1. It has the best beaches of the world
It consists of 7,107 islands country wide. From
the familiar Boracay and Palawan to Coron and Samar which takes your breath
away, these beaches are often voted as the World’s Best Island. Be prepared to
be swept away by the pure beauty the crystal clear water presents.
Twin Island, Coron, Philippines
http://www.bluepueblo.tumblr.com/
Boracay was previously votes as the Best Island
on the Travel+Leisure for year 2012 and second on year 2013. Palawan
was placed 1st in year 2013 ahead of world renowned places like
Sicily (Italy), Maui (Maldives) and Koh Samui (Thailand).
Kayangan Lake, Coron islands, Palawan, Philippines
http://gbirlik.tumblr.com/
2. Best dive
sites in the world
Philippines is also recognized as top 10 best
places to learn diving by Lonely
Planet. It also provides more than
10 different dive sites for enthusiasts including the infamous Coron Bay voted
as one of the world’s finest wreck
diving destination.
Read More: http://www.coronwrecks.com/
Top 10 dive sites in Philippines: http://www.scubadivephilippines.com/SCUBAtopdivesites.shtml
Philippines is also one of the top
5 destinations to dive with the whale sharks and you can also snorkel with these
gentle giants in the open water at near Donsol.
Whale shark diving
As a vulnerable species, Dugongs are getting
less common in sightings in many parts of Asia. Philippines, being one of their
nesting homes, provide eco friendly Dugong
watching.
Dugong Dive Center, Club Paradise, Coron, Palawan
3. UNESCO
heritage site
Being a country
comprising of more than 7000 islands, it is no wonder that this humble country is
also home to 5 designated World Heritage sites being a place of importance to
cultural or natural heritage.
Being the 7th most populated country
in Asia and 12th in the world, this country is influenced by their
history of Hispanic colonization and the American occupation which has
transformed them into a country chock-full of the mixture of eastern and western
culture. One prominent feature of this amazing culture are the four UNESCO
registered Baroque churches.
Church of San Agustin, in Manila
Church of La Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion, in Santa Maria Ilocos Sur
Church of San Agustin, in Paoay, Ilocos Norte
Church of Santo Tomas de Villanueva, in Miag-ao, Iloilo
Not only a world recognized UNESCO heritage site, the well-known Underground Subterranean River in Palawan is also voted as the New 7 Natural Wonders of the World by Lonely Planet.
Interior of the Puerto Princesa Underground River
http://itswanderful.blogspot.com.au/2011/11/puerto-princesa-underground-river-new-7.html
http://itswanderful.blogspot.com.au/2011/11/puerto-princesa-underground-river-new-7.html
4. Bucket list favorites
The world is filled with
wonders and everyone scribbles their own bucket lists. Sure, the above
mentioned places are already holidays worth dying for. While one can come up
with a never ending list over some simple researches, such as the Bohol
Chocolate Hills, or Rice Terraces in Banaue, there are many other hidden
treasures in this beautiful country.
Chocolate Hills in Bohol
http://www.500px.com
Rice Terraces, Banaue
Some notable bucket list
destination in Philippines should include the less known Waterfall restaurant, also
known as the Villa Escudero
Waterfall Restaurant.
Villa Escudero Waterfall Restaurant, Quezon Province, Philippines
Munch away the delicious
local delicacies while the clear spring water from the waterfall runs through
the feet makes its unique experience a worthy mention on the bucket list.
Another unique adventure in the Philippines
would be the Cave church in Manilla or known as Callao Cave. Immerse in the
fullness in the culture of this one of a kind cathedral turned chapel in a
cave. Comprises of a original 9 chambers, now 7, each of these chambers consist
of natural crevices to allow natural lightings into these otherwise dark
places.
Cathedral turned Chapel, 1st Chamber, Cagayan, Philippines
Although not exactly a conventional
tourists spot, some might find the Hanging Coffins in Sagada a trip worth
mentioning. Despite a long hike situated at the north of Manila, this
traditional way of burial can only be found in a handful of places around the
globe.
Hanging Coffins, Sagada
5. Affordable
travel
Update on this when I am back from my trip in
March 2014 with my detailed itinerary. Things are looking good on my pockets
currently. Wish me all the best!
Some tips for visiting Philippines
Tons of information can be found over the internet.
So I will only post some relevant information that requires a little bit more
researching.
Currency: Philippines Pesos (PHP) – kind of
obvious
Note: Not to be confused with Mexican Pesos. I
had difficulty getting the Mexican Pesos the last time round and I had to
search for days to realize it’s almost impossible to get these Mexican Pesos in
Singapore. Better luck in United States!
Getting Around: http://itsmorefuninthephilippines.com/getting-around/
The best time to visit would be from March to May if intended to travel
Around Philippines. This is because the wet season for most parts of the
country is usually from July to December. However, on islands such as the
Eastern Mindanao, Southern Leyte, Eastern Samar and Southeast Luzon (note: Mt
Mayon resides in this area) is rainy from December to March. As for the central
Visayas such as Bohol, Negros and Cebu are less affected by the monsoons unless
there are any typhoons coming up on the east.
Read More: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/philippines
More information will come in after my own trip
to this amazing country in March. Feel free to comment or pm me!
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