Map of Cebu and Mactan Island
Excellent CEBU pdf street level map with zoom
capabilities. Directory for streets, tourist attractions,
landmarks, hotels, restaurants, entertainment, parks and recreation,
schools and universities, hospitals, churches and more...
Mactan Island street level map with links to resorts
home pages.
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About The Philippines
A trip to a foreign country can indeed be
fun and exciting. However, a fun trip can sometimes turn sour without
proper planning or prior knowledge of the country. Therefore, it is always
advisable for travelers to learn more about a foreign country that they
are about to visit so as to expect the unexpected and take proper
precautions before making the trip there. Here are some useful travel tips
that can help make your trip to the Philippines enjoyable and memorable.
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Climate
Philippines is blessed with a tropical
climate that has relatively generous amount of rainfall and gentle winds.
Basically, there are three noticeable seasons namely the wet and rainy
season (June-October), the cool but dry season (November-February) and the
hot and dry season (March-May).
When To Go?
The best time to make a trip to the
Philippines is from the middle of December to the middle of May because
that is off-season for typhoons. Any travelers to the country in December
(Christmas) or April (Easter) are advised against traveling more than
necessary as the entire country is on the move, making it difficult to get
a seat on any type of transport.
January, May and December are the best
months to visit the Philippines if colorful celebrations and fiestas are
on your list of 'purpose for making the trip'. If your itinerary includes
visits to the rice terraces in North Luzon, the best time to do this would
be in March and April as the weather is pleasantly warm. Apart from that,
these warm summer months are also ideal for island hopping. Do be advised
that for those who can't take the heat, the month of May can be quite an
experience of warm discomfort.
What To Bring?
The golden rule of traveling is to bring
as little of your belongings as possible. Fortunately, most of the things
that you might require are easily available upon arrival in the
Philippines. Apart from the basic traveling necessities and your own
special personal needs, it is not necessary to bring anything else other
than (perhaps) a travel plug adapter, a pocket calculator, a torchlight,
an umbrella and photographic supplies. Medications can be found at drug
stores in major cities. In the event that you are confronted with problems
when finding the things that you need, the ever-helpful staff at any
Tourist Information Center will advise you as to where you can acquire
them.
What To Wear?
Like its wonderfully varied culture, the
country also has enough climatic changes that would require a wide variety
of clothing. It is advisable to bring light and loose clothing that are
suitable for tropical temperatures when visiting the cities of
Philippines. If you are planning to make a trip to the mountains or scale
the odd volcano, do bring along warmer clothing such as jumpers (sweaters)
and a light jacket, even on the hottest months. And also, do bring along
your thongs or flip-flops as you might find it useful in hotel bathrooms,
showers or when you visit the beach. Don't forget to pack some of your
formal clothing, as you might need it when you attend formal gatherings,
festivals or religious services.
Airport Tax
Travelers are requested to pay an airport
tax of P500 when departing from Manila's Ninoy Aquino International
Airport. If departing from Cebu City, the airport tax is P400, while in
Davao, it is P220. Travelers are advised to check with their travel agents
on this issue before departure as the fees are subject to change.
Tipping
Unlike most Asian countries, the culture
of tipping in the Philippines' service industry is becoming more prevalent
with much influence from western countries. Although, nearly all major
hotels and restaurants have a policy of automatically adding a 10 percent
service charge to your bills, a small token to show you gratitude is still
expected in the form of a tip, leaving the amount for the tip to the
customer's own discretion. Apart from hotels and restaurants, other
smaller service establishments as well as taxi drivers expect a small
gratuity in return for the service rendered.
Business Hours
In Manila, most shops are open six days a
week, from 9 or 10am to 7 or 10pm. As for shopping centers, supermarkets
and departmental stores, the operating hours are from 10am to 7pm daily.
Shops located outside of Manila don't usually follow a fixed schedule or
business hours due to shop owners' attitude of 'whatever happens' (Bahala
na).
Government, private offices and public
authorities operate from Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm with workers
breaking for lunch from 12pm to 1pm. Some private offices are also open on
Saturdays from 8am to 12 noon. Business hours for banks are Monday-Friday
from 9am to 3 or 3.30pm. Embassies or consulates are open to the public at
9am and close at 1pm. The opening hours of post offices in the Philippines
differ from one place to another. Usually, post offices are open from 8am
to 12 noon and from 1pm to 5pm on weekdays. And for those that operate on
Saturdays, the business hours are from 8am to 1pm.
Electricity
The standard voltage of electricity used
by most business centers and residents in the Philippines is 220 volts AC,
60 cycles. However, quite a few major hotels in some areas also have the
US-style 110 volts capability.
Time
The island republic is eight hours ahead
of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). When it is 12 noon in the Philippines, it is
3am in London, 8pm the previous evening in San Francisco and 11pm in New
York. With the country lying near the equator, sunrise and sunset are
almost equally spread at about 6am and 6pm give or take half an hour.
Philippine's time has a strange nature,
which includes lack of punctuality. So, don't be surprised if you are
either waited for or left waiting.
Jeepney's
Jeepney's are the locals best means of
transportation. Stepping into a jeepney can be crowded and small for a
normal traveler. Also, pick-pockets are known to frequent these vehicles
looking for naive foreigners. If you have to ride a jeepney, its best to
stand back from the sidewalk and wait until one passes by which has the
passenger's seat open next to the driver and flag him over. Its more
comfortable and safer.
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