An archipelago in South-East Asia, the Philippines consists
of over 7,000 islands. With abundant nature, rich wildlife, and
plenty of local culture and flavor, the Philippines can be an
inexpensive way to see Asia and enjoy the Ocean. The people are
generally Malay, but the Philippines has gotten a lot from over
300 years of foreign rule. The country is a surprising blend of
the West and the East.
Here are just a few things about the Philippines that you might
not know:
Hospitality - The people of
the Philippines are well known for being friendly and very
welcome to tourists. This might be due to the ancestry of the
people, their traditions going back many years, but it's
something you should prepare yourself for if you go.
Language - Filipino is the
official language of the country - with many distinct dialects
- but English is spoken as well. This is because of a big
American influence over the years.
Weather - While tropical
for the most part, there are rainy seasons that you'll want to
know about before traveling to the Philippines.
Holidays - The people of
the Philippines celebrate many holidays based around
Christian, Muslim and secular holy days.
Regions - While there are
many islands in the Philippines, they can be broken up into
three main regions of groups of islands - Luzon, Visayas , and
Mindanao. The capital of the Philippines is in Luzon region.
If you travel to the area, you're going to want to have a
list of interesting and fun things to do while you're there. The
good news is that there are many places worthy of your time if
you travel to the Philippines.
Manila - The capital of the
Philippines, Manila is a well known tourist destination.
Cebu - Located in the
south, this area is known for rafting and other similar
outdoor activities.
Vigan - While this World
Heritage Site is a five hour trip from Manila, it is well
worth it if you want to see what the Philippines was like many
years ago.
Malapascua - This is just
one of the many islands that have fantastic, well kept beaches
for fun in the sun.
Donsol - You'll want to
travel here if you want to see whale sharks up close and in
person. This is one of the best areas on the planet to see
them.
Sagada - If rock and
mountain climbing excite you, you'll want to check out this
town as it offers a lot for climbing enthusiasts.
Those were some specific locations, but let's take a look at
some of the fun activities you can experience in the
Philippines.
Scuba Diving - With great
coral reefs, crystal clear water and a lot of different
locations to try it, scuba diving is well known in the
country.
Festivals - With so many
islands, cities and towns, you can be sure there is going to
be some sort of festival going on when you arrive in the
country.
Surfing - There are many
great surfing spots in the Philippines. If you plan carefully,
you may be able to scope out (and surf) a few different
locations while you're in the country.
Relax - As with any good
vacation, getting rest and relaxation is important. This is
easy to do in the Philippines at one of the many spas that are
found all over.
There are literally hundreds of other places to see and
things to do that might pique your interest in the Philippines.
Part of the fun of travel is coming up with your own itinerary
and finding little known locations that have a lot to offer. In
the Philippines this is a lot less difficult than you might
imagine. And when you factor in the cost of traveling to the
Philippines and the cost of expenses while staying there, you'll
see it's well worth the money.
About the Philippines