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11th April 2017
03:40pm BST

Take a tuk-tuk The traffic in the Philippines can only be described as organised chaos. The cheapest and quickest way to get around is definitely by tricycle. Renting a moped might be tempting but it's just not worth the hassle. English is widely spoken Most people have an exceptionally high level of English, which makes ordering food, booking hostels and making plans so much easier.
The people are seriously friendly Filipinos are some of the nicest people you will ever meet. They are fantastic hosts, great performers and will always go above and beyond to help. Grab breakfast on the go Smoothies seem to be the breakfast of choice in the Philippines and thankfully you can get them everywhere. There are loads of street vendors selling fruit, smoothies and crepes in most towns. The mangos are the best.
Bring your own loo roll Trust me on this one. Lots of public toilets don't have any and the last thing you want is to be caught out. You're not supposed to flush your loo roll down the toilet either but that's a whole different story... Go to El Nido Lots of people don't like El Nido because it's a bit of a tourist trap. Granted, there are a lot of backpackers but the little city has a lot to offer. It's a great base to go on boat tours around Palawan. Most boat companies offer the four standard tours, A, B, C, and D, although you can mix and match if you rent a private boat. Make sure you visit The Big Lagoon, Small Lagoon and Hidden Beach.
Don't forget the waterfalls There's so much to do in the Philippines that you might struggle to fit it all in, but if you have time then you really should visit Kawasan Falls in Cebu. The falls can get a little bit crowded during the day. To get the best photos try to arrive just after dawn when you'll have the place to yourself for a few hours.
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