JENS PETERS - author and publisher of the popular book "PHILIPPINES
TRAVEL GUIDE"
Jens Peters studied advertising, communications and arts education in Berlin, Germany.
In 1977 he began travel writing and since then has worked as a freelance journalist for various travel magazines and published several books about tropical
countries. His guidebook on the Philippines was first published in 1979 in German and has been updated constantly. From 1981 to 2000 this popular guidebook was
published in English by Lonely Planet. He now publishes the English edition himself as the Philippines Travel Guide.
S o far he has visited the Philippines (his favourite country in South-East Asia) more than 60 times and spent over 10 years there all together. In 1977 he
‘discovered’ Boracay and put this beautiful little island on the tourist map, as he did with Malapascua Island in the early nineties. His latest hot tip is Sipalay on the
south-west coast of Negros.
About his Philippine Travel Experiences
After
criss-crossing the Philippines many times in buses, jeepneys, ships and aircraft, the government’s PR idea of a ‘nautical highway’ struck me as a great way to get a
new perspective on things. So I fixed up my trusty old Nissan and was whisked by the Superferry from Manila to Cebu City, where I really enjoyed the variety of
resto bars and the hot nightlife at the Crossroads, The Village, and - best of all - the Ayala Entertainment Center.
After a
short detour to Mactan Island, crossing over the new Marcelo B. Fernan Bridge, and a stopover in Danao, the gun town of the Philippines, I headed for Maya at the
northern tip of Cebu, where outriggers leave for Malapascua Island. On a trip around the island I counted no less than 20 white beaches, but it’s at Bounty Beach on
the south coast where tourism is already well established. Worth seeing and excellent for snorkelling is the marvellous, tiny Calangaman Island south of Malapascua
(one hour by boat).
After visiting some friends in Moalboal, the dive centre on the south-west coast of Cebu, I took the car ferry from Taloot/Argao to Catagbacon on Bohol (two
hours). The Chocolate Hills and Panglao Island, both highlights of the province, are easily accessable by car (good roads).
There is only one car ferry a week from Tagbilaran to Dumaguete on Negros (Wednesday at 5 am). If you miss it, as I did, you have to go back to Cebu first and
cross over to Negros from Bato to Tampi (eight trips daily, the last car ferry leaves at 11.30 pm, taking only 30 minutes).
In Dumaguete, the atmosphere along the Rizal Boulevard with its excellent international restaurants is very pleasant, especially in the late afternoons and evenings,
when people meet for a gossip at this beautifully laid-out promenade south of the pier.
Except for a 23-km stretch of rough road between Basay and Hinoba-an, the coastal road in South Negros is in good condition. In Maluay, about 22 km south of
Dumaguete, the lively large Malatapay Market (every Wednesday) is really worth a stopover as is the small Apo Island just a few minutes offshore.
The sleepy town of Sipalay on the south-west coast of Negros has all that it takes to make it a major tourist destination in the near future: Wonderful beaches,
scenic coastlines similar to those in northern Palawan, numerous excellent dive sites, and in the hinterland mountains with caves and waterfalls. A handful of beach
resorts and some dive shops have already been opened on picturesque Sugar (Langub) Beach and Punta Ballo White Beach.
For the crossing from Bacolod to Iloilo City on Panay, Millennium Shipping is the only shipping line which accepts rolling cargo. They leave Bredco Port, Reclamation
Area, daily except Sunday at 4 am and noon, taking 3½ hours. To get out of Iloilo City towards Caticlan is a bit tricky, so if you don’t know your way around, just
follow a bus from the Tanza bus terminal in Rizal Street heading for Kalibo or Roxas. Once you’ve made it to the suburbs north of the Jaro River, you won’t get lost
any more. Near the jetty in Caticlan there’s a parking lot (P50/day), and beautiful Boracay Island is just a few minutes away.
For getting back with the car from Panay to Manila, the ports of Dumaguit, Roxas and Iloilo City provide regular ferry services. It’s also possible to ship the car
unaccompanied and fly the final lap of the trip.
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