Be yourself; For long distance land transportation in the Philippines you will have to use the bus (e.g. from Manila to Banaue or Caticlan to Iloilo). There are basically 4 types of buses:

the luxury buses with beds or business-class seats

the new air conditioned buses with TV and curtains

the older non-aircon or ordinary buses

the very, very old local buses with no glass in the windows at all

Buses usually do not go to the city-centers. They stop at peripheral bus terminals. Small cities have only one terminal. Big cities like Manila or Cebu-City do have several terminals. Here you find the Manila bus terminals.

The biggest terminal in Manila is the Cubao Quezon City Terminal. There are at least 8 bus terminals within one square kilometer. There you find all the big bus companies.

Ultimate comfort is offered by some companies such as GV Florida or Peñafrancia Tours. Their luxury buses have either real beds on the upper deck or have very large business-class seats where you sleep without problems.

Bus fares are very modest. Currently the fare is about PHP 1.30 per kilometer in non-aircon buses, PHP 1.70 to 2.30 in aircon buses and up to PHP 3.50 in luxury vehicles.

Luxury buses usually have a CR (toilet) on board. The other buses stop about every 2 hours. If you feel an urgent need then ask the driver for a short stop and vanish into the bushes.

We strongly recommend to take something to eat and to drink with you. The food offered by flying dealers may be indigestible for your stomach (e.g. balut).

You also will need warm clothes. Aircon buses are freezing cold. A pair of earplugs preserves your hearing from damage because of the sometimes extremely loud disco music in the buses. Everyone else is already taken.

— Oscar Wilde.

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