Philippines Motorcycle Tours - Frequently Asked Questions - Tour The Philippine Islands on Motorcycle

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Below you will find some of the more frequently asked questions about our tours and what to expect when you come to the Philippines. If you do not find an answer to your question here, you can also try looking thru the various headings on the TERMS AND CONDITIONS page. If you fail to find an answer to your question, please contact us at info@islandmotortours.com or by using the form located on the CONTACT Us page.

Index & Quick Links to Questions

Questions About Motorcycles and Their Usage
Questions About the Tour Itinerary and Activities
Questions About What is Included in the Tour Cost as an "All-Inclusive" Item
Questions About Resorts and Restaurants
Questions About Tour Groups and Filipina Riding Partners
Questions About Booking and Paying for a Tour
Questions About What to Bring With You
Questions About How We Deal With Emergencies
Questions About the Use of the Tour Van
Questions About Lone Riders Tours
Questions about Drivers Licenses and VISA's
Questions about the Philippines & Filipino Culture

Questions & Answers

Questions About Motorcycles and Their Usage

1A - Question: Am I free to use my motorcycle whenever I want?
Answer: Yes, with one exception. Your only requirement to be with the tour group is when we are traveling from one destination point to another. After we have made the ferry crossing and checked into the new resort, you are free to do whatever you wish. Anytime you want to use your motorcycle apart from the tour group, we will want to know where you are going and about what time you expect to return. This is a safety measure so that we will know if you become missing in action.

1B - Question: What are the specific terms of the motorcycle insurance policy you provide?
Answer: We carry a motorcycle insurance policy on all motorcycles that insures against damage to the motorcycle, 3rd party personal property damage, driver and passenger medical payments and 3rd party medical payments. All provisions cover the driver and passenger. We carry the maximum coverage available in all categories. The specific terms of the policy can be found on the terms and conditions page of our website under the heading Motorcycle Liability & Collision Insurance. A copy of our policy will be made available upon request of customer.

1C - Question: What happens if my motorcycle cannot be ridden because of a breakdown or accident?
Answer: We bring one additional motorcycle along with us on tour, being the one ridden by the tour guide. Your question, however, must be answered in consideration of 2 separate conditions.
Condition 1 - Breakdown: In the event your motorcycle is not rideable because of a mechanical or safety issue, you will have the temporary use of the tour guide's motorcycle until such time that your assigned motorcycle is repaired and in a safe, rideable condition.
Condition 2 - Accident: In the event that your motorcycle has been damaged due to an accident, you will temporarily forfeit your ability to ride a motorcycle, until such time that we have been able to repair your motorcycle. If you have been involved in an accident that was serious enough to disable your motorcycle, you will more than likely need a few days to recover anyway. You and your passenger will continue to travel with the tour group, riding in the tour van.
Regardless of condition: We will always seek to effect any and all repairs to our motorcycles in as timely a manner as possible, which is generally dependent upon the availability of repair parts.
Additional information about damage to motorcycles can be found on our terms and conditions page under the heading Damage to Motorcycles

1D - Question: Do you provide helmets and safety gear?
Answer: As a general policy, we do not provide helmets and safety gear. It is your responsibility to provide these items for yourself. You can bring them with you (suggested) or buy them here (not suggested due to poor quality and even worse selection). We do, however, carry a few extra helmets and safety glasses with us on tour. We are happy to let you use our equipment if something happens to yours, but we will expect you to replace any of your own equipment that should become damaged, lost or stolen while on tour.

1E - Question: Do you have any rules that motorcycle drivers or passengers must follow?
Answer: Yes, both items are addressed on the terms and conditions page of our website. A complete listing or all rules for drivers can be found under the heading Motorcycle Drivers. A complete listing or all rules for passengers can be found under the heading Motorcycle Passengers.

1F - Question: What happens if it is raining when we are scheduled to be traveling?
Answer: No one likes to ride in the rain, myself included. Riding in the rain, however, is a fact of life if you are going to ride a motorcycle in the Philippines for any prolonged period of time. Sometimes, there is a definite need to keep the tour convoy on a timeline that assures we will be on-time to make our ferry crossings. Other times, we are simply touring or traveling to a resort/hotel, without the need to catch a ferry at a specific time. We will never allow our motorcycles to be operated on hazardous roads or in unsafe conditions. We always allow for additional travel time in our timeline when traveling to make a ferry crossing. The determination whether or not to ride in the rain is at the sale discretion of the tour guide, who will generally ask for a consensus opinion of the tour guests. Please bring a rain suit !!!

