The Philippines - Asia\'s Untold Secret
The Philippines - Asia's Untold Secret
The Philippines has much to offer everyone ,whether you're looking for a beach holiday in Boracay, an exotic cultural experience in Manila, a wild time in the Angeles City bars and clubs, an adventure break in Subic Bay or a sports packed vacation in Cebu or Palawan with some of the best scuba diving to be found anywhere in the world. WE CAN HELP.
Nearly everyone speaks English . Accomodation , food , and entertainment are remarkably good value , and the beaches and scenery are to be seen to be believed.
Its well worth the long flight to get to the beautiful Philippines and you will be surprised how friendly the people are, how little you will spend compared to other destinations., and the facilities on offer from 5* accomodation to the 'back to basics' Filapino style nipa hut made mostly from Bamboo.
Take a look through our site, soak up the Philippine culture and natural beauty then contact us with any questions or requests .
We are always here to help.
Find and Book Cheap Flights CLICK HERE
Click On The Link Below To Find Airport Parking With Upto 70% Discount
Its well worth the long flight to get to the beautiful Philippines and you will be surprised how friendly the people are, how little you will spend compared to other destinations., and the facilities on offer from 5* accomodation to the 'back to basics' Filapino style nipa hut made mostly from Bamboo.
Take a look through our site, soak up the Philippine culture and natural beauty then contact us with any questions or requests .
We are always here to help.
Find and Book Cheap Flights CLICK HERE
Click On The Link Below To Find Airport Parking With Upto 70% Discount
Take
a look at this promotional video for the Philippines made by the
Philippine Tourist Board .After watching the video , you will understand
why no one ever just visits once.
For another video click on the link :-
CLICK HERE TO VISIT YOUR PHILIPPINE BLOG
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The Philippines is the worlds second largest archipelago of islands. It has a chequered history and as such has struggled to take its place in the list of many peoples places to visit.
The Philppines stunning scenery, varied cultural influences and friendly and easygoing people should have made it a major tourist centre before now, but it is still relatively unknown as a vacation destination compared with much of South East Asia.However, with additional marketing and promotion by the Tourist Department, and by word of mouth from many happy visitors, the number of tourists from the West has increased steadily over the past few years and promises to gain in popularity in the near future, eventually rivalling countries such as Thailand and Maylasyia as a holiday hot spot.
The Republic of the Philippines, to give it its official title, is made up of 7,107 islands, although the majority of its almost 98 million population lives on just 11 of those islands. The country is divided into the three main geographical divisions of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
The Luzon group of islands includes Luzon itself, the largest island and home to the capital city, Manila. The next largest island is Mindanao, which lends its name to the group of islands also including the Sulu Archipelago. The Visayas division is a group of several small islands including Panay, Bohol and Negros.
Historical influences came from the Islamic, Hindu, Malay and Chinese cultures, but the modern cultural history of the Philippines began in 1521 when the Spanish took over the group of islands. Missionaries brought Christianity to the islands and they remained a Spanish colony until the late 19th century. The Catholic faith is the greatest legacy of the Spanish domination. The Philippines is the largest Christian nation in Asia and the third largest Catholic country in the world.
The Philippines was handed over to the United States in 1898 following the Spanish-American war, becoming self-governing in 1935, and achieved full independence on the 4th of July, 1946. The US left a legacy of the English language and Western cultural influences, making the Philippines a fascinating blend of East and West.
Family, friendship and hospitality are traits of the Philippine people inherited from their diverse cultural forefathers. It means tourists and guests are welcomed, particularly during the many festivals when virtual strangers can be invited into homes to share in the family feasts.
The multi-cultural past of the Philippines is reflected in its food, which is a mixture of Malay, Chinese, Spanish and American influences. The food is less spicy than the cuisine of many of its South East Asian neighbours as it tends to use garlic, onions and ginger as flavourings instead of spices. Preparation and cooking is prolonged, bringing out the flavour of the food. Many Filipinos in rural areas still eat with their hands, but using cutlery is the norm in urban areas.
As with any tourist destination, there are must-see sights. The UNESCO World Heritage sight of Banaue has 2,000 year old rice terraces and is known locally as the eighth wonder of the world. There are white sandy beaches and beautiful coral reefs at Boracay, Camarines Sur, Malapascua Island, Puerto Galera and at Palawan, where you can also see cave rock formations and an underground river at the Puerto Princesca Subterranean Park. You can also indulge a passion for water sports at Camarines Sur and go diving for whale sharks at Donsol. Tagaytay hosts many historical sights and also enjoys cooler weather than some parts of the Philippines.
Most visitors arrive in the Philippines by plane. There are several international airports, the largest of which is Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila. From there, you can pick up domestic flights to many of the islands. Alternatively, a number of companies offer inter-island ferries. The major islands are all connected by bridges or ferries.
Manila itself has its ownf light railway system and most of the major car hire companies operate from the city. There are good quality expressways coming out of the city with inexpensive tolls and national highways and minor roads connect from the expressways to other towns and cities. However, beware if you are planning to drive as there are also many unpaved, dirt roads outside of the major cities. Buses are the cheapest way to travel around the major islands of the Philippines and taxis, jeepneys and motortricycle get you around the towns and cities.
The fact that most Filipinos can speak and understand English makes getting around relatively easy. There is good mobile phone coverage and pre-paid SIM cards can be bought easily to avoid expensive international roaming charges.
Foreign tourists only need a visa to visit the Philippines if they plan to stay for more than 21 days, provided they can show a valid ticket for their return or for their travel on to another destination. Passports will need to be valid for at least a further six months.
Many major international airlines offer flights to the Philippines. However, prices and special offers will vary so it is worth taking the time to compare flights.
PHILIPPINE FACTS
Time Difference
+8 hours during British Winter Time, +7 hours during British Summer Time.
Climate
Average Yearly temp 24C - 32C.- There are 2 deffinate seasons. Dry from January to June , and wet from July to December.
December and January are the coolest months. March to May are the hottest .
The climate is cooler in the summer months in the more mountainous regions such as Baguio in Northern Luzon.
Currency -
Philippine Pesos , but the U.S.A. Dollar is the 2nd most used currency and can be used in most major retailers , hotels etc. You will have to use Philippine Pesos for taxis,cafes,small shops and vendors etc etc.
Its very easy to change money at banks , moneychanger outlets and some times at hotels and resorts.
British Currency is not readily accepted except in some of the Major resorts and hotels. ALWAYS make sure you have some local currency when you arrive ( small bills for taxis etc)
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Religion -
80% Roman Catholic, 10% Muslim other denominations make up the other 10%.
Politics-
Democratic Republic.
Language
- The 2 official languages of the Philippines is Filippino ( Tagalog) and English. There are over 100 different dialects of Filippino . In some areas the locals will speak mainly their own dialect such as Cebuano ( Cebu) and Waray and others. but they are also fluent in Tagalog.
Telephone
- The Country code is 63 ( when dialing to the Philippines the zero preceeding the city area code must be omitted ). You will need the dialing code for the area you want to reach ie Metro Manila , Cebu etc
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