Mabuhay Philippines - Mactan Island, Cebu (Day 5)


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October 28th 2012
Published: November 13th 2012
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Sunday, 28th October 2012

Our Tiger Airways flight was scheduled at 1810hrs in the evening. So we basically had the whole day to rot ourselves away at our favourite Starbucks outlet. For lunch, we opted for pizza at Da Vinci's which strangely exuded among other things an American Old Town feel rather than Italian.

To sum up my Philippines experience from a Singaporean perspective:-

- The Philippines is not a shopping destination even though there are numerous modern malls within the metropolitan area of Manila. The average visitor should however go back with a couple of packs of dried mangoes which made great souvenirs given the nice prices. The best prices were found within Cebu island itself where the snack originated. Metro Supermarket @ Ayala Center seemed to offer the best prices after comparing prices from several outlets.

- The Philipppines cuisine is notably meaty, which is certainly bad news for vegans out there. Roast pork appeared to be on the national palate and rice is served on every meals even during breakfast. The taste seemed to be on a heavy side unfortunately. My best thirst quencher was the Pineapple Juice - again another Philippines export. I guess if I had purchased a carry-on baggage for my return flight to Singapore, I might had smuggled a couple of delicious cans back home.

- In terms of tourist infrastructure, there seemed to be no maps available for both Manila & Cebu. We relied heavily on Lonely Planet to get us through even though the roads appeared straight forward especially in Manila. Walking is perfectly fine in the day even though it pays to exercise caution after dark.

- Probably due to the American legacy, English is widely spoken and understood. Metered taxis are cheap and plentiful - rarely crossing the 200 pesos (SGD 6) mark for a 45 minutes ride. We made it a point to tip the taxi drivers generously. Be prepared for delays on the road. It's quite difficult to cross the roads but if you are accustomed to the traffic in Ho Chi Minh City, you would encounter little problems in Manila.

- In my opinion, Philippines is not meant for everyone especially for the faint hearted already used to modern day conveniences. Of course, this meant that they are missing out a big chunk of the travel pie, not just within the Philippines itself but the world as a whole.

- Will I be back again? Yes, given the endless travel opportunities within this vast archipelago of 7,107 islands (I've only been to 3 for this trip - Luzon, Cebu and Mactan).

Travel Expenses


• Jetstar Asia (SIN-MNL) $98
• Philippine Airlines (MNL-CEB) $65 - Bargain
• Tiger Airways (CEB-SIN) $171
• Bayleaf Hotel Intramuros (2 nights) $97 - Value for Money
• Islands Stay Hotels (2 nights) $43
Expenses (including airport taxes) $197


Grand Total $671

(All prices in SGD based on exchange 1 SGD = 33.11 Pesos)

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