Questions About the Tour Itinerary and Activities

2A - Question: How do you determine what the group activities will be?
Answer: Most of the time, we will discuss these options the night before during our evening review meeting and we will act according to the consensus opinion of the tour guests. Other times, less frequently, we will have a specific activity planned.

2B - Question: Are there group activities planned for every day we are on tour?
Answer: No. Some days are strictly travel days where we have no activities planned in consideration that we would have little or no time to do them anyway. There will always be activities planned for non-traveling days and sometimes on traveling days, where time and/or opportunity permits. The tour itinerary for the specific tour route you are taking will offer the best specific answer to your question.

2C - Question: Am I required to participate in the group activities?
Answer: No. It is always your option to opt-in or opt-out of the group activities. If you decide to opt-out of the group activities, we are happy to give you the budgeted activity allowance (per motorcycle) for that specific day and you can use that money to subsidize your own activities, or simply do nothing at all. Something to consider, however, is that the activity budget for each motorcycle will generally afford much more luxurious and exotic activities when used collectively than when used separately. Another thing to consider is that your snacks and non-alcoholic drinks are also included at no cost when you partake in the group activities, as well as all other fees for tour guides, entrance fees, equipment rentals and such. These expenses are not covered when you opt-out of the group activities.

2D - Question: Is it possible to change the tour itinerary if everyone in the tour group agrees?
Answer: Sometimes yes, sometimes no. It is almost always possible to change the itinerary prior to us making the final booking for the tour. This is the best time to tell us about any changes to the itinerary you want to make. If we are already on tour, then we have hotel bookings and ferry crossings we need to consider as well as any additional costs that any changes to the itinerary would create. We will always do everything within our ability to honor the requests of the tour group as a whole. The decision whether or not to change the itinerary always rests solely with the tour guide. More information about changes to the tour itinerary can be found on the terms and conditions page of our website under the heading Changes to the Tour Itinerary.

2E - Question: What happens if we miss a ferry crossing?
Answer: Good question. Most ferry crossings are at ports where multiple crossings occur each day. Our tour itinerary and timeline is designed so that if we arrive at port a little behind our schedule and miss our planned ferry crossing, there is almost always another, later, crossing we can make that same day. If this is not possible, then we will do one of 2 things. We will either get rooms at a local hotel/resort and catch the earliest crossing the next day, or, in the event there is no scheduled crossing the next day, we will travel to a different port and make our crossing there. Either way, there will be no additional charge to the tour group or individuals for whatever additional expenses we incur. When faced with the need, we will always adapt and improvise.

2F - Question: Can we change the resort in the itinerary to a different resort?
Answer: if you are making the change prior to the booking of the tour, then most of the time the answer is yes, This may add additional cst to the tour if the resort you wish to use is more expensive than the resort we have planned in the tour itinerary. Once the tour itinerary is confirmed and the booking is completed, and the closer it gets to our arrival date at the town in question, the likelyhood of us being able to make the change diminishes greatly. If the change is possible and it is requested after the final bookings have been made, then there will always be an additional charge, since we will basically forfeit our full deposits with the resort we are no longer using.

2G - Question: What is your procedure for making changes to the tour itinerary that affect the cost of the tour?
Answer: All changes must be first requested in writing, signed by all members of the tour group and then, after the additional fees have been established, the additional expenses must be agreed upon in writing, by all parties responsible for payment and must be paid in full prior to the change being effected.

2H - Question: Do you charge an additional fee if we make any changes to the set tour itineraries displayed on your website?
Answer: We only charge additional fees in the event that we also incur additional fees from our contractors and vendor companies. Depending upon the change you are requesting, there may actually be a decrease in the tour cost, in the event our overall cost of operating the tour decreases. Any increase or decrease in the tour cost will be dependent upon the change(s) you are requesting.

Questions About What is Included in the Tour Cost as an "All-Inclusive" Item

3A - Question: What is included as an "all-inclusive" item?
Answer: This question is answered specifically on our terms and conditions page under the heading Tour Inclusive Items & Expenses

3B - Question: What is not included as an "all-inclusive" item?
Answer: This question is answered specifically on our terms and conditions page under the heading Non-Tour Inclusive Items & Expenses

3C - Question: Does "all-inclusive" mean that I do not have to pay for anything while on tour?
Answer: No. It means that we are paying for everything inclusive of what is stated in the tour itinerary and stated specifically on the terms and conditions page under the heading Tour Inclusive Items & Expenses.

