Aeo

Hi there.

I've been saving up my money in my dead end job... Last time, a good three year ago, I headed off to Australia and instead of my grand plan to travel around that great big country - I ended up living in Melbourne for 10 months, which I adored. A lovely city.

This time I'm looking to fullfill a few day dreams I formed whilst surfing the panaramio web site (photographs) after the weeks crap work.

One of the things that has captivcated me is all the volcanos in The Philippines.

So, I was just after some advice from anyone that has been to or lives there currently as to how a backpacker would fair there - In the pub when I suggested that I might head out there a few of my mates jaws dropped on the floor citing that I would get kidnapped by terroists. Personaly I take the media with a huge pinch of salt - or is there truth in my mates fears?

Cheers

Aeo

active.

sunnydays

Their is an organised group of Filipinos called the NPA who are generally active in high ground areas, they would see you as a way of extorting funds for their organisation......not worth the risk in my view. The nicest places to visit, waterfalls volcanoes etc are all in dodgy areas.
Ps if you came here as a tourist you'd return home after a marriage proposal.
Advice to me at 45 was if you go to the Philippines you will get married again. They were right!




- In the pub when I suggested that I might head out there a few of my mates jaws dropped on the floor citing that I would get kidnapped by terroists. Personaly I take the media with a huge pinch of salt - or is there truth in my mates fears?

Cheers [/QUOTE]

sunnydays

One of the things that has captivcated me is all the volcanos in The Philippines.

More exciting suggestions:
Brazil: use varig airlines to see the tourist things, may have the same offer I had some year ago, 5 flights 500$. Trip down the amazon 5 days 4 nights need to buy a hammock (cheap), stopover Manhaus go with guide up tributaries eating roasted small crocs/piranha. visit dance school in Rio get an invite to the carnival. Need 3 weeks.
Toronto, glass train to Vancouver 3 days. Bus to train station in USA. glass viewing carriages to San Fransisco. Use greyhound busses to cross the US overnight (save hotels) arrive for 4th July fireworks in New Orleans. Visit the Grand'ole opra? in Nashville, Fly back to Toronto (need to use the return half of a ticket purchased in Toronto at start). Good way to see north America meet some nice people.
Burma, take the train North to Mandalay Diplomate AC sleeper 20$,
Bangkok, train to Chiangrai, Elephant ride through a river.
train trip to Singapore visit Kuala Lumpa on the way also Penang.

DO watch the weather on some of these trips, ie Southern hemisphere winter is in the UK summer......the hills above Santiago are full of Skiiers in July

Aeo

Hi thanks for the repliy.

I plan on doing the americas in a few years as I feel it requires substatial savings. I'm not much into the 2 week holidays and tend to end up living somewhere for lenghy amounts of time - to the point when I move on I feel I really know the place... Although using my entire work visa in Melbourne was a bit over kill. But that just means there's lots to see when I go back.

The reasson i'm looking to go back to SE Asia/Pacific is its relative cheapness and alot of like minded people (ie rat race drop outs - even if only for a few months)

Your train suggestion is something I concidered doing when I get round to visiting Japan The trans-Sib then down to China/Tiawan. There's a ferry service to the South Japanese Islands.... but I feel for that one I'll need to win one of my crazy Premiership Accumilator Bets *fingers crossed*

So.... the Philippines - You think the area around Mayon is not safe? I really would love to climb it

sunnydays

Hi,
Mayon is in the Bicol area and there are NPA elements there, maybe if you went with a travel office from Manila with locals accompanying you it may be okay.
E-mail privately and I'll give you some more ideas.
Peter

deep9400

Be careful. I live here in Mindanao under Mt Apo. There are NPA and muslim gunmen, then kidnappers. You could still come and be a tourist. But the whole "Backpacker" thing like Thailand etc will draw attention to yourself and the dangers. Be careful man life is cheap here. You can get someone killed for the price of dinner for 4 and a few drinks. You showing up in the Barrio with a pack is asking for the local killers to kill you and steal what you have on you. There are 1000s and 1000s of guns and poverty here.

Englishmum

Why not go to Sabah, the part of Malaysia on the island of Borneo and climb Mt. Kinabalu? It would be far safer than the southern Philippines.

http://www.mount-kinabalu-borneo.com/

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractio...alu_Sabah.html

You could also go to nearby Sarawak (also part of Malaysia) and go on a long boat downriver and stay in an authentic longhouse with an Iban tribe (they used to be headhunters!)

http://bruntonal.travellerspoint.com/45/

http://www.tripadvisor.com/GoListDet...to_Borneo.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/de...e-bat-men.html

You would also be able to see the last place on earth to see the Orang Utans in their own natural habitat.

amanda1101

Pretty much, it's safe in the islands if you stay out of Mindanao. The best volcanoes are in Luzon anyways. You can certainly do a 2-week backpacking trip starting from Taal in Luzon, Mayon in Bicol, Kanlaon in the Visayas and right down to Camiguin. They have good transport systems here that can take you from one island to another.

cruz

i'd say in all countries, if we leave our common sense at home, we'll get in trouble.

anyway, here are some ideas in volcano trekking in luzon.

http://www.tagaytay.com/taalvolcano.htm

http://www.trekkingpinatubo.com/

other volcanoes:
http://www.volcanolive.com/philippines.html



.

belle4484

hi there! it's actually safe to go to where d popular volcanoes are:
1. taal volcano- d smallest volcano in d philippines, a volcano within a lake, is 1 1/2 hour drive from manila, you can have a scenic view from tagaytay (above where taal is), here there are loads of places to stay in from class A- C... Now if you wanna go trekking, you can stay right in Taal (though just a few choices to stay in).
2. mayon volcano- d volcano with d perfect shaped cone, again places to stay in varies. there's a nice place to stay in (check misibisbay.com if your budget allows). you can go ziplining, trekking, ATV riding in d area. plus while you're in mayon, you might want to check out some places of interest in d region- Camsur Wave-boarding and Donsol Whaleshark swimming (they're huge but perfectly safe).
3. Mount Pinatubo- erupted in d early 90's, now they do an interesting organized tour.

All of these places are safe coz I know of some people, local and foreign who have been there. Well, we've been to Mayon and we go to Tagaytay to see Taal every so often and we haven't been kidnapped. We have yet to try Pinatubo. Cheers mate and g'luck!

turko-steve

I live in Bicol. Believe me its quite safe to travel and tour Mount Mayon. The threat of the NPA is largely fiction. Its mostly small gangs of criminals who when committing crimes call themselves NPA. It makes it easy for the authorities
also.

stephenbischoff

just try not to go south of the Philippines, that's where the rebels are.. the rest of the country is peaceful and the culture is great.. you're gonna enjoy your stay..

stephen

tropicofcancer

Yes go with the three posts above this one. I would agree with them.
You have to see Taal it is beautiful, the Palace In The Sky is also there, never completed.
Pinatubo was more a tourist attraction after it had erupted. The surrounding area was a sight to behold.
Mabalacat, Pampanga on the way to Angeles (near Panatubo) from Manila, boasts a shrine where Kamikaze was founded.

Mayon and Taal are very active, and always the subject of warnings.

John Hayns

Tell me how you got on in Philippines. I retired and live there and would be interested to hear your views.