Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
in any case, once you reach more rural areas -
northern Luzon for example - travelling by car can
be incredibly convenient and open up a whole
range of otherwise hard-to-reach destinations.
Many travellers also rent
motorbikes
, but this is
only recommended for experienced riders - the
chances of having an accident are statistically fairly
high. It's best to avoid driving at night altogether.
If you do drive you'll require your
driving licence
and be prepared to show it if you get stopped
(rentals are allowed for up to ninety days - longer
stays will require a Philippine licence). Vehicles in
the Philippines drive on the right side of the road
and distances and car speeds are in kilometres. The
highways usually have a nominal speed limit of
100kph, but anywhere else you'll rarely be going
faster than 30kph thanks to congestion.
Always
drive defensively
- cars, animals and
pedestrians will pull out in front of you without
warning (in many rural areas people are still not
used to tra
c), and always give way to jeepneys,
which will happily drive you off the road. When
passing anything, sound your horn twice as a
warning (horns are rarely used in anger).
Note that
police
and “tra
c enforcers” - uniformed
men and women employed by local authorities to
supplement the police - might try to elicit a bribe
from you. If this happens it's best to play the dumb
foreigner and hand over the “on-the-spot fine” of a
few hundred pesos (make sure you have cash with
you). If you take the moral high ground and refuse to
play along, you'll probably end up having your licence
confiscated or, in the worst case, your car towed away
and impounded until you pay a fine to get it back.
from some car rental agencies for up to eight hours,
the extra expense more than justified by the peace of
mind a local driver brings. Try Manila Rent a Car or the
Chauffeur Drive packages at Europcar Philippines.
Beyond Metro Manila, it can be much cheaper to
strike a private deal with a car or van owner looking
for extra work. A typical rate for their services is P1500
a day (plus fuel and tolls), although you'll need to
negotiate. A good way to find someone with a
vehicle is to ask at your accommodation; alternatively,
locals with cars wait at many airports and ferry ports
in the hope of making a bit of money driving arriving
passengers into town. You can ask these drivers if
they're available to be hired by the day.
By bike
Given the volume of tra
c (and driving standards)
on most major roads, cycling around the
Philippines can be a dangerous proposition, but
plenty of locals and travellers do use bikes in rural
areas. Outfits such as
Bugoy Bikers
(
W
bugoybikers
.com) can help arrange guided or self-guided
day-tours or longer excursions by mountain bike.
Accommodation
The Philippines has accommodation to
suit everyone, from international five-
star hotels and swanky beach resorts to
simple rooms - sometimes no more
than a bamboo hut on a beach - and
budget hotels.
It's generally not necessary to book in advance
unless you are visiting at peak times - Easter,
Christmas, New Year or during a major local festival
(see p.36). As always you'll find the cheapest rates
online, but if you do want to book by phone, note
that some hotels in out-of-the-way areas won't
have a landline telephone on site, in which case
they may have a mobile number and/or a booking
o
ce in a city (often Manila); details are given in
the text as appropriate.
CAR AND MOTORCYCLE RENTAL
AGENCIES
Avalon Transport Services
W
avalonrentacar.com.
Avis
W
avis.com.ph.
Budget
W
budget.com.ph.
Europcar
W
europcar.com.ph.
Hertz
W
hertzphilippines.com.
JB Rent A Car
W
jbrentacar.com.
Manila Rent a Car
W
manilarentacar.org
National
W
nationalcar.com.
Nissan Rent-A-Car
W
nissanrentacar.com.
Pitstop Bike Adventure
W
pitstopbikeadventure.com.
Rent A Car Manila
W
rentacarmanila.com.
Viajero Rent A Car
W
viajerorentacar.com.
VIP Rent-A-Car
W
viprentacar.com.ph.
ACCOMMODATION
ALTERNATIVES
The following websites are worth
checking for useful alternatives to standard
hotel and resort accommodation.
Airbnb
W
airbnb.com.
CouchSurfing
W
couchsurfing.org.
Vacation Rentals by Owner
W
vrbo.com.
Hiring a driver
For about P2000-2500 (plus fuel, driver's food,
parking/toll fees) you can hire a small car and driver