3D - Question: Are mini-bar items in the hotel rooms included as "all inclusive"?
Answer: We collectively budget 250 pesos per night, per motorcycle tour couple, for consumption of mini-bar snacks for every night you are on tour. If your tour lasts 9 nights, then this is a total mini-bar consumption allowance of 2,250 pesos. At the end of the tour, you will be liable to reimburse us for your mini-bar tab that is in excess of the collective budgeted amount. We will not reimburse to you any allowance that was not consumed. We want you to enjoy the amenity of the mini-bars. The collective budgeted amount is collective per motorcycle tour couple and not collective with respect to the tour group as a whole.

3E - Question: Is room service included as "all inclusive"?
Answer: If the resort or hotel offers room service at no additional charge, and the food being delivered is covered as an "all inclusive" item with respect to the terms and conditions, then the answer is yes. If the food being delivered is not covered as an "all inclusive" item or the resort charges an additional fee for room service, then the answer is no. Most of the resorts offer free room service. We will always let you know whether the resort we are at has free rooms service or not. For specific information about what food is considered as an "all inclusive" item and what is not, please read the terms and conditions under the headings Tour Inclusive Items & Expenses and Non-Tour Inclusive Items & Expenses

3F - Question: Are laundry services available and included as "all inclusive"?
Answer: Yes. When we arrive at a resort that has laundry services, we will request your clothes that you wish to have laundered and utilize the laundry services of the resort. Most all resorts have laundry services available. We will only do this on the day we first arrive at each resort, since most resorts require 24 hours minimum to process laundry. We will assign a dirty laundry bag for use by each motorcycle couple.

Questions About Resorts and Restaurants

4A - Question: Can I stay at a different resort or hotel than where the tour group is staying?
Answer: You can stay wherever you want if you want to pay the bill. Our tour itinerary specifies a specific resort where your lodging arrangements have been made and paid for by us. We require that all tour bookings for each member of the tour group be made at the same hotel/resort due to logistical issues of managing the tour. We, however, cannot control your personal actions while on tour.

4B - Question: Can I eat at a different restaurant than where the tour group is eating?
Answer: You can eat wherever you want if you want to pay the bill. For most meals, our tour itinerary specifies a specific restaurant where your meal arrangements have been made and, often, paid for by us in advance. We make these arrangements collectively for the entire tour group, and most times the cost is included in the room cost as a package and is already paid for before we arrive. We, however, cannot control your personal actions while on tour. If your meal arrangements have not been paid for in advance, we are happy to give you the budgeted amount for your meal (driver and passenger collectively) to subsidize your expenses at a different restaurant. This would need to be done on a case by case basis.

4C - Question: Are we required to eat our meals together as a group?
Answer: Sometimes yes, sometimes no, but ultimately, we cannot control what you do while we are on tour. Breakfast would be the most common meal where we have not planned to eat collectively as a group. Lunch and dinner are more commonly planned to be eaten together as a group. The main thing to remember is that it is much easier for us to fulfill our tour itinerary timeline when things are done collectively as a group, then when things are done individually, outside of the group. What you do on tour is always your decision.

4D - Question: Does everyone get the exact same type of room at the resorts?
Answer: Most of the time, yes. Sometimes, no. The reasons are varied. If you are not intimately related to your riding partner. then you will probably want a room with 2 single beds, instead of a room with one double or queen-size bed. Some resorts simply do not have a sufficient number of the same type of luxury room to account for all tour guests. We have tried to be as specific as possible about this in the pages that detail the individual resorts where we will be staying and that are linked from the tour descriptions and itineraries. Where it is necessary to place tour couples in rooms of varying amenities, we will always place you in the highest luxury class accommodations available at the resort. Where different levels of accommodations are necessary, we will issue rooms by need and lottery unless otherwise agreed upon by all tour guests.

4E - Question: Do I have to share a room with another tour couple?
Answer: No, with two exceptions.
Condition 1: Overnight Ferry Travel - on the Lower and Western Visayan Islands tours, our first ferry crossing is overnight and our ferry accommodations are semi-private with 2 couples each sharing a cabin that has individual bunk beds with privacy curtains. Each cabin has its own TV, dining table and bathroom. One member of our tour staff will also be lodging in each cabin so as to assist you with your immediate needs while on the ferry. Each cabin has berthing spaces for 6 people.
Condition 2: Villas - Some resorts have the option of renting villas which are basically houses with individual, private bedrooms and individual, private bathrooms. These are always the highest luxury level of accommodations we can possibly make and we take full advantage of these opportunities when they exist and are necessary to keep our tour guests in a luxury class room. The pages we have produced to showcase the individual resorts where we will be staying, and are linked from each tour itinerary and tour description, will specifically mention when this is an option or need.

