FMC Travel Club A subsidiary of Federated Mountain Clubs of New Zealand (Inc.) www.fmc.org.nz Club Convenor : John Dobbs Travel Smart Napier Civic Court, Dickens Street, Napier 4110 P : 06 8352222 E : john@travelsmart.co.nz *** The Philippines *** Welcoming, warm and upbeat this archipelago of 7000 islands teems with wonderful sights and experiences - this is South East Asia s undiscovered gem 9 th March to 1 st April 2019 24 days $7995 ex Auckland. Trip leader : John Dobbs A solo room supplement is available at additional cost, if required All or any payments by visa or mastercard adds $225 to the final invoice Price is estimated as at July 2018 and subject to currency fluctuation, so is not guaranteed until final payments are received Price Includes : International flights Auckland to Manila return Five domestic flights in the Philippines All accommodation hotels, guesthouses and home stays in twin rooms (except for Day 7 which is hostel style) All transport minivans, boats, a jeepney ride Many meals as shown by B.L.D. in the daily itinerary Experienced FMC trip leader and local leaders/guides/drivers as appropriate All applicable flight transfers, entry to various sights as per the daily itinerary, support payment to FMC Price does not include : Meals not otherwise included Travel insurance Tipping guidelines will be given Personal incidental expenses, beverages, alcoholic drinks, snorkelling equipment, etc
Overview We begin in Manila, the nation s capital, biggest city and commercial heart, on the largest island of Luzon. There is much to see and do in the capital alone and we use it as our hub to explore various directions and activities over the first few days. Heading north, our next phase centers on the stunning Cordillera Mountains and the numerous little town and villages in this large and complex region. Our main tramps are located here and much focus will be on the incredible mountain rice terraces, listed as World Heritage sights. We will do several three day/two night tramps and stay in authentic minority villages and learn about the cultures of local people. Now we return to the coast and check out the many attractions and heritage of the northwest coast of Luzon. From Laoag we catch a flight via Manila to Legazpi in the southeast of Luzon for a change of scenery and focus. Here our time is water focused and our travel dates coincide with the appearance of whale sharks in adjacent seas. We hope to have encounters with these gentle giants, swim and snorkel in warm waters. Next, we fly to Palawan, a long narrow island to the southwest of Manila for yet different experiences. The famous subterranean river, jungle hikes, encounters with rare animals and birds and other activities like caving round out our time on Palawan. The final domestic flight back to Manila connects with our evening departure flight back to Auckland and the completion of the adventure! Leadership and management comprises John Dobbs as the overall trip leader, supported by local leaders. The first and second parts of the trip, centred on the Manila area and northern Luzon will have a local English speaking leader with support through our own transport and driver as necessary. The tramping trips in the north require locals to lead and guide, this is the way it is done in the Philippines. On arrival into Legazpi, we meet up with a different local English speaking leader for our water focused activities. Likewise, on Palawan Island, a different leader/guide local will be with us. The Philippines are a newly emerging destination and while the locals are welcoming and enthusiastic and delighted to have us, western touristic standards of management efficiencies, timeliness, reliability etc are not yet up to particularly high or reliable standards. So such things will vary considerably and much of our itinerary will take a big and co-ordinated effort. Participants need to be aware of this and approach the trip as an exploratory - we have not run this trip before. A flexible, patient and go with the flow attitude will be helpful. Accommodation will vary quite a lot. In Manila a very nice centrally located hotel provides all services and is our home for a total of four nights. Twin share rooms. In the mountain region of North Luzon when we stay in local villages and guesthouses, expect fairly basic standards and no frills. In the Donsol area and on Palawan, we stay at beach or river resorts but again standards will vary with few frills but very nice settings/locations. Otherwise we use small or medium size hotels of a good tourist standard. Please note that it is not the custom to include breakfasts in the tariff of most accommodations, surprisingly. However, we have added an allowance to cover all outstanding breakfasts, along with an arrival welcome dinner and a farewell dinner at the end. Food and drink. Filipino s love to eat and typically snack a lot. The cuisine is a melange of Asian, Latin, American and indigenous cooking, reflecting the colonial history and varied geography. Adobo pork, chicken or just about any meat stewed in vinegar and garlic is a national dish, and delicious if done right, but can be awfully salty and greasy if done wrong. But there are many other dishes featuring meats and seafood, some using a tamarind flavoured soup, others in peanut sauce. However, overly salty or sweet dishes are common.temperate and tropical fruits and vegetables abound and buying in local markets is very cheap. The Philippines produces the world s best mangoes too. The ubiquitous Filipino breakfast is rice with a fried egg on top, accompanied by strips of pork, salty beef or sausages on the side. Popular desserts centre around fruit preserves served in shaved ice and milk. Water is tricky and standards vary. While some cities will be safe to drink the tap water, others not, so either boiled or bottled water is best, the latter is readily available, or use purification tablets. Tea and coffee are readily available, but the standards of coffee provided are mixed.
