Have you ever traveled on a public transport vehicle where everyone aboard seemed to be neighbors though they were all perfect strangers? Discover what it's like to travel in the Philippines in style and sit back and have a great conversation with someone who could become a great friend.
Jeepneys still remain the main method of transportation in the Philippines. They are found literally everywhere. Whether you are in the huge cities of Manila, Cebu, Davao, Baguio, and Olongapo or maybe in some backwater town somewhere on the Islands of Luzon, Mindanao or Visayas, you'll be surprised to find a jeepney speeding along the streets or trudging along dusty rugged trails. It is still the most practical and the cheapest way to travel in the Philippines.
In the mid-1940's, at the end of World War II, the jeepneys were first created from surplus Willy's Jeeps. The rear section was opened to fit a cab and an open entrance to the back, then benches were attached to the sides with comfortable back supports and an open frame window to let one have a whiff of the cool breeze.
Round bars were attached, running all around the body from which passengers can hold on to when getting on or getting off. At first canvas tops were used as a roof, but as time went on the canvas roof was replaced by metal — to ward off the sun in summer and the rain during the cold rainy season. Bright colors soon replaced the olive-drab colors, and an array of artwork was painted on the whole vehicle.
To top it all off, elaborate hood ornaments were added - sometimes a horse, sometimes even four horses would be on the hood, or even a huge trumpet-like horn to bellow out a roar to the public to announce the vehicle's arrival. All this was done to attract would-be passengers and provide a unique travel experience in the Philippines.
One might say that to travel in a jeepney is to take a taste of the Philippine culture. There is a distinct camaraderie that occurs only in this mode of travel.
Here are a few tips when on a jeepney:
First, when your in a jeepney, it is expected that when another passenger yells out to the driver and hands over his fare it is expected that those who are at arms length to grab the money and hand it to the driver or to pass it along. In this case the guy who paid the fare may have been too far back from the driver. The case is the same when the driver gives back change.
Second, casual conversations also take place inside a jeepney. People sometimes ask where another passenger is going or where he's been, not necessarily that they want to know, but it is just a uniquely Filipino way to say hi. Drivers also might sometimes josh a passenger, and anyone also has a chance to get back at him. Just in case the driver can't understand what a passenger was saying people along the line in the benches would help and try to explain. This also works vice-versa.
The culture in a jeepney is one where every passenger gets to help one another and sometimes make a total stranger a great friend. It is where one can share a ride with another and get a sample of that unique Filipino hospitality.
[Tags]Jeepney, Traveling, Philippines, Transport, Manila, Cebu, Davao, Baguio, Olongapo[/Tags]
The boom of tourism in Bacolod has led to the addition of hotels and restaurants to better cater to a wider market. What makes Bacolod a favorite tourist destination is not just the fine establishments that have been built, but the ease that Bacolod transportation provides.
The quickest and most convenient Bacolod transportation from Manila and Angeles City is via plane. The Luzon region has 2 airports, one in Manila and the other in Angeles City. Getting to Bacolod via plane is as easy as booking online, going to a ticketing office or a quick phone call with one of the major airlines that fly there daily. Bookings can be made through Philippine Airlines or Cebu Pacific to get to Bacolod from Manila and Angeles City and these airlines have at least one flight a day to that destination. The ride is less than an hour, in fact it only takes forty five minutes from Manila and Angeles City. The plane lands at the Bacolod-Silay International Airport and one will be surprised that although this facility is in the province, it can compete with the airport in Manila in terms of world class service. From the airport, Bacolod transportation that will get one around the city is just outside and one can choose to ride either a bus or a taxi. Of course, one also has the option of arranging airport transfer with one’s hotel so that upon arrival from Manila and Angeles City, a car or a van is ready and waiting.
Another Bacolod transportation from Manila and Angeles City is by sea and there are many ferries that travel to this destination daily. WG&A and Negros Navigation are among the biggest shipping lines in the country but of course as compared to a plane ride, the travel time is longer which lasts a day.