4F - Question: Do I get to choose whether my room has 2 single beds or one double bed?
Answer: Most of the time, the answer is yes. Sometimes, your room may even have 2 double beds or one double and one single. This is a preference we actually request, prior to making the reservation bookings at the resorts and prior to your arrival here. Occasionally, the resort's facilities will dictate one or the other, but this is rare. It becomes much more difficult to control if you change your preference after we have made the reservation bookings and especially if we have already started the tour. Please let us know your preferences when we are in the booking stages of planning the tour and your requests will most likely always be fulfilled.

Questions About Tour Groups and Filipina Riding Partners

5A - Question: Can I ride with your tour group if I live in the Philippines and I already own a motorcycle?
Answer: We prefer not, unless you want to join one of the Lone Riders Tours as a tour participant or organize your own tour group and book a tour. We consider any motorcyclist or motorist breaking our convoy formation as a security risk. We can never control who decides to ride along side of us, but our security staff and our convoy formation will always act to purge any lone rider or motorist from breaking our tour convoy. It is ok to ride behind the tour van if you wish.

5B - Question: Is my Filipina girlfriend allowed to join our tour group after the tour has started?
Answer: Yes, but she is not allowed to ride on your motorcycle or join in any tour activities until she has read and signed the terms and conditions agreement.

5C - Question: Can I leave the tour group to pick-up my Filipina riding partner?
Answer: No. Your Filipina riding partner must first read and sign the terms and conditions agreement. Your choices here are to have your Filipina partner travel to our location by means of bus or other public transportation, or, if she is located locally and permitting of the availability of our tour van and staff, we will use the tour van to pick-up your Filipina riding partner.

5D - Question: What happens if I need to leave the tour group because of an emergency back home?
Answer: We understand that sometimes, conditions beyond anyone's control dictate this need. Although we simply cannot issue any refunds to you, we will assist you in making whatever travel arrangements are necessary in getting you to the nearest airport and in booking the most immediate airline reservations so that you can be home to deal with your emergency ASAP. We charge no fees for assisting you in this capacity.

5E - Question: What happens if there are problems that develop between members of the tour group?
Answer: We hope this does not happen, especially considering that everyone is here to have a good time. In the event, however, that tensions do arise between tour participants, for whatever reasons, we will attempt to mediate and/or separate the offended parties as much as is possible. We do reserve the right to expel any tour group participant that repeatedly displays unacceptable behavior. More information about being expelled from the tour group and other means of controlling inappropriate behavior can be found on the terms and conditions page of our website under the headings Expulsion From the Tour Group and Right of Detention / Use of Deadly Force.

5F - Question: Is it possible to have more than 6 motorcycles in our tour group?
Answer: No. Our tour staff and van simply cannot accommodate the needs of more than 12 tour participants and most of the resorts we stay at would not be able to support more than 6 touring couples in addition to our tour staff.

Questions About Booking and Paying for a Tour

6A - Question: How do I book a tour for my tour group?
Answer: The first thing you need to do is submit the form located on our RESERVATIONS page. We will then contact you to get the basic information about your tour group and discuss any special requests you might have. The second step is for us to direct you to a much more detailed page at our website that is only accessible by username and password login, where you will confirm each stage of the tour itinerary. After this is completed and submitted to us, we will again contact you for your final confirmation of the tour itinerary, as well as any adjustments to the tour cost, and then we will provide you with our banking information so you can make your initial booking deposit.

6B - Question: When will I know if you have made all of our resort reservations?
Answer: After we have confirmed our bookings at all resorts, we will contact you with this information and the exact bookings we have confirmed. This will generally be done within 2 weeks after we receive your initial booking deposit and we will never require your final payment until this information has been provided to you.

6C - Question: What documentation can you provide to validate the amount of Philippine Pesos you received from my wire transfer? Do I get a receipt when I make a payment?
Answer: Upon our receipt of any wire transfer, we will email to you our bank's confirmation of the deposit into our account which will show the date of transaction and the amount of Philippine pesos deposited into our account. This is your receipt.

6D - Question: What happens if the currency exchange rate changes between the time I make my first deposit and the time I make the final payment?
Answer: Currency exchange rates will change on a day to day basis. This is not a possibility, it is a guarantee. The change in exchange rates may be in your favor or not in your favor depending upon the relative strengths of your currency compared to the Philippine peso. There are two ways to deal with the risk of currency exchange fluctuations.
Option 1: Currency Broker - A currency broker can effect your wire transfer as well as sell you foreign currency at the best possible current exchange rates, or guarantee you the conversion of your currency into Philippine pesos at a guaranteed rate.
Option 2: Make a 100% deposit - If you are into speculating on currencies and you think you would save money if you simply made a 100% payment up front, this is always your option. I would suggest, however, that you use option 1 since the currency broker will be much more knowledgeable about whether or not to buy now or guarantee now and buy later. Either way, the currency broker will be able to fulfill your needs.

