Riding In The Philippines Is Pretty Stressful

[FB666Y]

Palawan is best appreciated from above. There are hundreds, if not thousands of emerald coral island scattered across Palawan, many with secret coves and beaches you can call your own. We got lucky after all the drizzle we had been having and had some watery sunshine as we explored some of these beaches, coral gardens and lagoons.

 

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[FB666Y]

The roads are woefully inadequate for the traffic. Two lanes is all you get on the missnamed National Highway. You spend half the times jostling with cars, tricycles and jeepney and buses. It can be very hectic. You're always overtaking someone, it takes the fun out of riding. Large swathes of road down south are under repair, not to mention you have to deal with potholes. Plus riding on the wrong side of the road can be confusing.

 

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[FB666Y]

There are malls everywhere in Manila. The security guys pat you down everytime you step into one, and the security guy at McDonald's carries a .45 and opens the door for you.

There are too many fast-food restaurants in the Philipines. They blight the landscape and push the small restaurants into the small back streets where only the local seems to be able to find them.

 

Traffic is snarled on every street. There is a method to the madness - takes a while to figure it out. The highway is bearable and the skyway (elevated highway) is pratically empty on account of the high toll. The smog in Manila (and pretty much most of the places in Luzon we been to) was bad - just walking about and youll get a film of smut on you. Most riders ride around with masks - a very good idea if youre living there.

 

Taal, on the outskirts of Manila, is cool and refreshing after Manila.

 

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[FB666Y]

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[R1Rider]

nice trip...same condition with indonesia road....headache for riding....

[FB666Y]

Ah, you should more to Bali - good roads and equally good scenery.

Or you should petition the government to improve the roads from the Sunda Straits Bridge project, and scrapping the bridge over the Sunda Straits.