Travelling in the Philippines During Summer and Rainy Seasons
by: Ronan Vergara
Call it a blessing. The Philippines is one country you’d be pleased to visit three hundred and sixty five days in a year (except for twenty or so stormy days.) Summers are not scorching, and rains are never freezing, and perhaps the only thing that you’d combat is humidity, which, when mixed up with urban air, can leave you feeling uneasy.
So, if you have placed the Philippines as your destination, you got to brace yourself for good tropical weather all throughout the year. By the way: the Philippines has only the wet and the dry season, and it is located in the northern hemisphere, meaning, it gets cool here while America and Europe are enjoying their winter. Well, that’s the overview. Let’s go to specifics.
The Dry Season
Beginning December, rains start to taper down its level, and the wind gets colder as Siberia experiences winter. Despite this, the weather remains sunny and consequently warm. Towards the end of February, as winter snow begins to melt, the temperature here increases until it reaches its high point, around 36 degrees Celsius, usually in April. This is the dry season in the country – the time of summer breaks, beaches, and lots of town fiestas.
So, if you’re visiting between these months, here are some pointers that you should consider.
1. Gear Up for Hot Weather.
Cotton shirts and shorts will keep you cool in your trips, and sleeveless garments will keep you cool all the time. However, always tuck a t-shirt or two in your bag. There are establishments that don’t allow sleeveless shirts. Check out also if the place you’re planning to visit won’t allow short pants and slippers, usually in churches and restaurants, so you can prepare your get up. Moreover, you’ll really sweat in your tour, and you don’t want to feel wet and sticky all the time. Wear a cap to ward sunlight off your vision – better yet, keep your shades with you all the time. Flip flops will keep your feet cool and comfortable, but if you’re in for long walks, stick to your good old pair of rubber shoes. Umbrellas are good carry-ons, but nonetheless ignorable, unless you want to make sure you’d be dry in case of a sudden shower.
2. Get Hydrated
You’ll need water in your travels – lots of water, especially if you sweat a lot, and if you’re outbound in March or April, when temperature is at its peak. Heat strokes are not uncommon during this season, so better take extra caution and make sure you have a handy coolant in your bag. Distilled water is better than the ordinary bottled water, and local brands such as Wilkins and Absolute are by far the most recommended. Just to be sure you won’t get any tummy trouble, avoid consuming water from drinking fountains, and buy your bottled water at convenience stores and malls only.
3. Summer-ize your Travel Kit
For your escapades, always ensure that your travel kit has the following.
A pack or two of wet tissue. This is perhaps the greatest innovation after the wheel. Such can always assure you of cleanliness, especially after a dusty road trip, sweaty stroll, grimy street combing, and so on.
A small bottle of hand sanitizer. Your hands will go everywhere in your tour, and so never let those invisible things you have touched get into your system.
Medications. Aside from your doctor-ordered medicines, stash a pack of pills for simple ailments – fever, dizziness, allergy, upset stomach, and the likes. By the way, you might be accustomed to Tylenol for fever or aches. It’s not that common here, and for such illness or pain, Paracetamol is preferred over the usual aspirin.
4. Snack Wisely
Never let summer pass without you sampling all the tropical fruits available in the market. It’s the most natural and healthiest snack you can get. Load yourself with lots of vitamin C from citruses, mangoes and pineapples. Get your natural dose of potassium from bananas. Charge yourself with electrolytes through a cup of coconut water. All these fruits are very abundant during the summer season, so you won’t have the excuse of not having much healthy treats to eat.
Street foods are everywhere, but don’t turn eating this stuff as another adventure. Your digestive system might not be prepared for such food. But if you’re insistent, try out these food stuff in the malls. There, you can be more assured of sanitation.
Rainy Season
By the month of May, rains begin to poor in the Philippines, and in the case of some places in Metro Manila, streets become flooded, and you’ll definitely never want to wade in a black pond along the streets. The Philippines is also along the normal route of Pacific storms, and around twenty storms visit the Philippines yearly. So, if you’re travelling between the months of June and November, consider still all the tips above, and add these too.
1. Get updated all the time.
Always check out the weather advisories either via radio or internet so you’d know if it would be safe and dry for an outdoor activity, accuweather is so far the best.
A thirty minute downpour can be enough to flood a street, so check out the weather updates always so as to avoid the areas that are too flooded for travel. Just a side note: there’s even this old saying that if the day becomes extra humid and hot, expect the rains afterwards. It might sound too superstitious, but actually, the old folks are correct.
2. Don’t let the rain dampen you – literally.
This time, a folding umbrella tucked in your bag becomes very important and more practical than wind breakers or raincoats. Place all your things, especially your clothes, inside a plastic bag before putting them in your travelling bag. Make sure you got an extra towel to keep you dry after a sudden downpour. Never brave flood waters, even if you have shoes on.
3. Beware of Mosquitoes
These little insects may cause a lot of trouble, be sure to have your Malaria shot in case you will be going to the forest areas in the Philippines, bring your magnesium liquid drops at 1.5 ml daily and take it regularly – this will keep the dengue fever at bay (be sure to consult your doctor or visit Dr. Jerome Gallestre to buy your Magnesium liquid drops) ; and do not forget your citronella spray to keep the mosquitoes away.
If you’re travelling in nature parks, be extra cautious about mosquito bites. Keep a bottle of mosquito repellant lotion in your bag, and apply such in your exposed skin every time you travel.