6E - Question: Can you include the cost of round-trip airfare from my home country into the cost of the tour?
Answer: No. You will get the best rate by booking this yourself using the discount rate resources available in your home country such as www.Expedia.com, www.Travelocity.com or www.Orbitz.com. The airport code for Butuan is BXU. We suggest you make your international reservations on Philippine Airlines if possible since this will probably give you the lowest rate and will also make your transfer in Manila much simpler, minimize any layovers and ensure you have enough time to get processed thru customs, transfer from the international terminal to the domestic terminal and then get checked in 1 hour early which is required by the domestic carriers here. You should allow 3 hours between your arrival time in Manila and your departure time from Manila to Butuan.

6F - Question: How do I know what dates you have open for booking new tours?
Answer: We basically have the ability to operate 2 tours per month which start on the first and 3rd Friday of each month. Whether you want to join a lone riders tour or you want to book a tour group, simply submit the form found on our RESERVATIONS page and we will confirm your reservation on the following business day. As a measure of security and to minimize the necessity for updates to our website, we do not post the status of any one tour. Upon receiving your form submission, we will notify you with confirmed reservations or information regarding the fact that your requested tour dates are unavailable and our next available dates.

6G - Question: Can I book any tour route at any time of the year?
Answer: Yes. We suggest, however, that you avoid the Eastern Visayan Islands route during the months of November thru February due to the tropical monsoon and typhoon season. During this period of time, you can expect rain 2 to 3 times per week and sometimes daily in northwestern Mindanao and Leyte. Often the rains are evening rains, and this area is only about 1/2 of the entire tour route so the choice is yours. We are prepared to ride in the rain if you are.

6H - Question: Can I book back-to-back tours?
Answer: Yes. You will, however, need to consider your need for passport extensions if it is the same people going on the tours. Another item for you to consider is that all of our tours include the islands of Bohol and Camiguin. You may want to have us alter the tour route of one or more tours to eliminate any overlap of travel and to create one long tour instead of 2 back-to-back tours. Passport extensions for an additional 1 month are automatically granted by the Philippine Bureau of Customs for a fee of about 3,300 pesos. There is a Bureau of Customs office located in Butuan City that can facilitate this need, prior to our departure on tour.

6I - Question: Do you allow travel agents to sell and book your tours?
Answer: Yes, we allow travel agents, 3rd party marketing firms and other independent sources to market and sell our tours and with substantial commissions. We, however, make all bookings in-house and we require all deposits and payments to be made directly to our corporate account by the customer(s). All 3rd party sources that market and sell our tours simply act as introduction agents. Commissions are only paid after the tour is booked and paid for in full. We also offer special promotions to civic and private institutions that are interested in organizing a tour group. If you are interested in marketing and selling our tours, or if you are representing a civic or private institution and want to inquire about our promotional offers, please go to the MARKETING PARTNERS page of our website for more details on how to qualify.

6J - Question: What is the best way for my tour group to book our flights?
Answer: You will get the best rate by booking your flight using the discount rate resources available in your home country such as www.Expedia.com, www.Travelocity.com or www.Orbitz.com. The airport code for Butuan is BXU. You should book all tickets for all passengers at the same time. This will ensure everyone travels together. Be sure to observe your arrival time in Manila and the departure time for your connecting flight to Butuan to ensure you have a minimum of 3 hours between your arrival and departure times and also to ensure that you do not need to stay overnight in Manila. You will need a minimum of 3 hours in Manila to de-plane, pass thru customs, claim your bags thru customs, transfer from the international terminal to the domestic terminal and check in to your domestic flight 1 hour before it is scheduled to depart for Butuan. We will meet you at the airport in Manila to assist you in all of this. You also need to ensure your arrival date in Butuan is correct. If you are traveling from North America, you will gain one day when you cross the international dateline at Guam and your arrival date here will be +2 days from your departure date in North America. You should also be aware that bookings thru the above mentioned discount services are non-transferable, non-refundable and cannot be re-scheduled. Please be positive your flight itinerary is correct, that all tour guests are listed correctly and that the itinerary has you arriving in Butuan on the correct day. If you encounter any problems in making the payment for up to 12 persons (round trip tickets) at one time due to the monetary size of the transaction, you should contact the customer service dept. of the booking service you are using and ask for their assistance and advice.

