Why Travelling in the ‘Ber’ Months is a Great Idea

Sep 20, 2019

There are several ways to make travel more delightful for Pinoys. We have previously written about a series of travel articles that teach you how to get the most out of your travel budget, but perhaps one of the absolute best tips we can give is to travel during the “-ber” months or the off season.

You might think that money is the main reason why you should consider going on a trip during low season, but there are several other factors as well.

Summer is always busy for most travel destinations in the Philippines, with other Filipinos even going beyond our already lovely shores to get their fix. Because of this, anything outside of the summer months tend to have less tourist activity. Add to that the usually disappointing weather conditions present in almost every corner of the country.

Most times, low season can start in June and often last until before Christmas or mid-December. Since seasons vary depending on a variety of reasons and depending on the kinds of activities you may want to partake in, we highly suggest doing your homework and doing your research before you go!

Cheaper flights

Except in December when millions of Filipinos either go home or leave to go on vacations in other countries, flights can be cheaper from July to November especially when you buy them ahead of time or during promo periods. They can sometimes be 5x cheaper, so you’ll save a lot of money.

Airline carriers offer promo flights depending on the season but like always, do your research and check if school holidays or official holidays fall into your intended dates. It’s best to avoid these holidays if you want to avoid the crowds.

Affordable accommodations

In addition to cheap flights, less busier seasons often lead to a drastic reduction in accommodation rates especially on the local ones. Hotels, hostels, and even alternative accommodations such as Airbnb rooms and homestays can get crazy, ridiculously expensive during summers in the Philippines.

During the “-ber” months, you’ll find that hotels will be practically begging you to rent a room. Prices will be competitive by then. A pro tip would be to research about your desired accommodation on booking sites, and then call the hotel or hostel directly and tell them that you got the price you found online. If you ask them to beat the price, they would most likely oblige because they’d probably be empty by the time you call them.

A local experience

You’ll likely see more tourists than locals when you go to Boracay or Baguio on an April weekend. During peak months, any popular destination would see a spike in visitors that they would normally outnumber the locals. If you go when it’s cold in Baguio, the number of non-residents is greatly reduced, and maybe you’ll be able to have more meaningful interactions with people.

It’s always nice to experience first-hand the authentic culture, traditions, food, and lifestyle of the place you’re checking out, compared to, say, going at the height of a week-long religious festival. These are the things you wouldn’t find while watching a parade, and surely reveals the true essence of travel.

New surprises

Sometimes, even when you’re visiting a destination during the wet season, you might stumble upon a few great surprises – you just need to know where to look for them. Usually, the weather would be unpredictable and rain wouldn’t be constant throughout the entire “wet” months. You might find that the weekend you planned in Tagaytay would be a sunny one despite the weather report.

Or perhaps your Palawan flight might have gotten cancelled or delayed because of a typhoon? This cancellation could be a great opportunity to explore another destination you wouldn’t have otherwise normally explored. It could be a small resort town in Laguna where you can get your much-deserved R&R, or a peaceful retreat in nearby Rizal. You can quickly turn around any situation as long as you’re fully committed to surprising yourself.

Cheaper food

Even food can be cheaper when it’s not a festive season in many places. You know how some restaurants close down or open on limited hours during the rainy months in major tourist destinations? And you know how food prices in famous restaurants are higher during peak months?

The ones that are still open even in the off season are usually the ones that locals go to, which means they are trusted and valued by their community. It surely wouldn’t be a rip-off, so rejoice, as this could be your best chance to grab some good grub!

Travelling in the off-peak “-ber” months can be a smart decision not just finances-wise but also in terms of having better experiences. So, if you want to save a lot of money and get a better, more authentic feel of the place you’re going to, this could be the perfect season to do it!

Do count on Blend PH to provide you with the extra funding you need to make your dream off-season adventure a possibility. Get in touch with us at https://blend.ph/borrower to learn about your loan options and our simple application process.

See you on the road and safe travels!