I remember an old saying from a tourist about the Philippines, “She doesn’t give you any reason to go, but once you’re here, she would give you a lot of reasons to stay.” The Philippines has been out of sync from her other Southeast Asian neighbors for quite some time. She has been under the radar of the mainstream backpacking crowds for decades as well. But that doesn’t mean the country has nothing to offer for the traveling crowd, how’s 7,107 islands for a start?
Lonely Planet branded the Philippines as, “One of the great treasures of Southeast Asia, often overlooked by travelers because of its location on the ‘wrong’ side of the South China Sea.”
National Geographic named her as, “One of the best trips for 2010.”
Underwater Times reported, “Some 100 scientists have declared the Philippines as the world’s ‘center of marine biodiversity’ – not the Great Reef Barrier off east Australia – because of its vast species of marine and coastal resources, according to the World Bank.”
Those are just some feedback from travel authority around the globe. Flip will be naming some of the reasons why YOU should travel in the Philippines.
Let’s start with…
The Islands
(Bais Sandbar, Negros)
The Philippines is the second largest archipelago in the world, cradling around 7,107 islands. A lot of islands are uninhabited due to its size and lack of freshwater for some. Island hopping is one of the favorite past time of locals or foreign tourists alike. If you don’t like the island that you’re currently in, you still have 7,106 to choose from. How’s that for an option? LOL
The Beaches
(Moalboal, Cebu)
The country has white sand and black sand beaches and for those who still don’t know it, a pink sand beach known as the Great Sta Cruz Island. The most famous beach in the Philippines would probably be Boracay where people gather in massive numbers to enjoy the sun, sand and sea. If you’re not a fan of big crowds, there are so many other beaches to go to (7,107 islands remember, LOL).
The Flora and Fauna
The Philippines lack big game land animals such as what they have in Africa. But, what we lack in land animals is compensated with an over abundance of marine animals. Are you thinking of swimming with the whale sharks for less than $10 in Donsol? How about seeing one of the world’s smallest primates in Bohol? For flower lovers out there, Philippines is also home to a lot of orchids and other species.
The City
Metro Manila may not be as megalopolis as Tokyo, Seoul, Singapore or Hong Kong. But Manila is the city that still has the charm of its colonial roots. One thing not to be missed, is the world famous Manila Bay Sunset and of course, the undisputed Manila nightlife!!!
The People
English is the second language in the Philippines, most people may not have that ‘twang’ or English accent that westerners have, but you’ll definitely find it easy to communicate with Filipinos in comparison to other Asian neighbors.
The Philippines greatest asset though is beyond what your eyes can see. It’s the warmth and hospitality of the Filipino culture towards guests and visitors local or foreign alike. It’s one thing that a lot of visitors find unique and memorable during their stays in the country.
Here are some of my favorite Filipino travel bloggers that you might wanna check out. They have lots of information about different places in the Philippines.
http://www.ironwulf.net/
http://justwandering.org/
http://langyaw.com/
http://www.backpackingphilippines.com/
http://celdrantours.blogspot.com/
http://www.fliptravels.com/
http://nomadicexperiences.blogspot.com/
http://www.thepinaysolobackpacker.com/
http://www.pinaytraveljunkie.com/
http://jerik76raverz.blogspot.com/
Click Here for more Filipino Travel Blogs…
hey,
any plans for this year of going around the islands? btw, thanks for the link up!
Happy new decade!
Ron
Hi Ron,
yeah, would probably go to coron, legazpi and laoag with my friends, already booked the ticket nung nag promo ang cebu pac. other than that, i still dont know…
happy 2010
thanx for the link luv
happy 2010 for lots of travel and sojourns
happy new year too estan!
Hi there, you got me roped in. Wait till I get my advanced open water and I will be visiting your beautiful island! Happy New Year 2010 to you and your family there.
Regards,
David
Malaysia Asia
Hiya Flip,
Thanks for sharing! The Philippines aren't yet on my itinerary for my RTW trip, but I haven't worked out any part of the SEA part of the trip either. How would you recommend getting there/from where? How long should I stay if I go?
Thanks, Adam
@David: hehehe thanks!!! you'll surely enjoy your dives here I'm sure
@ Adam: usually you'll get 21 days when you first enter the Philippines. regarding the flights, i'll send you an email,it depends on where you'll be coming from…
7,107 islands is more than enough reason!
@nina hehe yeah!!!
fellow bloggers, please re tweet and re-post to your facebook. let's help campaign for Philippine tourism this 2010.
thanks!
im posting the link in my facebook wall!
ron
The Philippines are awesome for so many reasons. I'm still suprised so many travelers overlook it.
I already reposted this flip (also thanks for putting my link)…hope to bump into you in one of the 7107 islands in the Philippines.
I already reposted this to my facebook flip (also thanks for putting my link) hope to bump in to you on 1 of the 7,107 islands here in the Philippines.
like what National Geographic Adventure recently noted, the country has a PR problem – too many bad news highlighted by the media to bury all that beauty waiting to be discovered.
@Ron: thanks for reposting it on your facebook wall
@Anil: the tourists backpacking crowd though is getting more and more
although we really need to build up more facilities such as hostels
@ Marky: thanks for reposting the link… the world is small, we'll bump into each other one of these days
@Dennis: yeah, too many bad news and to be honest, lack of facilities, we're a little expensive compare to our Asian neighborhoods when it comes to hostels… it's hard to find less than $10 like what happened to me at hundred islands yesterday, I ended up sleeping in the park which is not bad coz I was able to save some money… hehe
you're absolutely right her people are the country's biggest asset!
i'm loving this post!
i'm loving this post
i'm loving this post
thanks
wait wait wait, are you a Filipino?
sorry, the summer heat is just getting to me.
first time to read your blog, but is being amazed by my own country.
:>
yes Marie, i'm a Filipino
thanks for dropping by…
I hear some of the beaches are stunning! Would love to spend time on the islands.
true, I've read the testaments of divers around the world in some forums that our dear Philippines is the best diving spot in the world! and of course, there's a whole lot more that our dear Philippines can offer! Proud to be a Filipino!
thanks for the link Flipnomad!:)
Gael
I loved the people and their way of living, above all. I love the ocean, the beautiful, paradise-like beaches, I liked the cities – big and small – I liked the fauna & the flora (what about swimming with huge sea turtles, and have a face-to-face with the most venomous, yet less agressive serpent on earth). I loved everything about the Philippines
I’ll be back, for sure.
thanks for dropping by Corinne, glad to know that you enjoyed your last visit here