Similar to any highly urbanized city, there are several ways to get around Bacolod and it doesn’t matter whether one arrived via plane or docked at the seaport. Near the Bacolod-Silay International Airport, a bus terminal is within walking distance and this will get one around the capital. If one is headed somewhere nearer, there are also jeepneys there but for those who are not too familiar with the place or have never been there before, there are also taxis in the area.
How about a metro travel from Manila to Laguna, going through 6 cities in a little over an hour, absolutely free from traffic? Impossible? Not with this new travel option which was inaugurated last February 14, 2007. MRT? MRT is fast all right, but it’s not MRT. It’s the Pasig River Ferry Service.
But Pasig smells awful. They tried ferry travel before and it didn’t work---passengers complained of catching the Pasig River’s smell after a ride. Well, accordingly, this new ferry service, launched into operation by President Gloria Arroyo herself, solves the smell debacle by having the catamaran-type ferries fully air conditioned. This ensures a cool, refreshing, and fast travel option from Manila Bay to Laguna Bay, 27 kilometers in all, within an hour or so.
Pasig Ferry Service is a river travel option with some 9 ferries plying the Pasig River route. To get from Manila to Laguna, instead of a traditional travel route taking EDSA and the South Luzon Expressway or the coastal road, this new river travel option bypasses all major routes and their choke points by circumscribing them. The river route passes 14 river stations, 4 of which have been recently built.
Newly built river ferry stations of this travel option are in Sta. Ana and in Lambingan, Manila; one in Baranagy Hulo, Mandaluyong; and on in Guadalupe, Makati. The rest are Escolta, Mexico Plaza, one near Quezon Bridge, one at Polytechnic University of the Philippines, another in Valenzuela in Makati, one each in Sta. Elena and Marcos Bridge in Marikina, one each in San Joaquin and Caniogan both in Pasig City and finally in Napindan in Taguig.
Okay, so we’re safe from Pasig River stench inside the ferry. How about the stations? Reportedly, the stations are air conditioned also to seal off any odor leak. So there should be no more travel worries, this time around, about any disgusting reek attaching onto clothes. It is a travel option with smooth sailing in cool and fresh-smelling circulating air.
The Pasig River ferry travel passes through different urban scenes of the metropolis and gradually eases out to the slightly rural scenes of Cavite and Laguna. This travel option is an attraction, not only for those who want to skip traffic especially in rush hours, but for curious commuters who have never seen how Metro Manila looks like from the Pasig river beds.
A travel option that arouses curiosity is the Pasig River Ferry Service. It quickly snakes through 6 cities bypassing road traffic and city pollution.
The Philippines is an archipelago blessed with 7,100 plus islands. Some of these islands are huge such as Luzon Island while others are quite small that they surface only during low tides. As such, traveling in the Philippines require different modes of transportation. Travel in the Philippines is done through air, sea and by land and each offers different experiences and rewards.
Traveling in the Philippines by air can be done without much hassle. There are several air carriers that offer reasonable fares to many tourist destinations in the archipelago. Traveling the Philippines by air will allow you a bird’s peak and will probably explain why the country is known as the Pearl of the Orient.
Another way to travel in the Philippines is by sea aboard a ship. Most ships offer luxurious amenities for those with discriminating taste. While on board, ship crews offer activities for the whole family or you may simply sit on the balcony and travel across the Philippines and enjoy rock formations or white beaches on isolated islands your ship may passed by.
The last but the most adventurous way to travel in the Philippines is by land. Traveling in the Philippines can be done by train, bus, jeepney, tricycle or even bicycle. Also each city or town can offer you its own unique ride through its streets. Jeepneys are based from jeeps used by Americans during World War 2. They have evolved through the years that some can now accommodate 50 passengers including those on the roof!
The tricycle is another mode of transportation that makes it exciting to travel in the Philippines. Each city or town has its own peculiar design. In Pagadian City in the island of Mindanao, tricycle passengers ride facing the sky. Drivers claim that the town is hilly and thus, passenger cars are designed that way to promote balance. You travel across the Philippines aboard a tricycle that appears ready to launch into space! Tricycles in other towns have seats in the back of the passenger car.
