Asia,  Philippines,  Travel Blog

Philippines: Time To Reflect

March 29, 2025 /

It was a journey in which we set foot on 21 different islands, passed through many of the country’s 82 provinces, slept in 18 beds in 15 different locations and enjoyed a host of experiences. On the long journey home we find ourselves debating whether this has been our most varied single country trip so far. It probably has.


There was without doubt one constant, something which never changed – the Filipino people. It’s hard to relate the harsh lives in the rice terrace villages of northern Luzon with the tourist trade workers of the holiday islands, yet, whatever their background, whatever their lives, Filipinos are consistently amiable, happy and courteous. And they sing a lot.


We made eight domestic flights, drove two rental cars, made two long bus journeys and three ferry crossings, rode the water on kayaks, rowing boats, motor boats with outriggers and a bamboo raft; rode the roads on mopeds, sidecars, quad bikes, tuk tuks, tricycle taxis, minibuses, a jeepney and even a handful of conventional cabs.

Mayon Volcano, Bicol, Philippines


It rained a lot. Heavily. Humidity left all of our belongings damp and soggy, clouds swept over the mountains and hid the world, sun baked from blue skies with dry humid free heat, there were evenings where sweatshirts and long trousers were essential and a month where we never wore shoes. Rain, in Guinobatan, like we doubt we’ve ever seen before. Sun which tanned our skin.


There was the giant metropolis of Manila with its cloying clouds of pollution, villages with clear mountain air, sweaty nights and cool sea breezes, Spanish colonial towns, paradise islands, beaches lined with palm trees, giant looming volcanoes, rice terraces and chocolate hills, lush green tropicana, coconut palms, mangrove swamps, hot springs and cold mountain rivers. Corpse filled coffins hanging from cliff sides, caves, lagoons and subterranean rivers.


Will I ever forget my first Filipino breakfast, the moment when I discovered there was such a thing as a pork sausage with a bucketful of sugar in it, or the joy of Vigan longanissa where the sugar is suddenly replaced by garlic. Sizzling pork sisig, fiercely salty lechon, adobo, the flavour of tamarind, the sugary pork of tocino, random incongruously placed eggs on top of meat dishes, sugar in the bread, sugar mixed with cheese. Discovering that the breakfast of cornedsilog is a delicious version of our own corned beef hash. With an egg. Fresh fish straight from sea to plate; coffee straight from bush to mug; the swoonworthy shrimps of Moalboal which just about blew our minds. And barbecued banana.

Puerto Princesa underground river, Palawan, Philippines


Tuk tuk and taxi drivers who charge correctly and give the right change, people who smile as they work, indeed sing as they work, make proper eye contact on first meeting, genuinely want you to be happy and enjoy their country. People who thank you for coming to their town, people who don’t expect tips and beam when they get one. Humble, caring, decent, honest people. Happy people. We met a lot of those.

Island hopping from El Nido, Palawan, Philippines


Eileen in Banaue, Moi in Sagada, boatmen on the islands who go about their business as if it’s a joy to come to work. Girls in hotels who understand that “reception” means “to receive”. People who called me Sir Philip – which was, by the way, just about everyone. Last, and definitely not least, our hosts in Baguio, Raquel, Edison and their live wire daughter Zira with whom we shared a delightful evening.

Malcapuya Beach, Coron, Philippines

A joint haircut for the two of us for £4.25, nights out for less than £20, cheap bus rides with a complimentary snack (a “bunwich”, no less), all day boat trips in paradise lasting eight hours and costing £24 each including lunch, fixed in-city taxi fares of less than £1. The Philippines gives a lot for your money.


It’s definitely been a journey of changes, a trip of enormous and rewarding variety. It’s been a good one. Our last farewell is to the security guy at our digs in Coron. “You will be back”, he says, “I can tell”.

In which case we’ll close with the words of a certain chap in Boracay.

Again again again again again, see you again.

You May Also Like

Street art in Chinatown, Singapore

Street Art & Tech Art In Singapore 

May 25, 2023
Inland sea, Qatar

More Notes From Doha: Oil, Riches And Fun On The Desert Sands

January 29, 2025
Vietnam flag in lights, Da Nang

Da Nang: The Modern Face Of Vietnam

April 11, 2023

27 Comments

We’d love to hear from you