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A Tourist Guide to Philippine Travel -- Get Around Like a Native FilipinoOct 05 '10 Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line Get out of that car, quit acting like a foreigner -- you've close halfway around the world, so let your hair down and travel like a Filipino
Congratulations, you've made it to the Philippines, the land of 7,107 islands and some of the most gracious, wonderful people in the world. The Philippines is a land of contrasts, and you'll never really experience the country if you don't get out of you nice safe franchise hotel, and get out to meet the real people of this wonderful country. The first step is to get the heck out of Manila. Just as you would not want visitors to form their impression of the US by only visiting midtown Manhattan, you'll never get to know the Philippines if you only stick to the big cities. So how do you make your escape? Rental Cars - An Expensive Option All of the major worldwide car rental company would be glad to rent you a car. This is the safe choice. Wrap yourself in air-conditioned comfort, take all the insurance, and get out of town. If you want to save some money, find a local car rental company, buy the insurance (which may or may not be real) and head out of town. And, while driving out of town, beware the local police who view tourists who drive as a major revenue source. They'll shake you down for somewhere between $8 and $15 per traffic stop. During a recent trip into Manila from the countryside, I get stopped twice within a few miles of each other, and one cop- even had me wrap my "fine" in a napkin so that no one would see me paying cash. So scratch the rental car idea - beside, if you must have a rental car where you are going, odds are you can rent one there for a day. Bus Lines - There Really is a Philippine Rabbit One of the best ways to get out into the provinces is to take one of the interprovincial buses, such as The Philippine Rabbit, or Victory Liner (to name a few). The major bus lines have departures on a very regular basis to all of the major (and a lot of minor) destinations. But before you go, you need to decide which type of bus you are going to travel on. Regular fare, is just that. You get a seat on a bus with no air conditioning and no other frills. It is the lowest cost option. Many of these buses are older buses that no longer have serviceable air conditioning. Air Con fare is for a seat on an air conditioned bus, which is almost essential most times of the year. Plus the air conditioned buses are usually newer and it better condition than a regular fare bus. Air Con w/movie is an air conditioned bus with overhead monitor or monitors, playing the driver's choice of movie. This is a good thing because if you concentrate on the movie you'll never notice the driver's driving. Do not be surprised if, once all the seats are taken, the driver or his assistant, comes to the back of the bus and starts putting wooden extenders between the rows so as to basically seat people in the aisles, maximizing the passenger load. Best seas are towards the middle of the bus. If you are in the very back, the motion of the bus is too extreme, if you are towards the front of the bus, the terror factor may be too great. The assistant driver will often have a small cooler with beverages for sale. On long trips, the buses stop at restaurant complexes that are used to dealing with passengers. Be careful what you buy there, as one time I bought a bag of M&M Peanuts, and only after I got back on the bus did I discover they were two fully years past the use by date. "Ate ‘em anyway, ate ‘em anyway...." Ferry Boats - Friends Don't Let Friends Ride Ferries If you are interested in inter-island travel, you have the options of taking ferries. Don't do it, stick to airplanes. Ferries are historically overloaded, under maintained, and it seems as though at least one is lost every years with a death toll in the hundreds. The cause is usually severe overloading and poor maintenance, with little or no safety equipment. Intra-Provincial Buses - A Great Deal If you are traveling within a province, you want to seek out the local bus companies. For a pittacne, you can travel throughout a province. Don't expect air conditioning or movies, and the buses may have started their lives in Japan and have been converted from left hand drive to right hand drive. Still, it is usually a good deal. Jeepneys - A Philippine Institution The Jeepney was born around the time of WW-II, after the Japanese occupation, when the only means of transportation was by hoofing it, or by one of the zillions of surplus US Army Jeeps. The ever-enterprising Filipinos discovered that if you took a four seat jeep, and stretched out the back, you could sit 6, 8, 10 or more people. Jeepneys follow specific routes, normally painted along the side of the Jeepney, and if you are getting on one at the starting point for a journey, you need to find out where the particular Jeepneys you want are parked. Then determine which is the next to depart (usually some passengers will be on board) waiting for the driver to depart. Jump in the back, grab some space on the bench seat and wait for the driver to depart. Usually the fare is only a few pesos, and every route's fare is different. You're not really expected to know the fare. Just say in a loud voice the Taglog word for fare: bayad (BUY-ad) and hold out a handful of small change to the passenger next to you. They'll usually smile, fish out the correct amount, show it to you so you will know the fare next time and pass it up to the driver. If you don't have change, use a small bill and you will get change. If you are traveling with a companion, say bayad dos (two fares) and pass up your money. If you want to get off somewhere along the route, just sharply rap on the roof of the Jeepney and call out para (stop) or para dito (stop here). The driver will pull over and you can jump or climb out. If you are not at a route starting point, and you see a Jeepney going in the direction you want to go, just flag it down like a taxi, pay the fare and announce your stop when you want to get off. They are a great way to get around, you can meet some interesting people, as most tourists do not take Jeepneys. I normally carry some wrapped hard candies with me, and give them to children on the Jeepney. The million watt smile you receive are well worth it. You might also notice that may Jeepneys have a number of chrome horses bolted to the hood. The local joke is that this is how they increase their horsepower. Incidentally, the power plant for many Jeepneys consists of rebuild Isuzu diesel engines, imported from Japan. Tricyles - Yes, I expect you to get in that contraption Tricycles are basically small motorcycles with a sidecar. They can seat for or five Filipinos, as two can usually ride behind the driver, two in the seat, and sometimes one on the roof, providing there is not a basket of live chickens or produce already there. Tricycles may or may not follow a fixed route, and the fare is often negotiable, to a certain extent. They are great for getting around in the rural provinces, but can often be terrifying for the casual tourist. You usually won't find tricycles in the larger cities, and you will find few Jeepneys the further you get from big cities. Conclusion Well, there you have it, some interesting alternatives to renting a car. If you are visiting the Philippines, I encourage you to try some of the different means of transportation.  |
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