Common travelling ruites for 2 and a half weeks

hello all,

I am off to the PI this friday for 2 and half weeks with friends from the UK and will be starting in Manila to visit my relatives. We want to stay mainly up north but can be changed.
There are too many islands and do not know where to start! are there any common travellers ruites and where we can meet young travellers. Philippines is where my parents are from and have travelled From Mexico and finishing in Brazil for 8 months and they have never been concerned until now!! When i want to travel to their native land. I have been there before but never really left Manila and really want to show my friends how amazing this country is. Please please and great tips would be great! From places to see and the dangers and annoyences.

Ray

PS

I know is rainy season but where is a good place to dive?Text

For diving without having to leave manila, I suggest the following:
1. Anilao, Batangas ( land travel from Manila)
2. Puerto Galera (land travel from Manila and ferry from Batangas to Puerto Galera)

I suggest spend a night or two in any Anilao Resort then from there proceed to Puerto Galera.

Google for what to expect and other info. Should you need more help just post again.

For diving outside LUZON(Manila):
Balicasag in Bohol. Apo Island in Dumaguete......... too many to mention.

Hope you find home in the Philippines :)

beaches and diving are all over the planet. if you want to impress your friends with things that are unique to the philippines:

macarthur landing site and other related ww2 sites in leyte.

bataan death march sites, including corregedor island and capas shrine in tarlac.

banaue rice terraces. see www.nativevillageinn.com for info about that area.

vigan, illocos sur. nice place to connect with spanish links to the past.

virgin territory in mindano. those folks are really dynamic compared to the tagalogs. read some of the the novels by f. sionil jose for more about this and the history and culture of the philippines.

All great information,

other people who live there can add to what i'm saing, and maybe disagree as well, no problem,
it might be important to consider the rainy season if you don't have so much time, because, with storms and rain, roads often wash out in the north, last july, my wife and I were in Bagiuo, planning to go to Banaue, we cancelled, because the roads were tough and very slow going,

if you are determined to go, go ahead, you can get through most weather, but you do need more time, and its no fun sitting in a hotel room - or bar for a day or two or three- waiting for the weather to clear

i'm just saying the visayas and protected parts of the phils are not as affected by bad weather as much as the north

i could be wrong, other posters feel free to disagree

In post #4 markusos said: "my wife and I were in Bagiuo, planning to go to Banaue, we cancelled, because the roads were tough and very slow going"

Well, that road from Baguio to Banaue is unimproved and a really slow go in any weather. Banaue is better reached by the eastern highway going Manila, Nueva Ecija and Nueva Viscaya. That road, all the way to Banaue, is paved and accessible any time of year.

hello all,

Thank you so much for all your replies to my post. please do keep them coming as they are all a great help.

cheers

ray