How to enjoy your Philippine vacation
There are 7,107 islands in the Philippine archipelago, a part of South-east Asia, in the western Pacific Ocean. Due to colonization from the cultures of Spain and the United States, Filipino culture has more Western influences than its Asian neighbors. Bustling Manila, the country's capital, is a good place to start your visi.
Climate
The first half of the year, from January to May, is the best time to visit. November to February is cool, while March to May is hot and dry. June to October is rainy, with the months between July and September characterized by typhoons. Average temperature is 78 degrees F/25 degrees C. Cebu is warm and comfortable in all seasons.
Languages
There are two official languages --- Filipino and English. Filipino, based on Tagalog, is the national language, but English is widely used and is the medium of instruction in higher education. While Filipino is the native language, there are eight major dialects spoken by majority of the Filipinos: Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinense.
Getting Around Manila
Metro Manila is a very busy and crowded city. There are many ways to get from point A to point B. To get around the city you can either take a bus, taxicab, their famous jeepney or a tricycle. The most common means of transportation in Manila is the colorful and cheap jeepneys. It has open windows and sits about 16 passengers. It has certain routes and normally has a signboard on their windshields. The jeepney fare is PhP5-7 ($0.10 - 0.15) per kilometer.
Taking a taxi is another way to get around. The taxis have meters, but watch out for drivers who will take advantage of unknowing tourists, so make sure the meter is down and look at it once in a while. The plug down rate is PhP30 (about 75 cents) and an additional 2.50 per km. All taxicabs are air-conditioned.
If you were going for a short ride, your best choice would be a tricycle. A tricycle is basically a bike with a sidecar. It can carry 3-4 passengers. The usual fare is PhP7-10 per person.
You'll also find tourists riding in a calesa (also spelled kelesa), which is a horse drawn cart made of wood and is mostly ridden for strolling purposes. It was the old way of transporting people from one place to another. You can take two or three of your friends to ride along with you. It's really fun. A ride in a calesa is PhP10 per person.
Buses, both air-conditioned and regular are available almost anywhere in Metro Manila. An air-con bus fare is PhP8 minimum and regular bus fare is PhP3. There is an additional fare for every succeeding km.
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