SetSail.com - the serious cruising sailor's website

Feb 20, 2007 - Cruising the Philippines
by Beth & Al Liggett

SetSail note - A reader recently asked us to forward the following email to Al and Beth Liggett, who have spent over a decade cruising in Southeast Asia:

I am undertaking a study project for a tourism-oriented company on Cruising in South East Asia with focus on the Philippines. The general basic question is "Why does it seem that the Philippines with more than 7,000 islands is not a " cruising destination"? It does look that, based on the information currently available, Thailand/Malaysia are the favorite places of cruising sailors. The impression I get and I would like to be able to confirm or reject is the notion that "unfamiliarity, security concerns and misinformation" seem to be the major factors on this issue. I have been in the Philippines now for many years and have done a lot of island-hopping on my 41-foot sloop and I am intrigued on why I only occasionally encounter a foreign visiting yacht. (On second thought, I better keep these islands a secret!) - Joey

Hello Joey,

The folks at SetSail have forwarded your e-mail to me reflecting your questions as to "Why cruisers don't visit the Philippines." A good question.

Let me say first off, that we have sailed to the Philippines several times. First we visited for four months in 1977, and we cruised from Surigao City to San Fernando. Again in 1980, coming from Borneo up the west coast of the islands, to Panay for Ate-Ate-Han and then to Manila. We did the China Sea Race that year – HK back to Manila too. In 1997 we crossed through the Philippines from Surigao to Puerto Gallera on our way to Hong Kong; then we sailed back in 1998, spending time on the Palawan coast before heading to Singapore and Malaysia. So our last visit was nearly 10 years ago. I doubt that much has changed in the interim.

I think the predominate reason sailors don't visit the Philippines is that's it's off the beaten path.

Sailors from European countries come through the Panama Canal and on across the South Pacific. Australian and New Zealanders don't go north much more than to New Caledonia or Vanuatu. West Coast sailors go south to Mexico, then west across the South Pacific. So they all tend to stay south of the Equator.

Very few cruisers set out from Hawaii, or Guam, or come north into the Marshals or Carolines and then head west. Even fewer sail down from Russia, Japan or Korea. You do get a lot of boats in the PI from Hong Kong because of the proximity, but most of those arrive with a race or regatta and then turn around and go back to work.

Right?

And the other hidden factor is that there are no Philippine boats out cruising, spreading the glories of their country.

To address your notion of "unfamiliarity, security concerns and misinformation" as factors keeping cruisers away from the Philippines:

Unfamiliarity – I don't think so. Unfamiliarity is what cruising is all about, isn't it? Going to new places? Arriving in unknown harbors? So why would that be a factor in NOT going there?

Security concerns – Oh yes, definitely. Forever the Philippines have been "known" as a haven for pirates, with a few very well publicized incidents enforcing this fact. We have been to the PI several times, dating from 1977 when the country was still under Marcos, and marshal law was in effect. People always asked us, "But what about the pirates?" And another visit in 1980, but no marshal law, and you didn't want to walk in Manila if you wore a watch or even earrings because of the street thieves. You didn't go out at night either. Houses were walled fortresses and many had guards.

Misinformation – About what? From what source? I would say it was more a lack of information about the Philippines. No inundation of articles in the sailing magazines of note. No popular cruising guides – because of being off the beaten path probably. It also does not have the enticements of the South Pacific Islands, or New Zealand, Australia, and points west.

On the GOOD side, in favor of making a trip to the Philippines, are the wonderful, smiling, friendly people. And they speak English. It is an inexpensive place to cruise; Al says the beer and rum are cheap! And as you say, there are lots of places to go.

On the NEGATIVE side, we found the officials to be corrupt, arrogant and demanding. Not terms that would endear a return visit by cruisers. There is no fishing – the locals have continued to dynamite the reefs despite laws against it. There is very little clear water for diving and snorkeling that we found except on the western island shores. The food is not exciting. And there are typhoons hitting the Philippines on a regular basis every year.

Anyway, that's how we see it. Nevertheless, we do have friends who find "hanging out" in the Philippines to be to their liking and have cruised there for years. So maybe you just sort of grow into it – like we have done in SE Asia?

Cheers!

Al and Beth Liggett
SUNFLOWER

Joey's reply:

Hi Beth,

Thank you for taking the time out to respond to my question.

I am glad to know that you have been here and that you are familiar with the place. I appreciate your views and observations.

I also agree that the Philippines may be "out of the way", but I can not understand why another 7 to 12 days of sailing northward from Malaysia for example should hinder someone to explore these islands (except perhaps the pounding of the northeasterly winds). What is another 1,000 miles after crossing the Pacific or the Indian Ocean? I think that, as you say, part of the true cruising life is the discovery of "unfamiliar places". The joy of discovery.

When I mention "unfamiliarity" I really refer to the lack of knowledge of what is available, not the "joy of discovery " aspect of it.

About thieves and not being able to walk down the streets at night, where were you staying in Manila? I was robbed in the Metro in Madrid and my wife's purse was snatched in Wanchai and a friend of mine was even cornered in Central near the Star Ferry terminal (Hong Kong).

As to walled homes and gated subdivisions, this is commonplace not only in the Philippine, but you can find them all over Southeast Asia. About pirates, yes, maybe in the border of Tawi-Tawi and Borneo, which for clarification purposes also involved Malaysians from Sandakan. How about the Mallacca Straits?

Food - that is a surprise, as the Philippines has a variety of Asian, European etc...abundance of the best places to eat with the many first class hotels and restaurants. We do have a lot of similar Malay food (the Filipino is part of the Malay race). Again, where did you eat? Did you have a chance to go to Boracay Island? (The gourmet seafood in this place is well known.)

As to scuba diving, again I am surprised. The Philippines has an abundance of dive sites - in fact it was recently named one of the most biodiverse places in the world. You have Apo reef, Coron wrecks, Anilao, Tubbatha reefs (listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site), Mindoro (Puerto Galera), Malapascua in Cebu, and many more.

As to dynamite fishing. Well, this was a big problem and frankly, it has not been eradicated, but it has dramatically improved. The bigger problem faced now is poaching by the large Chinese fishing boats, especially off Palawan.

As to typhoons that is beyond the scope of human control. The consolation is to plan your trips accordingly (like anywhere else!).

As to corruption/arrogance - well, this I concede is a fact of life in the Philippines, but to be fair I have seen it in varying degrees in Malaysia, Bangkok, Vietnam, Indonesia and yes, even in the USA.

Well, I hope I have been able to shed light on what is in store in the Philippines...Thank you again for your valuable input.

Sincerely yours,
Joey