We rarely hear much about the Philippines as a tourist destination, but its attraction lies is the fact that is a very different Asian destination -- with a unique Spanish- rather than Chinese-influenced heritage, paradise-like island resorts and friendly, welcoming English-speaking locals.
Your trip to the Philippines will invariably begin in Manila, the capital and a huge metropolis of over 11 million people. This bustling and thriving city does offfer plenty of shopping, great food and activity, but it's merely a gateway to a much richer destination boasting a wide array of natural attractions from surfing to scuba diving, cave exploration to some of the most pristine beaches in the world.
There are over 7,000 islands that make up this archipelago, although many are uninhabited. Culturally the island nation is rich in thousands of traditional festivals and events that take place throughout the year. Many are religiously inspired with Catholic undertones, but others are pre-date or eschew the European influences and display the diversity of its population and ethnicity. Between patron saint days (there's one for each town), processions, feasts and carnivals, there is a festival to attend every day of the year. Here are a select few to get you inspired:
Held on the third Sunday of January each year, the Ati-atihan Festival (www.ati-atihan.net/index.html) is considered the wildest and most exciting Mardi-Gras-esque festival on the annual Filipino calendar. It's a combination of drinking, dancing, drumming, singing in the streets and parades featuring participants decked out in extravagant tribal costumes. The festival is held in honor of Santo Niño in the town of Kalibo in Aklan. Originally pagan in nature and dating back to the 13th century, Christian elements -- including the name -- were introduced in later years. Three days of parades lead up to the main procession that starts in the church on Sunday afternoon. Aklan lies on the northern part of Panay Island and is the oldest province in the Philippines (the province also includes the famed island paradise of Boracay). Three airlines service the 45-minute flight between Manila and Kalibo: Philippine Airlines (tel. 800-I-FLY-PAL; www.philippineairlines.com), Air Philippines (www.airphils.com) and Cebu Pacific (www.cebupacificair.com). There are several accommodation options in the town -- from major hotels to more intimate Filipino style inns -- all of which tend to book out early during Ati-atihan.
Sampaguita Gardens (www.sampaguitagardens.com) is located waterfront in nearby New Washington (15-minutes from downtown Kalibo) and offers standard rooms for two people from $39 per night including breakfast. Facilities include a pool, spa and gardens. Other Kalibo hotels don't have websites so you may have to refer to various online recommendations and booking services to gauge whether they may be appropriate. La Esperanza Hotel (tel. +63/36-262-5658) is considered the most up-market on offer, followed by the Beachcomber Inn (tel. +63/36-262- 4846). Rates are either property start from approximately $45 per night. Round off your trip to Kalibo with an extension to Boracay -- approximately 90-minutes by bus or jeepney to Caticlan Ferry Terminal and then a 15-minute trip to Boracay Island by outrigger boat.
The third week of August sees the celebration of Kadayawan Festival (www.davaotourism.com) in the city of Davao in the region of Mindanao. This Thanksgiving-type festival is made up of different indigenous groups from the surrounding provinces gathering together for displays of street dancing and colorful parades -- always accompanied by frenzied drumming and music. Culminating in weekend festivities, the entire city explodes with color, ornate head-dresses, costumes, floats and tribal beats. During the week, Davao also offers free concerts, the shopping malls have annual sales and there is entertainment around the clock. Davao is a seaside city located in the south of the Philippines with access via regular flights from Manila. It's the gateway to Mount Apo, the highest mountain in the Philippines, and the staging point for trekkers and climbers. Just off its coast are several resort islands including Samal Island, a mere ten-minute boat ride away and a haven for scuba diving and kayaking.
There are numerous hotels to choose from in Davao -- from the five star Marco Polo Hotel (davao.marcopolohotels.com) with room rates starting from approximately $85 per night including breakfast to more humble locales like the Ponce Suites and Gallery (www.poncesuites.com), a property overflowing with art and sculpture with room rates from as low as $15 per night including taxes for a double.
The Masskara Festival (www.bacolodcity.gov.ph/bacolod_masskara_festival.htm) is celebrated from October 1 to 20 each year in Bacolod City on the island of Negros in central Philippines. There is dancing and singing, pig catching and pole climbing competitions, mask-making contests, disco king and queen competitions and even a coconut-milk contest. The mask is the main theme and locals and visitors alike get into the spirit by donning ornate clay or papier-mâché hand painted masks and parading in the streets. Locally grown orchids and ornate handicrafts are on sale, there is a city-wide food festival and the city's public plaza is transformed into a huge beer garden. Perhaps the most visually appealing festival of the year, there is no historic root or ancient tradition here -- the festival was introduced less than 30 years ago to "sweeten" the atmosphere and regional spirit when the price of world sugar dropped (Negros is a large sugar producing area). Bacolod is a 45-minute flight from Manila and is also accessible by ferry (seven hours) from the capital. The Sylvia Manor (www.sylviamanor.com) is a small boutique hotel which offers a central position, WiFi access and sleek interiors with room rates starting from under $50 per night for a double including tax. For a concise listing of Bacolod hotels and rates visit www.bacolodcity.gov.ph/hotels.htm
Getting to Philippines is relatively easy via non-stop and direct flights (via Guam) from the U.S. Daily flights from the United States are offered by Northwest Airlines (www.nwa.com), Continental Airlines (www.continental.com) as well as Philippine Airlines (tel. 800-I-FLY-PAL; www.philippineairlines.com). Depending on the season, round-trip airfare prices usually range from approximately $900 to $1,600, although it is often a lot cheaper to fly via another Asian gateway. Manila and other cities in the Philippines are also accessible from major cities across Asia, including Singapore, Taipei, Seoul, Hong Kong, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur.
For more information about the Philippines and its festivals visit www.filipinotravel.com.ph/information/festivals.php.