Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Things to know before going to Philippines - It's more fun in the Philippines

1. Visa Requirements 
You may verify (Click link) if you are required for a Visa/ Extension of Visa
http://immigration.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=16&Itemid=80

2. Transportation
Most common transportation is
a. Tricycles (motorcycles with a sidecar attached) - for short trips
b. Jeepney - for short and long distances
As of Sept 2012 the base fare is P8.00
c. Busses are classified into ordinary (not air-conditioned) and air-conditioned busses. They run through main highway like EDSA and also major transportation to Provinces.
As of Sept 2012 the base fare is P12.00 for Air-conditioned bus & the ordinary base fare is P10.00
d. Taxi – is expensive
As of Sept 2012 the flag down cost P40.00 in addition to rate for metered taxi

3. Accommodation
a. Hotel – from expensive to budgeted
b. Condominium unit rental, apartment, room for rent
c. Transient house, Home stay
d. Resort lodging
e. Nipa hut or kubo

4. Food & Beverage
There is lot of varieties of food present already in the Philippines but one thing is common to all – Rice. A must try are
a. Lechon – roasted whole pig in coals until the skin get crispy; fave food in feast & occasions
b. Adobo – marinated pork/chicken cooked in soy sauce, vinegar and garlic
c. Kare-kare – oxtail cooked in peanut with vegetable served with bagoong
d. Sinigang – soupy dish cooked in tamarind with pork/chicken/seafood/vegetable
e. Dinuguan – cooked in pig’s blood together with pork and entrails
f. Lumpia shanghai – small and thin spring roll with minced pork/fish
g. Pancit – Pancit bihon, Pancit canton, Pancit guisado, Pansit habhab.. atbp
h. Halo halo – desert with mix ingredients like sago, nata, beans, kamote, banana, langka, leche plan, ube, milk and crushed ice. Best during summer
i. Suman – sticky rice wrapped in banana or palm leaf
j. Balot – boiled fertilized duck egg (with visible embryo).

Drinks
a. Beer – leading brand San Miguel
b. Cold beverage like soft drinks and fruit juices
c. Barako coffee
d. Tuba

Street foods
a. Kamote-cue – sweet potato coated in brown sugar and deep fried in oil
b. Banana-cue – banana (saba) coated in brown sugar and deep fried in oil
c. kwek-kwek – hard-boiled quail egg coated in an orange mixture and deep fried in oil
d. Fish ball – round fish-flavored cooked deep fried in oil with different sauces for dipping
e. Adidas – grilled chicken feet
f. Walkman – marinated pig ear and then grille
g. Betamax – dried chicken/pig’s blood and roasted
h. turon – banana wrapped like a spring roll and deep fried in oil
i. Taho –made from soft bean curd sweetened with caramel syrup with small sago
j. Iskrambol – sweet blend milk and crushed ice with milk powder & chocolate syrup as a topping

5. Places to visit
For information visit the link below
http://itsmorefuninthephilippines.com/
http://www.philippinetourism.us/tourism/featured-destinations-tourism/featured-destination-tourism-1/