The nightlife of Manila, the rice paddy-carved mountains and hill tribes of the interiors, a lush landscape that has served as a Hollywood surrogate for the jungles of Vietnam (Apocalypse Now, Platoon, the Missing in Action films, and Born of the Fourth of July were all shot here), and more than 7,100 islands comprising 37,200 miles of coastline. All this, plus an exuberantly hospitable—and often English-speaking—populace, make the Philippines one of the most intriguing countries of Southeast Asia even while its insular isolation has kept it from becoming overly popular...or over-crowded.
InsertArt(2004202)SO WHY not a visit? Cathay Pacific (www.cathay-usa.com/dotm) is allowing free stop-overs on its Hong Kong bound flights (from Los Angeles, San Francisco or New York) to the Filipino capital for travel between Oct. 1 and Nov. 30. So long as you book by Sept 30, you can add a stopover in this vibrant commercial capital of Asia, in both directions if you like, for no additional charge. Taxes and fees will add another $60 to $83 to the total.
Truth be told, once you’re in the Philippines, there’s little reason to hang around Manila, a slipshod metropolis made up of four cities connected by sprawling slums which had most of its antique Asian charm bombed away during World War II. Take your time to wend your way north up Luzon Island from Manila through the Cordillera Mountains to the postcard-pretty rice terraces Banaue, and see the famed caves of hanging coffins, the hand-woven fabrics of the Igorot people in Sagada.
SAFETY ISSUES
Now, I know what you’re thinking. Are the Philippines safe for Americans? Indeed, the US State Department (www.state.gov/travel) does have a “Public Announcement” out for the Philippines right now. This is far less severe than a “travel warning”—in fact, there are currently Public Announcements on such relatively innocuous destinations as Nepal, Laos, Guatemala, Venezuela, all of East Africa, and—somewhat less reassuring—there’s even a “Worldwide Caution.”
That’s because it’s the State Department’s job to remind us that Americans aren’t always the most popular folks in the room in some parts of the world, certainly not now that our armed forces are battling Muslim extremists and dictators on several fronts.
The Philippines is a nation comprised entirely of islands—more than 7,100 of them—and while the country is largely Christian (the legacy of centuries under Spanish rule) there is a large Muslim minority in the nation’s southerly island groups, and unfortunately that community suffers an extremist and terrorist strain.
There has been violence (including kidnappings and the bombing of an airport) directed at Westerns in general and Americans in particular there, especially on Mindanao and the islands of the Sulu archipelago—again, all of them in the southern part of the country. There have been threats in Manila as well, though no actual violence as of yet.
Before you write off a trip to this land of incredibly friendly people, beautiful beaches, and a rich Malay/Polynesian/Chinese culture, remember: there are anti-American terrorist living in most countries of the world these days, and they can strike anywhere, as Sept 11 showed us.
The State Department’s warnings are really more of a reminder to try and blend in, avoid being an “obvious American,” and steer clear of large Western targets such as international luxury hotel chains, shopping malls, and the like. Hey, if you’re here to experience the local culture and do so on a budget, your travel plans will keep away from most of those places anyway.
{Editor’s Note: Ever been to the Philippines? Do you have a money-saving hint, tip, or anecdote that would be helpful to other travelers? We’d love to hear it and possibly reprint it in our letters to the editor column. Simply click here to send a letter to our editors.}
Copyright © 2003 Newsweek Budget Travel, Inc.
Associate Editor Reid Bramblett writes travel guidebooks for Eyewitness, Frommer’s, and the Idiot’s and For Dummies series (yes, both of them). He joined the Budget Travel staff in 2002.