Local San Miguel beer is very popular and corners the market, but there are an increasing number of craft beers available. Transport is all private, being by minibus with our own driver(s). We also have a number of boat trips using a variety of craft, depending on what the trip is. All airport transfers are included. Jeepneys are popular forms of local transport and seen everywhere, along with normal minibuses of all kinds. The first jeepneys were modified army jeeps left behind by the Americans after WW2. They have been customised with Filipino touches such as chrome embellishments, bright exterior colours and even paintings of the Virgin Mary and scenes from action comic books! Jeepneys have a certain quirky cultural appeal but not very comfortable for tourists. Cultural experiences. Filipino (Tagalog) and English are joint first languages. Filipino is easy to pick up and pronounce and most sounds are similar to English. It would be great to learn a few common phrases in Filipino which will also aid the understanding of reading a restaurant menu for example. But English is widely spoken in urban centers and areas frequented by tourists. The itinerary is sprinkled with visits to cultural sights such as some of the large and grand churches and cathedrals. It is worth remembering that the population is overwhelmingly Catholic and many remain devout. We will also visit some minority tribal areas and learn about their culture and way of life. In Manila, nightlife is second to none. Bars and nightclubs abound, the museums are world class and the classy Intramuros area where our hotel is located oozes with history. Karaoke is extremely popular with the locals. Markets are many, varied and frequent and a must see for the sights, sounds and smells. Definitely the best places to buy cheap fresh fruit too. There are a lot of festivals of all kinds sprinkled around the country and are very colourful affairs. Unfortunately, none are scheduled during the dates of this tour. Other items New Zealand passport holders can enter the Philippines for up to 30 days for touristic purposes without an entry visa The group details will be registered on the Safe Travel website. Our government maintains an embassy in Manila. As at July 2018, there is a high security risk in the southern Mindanao island region, which we do not travel to. Elsewhere, a more generic advice to be cautious. While there is always some potential risk of travelling, the Philippines are considered a safe and stable environment for visitors. Please check www.safetravel.govt.nz/philippines It is essential that quality travel insurance is obtained, which includes full medical evacuation by air anything less than this is inadequate A pre-trip newsletter will contain additional details along with a recommended gear list and other relevant items such as tipping guidelines, how much to allow for extra meals, etc. Itinerary Day 1. Sat 9 th March Arrive Manila and local tour The flight on Philippine Airlines departs Auckland just after midnight, arriving Manila early morning. Transfer to the hotel in the old, walled city area, with check in later on. Depart on a tour of this exciting, chaotic metropolis. Explore the adjacent Intramuros area, the oldest part of the capital dating from 1571. Fort Santiago, Rizal Park, the National Museum and Manila Cathedral are worthy of a visit to better appreciate this fascinating city. Return to the hotel for late afternoon check in at our hotel, located in a quiet and historic neighbourhood, with a welcome to the Philippines dinner tonight. D. Day 2. Sun 10 th March Taal day trip Taal is a very active volcano with a lake in its crater. It is located in the middle of a large lake which is actually the crater of another huge extinct volcano. We drive 1.5 hours south to Tagaytay, a popular weekend destination for people living in Manila. Tagaytay is on the lip of the huge extinct volcano and it offers a very picturesque view of the lake and volcano. We will take a boat trip out to the small volcano for a walk of an hour up to the lip of the volcano s