Questions About What to Bring With You

7A - Question: Do I need to bring my own helmet and rain suit?
Answer: Yes. If you have a motorcycle license, chances are you already own these items and they fit you properly and comfortably. If you are touring as a passenger and do not already own these items, I would suggest that you purchase them in your home country. If you attempt to purchase these items here, you will encounter a supply that is very limited, of poor quality and sizing that may not be sufficient for your needs and/or comfort. These items take up relatively little space in your baggage considering that you can pack clothes and other items inside the helmet. These items also account for very little weight with respect to your baggage weight allowances on the airlines.

7B - Question: Should I bring any photographs of myself?
Answer: No. If we need photographs of you for any reason, we will make them here and at no additional cost to you.

7C - Question: Is it allowed for me to bring my pocket knife?
Answer: Yes. You, however, will need to store your pocket knife in your checked baggage on all airline flights and, when traveling by ferry, you will be required to surrender your knife to the weapons control officer on the ferry for safe keeping during the voyage. Your knife will be returned to you once the ferry is docked at the terminating port and after you have disembarked from the ferry. There is no fine, fee or surcharge for this service.

7D - Question: How much baggage am I allowed to bring with me on tour?
Answer: We have no baggage restrictions. The airlines do very well at this and at limiting your baggage weight without additional charges. The domestic allowance on all Philippines Airlines and Cebu Pacific flights is 15kg (33lbs) for checked baggage total with a maximum of 2 checked bags and one carry-on bag of 7kg(15.4lbs). Please travel as light as possible when arriving and make sure you have additional storage capacity to bring home all of your souvenirs. Any additional fees for excess baggage will be payable by the customer and on demand of the airline that is imposing the fee. Yu can expect to pay 100pesos per kilo for excess baggage on Philippines Airlines and Cebu Pacific domestic flights.

7E - Question: What should I bring with me?
Answer: This question is answered in detail on the PREPARE FOR YOUR TOUR page of our website.

7F - Question: Will my cell phone work in the Philippines?
Answer: If your cell phone operates on GSM networks, then the answer is most likely yes, assuming your carrier supports international roaming in the Philippines. The 2 primary carriers here are SMART and GLOBE. It will probably be astronomically expensive for you to use here as well. We issue a cell phone for use of each motorcycle touring couple, mainly for security and safety purposes, but you are un-restricted in your use of this phone while you are here. If your phone is not a locked SIM, it may also be possible for you to buy a SIM card here for either SMART or GLOBE (cost is less than 100 pesos), but this would not offer any advantages over the use of our phones except that you would be able to use your own phone that you will be more familiar with operating and may be more convenient for your overall usage. More information about the cell phones we issue can be found on the terms and conditions page under the headings Tour Inclusive Items & Expenses and Non-Tour Inclusive Items & Expenses and also on the PREPARE FOR YOUR TOUR page of our website.

7G - Question: Am I allowed to bring a computer?
Answer: Yes, but please do not bring a desktop computer, only laptops are allowed. More information about bringing your computer can be found on the PREPARE FOR YOUR TOUR page of our website.

Questions About How We Deal With Emergencies

8A - Question: What happens if I am injured in a motorcycle accident?
Answer: This is dependent upon how badly you are injured. Our medical corpsman has battlefield experience in treating most any kind of injury from cuts and bruises to dismemberment. In addition to your own personal desires, our corpsman will access your condition and need for facilities and care beyond our immediate abilities and we will act accordingly. If your injuries warrant your presence at a medical facility, we will transport you there in the tour van. If your injuries are not sufficient to warrant admittance to a hospital, then you will continue to travel with the tour group, either driving or riding on motorcycle or riding in the tour van, whichever is appropriate. The tour guide will need to approve that you are in a safe condition to ride or drive a motorcycle and release you from your injuries if your desire is to do the same. If you are admitted to the hospital and cannot travel with the tour group, then we will assist you and your riding partner with making whatever arrangements are necessary to rejoin the tour group in a few days, or plan for your return to your home country. Any travel, lodging or meal expenses associated with your departure from the tour group will be at your own expense.

8B - Question: Should I worry about terrorist attacks in the Philippines? What do you do to guard against any terrorist attacks?
Answer: No, not any more than you would worry about a terrorist attack in your home country, which is much more likely. We have a definite philosophy about this and we do not like to publish our battle plan, for obvious reasons. I will say, however, that we do employ a number of general measures such as we do not publish our tour dates and travel routes, other than for the lone riders tours, we avoid all areas where terrorist activity is most likely to occur or known to have occurred in the past, we are updated with intelligence from very high sources if any terrorist activity is known to be developing along our tour route and we deter any such event from happening by having the continuous presence of a highly trained, experienced and armed security force. More information about the terrorist threat in the Philippines can be found in our SPECIAL NOTE ON TERRORIST TRAVEL ADVISORIES.

