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Philippines:
Great place!!!! You need lots of time to absorb the culture and islands.
Boracay was my favorite along with the more laid back Alona beach on the island of Bohol. You only worry on these islands are what's for dinner/lunch/breakfast. Beer is cheaper than pop so beer for breakfast,lunch and dinner and lots in between. At 50 cents you can't go wrong with a San Miguel although sometimes it's served warm or with ice (gross). The food there is a variation of Chinese food. You can get lots of great fish and western food in the tourist areas. What's excellent are the outdoor barbeque places that sell the best tasting bbq chicken, pork in the world at the cheapest prices known. At these places they will also serve excellent seafood just caught. The most famous fish being Lapu Lapu which is a grouper/snapper. I prefer the steamed way as opposed to the bbq way. Shrimps are sold by the kg. Wow. Got you interested yet? The small stalls don't have seafood. If you get bored in the bigger cities go catch a movie for 50cents. The seats may be broken but it's air conditioned and you can rest your feet for a few hours! Oh yeah, Philippines has the best mangos in the world!!!
Diving- is best in Balacasag, Bohol. Boracay is so so. Palawan is suppose to be great but It was too far.
Hotels- a beach hut is very cheap between $5-$15 Cdn/night. In the city a room may be $20-$30.
Cebu island is over rated I i didn't like it that much. Just resorts catered to foreign tours from HK Japan and Germany -these people stay on the grounds and don't want to feel the relaxed atmosphere of the island. You can use the facilities of these resorts for $20 a day and you get vouchers of $10 in return to buy drinks or food. It's a good deal if you just want to relax in a nice resort and are staying in town.
Mt Pinatubo near the city of Angeles is good too. Imagine an entire landscape covered by volcanic ash. Some places looked like the moon. Nearby towns are still buried under with roof tops only showing. You walk on roof tops or work your way down to get into buried churches. The city of Angeles caught me by surprise. Lots of older American men. Why? Young desperate Filipino girls at a bargain. Nothing happens until night when all the go go bars start coming alive. Went into one by accident but it was nicely air conditioned and the beer was reasonable and cold. Neon lights everywhere. Every male tourist is in their 40-50s and has a young Filapina by there side. Hotel rooms can get pretty noisy, if you know what I mean!!!!
Certain parts of Manila is a hole with its traffic and pollution but the downtown is beautiful and modern. The Intermuros area is interesting with it's old wall, cathedral and Spanish architecture . Emirta is a gross ghetto but lots of tourist hang out there. Check out dept stores for cheap clothing (or factory rejects!) At night, watch the sunset by the seaside of Manila. A laid back resort is Puerto Galera. Great snorkelling from the beach at small Laguna beach. The beaches aren't too exciting there but it's a good place to hang out. White beach is popular but no snorkelling.
Bohol island is definitely worth going to. One highlight is endless rolling Chocolate hills (that look like hundreds of hershey kiss) and the other is to take great jungle river ride (just like Apocalypse Now movie). Go on a unmotorized boat so you can hear the sounds of the jungle. As previously mentioned, Alona beach is great. Tagbilaran is the big town. Not much there but Hint: go during fiesta time in April/May and you will definitely get invited to local homes for a fiesta. Very friendly people.
Iloilo on Panay island is not too exciting but the markets are ok. It's just a stopping ground from Cebu to Boracay, if you go by boat. Negros is full of sugar cane plantations.
A word of advice: You need lots of time to see and visit most things in the Philippines.
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