crater. Expect to see scorched earth and maybe sulphuric fumes. At the crater lip we get a great view of the inner lake that has boiling water and fumeroles at the edges. We will also visit Taal town, established in 1572 that has Asia s biggest Catholic church and a collection of old houses that showcase traditional Filipino-Spanish architecture. Return to Manila in the late afternoon. B. Day 3. Mon 11 th March Waterfalls of Laguna A great day for water lovers! An early start and a 3 hour drive to the town of Luisiana and this beautiful forested area northeast of Manila. Forest walks and a plethora of lovely waterfalls with opportunities for a refreshing dip are in order. After lunch, the adventure cranks up a bit. This next hiking section involves harnesses and using a rope to lower ourselves down a vertical section into a deep remote gorge to see a magnificent waterfall. We approach the falls on a bamboo raft and actually go behind the falling water into a recess in the rock wall, where we can appreciate the power of the cascade up close. Now, we get into dugout canoes and float down river through a scenic gorge. An exciting ride, with our skilful boatmen navigating. At the end of the canoe trip, meet up with our vehicle for the return to Manila, arriving around 7pm. B. Day 4. Tue 12 th March Correigedor tour and transfer to Santa Juliana Time to immerse ourselves in WW2 history on an included day trip to Correigedor island out at the entrance to Manila Bay. The Spanish were the first to exploit Corregidor as the ideal first line of defence. It was the scene of fierce fighting during WW2, and became the last bastion of resistance by American forces during the Japanese invasion of Luzon in 1941. The Americans finally surrendered to the Japanese in May 1942. Huge numbers of American and Filipino prisoners of war perished. During a second battle, again thousands died. There are numerous war monuments and ruins on the island, such as barracks, gun batteries, a lighthouse and cemeteries, tunnels and memorials. The tour occupies most of the day and lunch on the island is included. On returning to Manila, we travel north to our homestay near to Mt Pinatubo. B.L.D. Day 5. Wed 13 th March Mt Pinatubo trip and transfer to San Jose On 15 th June 1991, Mt Pinatubo, an otherwise sleeping volcano, literally blew itself apart, sending a column of ash and rock 40kms into the air. The mountain lost 300m in height, and fine dust and fist sized rocks rained down on nearby cities and villages. Compounding the catastrophe, a savage typhoon lashed northern Luzon at the same time, turning the ash into a lethal lahar with dire consequences. Lahar flows rerouted rivers and sank entire villages under a newly formed lake. While the journey up Mt Pinatubo (1450m) is one of the country s most accessible 4 X 4 adventures, it can be closed off if weather conditions are unfavourable. Conditions are usually best early in the day, so we make an early start, about 2 hours in the 4 X 4 jeep over the desert of ash. This brings us to a trailhead leading up the gentle slope of the volcano and to the crater, about 2 hours each way. At the crater we have a picnic lunch before retracing our steps back to Santa Juliana. Then we travel north to San Jose city, the rice bowl of the country and a major producer of the country s vegetables, where we have our overnight stop. B.L.D. Day 6. Thu 14 th March North to Banaue We continue northwards with a fairly long and slow day of travel to Banaue to begin our time in North Luzon, visiting the World Heritage listed mountain rice terraces and the excellent tramping opportunities in the area. The little town of Banaue is hemmed in on all sides by dramatic rice terraces. These mud-walled terraces have a pleasing organic quality that differentiates them from the stone-walled terraces of most of the Cordillera. World Heritage listed, they are impressive not only for their chiselled beauty, but because they were introduced around 2000 years ago by the Chinese. The Ifugao, once head hunters, built the terraces and were as skilled at carving wood as they were terraces. We will see examples of their work later on. While Banaue remains the centre of the rich Ifugao culture, tourism now shapes the town. Overnight in a little hotel in Banaue. B. Day 7. Fri 15 th March Ifugao villages trek We set out now to experience this beautiful area on a trek to showcase the beautiful terraces and mountains, while enjoying hospitality in traditional villages and discovering the culture of the Ifugao people. Beginning with a 3 hour hike through richly forested mountains until we reach a high point with a view of Pula, our first Ifugao village. Continue on down to enjoy the intimacy of a homestay in Pula village tonight. B. Day 8. Sat 16 th March Ifugao villages trek Continuing our fascinating trek, in around 4 hours we reach Cambulo, our second Ifugao village, a good place to stop for lunch. The rice terraces here are characterised by their pyramid-like appearance, with the terraces cut almost 360