8C - Question: Is it safe to travel on the ferries?
Answer: Ferry travel in the Philippines is probably the safest mode of public transportation that exists, with exception of airline travel. It is much more dangerous to travel on a motorcycle than to travel on a ferry when comparing the statistics on ferry travel injuries and deaths in the Philippines versus the statistics for injuries and deaths associated with motorcycle accidents anywhere in the world including the Philippines. More information about ferry travel advisories and safety can be found in our SPECIAL NOTE ON FERRY TRAVEL ADVISORIES AND SAFETY.

8D - Question: What are the qualifications and experience of your paramedic?
Answer: Our corpsman received military medical training in life saving first aid and has exercised this education under battlefield conditions. Our corpsman also has a very intimate and working knowledge about how too treat most any nuisance ailment.

8E - Question: What happens if I get lost?
Answer: When you get lost, asking directions back to the resort from any group of Filipinos will generally work. You can also call the tour guide on the cell phone we assign to you and we will try to assist you by phone in returning. Under extreme circumstances, we would form a search posse, notify the local police and attempt to find you in person, then escort you back to the resort.

8F - Question: What happens if I get sick?
Answer: If you get sick, our corpsman will evaluate your condition and make his suggestions as far as diagnosis and treatment as well as whether or not he thinks you would benefit from care at a clinic or hospital. If you wish to go to a hospital, regardless of our corpsman's recommendation and diagnosis, we are happy to take you in the tour van. Most all sicknesses you would experience here are of the nuisance type only and are easily treated with over the counter medications and cured within 2 to 3 days or less. If you become separated from the tour group due to admittance to a hospital, we will assist you and your riding partner with making whatever arrangements are necessary to rejoin the tour group in a few days, or plan for your return to your home country. Any travel, lodging or meal expenses associated with your departure from the tour group will be at your own expense.

Questions About the Use of the Tour Van

9A - Question: Can my child ride in the tour van if they are under 12 years old?
Answer: No. we will not accept any tour participant who brings a child under 12 years old.

9B - Question: If I want to buy a large appliance like a stereo or TV, will you carry this in the tour van?
Answer: No. This is not a good idea for a number of reasons. First, you will pay astronomically high surcharges for excess baggage on the airplane to transport this appliance home. Second, the quality of what you buy here will be less of a value than what you would easily buy at home. High end electronics are available in the Philippines, but most of the time the cost is more expensive since the retailers do very little volume in high end electronics. Third, you would run a heavy risk of this appliance becoming damaged during the course of our tour.

9C - Question: If I get sick or have a hangover, can I ride in the tour van?
Answer: Yes, but please try to minimize your hangovers. If you and your passenger are not capable of driving the motorcycle, then one of our security force will be required to ride your motorcycle, which obviously decreases our security force's abilities.

9D - Question: Can I bring more than one person with me if they ride in the tour van?
Answer: No. Our resort accommodations, meal and activity budgets are inclusive of 2 people, not 3.

9E - Question: Does your tour van have air conditioning?
Answer: No. Our motorcycles, however, have very nice, tropical air conditioning while you are riding.

9F - Question: Does you tour van travel in front of or behind the motorcycles?
Answer: Our tour van travels behind the motorcycles so as to be able to identify any issue with the motorcycles or tour group and prevents any rear assault from sneaking up on us.

Questions About Lone Riders Tours

10A - Question: If my tour group is only 3 motorcycles, can I book 3 spots on a Lone Riders tour to save money?
Answer: Yes, but you will have to go on tour on the specific dates for the lone riders tour.

10B - Question: Is it possible to change the itinerary of a Lone Riders tour?
Answer: No. Considering that all of the tour participants on the lone riders tours are independent of each other, we cannot change the itinerary to suit only one tour couple.

10C - Question: Can I bring a riding partner with me if I book a spot on a Lone Riders tour?
Answer: Yes. "Lone Rider" means you do not have a tour group and that you are only wanting to rent one motorcycle and spot on tour. The tour cost is inclusive of 2 people sharing one motorcycle and sharing one hotel/resort room.

10D - Question: Do you lower the tour cost if you get 5 or 6 motorcycles booked on a Lone Riders tour?
Answer: Yes. The specific answer to your question can be found on all tour route pages and on the terms and conditions page under the heading Lone Riders Run Special Payment Policy.

