Shopping is always a part of any tourist’s itinerary. To be more specific, we love to shop for things to give to our friends and family back home or buy something that will remind us of our travel. The Philippines may not be a shopping mecca in Asia, but shopping is good experience with the wide array of items to purchase and the relatively low rates.

So what can you buy during your trip in the Philippines?

If you are looking for souvenir items to bring back home, you can shop for handicrafts, T-shirts and other items. You can buy pen holders, place mats and shirts with famous destinations printed in front. The best souvenir that you can buy in the Philippines are handicrafts.  These can be woven items like placemats or table runners. You can give them away for use them in your own homes to add a touch of exotic Asia in your abode.  Those who can afford to ship bigger items can go for antiques, ceramics and sculptured figures. The most popular are the bulols or those wooden sculptured in the Mountain Region of Northern Luzon.

Take home some accessories made in the Philipines like pearls and beads. These are very cheap and can easily be bought even along the shores of popular beaches like Boracay Island. Textiles like Abel from Ilocos and the famous Pina Jusi from the Visayas are luxurious items to bring back home.

These items are sold in various department stores in the Philippines as well as in small stalls locally known as tiangge. These stalls can be found very close to famous destinations and attraction areas all over the country. In tiangge, you can ask for discounted rates by haggling. To haggle, say “tawad” and say “mahal“ if you find the item too expensive.

If you are in a mall, you can easily find these items from the Filipiniana section of popular department stores like SM and Robinsons. Expect prices to be a little higher than buying tiangges.

Aside from the typical souvenir items, shopping is a delightful experience in the Philippines. There are many malls in the country that operates from 10am to 9pm daily and even have longer store hours during holidays and weekends.  Popular is SM with Mall of Asia on the front line.  Mall of  Asia is the country’s biggest mall.

Those who want to shop at cheap rates can visit the famous Greenhills mall. If you want real bargain with a little adventure, visit Baclaran and Divisoria. Just be cautious enough to safeguard your wallets and shop in these places sans your jewelries as not to attract the watchful eyes of thieves and pickpockets.

If you want luxurious shopping spree, Philippines also have malls that carry upscale boutiques, shops and brands. To name of a few, there are Shangri-la Mall, Rustan’s, Glorietta and Trinoma. Here you can purchase items from your favorite brands at lesser cost.

Ignite your visit to the Philippines when you shop. Shop till you drop in its malls. Practice your haggling skills in tiangges. And cherish items bought in the Philippines when you back home.

A few more days and we have to bid December and the year 2010 goodbye. Enter 2011, specifically the month of January. In the Philippines, January is a month full of merry-making with cities and towns celebrating different festivals.

When you speak of Philippine festivals, those that occur every January are the most famous. They all happen in the Visayas region of the country namely Aklan, Iloilo and Cebu. These festivals are Ati-Atihan Festival of Aklan, Iloilo’s Dinagyang and the world famous Sinulog de Cebu. They are held in honour of the Santo Niño. Hence, these three happen every third and fourth Sunday of the month which is the feast day of the Infant Child Jesus.

Ati Atihan Festival

The quiet little town of Kalibo in Aklan awakens as they celebrate one of the pioneering festivals in the country. Low-key but still a lot of fun with its colourful costumes and distinct black appearance of its dancers ( and even spectators), everyone should experience Ati-Atihan. Known as the “Mother of Philippine Festivals”, Ati- Atihan has been around for more than 700 years.  The word Ati Atihan means ” to be like an Ati” referring to the At’s, one of the Philippine’s indigenous people.

A bonus to those who wish to participate is a chance to have fun in the most famous island-resort of the Philippines – Boracay. The island of Boracay is just 2 hours away from Kalibo.

Sinulog

Cebu’s Sinulog festival is one of the major festivals in the country with millions of pilgrims and tourists flocking to the Queen City of the South every thrid Sunday of January. Held purely in honour of the Blessed Holy Child of Cebu or the Santo Niño, some critics mark this festival as too commercialised and losing the real essence of paying homage to the Child Jesus. Still, the Sinulog is Cebu and Cebuano’s pride as a world-class legacy and bearer of Cebuano’s culture and traditions. Highlight of this festival is the street dancing competitions from different cities and towns all over the country.

Dinagyang

Lastly, Iloilo’s Dinagyang Festival. The Ilonggo word “dagyang” means “to be happy” and it is seen in its street dancing in their tribal costumes. Held a week after Ati Atihan and the Sinulog, Iloilo’s festival is an offspring to the Sinulog. The first Dingayang was held when the statue of the Santo Niño from Cebu came to Iloilo. And as a welcome to the Holy Child, Ilonggos danced similar to that of the Sinulog with a little twist of local Ilonggo tradition – that is in tribal costumes with dancers covered in soot. If you analyze the Dingayang, it is the perfect combination of Ati Atihan and Sinulog but there is of course something that is genuinely Ilonggo.