degrees around the mountains. In the afternoon, around 3 hours to Batad for our overnight stop. Here we stay in a village inn with a spectacular view of the terraces. B. Day 9. Sun 17 th Mar Finish trek and travel to Sagada A morning hike of around 3 hours with more amazing views and a significant waterfall. After lunch, another 3 hours or so to finish at Bangaan, where we connect with transport back to Banaue. Our travels through Northern Luzon continues with an afternoon transfer to Sagada. Sitting among mist shrouded mountains, tiny Sagada is the closest thing the Philippines has to a Southeast Asian backpacker mecca, yet its possible to find tranquillity along the many hiking trails and depths of its caves. We overnight in an authentic homestay for two nights. B. Day 10. Mon 18 th Mar Waterfalls, hanging coffins and caves Today, hiking and visits to some amazing attractions around Sagada. The Igorot Tribe have for over 200 years practised the tradition of burying their dead in hanging coffins, nailed or tied to the sides of cliff faces high above the ground how do they do it? Prepare for an interesting day, returning to our homestay in Sagada once again. B. Day 11. Tue 19 th Mar Maligcong trek and travel to Sadanga Hopefully, a fantastic sunrise to start the day! We do a hike in the stunning Maligcong area today, an area of towering mountains draped in verdant wilderness. The rice terraces here are sprawling and stone walled but only draw a fraction of tourists compared to the other areas. The village of Maligcong itself is well away from any tourist trappings. Tonight we overnight in the village of Sadanga, home to the indigenous Sinadanga people who still speak their own language. Homestay for two nights quiet and authentic. B. Day 12. Wed 20 th Mar Day trek in Sadanga area This region in the western part of Mountain Province has great hiking opportunities, so we will have a whole day to explore some of the best trails here. Return to the homestay for our second night. B. Day 13. Thu 21 st Mar North to Vigan Leaving the mountains, we head west then north along the western coastline of Luzon to the city of Vigan. This small city is one of the oldest towns in the Philippines, and Spanish-colonial fairy tale of old mansions, cobblestone streets and clattering kalesa (horse-drawn carriages). The Vigan old town area is a listed as a World Heritage site and has been a thriving trading post with a number of festivals celebrating the past. Along the way we will visit the Santa Maria Church another World Heritage site. This massive baroque structure, built in 1769, is unique. It has an imposing presence sitting atop a hill, and has also done duty as a fortress several times. In Vigan, we enjoy two nights in a hotel. B. Day 14. Fri 22 nd Mar Sightseeing around Vigan Today, a tour of Vigan to appreciate its heritage houses and museums and some down time as well. The local market is well worth checking out too. B. Day 15. Sat 23 rd Mar Return flight to Manila Now for something a bit different! North of Vigan are the impressive Paoay sand dunes, seemingly endless and the sight of a number of movie shoots, including Mad Max and Born on the Fourth of July. You can have a go at sand boarding here!. Nearby is Luzon s most famous church. World Heritage Paoay Church was built over 90 years from 1704 in baroque style, but also incongruous blends of Gothic, Chinese, Japanese and Javanese influences. Then we reach Laoag town airport for our domestic flight back to Manila, returning to the same hotel in Manila we used earlier. B. Day 16. Sun 24 th Mar Fly Manilla to Legazpi and Whale Sharks tour We now head to the south east of Luzon on a flight to Legazpi, close to stunning Mayon Volcano. From here we travel 1.5 hours to Donsol and hop on a boat to visit the island of Ticao. Here we will send our time snorkelling coral reefs, enjoying white sandy beaches and admiring limestone rock formations. Highlights include swimming in beautiful lagoons with crystalline waters and seeing the Catandayagan Falls that empties straight into the sea. In the later afternoon, we return to Donsol and overnight at Elysia Beach Resort. B.L. Day 17. Mon 25 th Mar Continue local tour whalesharks and fireflies After breakfast, a briefing on how to interact with whale sharks before we board our boat and head out to look for the animals. A spotter scans the water and when he sees a shark the boat approaches to within 15 meters or so. Then
