed at the port of Manila, we could not take the bus to the airport. They are waiting, like our minibuses - to fill with people. And this is before the evening ferry! We took a taxi, helped by a local security guard named Mango. He saved us twice from scammers in this port. Good man. (Be kinder to travelers and tourists in Russia! ). Caught in a downpour, drove slowly. We were at the airport just 5 hours before departure. Back Manila - Dubai (transfer is already 2 hours). Dubai - Moscow. From Moscow to Yekaterinburg by car.
The journey may seem tiring, but it's worth it. In addition, you can avoid our mistakes and just not ride as much as we do. A variant with one island and a beach is possible.
