Dubbed as the “Pearl of the Orient Seas”, The Philippines is one of the best places to visit in the world. With a stunning 7,107 islands that comprises the whole Philippine archipelago and over 100 ethno-cultural groups and asian mixtures - the Philippines is indeed one of the most interesting place to explore. The country is rich in natural wonders to savor. Serene beaches, fascinating landscapes, intriguing cave formations, underwater features, beautiful reefs, undisturbed forests are everywhere - among the most popular are the Unesco protected Subterranean River National Park in Palawan and the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park found in Sulu Sea near Palawan. The country also boasts of the man-made wonders such as the world-renowned "Rice Terraces" in Banaue Benguet found in the northern part of the Philippines and the numerous world heritage sites - among the most visited are the Historic Town of Vigan found in Ilocos Sur, Paoay Church in Ilocos Norte and the San Agustin Church in Intramuros Manila. All of them are still well preserved and still stands exquisitely. What is more, The Philippines has one of the most unique culture which was brought about by the merge of ancestral and colonial influences. The country is also blessed with a generally friendly, hospitable and fun-loving people known as Filipinos. Foreign visitors easily get along with Filipino hosts and seldom have communication problems as Filipinos are 93% literate and can understand and speak English well. Aside from hospitality, as Filipinos are very known for, the country offers countless tourism activities and nightlife. Festivals are also a year-round event and unique in every place depending on the time of the season.
The Philippines is sub-divided into 3 geographical island groups - Luzon , is in the northern part and the largest group of island. It embraces the capital city of Manila which is the heart of culture and economy of the country. Visayas group of island is in the middle part and home to the oldest city, Cebu, which is also the origin of Christianity in the Philippines and the center economic haven of the south. Mindanao is in the southern part and the seat of Muslim culture and ethnic tribes.
Best Philippine Destinations :
Luzon :
1. Batanes
2. Ilocos Norte
3. Ilocos Sur
4. La Union
5. Baguio/Banaue
6. Pangasinan
7. Subic,Zambales
8. City of Manila
9. Laguna
10. Tagaytay City
11. Quezon Province
12. Batangas
13. Camarines Norte
14. Camarines Sur
15. Bicol
16. Puerto Galera
17. Amanpulo
18. Palawan
Visayas :
19. Boracay, Aklan
20. Iloilo
21. Bacolod
22. Cebu City
23. Bohol
Mindanao:
24. Camiguin
25. Cagayan de oro
26. Davao
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3. Ilocos Sur
4. La Union
5. Baguio/Banaue
6. Pangasinan
7. Subic,Zambales
8. City of Manila
9. Laguna
10. Tagaytay City
11. Quezon Province
12. Batangas
13. Camarines Norte
14. Camarines Sur
15. Bicol
16. Puerto Galera
17. Amanpulo
18. Palawan
Visayas :
19. Boracay, Aklan
20. Iloilo
21. Bacolod
22. Cebu City
23. Bohol
Mindanao:
24. Camiguin
25. Cagayan de oro
26. Davao
History - The Philippines' early settlers were believed to be Negritos or the nomads in ancient times. This were followed by the inhabitants of neighboring Malay race and subsequently formed independent tribes which were run by warlords such as Datus and Sultans. It was when the first European settlers in 1521 led by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan and Spanish conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legaspi that the country was unified under King Philip II of Spain. It was then when Christianity was propagated all over the country except in some of the southern areas. The Spanish ruled the country for more than 300 years. The American and Japanese also occupied the country in the early 1900's. When World War 2 ended, the Philippines was granted independence and laid out its new constitution under the newly established sovereign government.
Geography - The country is considered to be mountainous brought about by geographical history of frequent volcanic activity in the past. The known active volcanos are Taal & Mayon found in Luzon (northern part of the country).
Season and Climate - The Philippines has only 2 known season : The dry season (from October to April) and the wet season (from May to September). The hottest average temperature experienced during summer (March-April) is about 35 deg C while in the cold season (from December - January) is about 23 deg C. In the summer capital of the country, Baguio City, the temperature can drop by 12 deg C during the cold season due to its high altitude.
Population & Religion - The country has a population of about 97 million in which 93% are Christians. Estimated number of overseas workers are nearly 12 million.
Economy - The Philippines' primary products back then was agriculture but with the global economic change, the Philippines was transitioned to an industrialized country specializing in manufacturing.
Transportation - Due to the geographical features of the Philippines, the country has its sufficient domestic airports and seaports for public and product transport. Major cities have railway transits, buses, cabs, "jeepneys" and "tricycles" while minor cities settle for jeepneys and tricycles.
Health & Diseases - The country's reported common infectious diseases are relatively minor (if diagnosed well) and can be cured almost instantly. Among the most common are diarrhea, hepatitis A, dengue fever and typhoid fever. The Philippines also has a very low HIV occurrence (0.01% of total population).
Note : The Philippines being a colony of a number of foreign countries, Filipinos, in general, have always had a colonial mentality. In this regard, it greatly affects tourism in the Philippines in a positive way. Filipinos being a vivid enthusiast of foreigners, it somehow make it safer for foreign tourist to travel in and around the country. Though there have been reported incidents of some foreigners’ bad experiences in the country, the percentage is still relatively small as compared to the total foreign visits in the Philippines.
Author's Note :
This blog was made to encourage tourism in the Philippines, to promote the enticing places that the Philippines has to offer and help Filipinos appreciate and conserve these places for future generations. These beautiful places and the rich culture can rival the best in the world. Surprisingly, these natural wonders were often taken for granted and only a handful of concerned citizens care about them. It's time to show the world how wonderful and blessed our country is and start preserving it for the future.
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