you and the guide jump off (optional!) and swim toward these gentle giants. This is a prime season to encounter them. You can get within 2 meters of these enormous, slow moving sharks, but must not touch them or get in their way. The sharks mainly stay at the surface to feed on plankton and continue to feed and swim at the surface without paying attention to humans, provided they are not disturbed. If a shark dives then you go back on the boat and look for more sharks. An amazing experience to see these huge and gentle creatures up close! After an unforgettable morning, we spend the afternoon relaxing on the beach. Then in the early evening we drive to the outskirts of town where we get on a small boat to float down the Firefly River. A popular evening experience is to float down the river for an hour or so, watching myriad gentle floating tiny lights of the fireflies. Return to the Elysia Beach Resort. B.L. Day 18. Tue 26 th Mar Fly Legazpi Manila Puerto Princessa Return to Legazpi to catch a flight via Manila to Puerto Princessa, Palawan Island, for the next phase of our trip. Palawan is a long and slender island to the southwest, with groups of smaller islands to its north and south. Nothing defines Palawan more than the water around it. With lovely seascapes and underwater features plus jungly landscapes, there is plenty to enjoy. Puerto, as the locals call it, is the sizeable capital city in the middle of the island on the eastern coastline. Driving north through jungle, we head to our relaxed resort beside the Maoyon River, with the Palawan National Forest Park right next door. The rest of the afternoon can be spent enjoying the tropical jungle surroundings, perhaps swimming or tubing in the river or short walks in the jungle. Not far away is Honda Bay and its lovely beaches. B. Day 19. Wed 27 th Mar Local touring and culture Further north, the imposing peak of Cleopatra s Needle (1608m) is a beautiful jungle clad peak with a distinctive natural stone obelisk visible from the summit. The biodiversity here is quite stunning. We will trek through forests and along rivers on the flanks and visit the village of the Batak people, a minority people of small number, living in complete harmony with their surroundings. We will learn something of the culture of this remnant people group. Return to the resort for another night. B. Day 20. Thu 28 th Mar Ulugan Bay and Tagabinet Caves Ulugan Bay is a large bay on the western side of Palawan, about an hour s drive away. Here, a 30 minute boat ride then takes us to an island with white sandy beaches and surrounded by vibrant coral reefs teeming with marine life. We spend the morning snorkelling and enjoying the beach. In the afternoon, we explore the limestone caves of Tagabinet. In the so called Hundred Caves we discover the strange world beneath. Now we head a little further north on the west coast to Sabang, a little town on a wide beach, dramatically framed by mountains and warm calm waters. It is not far from one of Palawan s greatest discoveries, the Sabang Underground River, which we will visit tomorrow. We overnight in a jungle retreat in lovely Sabang. B.L. Day 21. Fri 29 th Mar River National Park trip In the morning we take an outrigger boat to the entrance of the Underground River (officially named the St. Paul Subterranean River) then take a paddleboat deep into the river s tunnel, marvelling at the unique environment and its many interesting formations. Then we hike for 5kms through a jungle trail and may spot monitor lizards. Lastly, we take a paddleboat through mangroves to learn about this rich ecosystem. After enjoying seeing monkeys, tree snakes and many birds, we walk to an ocean-side waterfall and, if lucky, watch sea turtles coming ashore. Return to our jungle retreat at Sabang. Sunsets from the beach here are lovely. B. Day 22. Sat 30 th Mar Estrella Falls Different direction - south along the east coast this time to the town of Narra and trek in to see the spectacular Estrella Falls The falls are a series of 44 drops that run along the ridges of Mt Victoria. It s not possible to see all the 44 falls in one day and most people only get to the 11 th but we will go as far as we can. Later on, we travel to our beachside accommodation in Narra and finish with a swim in the sea. We will have a farewell to the trip tonight as tomorrow evening we will be at Manila Airport B. D. Day 23. Sun 31 st Mar Rasa Island, fly Puerto Princessa to Manila and connect to international flight Off the coast from Narra is the 200ha bird sanctuary of Rasa Island. Tropical forest covers the island and mangroves are present around part of its shores. We hope to catch sight of the rare Philippines cockatoos, locally known as katala. This is a critically endangered species endemic to the Philippines. There are other varieties of birds and seabirds and the waters around the island have significant populations of turtles and dugongs. We spend much of the day snorkelling and walking around the island.
