Detailed Map of the Philippines and Interactive Philippine Road Map
Use a detailed map of the Philippines to navigate around the country.
Before traveling to the Philippines, make a note of the climate and weather, as it might be quite different from what you are used to. The climate in the Philippines is tropical. Generally, it is from March to mid November that the Philippines are very warm - around mid-to-high 30 degrees centigrade in daytime. Consequently, light clothing is generally your best bet, along with some type of rain gear. And if your destination is some remote area or a forest, then mosquito repellent and a water bottle, as well as a detailed map of the Philippines will turn out to be effective if not an absolute necessity.
Detailed Map of the Philippines - Interactive Philippine Road Map
Place the cursor on the map and left-click your mouse to move the map. Use the plus and minus controls to zoom in or zoom out to get a more detailed map of the Philippines and also a Philippine road map.
Outside of Manila there are several areas to explore. Some are on Luzon Island, others are in the central area, known as the Visayas, and others are further south in Palawan or Mindanao.
Baguio
Baguio City is approximately 240 kilometers north of Manila, the Philippines' capital city. However, as weather conditions can on occasion make travel by air unreliable, traveling by land has been the most popular means of making your way to Baguio City, the 'Summer Capital of the Philippines'.
Baguio City, identified also as the 'City of Pines', is without a doubt one of the finest Philippine destinations, favored by both foreign and local visitors for its gorgeous natural environment and temperatures that are generally 8 degrees centigrade lower than other Philippine locations.
Burnham Park is definitely the most visited tourist spot here. The park is alive with boat-riding, biking, concerts, food, and sometimes tribal festivals. It's just at the lower end of Session Road in Baguio City. Daniel Burnham, the American man who the park was named after, was a town planner and architect who developed Baguio, Philippines in the 1900s, intending it to appear similar with how U.S. cities had been planned.
While in Baguio, don't miss places like Mines View Park, Manor House, Wright Park, the thickly forested Camp John Hay along with the Philippine Military Academy, Crystal Cave, Lourdes Grotto, and even more.
Tagaytay
Tagaytay is situated approximately 60 kilometers south of Manila and has a population of approximately 60,000 permanent residents. Vacationers visit some nearby areas where pines and thick mists abound. It sits at around the 650 meter level along a ridge near the extinct Taal volcano - not quite as cool as Baguio City, but then again cool and blessed with breezes off the South China Sea.
A lot of new residential gated communities have been built in this region in the last few years, as many foreigners have found this place to be desirable as a result of the cool weather and closeness to the large city way of life of Manila.
Cebu
Cebu City is the capital city of Cebu Province, the second largest city in the Philippines immediately after Manila, and the primary city in the Visayan Region for business, education, and culture. Use the detailed map of the Philippines to get a closer look of the area. Cebu City is a mixture of the old and new, wealthy and poor, good and bad, beautiful and ugly. There is also a mixture of clean and, in reality, sometimes dirty. The rule for anyone going to the Philippines for the first time is to not come up with a snap judgment.
Every city in the Philippines has a patron saint according to the Catholic Church, and every year there is a festival to commemorate the saint. There are many religious events in Cebu that are dedicated to 'Santo Niño de Cebu'. A whole festival is dedicated to him, known as the Sinulog which is celebrated the 3rd week of every January with street shows and dances. This is a huge festival with visitors from all around the world attending. So, be sure to make your reservations early!
The native language of the Philippines is Tagalog, however the native language of Cebu is Cebuano, which is also spoken in other places in central Philippines, for instance Bohol, Leyte, Negros Oriental and parts of Mindanao. ( Detailed Map of the Philippines )
