Our trip to the Philippines has been a wonderful escape from winter in the UK. It's been a month since we arrived in Manila and we could not recommend it more. We head for Hong Kong tomorrow.
Travelling itself has changed rapidly and very significantly. We have seen as many young travellers happily wheeling along their shiney Samsonite cases, as opposed to wrestling great wet canvass rucksacks onto their backs. Mobile phones, go-pros and drones fill their time so completely that it's a wonder they notice that they have left home. Even the travellers bible, The Lonely Planets guide, is now pretty useless to us because things change so fast. It seems virtually impossible in the day and age of google reviews to keep a book up to date. Tripadvisor of course is now no longer a travellers review site, but simple advertising. We found to our cost that even Booking .com can't keep up with whether hotels still exist. We found using Google maps for restaurant choices, even hotels, was by far the best way. Look for the highest rating, check its had more than 100 reviews, and check that the last one was within the last month. It's very likely to be a good place.
There are good and bad bits to everywhere in the world and remembering that this is a travel blog, I shall use our final leg in Bohol to illustrate some great things and a few less great things about our trip to allow you to decide if the Philippines should be on your bucket list. It was on ours and we are so glad we came.
Unless you are here to find a young bride, it's definitely an island hopping trip. Island hopping can be either extraordinary or thoroughly disappointing.
Don't be under any illusion that the Philippines will be quiet, just because it's a long way away. It's really close to Hong Kong, Korea, China, Japan, Taiwan, and not that far from Australia. So, what for us is very long haul, becomes a weekend break for much of the most populous bits of the world.
Peak season demands forward planning. The really good places get booked up early. Some of the smaller islands like Siquijor have a real shortage of accommodation. So we found that the places we wanted to stay were fully booked.
The small dive islands are over crowded. Many islands are within reach of day trips. Who can blame locals who make good money from these. Hundreds of small tour boats heading for the same beautiful reefs. Like safari landrovers heading for some variety of terrified wild cat.
The inland attractions of the islands are equally beautiful. And equally in demand. Waterfalls, lagoons, river experiences, to local wildlife like tarsiers, extraordinary geographical features like active volcanos and chocolate hills. All amazing, but could be more amazing if you felt at any point that you were discovering something new. You are not.
Some of the sea and land attractions are exploitative and should be avoided. Whale sharks are fed to allow tourists to meet them. This interferes with their migrations and natural patterns and will not be sustainable. Sanctuaries are set up to allow thousands to see rare creatures like Tarsiers. But sanctuary and zoo are really interchangeable words here it appeared to us. Even wild monkeys are fed to allow tourists to get a good snap.
But the beaches are amazing. The sand is perfect. Even public beaches are pretty clean. The reefs compare, in places, with any in the world. On a personal note, as it's only two months since we were in the Maldives, they are way better than there in my opinion. The Tao tour or one of the several companies that run 4 night trips to islands out of reach the day boats provide the very best way to experience the Philippines. I suggest that this is a vital part of a trip here. But be aware that whether you do it first, middle, or last, it will be your favorite bit and you will compare the rest unfavourably against it.
Having felt like we had overdone the beach we headed for the Loboc River Resort in Bohol. Stumbling by accident into one of the most wonderful places we have been. We borrowed a local double hulled canoe. And headed off to experience possibly the most beautiful lush quiet jungle edged river scenery we have ever witnessed . Later the same day we were absolutely overwhelmed by a night boat trip to watch fireflies. Blessed with a starry night we witnessed a breathtaking display of fireflies back lit by incandescent night sky. Photos are inadequate, but like the corals and the fish of the Philippines, our memory has the best pictures.
But the people, of course, made our trip the experience it has been. Both the travellers we met, and the locals. I've written already about some of the fellow travellers. It's the locals who really deserve the praise. They are very poor. Average salary is about £10 a day. They are amazingly friendly and boy, do they love Karaoke! Music is the soul and essence of the Philipinnes.
They also seemed genuinely happy. Who am I kidding? I really have no idea. But they have great big smiles and seem to be effortlessly genuine. I guess that's what I mean. They have been really lovely to us.
Tell them you are a doctor, anywhere else in the world they will ask you about their ear infection. Here, they ask with a wry smile if you know how to mend a broken heart.
I have so many examples from this trip. From the incredible staff on our island hopping tour, to the four men who helped me change the wheel on my hire car today. But my favorite example from here in Bohol is typical of the lovely gentle, humorous, and warm nature of the people. Two days ago, we took a punishing mountain bike tour beside the Loboc river. Our tour guide was called Promin. He had lied when he said the tour was the one hour easy tour. It lasted nearly four hours. I changed gear frantically on a particularly steep bit of hill then changed my mind and inevitably flipped the chain off. The chain got wedged down by the cogs as I kept on pedalling. Promin just smiled and sorted me out with a new bike. He seemed only concerned that we had a great time. Did I like Karaoke? He enquired. What could I say. I had just broken his bike. Hell yes. Louise joined in with the statement "Mick has a great voice". Cow.
We cycled on down the riverbank as far as the sea at Loay. I thought no more about his question. Sunday on the beach is a big thing for Philippino family "bonding". Not a tourist in sight there. Three quid buys a family a large day hut on the beach. Packed with a multigenerational nuclear family. Each hut comes equipped with both a communal barbecue, and the loudest but worst quality professional karaoke machine known to man. I stood too close and inevitably a local family called me over. Please come and sit. Join us and watch our singing. They were so incredibly sweet, offering food and lulling me into a false sense of security. Not mentioning the obvious fact that in order to secure their eternal love (and make Promins day) I would have to perform.
In 57 years I have honestly dodged public singing of every sort. Since that excruciating choir audition at the age of six, when the extremely flushed faced young Mick felt he was going to cry, wet himself, and faint simultaneously when called upon to perform alone. I was still wanted by the music teacher for choir practice apparently. But after feigning illness for the first month, mum got the message and never insisted. I am, of course, a professional singer in the shower.
Inevitably the book of tunes was handed my way. I was tuneless and eardrum damagingly terrible. Louise kindly suggested it was the speakers. Nevertheless they cheered and I was awarded 100% by the machine. I am a professional. Well I knew the words, to Maggie May. No one seemed too traumatised and Promin, bless him, was adoring. He insisted I joined him in a duet. That was not so good. A truly golden day for us. God, and the Philippino's, love a trier.
Last word goes to Pramin, our wise guide. His father died last month, and he was proud to share with us the last conversation he had with his dad. There are only three things necessary for a good life, to work hard, to look after your family like treasure, and never stop smiling.
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