In the afternoon we make our way back to Puerto Princessa to catch our evening flight back to Manila. We stay at the airport for connections on to our flight back to Auckland, departing close to midnight. B. Day 24. Mon 1 st Apr Mid afternoon arrival into Auckland On arrival into Auckland Airport the trip has ended. Welcome home! Booking Conditions : FMC Travel Club and Travel Smart Napier 1. The FMC Travel Club (FMC) offers this small group trip in conjunction with Travel Smart Napier (TSN). All travel arrangements for the operation of the core trip are made with TSN. Participants agree to all terms and conditions by signing the Registration Form. 2. FMC and TSN are not responsible or liable for any injury, damage, loss, accident, delay or irregularity which may arise from weather, defect in any vehicle, vessel or aircraft, of through the acts or default of any person or company engaged in carrying out any of the arrangements of the trip. 3. We reserve the right to cancel the trip if minimum numbers don t eventuate. In such an event, all monies paid will be fully refunded. We also reserve the right to make any modifications that may be essential, or to offer a modified trip to a smaller number of people. 4. The trip includes a payment to FMC. 5. Registrations are accepted in good faith on a first comers basis on receipt of the Registration Form. The deposit is $3000 per person and will be invoiced once a core minimum number of registrations have been received. Registrations close by 30 th November 2018 (or earlier if the trip fills) and final balance is due by 31 st December 2018. All payments may be made by cash, cheque, EFTPOS, internet banking, visa or mastercard to the offices of TSN. All or any payments by Visa or Mastercard adds $225 to the final trip price. Our preferred method of payment is internet banking. Please use : 010685 0151601 46 at ANZ Napier providing your name and Philippines as identifiers. 6. Events beyond our control such as currency fluctuations or any unforeseen additional costs may affect the overall trip price. We cannot guarantee the price until such times as full payment has been received. Upon full payment, the trip price is guaranteed. 7. Cancellations. If you need to cancel your registration for any reason, you must advise TSN in writing as soon as possible. An email is acceptable, a phone call alone is not. Travel insurance will cover you for unforeseen circumstances but will not cover you for changing your mind after committing to the trip. Cancellation fees apply as follows : Cancellations received from 1 st to 30 st December 2018 incur a fee of $3000 (the deposit) Cancellations received from 1 st January 2019 onwards incur a fee of 100% of trip costs. 8. Travel insurance is mandatory, and we are able to assist with cover through Kiwi Holiday Insurance. For your own protection, travel insurance should be effective not later than 30 th November 2018, the date that trip deposits become non-refundable.
Registration Form Philippines 2019 Complete and send to John Dobbs at TSN with a passport scan. Registrations close by 30 th November 2018 (or earlier if the trip fills). So your earliest commitment is appreciated. All or any payments by Visa or Mastercard adds $225 to the final trip price. Our preferred payment method is internet banking into : 010685 0151601 46 at ANZ Napier. Do not send the deposit initially, this will be requested once a core minimum number of participants have registered. Your full name(s) as per passport(s) and please underline or highlight your preferred first name(s)... Mailing address. Day phone.night phone Mobile.. Email.Date(s) of birth.. What are your recent tramping experiences? How often do you tramp? Please extend your answers overleaf or on separate paper, or by email. Specify any dietary requirements, allergies or medical conditions. Contact person in NZ for any emergencies : name, address, contact phone numbers, email and the relationship to you. In the event of any emergency, this is the sole person you are authorizing us to liaise with I/We have read the full trip dossier and I / We agree to pay all trip costs by due date, as advised by invoice. I / We understand that the final trip price is subject to minimum numbers and other cost impacts as detailed under the Booking Conditions section; therefore the final trip price cannot be guaranteed until such times as full payment has been made..signed and dated by each person registering Send to : John Dobbs, FMC Travel Club Convenor Travel Smart Napier. Civic Court, Dickens Street, Napier 4110. P : 06 8352222 E : john@travelsmart.co.nz