The Philippines is one of the most popular travel destinations not just in Southeast Asia, but in the world. As a matter of fact, it’s estimated that more than 5 million tourists visited the country back in 2015. There are several reasons as to why the Philippines is considered by plenty to be the ultimate vacation hotspot, one of which includes the several beautiful sceneries to choose from. Given the archipelagic nature of the country, which consists of 7,107 islands, this is not a surprising fact.
The most commonly visited sceneries in this country are the white sand beaches, historical landmarks, as well as natural bodies of land like mountains, volcanoes, and the like. For those who have an inclination to Mother Nature, the Philippines is one of the best options given the diverse set of choices. If these sound tempting to you, or if you have long considered travelling to the Philippines for a vacation, then here are some of the important things you have to keep in mind.
Filipinos are Generally Hospitable
This is one of the reasons why the Philippines is a popular tourist destination. There are several stories of foreigners who have fallen in love with the said country, and therefore make it a point to travel to the country on a regular basis. Some, as a matter of fact, choose to settle here despite only looking for a vacation to begin with.
Communication is not a problem in the Philippines, and most of the time, the locals are able to understand English, and are proficient in the said Language in various extents. Locals are lenient and are often very entertaining towards foreigners. Having said that, asking for directions, getting from place to place, as well as negotiating fees are most definitely not difficult to do. Whenever you ask a question from a local, it’s most likely that you would be answered in the most polite, and best means that they possibly could. This has largely to do with the warm, family-oriented culture of Filipinos, as well as their common notions about people living in foreign countries. Filipinos make it a point of presenting themselves in the best means possible in front of other people, and thus you could most definitely expect people to be in their best behavior whenever they deal with people from outside their country.
Policies may vary from Place to Place
Given that the Philippines is one of the largest archipelagic countries in the whole world, it’s no surprise that certain laws and policies may vary from place to place. These laws include the hours of the day during which you may be out drinking in public, the fees and rates you have to pay for particular services, the hours in which establishments are open, the kind of apparel you should be wearing out in public, so on and so forth. This is because the archipelagic nature of the Philippines has been the major cause of various cultures to develop across the different islands. Moreover, it’s a universal rule to observe respect towards the culture and customs of any country you wish to travel to.
Costs are Not that High
One of the greatest things about the Philippines is that the cost of living is not expensive at all. This could partly be attributed to the fact that the Philippines is classified as a developing country. Having said that, prices of the same goods are more likely to be less expensive than that of the same kind in other countries. A little amount often goes a long way, making it a great travel destination if you are on a budget. The rates for various services are so low, that in terms of U.S. Dollars, you could actually rent a decent place for as low as $10 to as expensive as $200 a night. The same goes for food items, souvenirs, among others.
Different Places May Have Different Local Dialects
While English is widely spoken in the Philippines given that it’s the medium of instruction in schools, it’s important to note that the archipelagic nature of this country would mean different cultures, and subsequently, different dialects emerge. This is important especially if you are the type of person who travels not just to experience things and witness views, but to immerse themselves in a place’s culture as well. Locals are often more than willing to teach you some of the commonly used words in their dialect.
There are Several White Sand Beaches
To those who wish to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city, the Philippines has a wide array of beach resorts that are complete with amenities and the luxuries people seek whenever they go for a vacation. These beaches are either the white sand or the grey sand type, with beaches in the Visayas region even having pink sand. While these beaches may be found in several parts of the country, the most popular destination for beach lovers are the islands of Boracay, and Samal, Davao, although there are other provinces with beautiful beaches as well.
When it comes to adventures in the sea, fishing is a major industry in the Philippines rather than a form of recreation. Given that there are several coastal cities, it’s definitely not going to be hard for you to exercise your fishing skills. Having said that, applying your skills on how to tie a chatterbait and how to line a baitcaster could be applied, simply by having to talk to a fisherman and ask if you could borrow a “bangka”, or the small boats that they use to go fishing.Apart from fishing, several resorts also offer facilities like banana boats, jet skis, and the like should you be inclined to water sports activities.
Natural Scenery and Nature Parks Abound
If the great outdoors is your thing, then the Philippines is just teeming with natural scenery and nature parks. These nature parks aim to show the various flora and fauna that flourish in the Philippine environment. There are several nature parks, as well as rivers, caves, mountains, and even volcanoes which you could either climb on or simply view from a distance. These are scattered all throughout the archipelago. Some of these famous landmarks include the Enchanted River in Surigao, Malagos Nature Park in Davao, as well as several other parks throughout the country. Just about every province in every island has a wonderful work of nature that you could marvel at either for free, or at a minimal cost. Some of these places are well-developed to cater to tourists, while some of these are kept in their natural state, with restrictions to access, as a means of preserving the cleanliness or the ecological balance in these places.
Cold Weather Clothes are Optional
If you’re fond of cold weather, then the Philippines actually has places where temperatures may drop to single digits, in terms of degrees Celsius, and are much colder than other urban areas. These places are Baguio in Luzon, and Bukidnon in Mindanao. Both of these places are tourist hotspots, and thus you can expect quality accommodation in any of these places. Moreover, given that it’s a tropical country, you need not bring along coats and extra thick materials as the temperatures wouldn’t drop to the extremes. Having said that, it’s ideal to bring along clothes made of thin cloth, such as tank tops and shorts.
These places have their fair share of sceneries and products as well, making it two of the most unique travel destinations in the Philippines. In terms of cultural immersion, there are also several ethnic groups in these places that are open to foreigners, with them allowing you to experience their culture through letting you wear their traditional clothing, play traditional music and dance, as well as picture taking with the locals.
Final Thoughts
A country as big as the Philippines simply means that there is something for everyone. Whether you’re into beautiful scenery, meeting new friends and experiencing the great outdoors, or you’re the type who’s into being by the sea side, or if you want to experience a different kind of cold, then this country has got something to offer you. And if you’re a food lover, you can book restaurants in Davao and satisfy your cravings especially when you’re traveling there during summer. Unlike other countries, whose people have a reputation of being rude towards foreigners, the good thing about the Philippines is that people are very welcoming of foreigners and tend to treat foreigners as kindly as they would do to any other person.
If you’re into fishing, the Philippines is a vast coastal country, with several bodies of land surrounded by water. This simply means that getting to fish is not at all hard, and it is something that could be done either for recreation or as a way of living, sans the overly strict regulations that are implemented in other countries.
There’s a lot in store for you in this country, and a lot of visitors tend to return whenever they possibly could.
Photo Credits:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mattkieffer/32833171422/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/donabelandewen/2177668154/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/weirdobelle/9878605495/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jkfjellestad/13246940944/
My short Bio
Hi, I’m Lucas Bryant and fishing is one of the most important parts of my life. I usually go fishing with my friends and have many fishing competition. That why I like to research and create many tips to get more fishes to win a race. I hope my experience will be useful for you.
Website: https://bearcaster.com/
My Twitter: https://twitter.com/MrLucasBryant
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