2 Spare Days in Philippines over Easter - where?

donbot on 14/10/2013 - 10:02

Got a destination wedding in Sabang on Palawan Island in April next year.

We're (probably 10 of us in total - all late 20/early 30s) staying there for 5 nights with the wedding on one of the days. The issue we've got is we're all meeting in Sabang on Sunday 20th April, and most of us are looking to fly from MEL-Manila on the Thursday night redeye via KL - putting us in Manila on Good Friday. Haven't got a great desire to spend a couple of days in KL as I have been there before.

A few questions I'm hoping OZB'ers can help out with:

  • We havent heard a lot of reason to stay in Manila - can you tell me otherwise?

  • Particularly concerned with it being Easter & a very catholic country - will everything come to a grinding halt over these days?

  • Given we land around Midday on Good Friday in Manila, and need to be in Sabang (a few hours from Puerto Princesa) on Sunday afternoon, is there somewhere else outside of Manila that is close enough to go to for the Friday/Saturday night, then get to Sabang on the Sunday? Realistically we're going to have to fly back to Manila to get a flight to PP, so this is where we dont want to be too far away.

I was thinking El Nido so we can get the bus back down to Sabang on the Sunday, but I've read that its a 7hr bustrip from PP all the way up there - seems a long way to go for such a short period of time, and also the fact we may be heading up there to do a few days of island hoppping after the wedding.

Another thought was to go to Donsol for the whale sharks, but I've read there isnt much point doing it over Easter as you can't get into the marine park over Easter?

Any guidance is greatly appreciated, not only from me but the group of us going.

Travel

Comments

  • Bonsaichop on 14/10/2013 - 13:37
    +1

    You could go to Cebu and help my uncle fix his house.. Saves me from hearing my mother continuously complaining about sending money over there to help them but then they waste it and keep asking for more. I call it the tenth circle of hell- Stupidity.

  • Ramthonio on 14/10/2013 - 17:45

    Next month, I'm planning to spend a few days in Manila to try many delicious meals, tropical fruits and vegies, maybe go to a quiet bar near SM Mall of Asia. Then, I will spend a few weeks in supposedly a very nice, international award-winning White Beach in Boracay Island.

    • donbot on 15/10/2013 - 09:05

      I'd be interested to hear how you go in both Manila and Borocay island as both are in contention for the 18th/19th/20th (we dont have to be in Puerto Princesa until late on the 20th), so I'm intregued to try and get a quick look in at Borocay Island if possible.

  • FadeToBlack on 16/10/2013 - 12:42

    We stayed in Borocay Island for 5 days after a month and a half Europe trip last year. I highly recommend it although based on your criteria I don't think you would have enough time.

    • donbot on 17/10/2013 - 12:08
      +1

      I think we've come to this realisation - its just too tight of timeframe.

      We are more and more considering to either spend two days in Puerto Princesa - things like Iwahig Prison and My Salakot could keep us busy until we have to be in Sabang on the Sunday.

      Borocay Island might have to be next time - I like the idea of somewhere like the Philippines after a Europe trip.

  • Ramthonio on 16/10/2013 - 19:20

    Last month, I got a Darwin - Manila return flight for $218 total, advertised on here through Jetstar. It's rainy/typhoon season from June - Oct/Nov so I'm hoping the weather will be fine, especially there's around 20 storms over there every year, and a ~7.3M earthquake in the central part just yesterday.

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