Travel Advice in Philippines
A trip to a foreign country can be fun and exciting. However, a fun trip can turn sour on occasion, without planning or prior knowledge of the country. Therefore, it is always advised travelers to learn about a foreign country that are about to visit to expect the unexpected and take the necessary precautions before making the trip there. Here are some travel tips that can help make your trip to the Philippines enjoyable and memorable.
Climate
The Philippines has been blessed with a tropical climate which is relatively generous amount of rain and light winds. Basically, there are three outstanding seasons: wet and rainy season (June-October), cold, but the dry season (November to February) and hot and dry (March-May).
When to go?
The best time to make a trip to the Philippines is from mid-December to mid-May because it is low for the typhoon season. Any passengers in the country in December (Christmas) or April (Easter) is advised not to travel more than necessary, as in the whole country is moving, making it difficult to get a seat on any type of transport.
January, May and December are the best months to visit the Philippines in case of colors celebrations and festivals are on its list of “effects to make the trip.” If your itinerary includes visits to the rice terraces in northern Luzon, the best time to do so would be in March and April, the weather is pleasantly warm. Beyond that, in these hot summer months are also ideal for the islands. Note that for those who can not take the heat, the month of May can be very hot for the inconvenience.
What to bring?
The golden rule of travel is to take as little property as possible. Fortunately, most things you might need are available on arrival in the Philippines. In addition to the basic necessities of travel and their own personal needs, it is not necessary to take anything other than (perhaps) an adapter for Travel, a pocket calculator, a torchlight, an umbrella and photographic supplies . The drugs can be found in pharmacies in major cities. In case you are facing difficulties in finding things that you need, provided the support staff at Tourist Information Center advise you about where you can buy.
What to Wear?
Like its diverse culture, the country has enough climatic changes that require a wide variety of clothing. It is advisable to bring light and loose clothing suitable for tropical temperatures during the visit of the cities of the Philippines. If you are planning a trip to the mountains or climb the volcano bizarre longer to warm clothing such as jumpers (sweaters) and a light jacket, even in the hottest months. And also, do that throughout the belt or sandals, as you may find useful in hotel bathrooms, showers or go to the beach. Do not forget to pack some of their formal clothes, you might need when they attend official meetings, festivals or religious services.
Airport Tax
Travelers are asked to pay an airport tax of P500 when they come to Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport. In case of leaving the city of Cebu, the airport tax is P400, while in Davao, is P220. Passengers are advised to check with their travel agents on this issue before departure that fees are subject to change.
Tipping
Unlike most Asian countries, the culture of deposit in the Philippines “the service industry is becoming more common, with great influence of Western countries. Although almost all major hotels and restaurants have a policy adding automatic 10 percent service charge to their account, a small sample to show the appreciation is always in the form of a peak, leaving the amount of the client pointe at its own discretion. Mis from hotels and restaurants, other small service establishments, and taxi drivers expect a small gratuity in exchange for services rendered.
Business Hours
In Manila, most stores are open six days a week from 9 am to 7 or 10 or 10pm. As for shopping malls, supermarkets and departmental stores, opening hours are from 10am to 7pm daily. Stores located outside Manila did not usually attend a scheduled business hours or because of owners of shops in the attitude of “what happens” (Bahal na).
Government, private offices and public authorities operate Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm with the workers lunch break from 12 to 1pm. Some private offices are also open on Saturdays from 8 to 12 hours. Hours on weekdays for banks are Monday to Friday from 9 to 3 or 3.30pm. Embassies and consulates are open to the public at 9 am and close at 1 pm. The opening hours of post offices in the Philippines differ from one place to another. Usually, post offices are open from 8 am to 12 noon and 1pm to 5pm on weekdays. And for those who operate on Saturdays, hours are from 8am to 1pm.
Electricity
The level of voltage of the electricity used by the majority of Business Centers and residents in the Philippines is 220 volts, 60 cycles. However, many major hotels in some areas have also volt-110 style U.S. capacity.
Time
The island is eight hours before Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). When he is 12 hours in the Philippines, east London 3 hours, 8 am the previous night in San Francisco and 11 pm in New York. The country stretches near the equator, sunrise and sunset are almost evenly distributed around 6 am and 6 pm give or take half an hour.
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