(English below photos)
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Fantastiese Filippyne
As ek die oomblik of trip moet uitwys waar die reis-gogga oftewel die backpacker-gogga my gebyt het, is dit my eerste reis Filippyne toe. In Januarie 2013 het ek en twee vriende met rugsakke op ons ruë op ’n vliegtuig Manila toe vertrek. Ons bestemmings het ingesluit:
Manila - ons het slegs ons eerste aand in the Filippyne en tyd tussen vlugte hier spandeer. Na 1 jaar se woon in klein dorpies in Suid Korea was ons eerste prioriteit westerse kos, en Manila het voorsien. As jy op reis is in Asië, jy lus is vir iets wat meer bekend voel en proe, en jy bevind jouself in Manila moet jy die Mall of Asia besoek.
Puerto Princesa, Palawan - hier vind jy een van die nuut(nie-meer-so-nuut)-verkose Nuwe 7 Natuurlike Wêreld Wonders, naamlik die Puerto Princesa Ondergrondse Rivier. Dit is wel ’n ongelooflike geologiese bestemming, maar as ’n besienswaardigheid skiet dit vir my effens kort. Jy wag vreeslik lank voordat jy op ’n kano op die rivier onder die eiland in kan vaar. Dit raak egter soos verwag kan word vinnig pikdonker, en binnekort word jou sig beperk tot dit wat jou toergids met die kollig vir jou uitwys. Daar is paar rotsformasies wat hul kreatief benoem het, en die gidse is regtig pittig en vermaaklik, maar as jy gedruk is vir tyd kan jy maar liefs verby hou en meer tyd in die ongelooflike riwwe om die eiland spandeer.
El Nido - van Puerto Princesa af is dit ’n ses-ure minibus rit op die gepas-genoemde “Abortion Road”; en glo my, die skud op die pad is so erg as wat die naam insinueer. Die eindbestemming is egter absoluut die moeite werd, so neem maar jou naarpilletjies, en slaan maar ontbyt oor, maar moet nie El Nido misloop nie. Dit is nou nog my nommer een bestemming in Asië. Ek verneem daar is ook bote wat El Nido toe vaar, die weer is egter onvoorspelbaar, en ’n medium-sterkte wind kan die vaart veel erger as die minibus rit maak. El Nido is bekend vir pragtige strande, kalksteen eilande en die feit dat dit nie stampvol met toergroepe is nie. Daar is verskeie dagekskursies en elkeen van hulle is onvergeetlik. Die water is pragtig skoon, daar is heelwat vis te sien en die plaaslike mense is baie vriendelik. Scooters is ook te huur vir ’n appel en ’n ei om die nabygeleë strande en dorpies te besoek.
Boracay - is seker die bekendste en gewildste bestemming in die Filippyne, en met goeie rede. Die strande is spierwit, met idiliese palmbome, seilbootjies, pragtige blou branders en onbeskryflike sonsondergange. Ek wil net weer beaam - die sonsondergange in Boracay is onvergelykbaar! Daar is heelwat aktiwiteite om van te kies en te keur, dag en nag. Dié eiland slaap nie, so boek maar ’n slaapplek wat bietjie weg is van al die aksie af. Die enigste negatiewe punt is wel dat gewildheid gepaard gaan met kommersialiseering en groot skare toeriste wat daagliks daarheen stroom. Ek sal egter nie dat dit my ontmoedig om te gaan nie, maak net seker jy bespreek rustiger bestemmings ook om dit uit te balanseer.
Ek moet net kortliks byvoeg dat Filippynse kos nie teleurstel nie. Hulle geroosterde vark, hoender en vis is verskriklik lekker, en is iets wat ek selfs leer kook het omdat ek so gereeld daarna verlang. Ek kan ook nie versuim om te noem dat die verskeidenheid eksotiese vrugte jou sal stomslaan nie, en teen die prys waarteen jy dit kan bekom kan jy definitief bekostig om alles te probeer.
Buiten die asemrowende skoonheid van die Filippyne, en die geurige kos, moet ek net soveel, as nie meer eer gee aan die gasvrye mense van die land nie. Ek het teen nou al heelwat meer getoer as destyds toe ek vir die eerste keer in die Filippyne was, en ek het sedertdien ’n tweede besoek aan ander gedeeltes van die Filippyne afgelê. Ek staan egter steeds by my eerste indrukke, die mense is besonders. As jy hou van toer en mense van die land ontmoet en tuis wil voel tussen hulle, sal die Filippyne presies dit oplewer. Tydens ons besoek aan El Nido het ons ’n lekker knus, onstpanne kroeg gevind om elke aand by uit te span. Elke aand was daar ’n “Open Mic” aand, en toevallig het dieselfde groepie mense elke keer kom sing. Ons het begin liedjies versoek, en hulle het elke liedjie, nuut of oud, sonder enige probleem opgevoer. Teen die tweede aand is ons met ons aankoms by die kroeg oor die mikrofoon verwelkom, en het ons na die opvoering met die musikante gekuier. Op ons derde aand is ons genooi om die komende naweek saam met hulle te kajak en te gaan kamp op ’n nabygeleë en onbewoonde eiland. Nie as kliënte nie, maar as vriende. Na net vier dae in El Nido het ek soortgelyke bande gebou met mense by byna elke onderneming waar ek al gehandel het.