10E - Question: Can I make a last minute booking on a Lone Riders tour if the tour is not fully booked?
Answer: Maybe. If the tour is less than 2 months away from the arrival date, you would first be required to post a 100% payment for the tour. and then we would attempt to make the additional resort and ferry bookings. If we are successful, then we will accept you on the tour. If we are not successful, then no-go and we will refund your payment minus any wire transfer and currency exchange fees. We absolutely will not accept any new bookings within 30 days of the start of any tour.

10F - Question: If you fail to book 4 motorcycles on a Lone Riders tour, do you refund my deposit?
Answer: Yes, minus our wire transfer and currency exchange fees.

Questions about Drivers Licenses and VISA's

11A - Question: Do I need to get an International Drivers license?
Answer: No. All you need is your motorcycle operators license from your home country.

11B - Question: Do I need any special VISA to come to the Philippines and participate in your tours?
Answer: No. You are allowed entry to the Philippines as a tourist for 21 days by Executive Order of the President. Your only qualification is to present a round-trip airline ticket with your departure date listed as being less than or equal to 21 days from your date of arrival.

11C - Question: Is it possible to get a Philippine Drivers License while I am on tour?
Answer: No. You are required to be in the Philippines for a period of 90 days before you can apply.

11D - Question: If I want to take back-to-back tours, is it possible to get a passport extension?
Answer: Yes. Passport extensions are automatic for increments of one month and then for increments of 2 months up and until you have been continuously in the Philippines for 1 year. The initial 1 month extension will cost you about 3,300 pesos and each subsequent 2 month extension will cost you about 2,800 pesos. You, however, will need to address the requirement for your initial entry of an airline ticket that takes you out of the Philippines with a departure date within 21 days from your date of arrival. When I came here, I did this as follows;
First, I purchased a one way ticket thru www.orbitz.com. Second, I used frequent flyer miles I had accrued with Philippine Airlines to purchase a second ticket departing from the Philippines for Hong Kong with a departure date 20 days after my arrival. Once I was here, I contacted Philippine Airlines and had them cancel my return flight to Hong Kong and paid a $50 USD service charge to get my frequent flyer miles refunded.
You could also simply re-book your return leg once here. Just be sure to read the fine print when you buy your round trip ticket and make sure you understand what ability you have to reschedule your return flight, how soon it has to be done and what additional fees you will pay. If you purchase a round-trip ticket thru Expedia.com, Orbitz.com or Travelocity.com, you will not be able to re-book the return leg.

11E - Question: What happens if my passport is lost or stolen while I am on tour?
Answer: You should immediately notify your country's embassy in the Philippines. We will have color copies made of your passport upon your arrival, so these should keep you out of trouble until such time that your embassy can get you a new passport. Your embassy will give you specific instructions on what to do.

Questions about the Philippines & Filipino Culture

12A - Question: How hot is it in the Philippines?
Answer: The average daytime temperature here is 26°C (80°F) to 35°C(95°F). The average night time temperature is 21°C(70°F) to 26°C(80°F). Although the direct rays of the sun are definitely most powerful here, I was pleasantly surprised to find the summertime climate was about the same if not milder than where I had lived in South Carolina, USA. The big difference is the air temperature. The air here is not hot, just the sun.

12B - Question: Are the people friendly in the Philippines?
Answer: Yes. Filipinos pride themselves on their graciousness, especially to guests and foreigners.

12C - Question: Do I need to learn a foreign language if I come to the Philippines?
Answer: If your native language is English, then the answer is no. If your native language is not English, then I would suggest learning English. There are over 10 separate languages and dialects spoken across the Philippines. Tagalog is the national Language. Due, however, to the Philippines existence as an American territory for almost 50 years and their government and legal system being based on that from the USA, they have retained English as the official language for business, government and legal matters. Most all Filipinos speak basic, broken English and will understand you if you use complete words and speak slowly.

12D - Question: What is the legal drinking age in the Philippines?
Answer: 18 years old, but it is rarely enforced.

12E - Question: Do I need any immunizations before I come to the Philippines?
Answer: No. There is no requirement for immunizations by the Bureau of Immigration. You may, however, wish to check with your home country's Dept. of Health to get their recommendations on what immunizations are advisable for you to have prior to your arrival. If you live in the USA, you will not come into contact with anything here that you can be immunized against and that you would not potentially come into contact with in various parts of the USA.

12F - Question: Do Filipinos discriminate against other races, cultures or against gays?
Answer: No. Filipinos are a very non-discriminatory culture and are very friendly to all races and cultures. Filipina women routinely inter-marry into almost every culture and race in the world. Lesbians, gays and transvestites are readily accepted within society and not discriminated against.

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