The Philippines is now a new destination for New Zealanders with the arrival of direct flights. Roger Allnutt visits Manila and the Ilocos region.
The capital Manila is the first port of call, but it is also worth venturing further afield to other parts of the island archipelago to Cebu, Boracay or Palawan for a relaxing holiday, although nowadays many adventure activities have been developed.
On my visit I travelled to the Ilocos region, north of Manila, in the northern part of Luzon Island and found this a most stimulating region full of history and unique attractions.
MANILA
The capital of the Philippines is a large, sprawling city with over 12 million inhabitants in the metropolitan area, which has 16 districts. Manila is a city of great contrast with skyscrapers and vast upmarket shopping malls side by side, with huge shanty towns where the local inhabitants lead a very basic existence.
Most visitors to Manila stay in one of the excellent hotels in the Makati area and after seeing the main sights fly out to popular beach side island resorts for a relaxing break. The Makati area is home to many of the best hotels from the Peninsula and Manila to more recent additions such as Shangri-la, Ascott, Dusit Thani and Sofitel.
The shopping options in the vast malls are overwhelming, although prices are comparable with other major Asian destinations. The Mall of Asia is reputed to be one of the largest in the world.
The main attraction for tourists is Intramuros, which literally means within the walls. Established as a fort (Fort Santiago) in 1571, it has gone through various iterations of use by Spanish, Japanese and US forces and there are a number of different facets to be seen. A guided tour is the best option, but maps are available to show yourself around. After climbing up on to the walls, you appreciate the solidity of the construction and you can view the golf course, which has been built within the old moat area outside the walls. At the historic St Agustin Church, you appreciate this to be one of the few buildings to survive the bombing at the end of World War II.
Horse-drawn carriages called kalesas (sometimes spelt calesas) are one way to get around Old Manila, but I felt sorry for the smallish horses working all day in the busy Manila traffic. A typical sight in Manila is the colourful jeepneys, a sort of mini bus / large taxi, used by the locals to get around through the difficult traffic. They are usually painted in bright colours with lots of personal accessories. They are a very cheap form of transport, although taxis are also inexpensive. If you want to get a feel of the “real” Manila where the locals live in crowded shanty like areas, take a jeepney along one of the main thoroughfares to one of the local shopping areas and explore on foot.
A jeepney is a good way to get to Las Pinas, only 5km from the centre of Manila, for a visit to the San Joseph Parish Church, famous for its bamboo pipe organ. Further on you can visit Tagaytay and Lake Taal, a “mountainous” area of hills and volcanic craters.
The Filipinos love to eat and socialise and there are literally thousands of restaurants, cafes and bars to choose from. Many of the hotels have excellent buffets. Karaoke is popular – all Filipinos are wonderful singers.
If you want to get out of the crowded city for a day trip, then take the cruise out to the island of Corregidor, about 48km offshore, which the Japanese occupied during most of World War II until General Macarthur returned in 1945. Numerous war monuments, tunnels and memorials add to the interest.
ILOCOS
An hour’s flight north from Manila to Laoag, brings you to the fascinating Ilocos region of northern Luzon Island, at the top of the Philippines archipelago. Prior to the arrival of Spanish conquistadors under Juan de Salcedo in 1572, the numerous tribes of the region traded with Japanese and Chinese merchants. The Spanish colonialists first settled in Vigan, which became the centre for the “galleon” trade between the region and the Spanish settlements in Mexico, especially from Acapulco.
Vigan, in Ilocos Sur, about a two-hour drive south of Laoag, represents a unique fusion of Asian building design and construction with European colonial architecture and planning. It became a listed UNESCO World Heritage site in 1999 as an exceptionally intact example of a European trading town.
The compact layout of the small town encourages walking as you admire the old buildings and plazas and see the tourists parading while shopping for souvenirs or eating at one of the many restaurants. Even in winter the temperature is pleasant and eating outside is common. In the narrow streets the local taxi is a motorcycle, with attached small side car into which up to five people are crammed.
One strange sight was to see a sign over a doorway in the main street saying “accredited mortuary” and I peered inside to see a line-up of different coffins for use – many are apparently rented!
A number of old mansions highlight the status of the wealthy families in the region. Syquia Mansion is one of the best ancestral homes in the Philippines and is still lived in by descendants of former President Elpidio Quirino (1948 to 1954).
Hotel Luna is a good choice of accommodation. An old heritage house, all the facilities are modern, while the house contains a great collection of artefacts and paintings. It is like staying in a gallery.
Much of the city life centres on Plaza Salcedo, with the imposing St Paul’s Cathedral at one end. The Philippines is a strongly Roman Catholic country and the evening mass was well patronised by family groups – the service was actually in English.
The large fountain in the plaza is lit up at night for a “performance” of the dancing fountains with a colourful interplay of music and lighted water display.
Vigan is famous for the production of jars using the local red clay and also a handloom weaving technique called Abel Iloco. Examples of the cloth, table runners and scarves, make a good souvenir. The new Vigan Conservation Complex is an arts and crafts museum, training centre and conservation laboratory.
At Bantay, a village a few kilometres outside Vigan, a stop at the St Augustin Church and Bell Tower is worthwhile. Climb to the top of the bell tower for panoramic views of the countryside with the rugged Cordillera Mountain range on the horizon.
There are many large churches in Ilocos Norte, but the St Augustine Church at Paoay (also UNESCO World Heritage listed) has imposing interior, unique balustrades along both sides and a large coral-encoated belltower. The Museum of the North provides information on the local tribes in the area and many still live in the nearby Cordillera Mountains.
The region is mainly agricultural with crops including garlic, corn, rice, tobacco and dragon fruit. Local delicacies include longganisa [a garlic flavoured sausage] and empanada with its deep pastel coloured wrapping.
Ex-president Ferdinand Marcos was born in the area and at the village of Batac you can visit a museum about him and see his embalmed body in the adjacent mausoleum. Buggy rides on the sand dunes are a new attraction and you can see some interesting rock formations and many wind farms on the breezy coast north of Laoag.
If you are really adventurous, then include a visit to the Cordillera Mountains, particularly to Banuae to see the 2,000 year-old Rice Terraces, recognised as one of the wonders of the world.