Call it a blessing. The Philippines is one country you’d be pleased to visit three hundred and sixty five days in a year (except for twenty or so stormy days.) Summers are not scorching, and rains are never freezing, and perhaps the only thing that you’d combat is humidity, which, when mixed up with urban air, can leave you feeling uneasy.
So, if you have placed the Philippines as your destination, you got to brace yourself for good tropical weather all throughout the year. By the way: the Philippines has only the wet and the dry season, and it is located in the northern hemisphere, meaning, it gets cool here while America and Europe are enjoying their winter. Well, that’s the overview. Let’s go to specifics.
The Dry Season
Beginning December, rains start to taper down its level, and the wind gets colder as Siberia experiences winter. Despite this, the weather remains sunny and consequently warm. Towards the end of February, as winter snow begins to melt, the temperature here increases until it reaches its high point, around 36 degrees Celsius, usually in April. This is the dry season in the country – the time of summer breaks, beaches, and lots of town fiestas.
So, if you’re visiting between these months, here are some pointers that you should consider.
1. Gear Up for Hot Weather.
Cotton shirts and shorts will keep you cool in your trips, and sleeveless garments will keep you cool all the time. However, always tuck a t-shirt or two in your bag. There are establishments that don’t allow sleeveless shirts. Check out also if the place you’re planning to visit won’t allow short pants and slippers, usually in churches and restaurants, so you can prepare your get up. Moreover, you’ll really sweat in your tour, and you don’t want to feel wet and sticky all the time. Wear a cap to ward sunlight off your vision – better yet, keep your shades with you all the time. Flip flops will keep your feet cool and comfortable, but if you’re in for long walks, stick to your good old pair of rubber shoes. Umbrellas are good carry-ons, but nonetheless ignorable, unless you want to make sure you’d be dry in case of a sudden shower.
2. Get Hydrated
You’ll need water in your travels – lots of water, especially if you sweat a lot, and if you’re outbound in March or April, when temperature is at its peak. Heat strokes are not uncommon during this season, so better take extra caution and make sure you have a handy coolant in your bag. Distilled water is better than the ordinary bottled water, and local brands such as Wilkins and Absolute are by far the most recommended. Just to be sure you won’t get any tummy trouble, avoid consuming water from drinking fountains, and buy your bottled water at convenience stores and malls only.
3. Summer-ize your Travel Kit
For your escapades, always ensure that your travel kit has the following.
A pack or two of wet tissue. This is perhaps the greatest innovation after the wheel. Such can always assure you of cleanliness, especially after a dusty road trip, sweaty stroll, grimy street combing, and so on.
A small bottle of hand sanitizer. Your hands will go everywhere in your tour, and so never let those invisible things you have touched get into your system.
Medications. Aside from your doctor-ordered medicines, stash a pack of pills for simple ailments – fever, dizziness, allergy, upset stomach, and the likes. By the way, you might be accustomed to Tylenol for fever or aches. It’s not that common here, and for such illness or pain, Paracetamol is preferred over the usual aspirin.
4. Snack Wisely
Never let summer pass without you sampling all the tropical fruits available in the market. It’s the most natural and healthiest snack you can get. Load yourself with lots of vitamin C from citruses, mangoes and pineapples. Get your natural dose of potassium from bananas. Charge yourself with electrolytes through a cup of coconut water. All these fruits are very abundant during the summer season, so you won’t have the excuse of not having much healthy treats to eat.
Street foods are everywhere, but don’t turn eating this stuff as another adventure. Your digestive system might not be prepared for such food. But if you’re insistent, try out these food stuff in the malls. There, you can be more assured of sanitation.
Rainy Season
By the month of May, rains begin to poor in the Philippines, and in the case of some places in Metro Manila, streets become flooded, and you’ll definitely never want to wade in a black pond along the streets. The Philippines is also along the normal route of Pacific storms, and around twenty storms visit the Philippines yearly. So, if you’re travelling between the months of June and November, consider still all the tips above, and add these too.
1. Get updated all the time.
Always check out the weather advisories either via radio or internet so you’d know if it would be safe and dry for an outdoor activity, accuweather is so far the best.
A thirty minute downpour can be enough to flood a street, so check out the weather updates always so as to avoid the areas that are too flooded for travel. Just a side note: there’s even this old saying that if the day becomes extra humid and hot, expect the rains afterwards. It might sound too superstitious, but actually, the old folks are correct.
2. Don’t let the rain dampen you – literally.
This time, a folding umbrella tucked in your bag becomes very important and more practical than wind breakers or raincoats. Place all your things, especially your clothes, inside a plastic bag before putting them in your travelling bag. Make sure you got an extra towel to keep you dry after a sudden downpour. Never brave flood waters, even if you have shoes on.
3. Beware of Mosquitoes
These little insects may cause a lot of trouble, be sure to have your Malaria shot in case you will be going to the forest areas in the Philippines, bring your magnesium liquid drops at 1.5 ml daily and take it regularly – this will keep the dengue fever at bay (be sure to consult your doctor or visit Dr. Jerome Gallestre to buy your Magnesium liquid drops) ; and do not forget your citronella spray to keep the mosquitoes away.
If you’re travelling in nature parks, be extra cautious about mosquito bites. Keep a bottle of mosquito repellant lotion in your bag, and apply such in your exposed skin every time you travel.
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