Travel in the Philippines can now be fun, rewarding and inexpensive. You can travel by air and reach your destination by an hour. Or if you have more time to waste, you can ride a ship and cruise across the archipelago and arrive by the following day. If you prefer more adventure albeit more taxing and rewarding, you can travel the Philippines by land. You can try riding a bus, a jeepney or even a tricycle. You will get there and still have fun.
Travelling in and around Southern Leyte need not be a problem because of the many modes of transportation available at your disposal. Below are the various Leyte transportation options worth your consideration.
The two major air carriers plying the Manila to Tacloban route are Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific. There are three flights daily and the total travel time is an hour and ten minutes. Air Philippines has four flights weekly serving the Cebu-Tacloban route.
At present, only the airport in Pananawan, Maasin is operational. It is a feeder airport with a length of 1200 meters and width of 30 meters. However, it does not have any commercial flights. The facility has no terminal and can only accommodate general aviation planes below 12,000 pounds.
From Manila, Sulpicio Lines has three weekly trips. The total travel time is thirty six hours. Make sure that you book your trip one week in advance.
There are twelve seaports in Southern Leyte with two – Maasin and Liloan – classified as national ports and the other municipal ports. From the ten, five are now fully operational. From Cebu, travel time to Tacloban is around six hours on a regular boat and about two hours on Supercat and Waterjet. A ferry ride from Liloan to Surigao is 3 hours long.
There are five bus terminals in the province. They are located in open spaces and functions as a parking area so there are no buildings or other amenities. Bus companies, such as Cedec, Inland Trailways, Philtranco, and Ciudad, regularly traverse the Manila-Maasin route. Bachelor travels from the Ormoc-Maasin-Davao route.
If you are coming from Maasin going to Tacloban City, the total time of travel is 5 hours. From Pasay or Quezon City, travel time is 23 hours while from Davao, it is 19 hours via the Liloan ferryboat.
There are various modes of transportations that will take you to and from the various attractions within Tacloban City. Aside from jeepneys, pedicabs, and tricycles, rental car services can be arranged by the hotel where you are staying.
Getting discounts is possible by looking for the best deals first. Bear in mind that the first is not always the best deal available. Search for tour packages to make the most of your time in the province.
Whether it's for business or pleasure,the various Leyte transportation options can make your trip worthwhile.
The economic powerhouse of Western Visayas is well known for its massive sugar haciendas, its proximity to Boracay, beautiful white sand beaches and the warmest people. Visiting Western Visayas endows an individual with the richest experience so it’s not a surprise that many people recommend this province for vacations. If one is visiting Iloilo though, it helps to know a little about Iloilo transportation to help one maximize one’s stay here.
To get to Iloilo faster, it’s best to take a plane especially if coming from Manila and land directly at Iloilo International Airport. This airport was inaugurated fairly recently, only in 2007, and although it acquired the facility of the former airport that served this city for over 70 years, it is now bigger and better. This mode of Iloilo transportation takes less than an hour. What’s good about this airport is that it is connected to the city proper via train and from the city, everything is accessible.
Another way to get to Iloilo is via sea and there are major shipping lines that make trips to Iloilo everyday. Take for instance Super Ferry, WG&A and Negros Navigation. If one is going to avail of this type of Iloilo transportation, one should check out the promotional offers that these shipping lines over t o get the cheapest possible rates.
To one’s surprise, it’s also possible to get to this province via land although be prepared to throw a little over half a day when it comes to travel time. This mode of Iloilo transportation can be availed of if one is working on a budget and there are no promotional offers when it comes to air travel or that done by sea.
If one arrived in Iloilo from the airport, aside from the train, there are also shuttle services that will get one to the city. The other modes of Iloilo transportation available to the visitor are jeepneys, tricycles, taxis and buses. The taxi costs about Php170 if one is traveling from the airport to the city. If one has been to Iloilo before and knows where to find a particular place, then the jeepney or the tricycle for short distances is an affordable option. For those who have never been here before but are looking for adventure, then by all means try out the public Iloilo transportation and because the locals are very friendly and accommodating, it’s not a problem to ask about routes.