Phillipines

Everyone seems to say that the food is awful.

I travelled there off bike just after Marcos got ousted and found it pretty scary with lots of warlords, guerrillas, muggers, etc. Often thought of going back, but rarely read much good about it for bike touring.

I can see why you dont fancy going there when you put it like that...........i am not going until December but for sure i will let you know how i get on.

We cycled there in 1999 and had a fantastic trip.

nzcyclist......could i ask where you went and what you liked ?....there seems to be so many options regarding cycling in the Phillipines yet little information.

I rode around the Phillipines for a few months in 2011 - I liked it. My favorite parts were northern Luzon and Palawan. I met only one western biker on the road, but lot's of Phillipino riders. I think western bike travelers s don't ride there because you can't ride in and out; or take a boat - only planes.

Enjoy the ride
Will

nzcyclist......could i ask where you went and what you liked ?....there seems to be so many options regarding cycling in the Phillipines yet little information.

We were generally in the area that this tour covers [Spice Roads].(http://www.spiceroads.com/tours/visayas)
I think cycling this part of the Philippines has all the qualities that any other SE Asian country has.
When searching for info try spelling it as Philippines not Phillipines. You might get more results!

Hi to all.
Why do so few cyclist go there ?
Used to be that
very few bike tourers did travel here and always I kept asking me that same question. But since few years ago the philippine government is trying trough costly marketing campaigns to attract visitors and there you have it ,Philippines is appearing now in the media and the internet named as an attractive touristic destination and then even cycle tourers are starting to come.
If you mean big names on the blogosphere there not so many that toured Filipinas but some did come here already
www.worldbiking.info/wordpress/2013/12/the-joy-of-suffering
"Everyone seems to say that the food is awful"
Not that personally I like it much but is not everyone who dislike it. Not bad if you are an omnivore and like to eat rice. It is true there are very limited choices for vegetarians other than self catering..
" pretty scary with lots of warlords, guerrillas, muggers, etc. "
As it is in so many countries that cycle tourists go like just to name a few, Colombia,Myanmar,Mejico,Guatemala,Kenya ...Warlords, guerrillas ,muggers and more than you think exists but is only in very localized places and usually does not affect in any way to visitors to the country. Is so that most of visitors to the Philippines leave the country without being aware all that exists.
" for sure i will let you know how i get on".
Yes ,please. You might posts here again and let people know about your experience.
"I think western bike travelers s don't ride there because you can't ride in and out"
Not really,most of those who don't visit the Philippines,do visit countries much more expensive to reach and to travel like Australia ,Japan or N.Z.
"or take a boat - only planes."
Actually there is a passenger boat linking Sandakan(Sabah,Malaysia) to Zamboanga City (Mindanao,Philippines)the place I live.

Tropical,underdeveloped,still quite traditional, once on the countryside
is easy to find small roads with little traffic that pass trough quiet
towns and very rural environments ,
mountainous , 7000 islands with some of the best beaches, seascapes
and snorkeling of the planet,socially and politically very interesting
and probably the friendliest people in SE Asia .
For me my
favorite country for bike traveling in the region after Indonesia and
Myanmar.
Welcome.
Note: Just in case any bike tourer is coming to the Philippines, can find me under the name Paco in Warmshowers.

Well i feel a whole lot better now having read the replies, the way you have described it Paco is the way i have imagined it would be, so that is good.
Thank you for all the answers you have so kindly given to me and yes thank you nz for telling me off about my
spelling !! seriously i should have known how to spell the Philippines.

I would add that the post Marcos period I was talking about was 1987. Things will have changed now!

I don't think getting there is much of a problem with many major and budget airlines flying in. The Phillipinos seem to travel a lot, often for work, so international links seem good.

I look forward to hearing your trip report.

One thing to keep an eye out for is typhoons. The Philippines seem to have been in typhoon alley for the last couple of years. I have been in Taiwan and Japan in the last couple of years at this time and watched a number of typhoons seem to almost home in on the Philippines. There are good cyclone tracking websites which are worth keeping an eye on. Local media is not always reliable.

Enjoy.