Doen jouself ’n guns en besoek die Filippyne! Verken soveel as moontlik van die pragtige land, maar bestee genoeg tyd aan die ongelooflike mense wat dit hul tuiste noem.
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Foto's / Photos
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| Puerto Princesa rivier / Puerto Princesa River |
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| El Nido Strand / El Nido Beachfront |
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| Groot Lagoon El Nido / Big Lagoon El Nido |
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| Snorkel / Snorkeling |
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| Ons musikant vriende / Our musician friends |
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| Boracay Strand / Boracay Beach |
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| Boracay sonsondergang / Boracay sunset |
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| Boracay nagte / Boracay nights |
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Fantastic Philippines
If someone were to ask me to point out the moment the travel-bug, or backpacking-bug rahter, bit me, I would have to answer that it was on my first trip to the Philippines. In January 2013 two friends and I packed our backpacks and boarded a plane to Manila, Philippines. Our Philippine destinations included:
Manila - we only spent our first night in the Philippines and some time between our different flights in the capital. After one year of living in rural South Korea our first priority in Manila was to find some western food, and we were not disappointed. If you’ve been in Asia for a while, and you’re craving something that tastes closer to home, pay the Mall of Asia in Manila a visit.
Puerto Princesa, Palawan - here you’ll find one of the recently appointed New 7 Natural Wonders of the World, the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River. It is definitely an amazing geological site, but as a tourist destination it is a little underwhelming. One waits for a very long time to get a spot in a canoe to navigate this underground river, and then you realise that being on an underground river, you’re surrounded by pitch black darkness. You’re unable to see anything other than what the tour guide points out with the spotlight. There are a couple of creatively named rock formations, and the guides are extremely witty and entertaining, but if you are short on time, you should much rather spend your time in the pristine ocean and beautiful reefs around the island.
El Nido - from Puerto Princesa it’s a six hour minibus ride on the aptly named “Abortion Road”; and believe you me the going is as rough as the name suggests. The final destination, however, is worth the whole rocky way. So take your motion sickness pills and skip your breakfast, but don’t skip El Nido. It is to this day my favorite place in all of Asia. I’ve heard that you could take a boat to El Nido as well, but weather is unpredicatable, and even a medium strength wind could make for far rougher traveling than the minibus ride. El Nido is known for its pristine beaches, beautiful lime stone islands and the fact that it’s not quite as commercial yet. There are various day tours that leaves from the main beach each day, and every single one of these trips is worth every penny. The water is crystal clear, there are beautiful reefs with plenty of colorful fish and the locals and tour guides are super hospitable. Scooters are also available to rent, at very affordable prices, to explore the beaches and sites nearby.
Boracay - is probably the best known and most popular destination in the Philippines, with good reason. With powder white beaches, idilic palm trees, sailboats, beautiful blue waves, and breathtaking sunsets, it has paradise written all over it. Let me just reiterate, the sunsets are incomparable! There are also a lot of activities to choose from, day and night, as the island never sleeps. If you do prefer some sleep, make sure you book accommodations a little while away from the main action. The downside to Boracay is that with popularity comes commercialization and big crowds of tourists that stream there each day. I will however not let that discourage me from having a slice of this paradise, just make sure you book somewhere more remote during your trip to balance it out.
It also has to be said that Filipino cuisine does not disappoint. Their roasted pork, chicken and fish dishes are superb, and even something that I had to learn to make myself since I crave it frequently. Oh, and who can forget about the wide variety of exotic fruits to choose from, it will leave you in awe. The best part is that at the price that you can acquire them, you can afford to try them all!
Apart from the breathtaking beauty, and the mouthwatering dishes, one has to give credit to the beautiful people of the Philippines. Even after traveling to many other countries, and returning to the Philippines on a second trip, I have not changed my mind, Filipinos are simply amazing! If you like traveling to a country and meeting the locals, and feeling at home amongst them, the Philippines will deliver. To give my own account, while we were in El Nido we found a cozy laid back bar to wind down in every night. They had an open mic night, every day of the week, and while we were there, the same musicians performed each time. We requested songs and without any hesitation they performed, oldies and current hits, flawlessly. By the second night they announced our arrival over the mic and dedicated a song to us. They also hung out with us after they had finished. On our third night they invited us to kayak and go camping with them on a nearby uninhabited island, not as clients, but as friends. After only four days in El Nido, I felt like a regular at every store, fruit stand, juice bar, restaurant or bar that went to, such was the hospitality and service.
Do yourself a favour and travel to the Philippines. Explore as much of the beautiful nation as possible, but do not neglect getting to know the amazing people that call it home. It is more fun in the Philippines!
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