Philippines

Take a peek at these major islands and see the beauty that had once lure the conquerors to the so called Pearl of the Orient!

• Language: Filipino(primary);English(secondary); each province has their own dialect though
• Government: :Unitary presidential/Constitutional Republic
• Currency: Peso (PHP)
• Capital: Manila
• Religion: 90% are Christians,majority of which is Roman Catholic,5% are Muslims and the rest are either Jews,Buddhhist or Animistic
• Best times to visit: September to the middle of May is good as typhoons are usually expected by June -August. Several festivities are held between January to May. School breaks for Christmas, Holy Week, and Easter and October are usually time for locals to tour.

• International Flights

Philippines has seven airports which caters to international flights. The airports are as follows:

• Ninoy International Airport in Manila - Has four terminals and two of which are currently used for international flights. It is by far the busiest in the country receiving most international flights and is found in the National Capital Region.

• Terminal I - for International Flights excluding that of Philippine Airlines(PAL)the
• Terminal II- Has two wings, North and South , North Wing being used for international flights of PAL

• Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Clark, Angeles, Pampanga - found in a former U.S. base camp, north of Metro Manila
• Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao City - This is forseen to be the gateway for the southern part of the country. It is relatively new so there are not much international flights yet although facilities are of excellent standards.
• Mactan-Cebu International Airport in Mactan, Cebu- It is located along the central part of the country, in the Visayas, and is the second busiest airport in terms of international flight traffic.
• Subic Bay International Airport, Zambales - It is also located in a former U.S. base camp and is now a Freeport Zone.
• Laoag International Airport - It is the northern most international airport of the country. Few international flights are available and most who wish to come this far usually take a flight from Manila.
• Ilo-Ilo International Airport-It was inagurated only early this year so no update yet to the international flights.

You may check the airlines and their destinations or you may see the options from your place of departure

• International Cruise

• By Air

Four major airline companies soar the Philippine skies. These are Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific,Asian Spirit and SEAIR. Taking plane rides shortens your travel time and it is convenient when going to far places especially that entire country is separated by various bodies of water.

You can check the destinations of the airlines here

• By Sea

If you are not in a hurry to reach your destination and you consider cruising the waters as a wonderful adventure then you should try boarding vessels of the sea. For some islands, there is no other way of reaching them but by taking short rides on barges, small boats or ferries. So if you get sea sick easily, try to ride during fair weathers and you won't even realize you have reached your destination.

• By Land

A lot of public utility transportation is available for moving within cities. You have a choice of bus, jeepneys, and cabs in most cities. In Metro Manila, you can also take the train systems traveling main roads of the city. In the less urbanized communities tricycles, pedals(a bicycle with an attachment), and motorcycle rides are offered.

• Baguio the summer capital of the Philippines,It has a cool climate because of its high altitude location and the many pines that grow there. It is approximately 250 kilometers north of Manila and may be reach by bus for a 7-8 hours travel.

• Cebu

• Davao

• Manila is the national capital of the country. Here you will see admixture of the colonial past and progress of the present.

• Luzon

• Visayas

• Mindanao

Listing of cities and towns of Philippines

Philippines Festivals

Blue Horizons Travel & Tours, Inc. - an internationally owned and managed tour organization that specializes in arranging sightseeing, accommodations, flights and other travel needs. They have been in operation since 1981. Their website is available for more information at www.bluehorizons.com.ph.

Philippine Travel Network Covers a wide scope of areas giving you more choices in customizing your trip although Anchor destinations enlists 8 cities. Address is at Unit 5, 2F, JCS Bldg., Paz cor. Pedro Gil, Paco, Manila, 1004 Philippines. For more details, please see www.hotelphilippines.biz

Below are some listing of Tour agencies based on some countries. They have been arranged by continents:

Africa

Asia

AT Reservation Network Pte Ltd- a subsidiary of Asiatravel.com Holdings Ltd offering cheap deals for flights, hotels and tours. They have various offices found in Dubai, Hongkong. Singapore, Philippines, Thailand. Click on the name to view contact details.

Australia and Oceania

Europe

Miki Travel Limited (UK-main)- Although they are based in London, they have several affiliate offices in Europe and Asia which makes connections easier. You can check their website at www.miki.co.uk or visit their office in 18/20 Cannon Street, London EC4M 6XD, England. Affiliate offices can be found in the following Asian cities of Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, Nagoya, Sendai, Hongkong, Kuala Lumpur, Beijing, Bangkok, Jakarta. It also has offices in the following European cities: London, Zurich, Dublin, Rome, Madrid, Helsinki, Lisbon, Frankfurt, Brussels, Florence, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, Milan, Nice, Budapest, Geneva, Munich, Vienna, Venice, Oslo, and Prague.

Explore Worldwide Limited (UK-main) - the focus is not just in giving you a holiday vacation but one that is coupled with great adventure. Their office is UK based at the following address: Nelson House, 55 Victoria Road, Farnborough, Hampshire, GU14 7PA,UK. You can check their website at www.explore.co.uk or call their travel agents at # 0870 333 4801.

USA

Artisan of Leisure - located in New York City, across the street from Union Square Cafe—and just steps from the vibrant Union Square Greenmarket. Office hours is 9 a.m.- 6p.m. Mon- Fri by appointment only. Click on the name to view details.

Expedia Inc. - It by far the largest online travel agency with several interfacing famous brands, one of which is Expedia.com. You can book either flights, hotels, cars, a vacation package or a combination of any. You can visit their website at www.expedia.com or call Main Office Phone Number 425-679-7200 Customer Service phone 1-800-EXPEDIA or [1 (800) 397-3342]