The Philippines - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 587

BY FERRY
Boats are the bread and butter of
Philippine travel, with wooden outrigger
boats ( bangkas ) and ferries ready to take
you from one destination to the next in
varying degrees of comfort and safety.
Remember that even in the dry season,
the open ocean can get rough, so think
carefully about using small boats that look
ill equipped or overcrowded. If it looks a
bit dodgy, it probably is. Ferry disasters
occur with depressing regularity, often
with great loss of life. Since the Chinese
government 2012 buyout and
amalgamation of Negros Navigation,
Cebu Ferries, Supercat and Superferry,
2GO Travel ( W travel.2go.com.ph) is the
country's biggest ferry company. You will
still see the old names used on occasion,
but all routes are now operated under the
2GO banner. he companies have daily
sailings throughout the country, but even
these have not been accident-free. Ferries
are cheap but often crowded, although on
overnight journeys you can always keep
away from the dormitory crowds by
sleeping on the deck, or paying extra for
a cabin. For an idea of fares : Manila to
Cagayan de Oro will set you back about
P1600, to Cebu City around P1300.
Given that airfares are so cheap, there's
little appeal in taking long-distance ferries.

AIRLINE DETAILS
Not all routes appear on the websites, so
it's worth phoning to check.
Air Asia T 02 742 2742, W airasia.com
Cebu Pacific T 02 702 0888,
W cebupacificair.com
PAL Express T 02 855 9000,
W flyalexpress.com
Philippine Airlines (PAL) T 02 855 8888,
W philippineairlines.com
SEAIR T 02 849 0101, W flyseair.com

can be di cult to fly between islands,
meaning some backtracking is hard to
avoid. Philippine Airlines (PAL), their
budget division PAL Express and Cebu
Pacific have the most comprehensive
schedules, while Air Asia's buyout of Zest
Air has increased competition on some
key routes; Southeast Asian Airlines
(SEAIR) is a competitive small airline
offering regular flights to major resort
areas and also to interesting destinations
often not served by larger airlines.
Airfares in the Philippines are generally
inexpensive, especially if you book more
than three days in advance: most flights
shouldn't cost more than $75, and are
often considerably less. Budget carriers'
base fares are without check-in luggage,
but this is a comparatively cheap add-on.
Routes to minor airports which can only
take small planes often have maximum
luggage restrictions of 10kg.

8

LOCAL TRANSPORT
he stalwart of the transport system is the
fabled jeepney , a legacy of World War II,
when American soldiers left behind army
jeeps; these were converted by ingenious
locals into factotum vehicles, carrying
everything from produce to livestock and
people. Over the years, they evolved into
today's colourful workhorses of the road,
with fairy lights and cheesy decor.
Provincial jeepneys charge about P9 a
ride, while in Manila prices range from
P8 for a short hop to P20 for longer
distances. Jeepneys ply particular routes,
indicated on the side of the vehicle, and
stop anywhere, so simply flag one down
and hop on. When you want to get off,
bang on the roof or shout “ para !”
In many cities old jeepneys are now
being replaced with modern vans or
“FXs”, cheaper than taxis and more

BY BUS
For Filipinos, the journey is as much a
part of the experience as the destination.
Nowhere is this truer than on the buses .
Dilapidated contraptions with no air
conditioning compete with bigger bus
lines with all mod cons (even wi-fi)
on hundreds of routes that span out
from Manila. Fares are cheap, but
journeys can be long. Manila to Banaue,
for instance, costs P450 on an
air-conditioned bus, but takes nine
hours. You might want to make this type
of trip overnight, when tra c is lighter
and delays less likely, although night
drives can be scary, especially through
mountain regions. For longer trips,
advance booking is recommended.