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 The
Philippines has suffered in the tourism stakes because of its position
on the map. Imelda Marcos once said it was "hamburgered" geographically.
What she meant was that the Philippines receives fewer visitors than
other Southeast Asian countries - about two million a year compared to
Thailand's six million - because it is not part of the Southeast Asian
mainland. Travellers on the traditional Asian trails tend to get as far
as Thailand or Hong Kong, but ignore the Philippines because it involves
an extra flight, albeit it a short one, across the South China Sea.
Perversely, it is this very lack of mass tourism that makes the
Philippines such an appealing destination. If you want to explore, and
if you are ready to cope with some eccentric infrastructure and a
distinctly laid-back attitude towards the passage of time, the
Philippines has more to offer than many of its neighbours.
The Philippines is a big country in a small package. It is the second
largest archipelago in the world, with 7107 islands (sixty percent of
them uninhabited) and 58,390km of coastline, all in a land mass no
bigger than Arizona. Filipinos refer to it as their string of pearls.
Your biggest problem is likely to be deciding which of the pearls to see
first.
Most flights from outside the country land in the capital, Manila ,
which is choked with traffic and dilapidated, but also has some of the
ritziest shopping malls and most spectacular nightlife in Asia. JM
Nakpil Street in Malate on a Friday night is a sight to behold. Beatnik
poets mingle with film stars, models, swaggering transvestites and a
smattering of expats to create a good-natured outdoor rave that makes
all other raves look tame by comparison.
For connoisseurs of beaches, the central Visayan region is an island-hoppers'
paradise, with white sand everywhere and unspoiled fishing barrios where
there's nothing to do at night except watch the fireflies, listen to the
geckos, and perhaps share a bottle of local Tanduay rum. Palawan , one
hour to the southwest of Manila by plane or an overnight journey by
ferry, is an unforgettable wilderness of diamond-blue lagoons, volcanic
lakes and first-rate scuba diving. In the Cordillera Mountains of the
far north live tribes who make propitiatory offerings to rice gods and
whose way of life has barely changed since they first settled there
around 500BC. One of the few concessions they have made to modernity is
to give up headhunting.
The Philippines will turn every notion you ever had of Asia on its head.
Centuries of colonial rule have resulted in a delightfully schizophrenic
country of potent but conflicting influences. When Magellan placed a
sovereign hand on the Philippines on behalf of King Philip of Spain in
1521, he brought with him Catholicism, European architecture and the
manana ethic. When monsoon rains swamp the streets, or when volcanoes
erupt, a Filipino's usual reaction is to smile, throw up their hands,
and say bahala-na - "what will be will be".
Three centuries after Magellan, in 1898, there was another bizarre twist
in the country's colonial history when America bought the Philippines
from Spain for US$20 million, part of the booty from a war the two
powers had fought over Cuba. It was from America that the Philippines
got its town planning, its constitution, and its passion for basketball,
beauty pageants and pizza. Independence was finally granted on July 4,
1946, making the Philippines Asia's first real democracy, a fact most
Filipinos remain fiercely proud of.
But it was the events of the 1980s that brought the Philippines to the
general attention of the rest of the world. In 1972, President Ferdinand
Marcos decided to overstay his welcome in Malacanang Palace by declaring
martial law. When Marcos's lifelong political rival, Ninoy Aquino , was
assassinated at Manila airport in August 1983, patience with the
dictator ran out. What followed was nothing short of momentous: a "people
power" revolution to kick out Marcos and his ambitious wife Imelda. In
February 1986, they fled to Hawaii, where Ferdinand died in exile.
Imelda's famous shoe collection was turned into a museum exhibit, but
has since been boxed up and put into storage.
Then, of course, there are the Filipinos themselves. It has become
hackneyed to describe the Philippines as the land where Asia wears a
smile, but there's no denying it's true. Filipinos are a gregarious and
accommodating lot. Graciousness and warmth seem to be built into their
genes. English is widely spoken, even in the provinces, and everywhere
you go you will be greeted with the honorific "ma'am" or "sir".
Filipinos are also passionate, sometimes hot-headedly so. They love food,
they love life and they love romance. The Philippines is a passion play
writ large and nowhere is this more evident than in the hundreds of
fiestas and religious ceremonies that are held every year. Some are
flamboyant and theatrical, like the Ati-Atihan in Kalibo and the Parade
of Pigs in Batangas. Others have their origins in the Scriptures and are
solemn. One of the most famous religious events, and one of the most
controversial, is the crucifixion of flagellants held every Easter at
San Fernando in Pampanga. Holy Week is a sacred holiday for Filipinos
and tens of thousands head north from Manila to hill stations like
Baguio.
There are two distinct seasons in the Philippines, the wet (southwest
monsoon) and the dry (northeast monsoon). The wet season runs from May
to October and the dry from November to April. The wet season is best
avoided, as the country is hit by an average of seven typhoons and
affected by fifteen. These cyclonic storms are more of an inconvenience
than an outright threat, with flights cancelled and roads made
impassable by floodwaters, even in the capital. November and December
are the coolest months, with daytime temperatures of around 28°C, while
March, April and May are very hot: expect temperatures to peak at 35°C.
Watch out for Christmas and Easter when the whole of the Philippines
hits the road and getting a seat on a bus or plane can be difficult.
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