Shipping Vessels

Reportedly the largest shipping company in the Philippines, SuperFerry, which used to be known as WG&A (a merger of William Lines, Gothong Lines and Aboitiz Lines), has a fleet of modern vessels that can comfortably thousands of passengers. Aboitiz went on its own and called the new company SuperFerry. It has dozens of ticketing agents all over the country. Online reservation can be availed on the company’s website.

Other major shipping lines operating in the Philippines are Carlos Gothong Lines and the notorious Sulpicio Lines, which has caused the death of at least 4,500 boat passengers in 11 years (1987-1988).  The most recent major sea mishap involving Sulpicio Lines was on June 22, 2008, when its MV Princess of the Stars sank after going to sea during a storm.

Sulpicio Lines currently holds the world record for the worst peacetime maritime disaster due to the sinking in Philippine waters of MV Doña Paz on Dec. 20, 1987 after colliding with the sea tanker M/T Vector. Approximately 4,375 people died in the accident, dwarfing the death toll of the RMS Titanic of 1,517.

It is always important to check the weather conditions before opting to travel by sea.  Traveling by sea is not always safe, same as air travel, but it is always an adventure.  A good thing about traveling in the Philippines is that foreigners will not have a language problem that is if you speak at least passable English. Most Filipinos in the cities and the countryside understand and speak English because it is one of the major languages taught in schools of all levels both private and public.

The number of passengers in the Philippines has improved rapidly in the past years, challenging shipping companies to respond to the growing need for more ships. The deregulation of the shipping industry in the country has resulted in a good number of new companies popping up.  The response of the industry has been customer satisfaction with much improved services and vessels on ships plying the major group of islands in Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao.  Most shipping companies now deploy buses to shuttle passengers from land on to ships, a major convenience as passengers don’t have to disembark often, only after they have reached their destination.  Worries about transportation, traffic, and luggage have been greatly relieved.

Luzon Trips
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. The country’s biggest airport, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport,   is in Manila, the capital city of the country. The second oldest city in the Philippines after Cebu in the Visayas group of islands, Manila has many ancient and modern tourist attractions. You can take a trip from Manila to volcanoes like the quite-active Mount Pinatubo, which last erupted on June 7, 1991, producing the “second largest terrestrial eruption of the 20th century.” (Source: wikipedia.com)

Other active volcanoes in Luzon are Mount Taal and Mount Mayon, which are at least for now less threatening than Pinatubo, so gaining more tourist visits.

The rice terraces in the Philippine Cordilleras is a United Nations World Heritage site. It has been carved by hand and primitive tools by the native mountain tribes to form an awe-inspiring vision.

There are many reasons to travel Luzon’s main islands: spectacular landscapes of mountainous regions to the north, and flat vistas in the central plains, lakes and volcanoes in the southern peninsula, and the fabulous coastline dotted with caves and sandy beaches. Not to mention the islands, which you can reach by pump boat or ferry boat, or if a bridge is available, a bus, jeepney, or motorcycle can get you there.

Visayas Trips
After getting off the plane after a long international trip, you can immediately head for the pier, where you buy can tickets to the any island destination in the Visayas.  One of the three major groups of islands situated in the central Philippines, the Visayas is made up of three regions: Western, Central, and Eastern.  The major islands are Panay, Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, and Samar.  The Visayas is made up of 16 provinces.

The Visayas is a worthwhile destination for both local and foreign tourists. There are spectacular beaches, exciting dive spots, and colorful festivals celebrated practically every m month in cities, towns and villages.  There are daily flights serving the major cities in the Visayas. There are plenty of ferries, fast crafts, and buses that travel the whole breadth of the region.

Mindanao Trips
Mindanao is the second largest island in the Philippines.  Just like Luzon and the Visayas, it is a very interesting place to visit.  Tourists could go on a daylong or overnight trip to one of the mountain tribes. The mountains of Mindanao are very attractive to mountain climbers and nature lovers of all sorts. The tallest mountain in the Philippines, Mt. Apo, is in Mindanao. You could go on a foot trek on the slopes of Mt. Apo and other mountains in Mindanao.  Transportation by land and water is not a problem in Mindanao. There are plenty of ferries, buses, and lots of alternative rides to be availed.