There are plenty of festivals in the country with every town celebrating their own festival. Every month, you can pick a destination if you wish to experience Philippine festivals. But these three festivals in the Visayas is a must- experience and a perfect start for you to jive into the trance of street dancing.

Flying direct to Manila may be convenient but it can also cost high. If you are one of those travelers who are on a tight budget or want to save from your travel expenses, it is best to search for cheap flights to Manila. These cheap flights are specifically good for families traveling to Manila for a holiday. And when it comes to cheaper flights from Australia to Manila, Jetstar is the most popular choice.

Jetstar, one of the sister companies of Qantas airlines offers a much lower rate for those flying to Manila. Like other international flights via low cost airlines, flying to Manila from Australia is impossible. Instead, Jetstar offers connecting flights from various airports in Australia to Singapore and then flying from Singapore to Manila.

There are several airports in Australia that serve direct flights to Singapore. In fact, passengers can fly to Singapore from 10 airports in Australia. Upon arriving in Singapore Changi International Airport, passengers will then take a connecting flight to Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila.

It may be not as convenient as those direct flights but the big savings is hard to avoid. Rates are absolutely lower compared to those standard airlines and they also many promo rates with some as low as $138 (one-way) excluding taxes. Still Jetstar’s standard rates is very appealing for travelers looking for cheap flights to Manila. This is the main reason why many passengers like those traveling in groups, families or those backpackers prefer to fly with Jetstar.

Of course, there are some things that passengers have to sacrifice when flying with Jetstar. Like other no frills airlines, they do not offer complimentary meals and entertainment. Instead, passengers can buy food and drinks onboard. Those who travel with little kids find flying with low cost airlines not as comfortable.  Connecting flights is more of a hassle for those who need to take their kids for a holiday in the Philippines.

Still, ignoring the savings from Jetstar is never easy. When comparing airfare rates from other airlines, Jetstar’s offer is indeed very enticing. So if you want to fly to Manila and save from your airfare, book your flight with Jetstar now!

It is hard to find someone who haven’t heard about Cebu, one of the most visited local destinations in the Philippines. The “Queen City of the South” has been closely attached with white-sand beaches but Cebu has thousands of things to offer to its visitors. Likewise, Cebu is now promoted not just the city of Cebu but along with other neighboring cities and towns. Cebu as an island-province – and one of Asia’s best.

When Travel + Leisure magazine named Cebu as the third best islands in Asia coming next after Bali and Maldives, it really didn’t cause a stir in the Philippines and even in Cebu. Of course, it was a big honour but acknowledging Cebu is not something new. Centuries ago, merchants across the globe come to this island in exchange for its goods and until today, this island receives millions of tourists and travelers all over the world.

When picking a local destination to visit while in the Philippines, Cebu is the best choice. And you can never go wrong with this island. If you want to escape from your Filipino relatives when you visit the Philippines, fly to Cebu. Here you can relax, unwind and materialize your long awaited holidays. Rejuvenate and relieve your stress when you admire its scenery and laugh with the locals.

Aside from frolicking under the sun, there are many things to do while in Cebu. Those who want trace back its rich history and culture can engage in walking and cultural tours specifically with its famed churches like the Basilica del Santo Niño. You can travel in the southern part of Cebu and visit the towns of Carcar, Dalaguete and Boljoon for its centuries-old churches and heritage houses. Cebu is also one of the best gastoromical venues in the country. Cebu has the best lechon and the sweetest mangoes.

What makes this island very appealing even t international tourists is the number of facilities it has for its visitors to have a wonderful stay. These facilities are not just centered on local tourists or balikbayans but even to those foreign visitors. This island is the best place to take your friends when visiting Philippines without having the fear of not satisfying their expectation from a tropical getaway. Cebu is a world-class island.

In terms of accommodation, it is home to many luxurious hotels like Marriott, Hilton and Shangrila. There are also affordable hotels in Cebu that are well-equipped with the most modern facilities. Staff are friendly but never pushy.For dining, restaurants particularly in downtown Cebu City can satisfy any palate. If you don’t fancy local food, there are hundreds of restaurants, cafes and bars with cuisine all over the world.

Most of all, Cebuanos love Cebu like no other. It is never hard to train even local taxi drivers to “promote” Cebu for local residents talk highly of their beloved island. Cebuanos are more than happy to show you around and prove how beautiful this island is. Lastly, Cebu is very safe and you can freely walk around the city with a smile on your face.