Jonathan Williams asked:




The Philippines is an archipelago made up of about 7,100 islands. This archipelago country is located in Southeast Asia. In Asia, it is also one of the popular countries that get visited yearly by tourists, and here are the top ten places that they love going back to.

1.) Intramuros

This walled “city” is located in Manila. It served as a walled settlement of the Spaniards during their occupation of the country and, as such, has its own museums as well as churches and wonderful ruins. Today, this well-preserved Intramuros is one of the visited places in the Philippines.

2.) Rizal Park

Also called Luneta, this is a very good place if you want a leisurely walk. This park is dedicated to the Philippines’ national hero, Jose Rizal, who was not only a poet but a very good writer during the Spanish era, and this was also the place where he was executed. Now, this is a popular place for picnics.

3.) Baywalk

This is a walking distance from the Rizal Park. You can find here numerous restaurants and bars offering wonderful foods and drinks. This is also a nice place to stroll along as well as listen to the many bands that play at night.

4.) Mount Pinatubo

This majestic volcano that wreaked havoc in the lives of Filipinos during the early 1990s is located in Pampanga. Here, you can take guided hikes on some parts of its slope. You can also take a refreshing dip in Pinatubo’s crater lake.

5.) Nayong Pilipino

If you want to tour famous destinations of the Philippines in one spot, then visit Nayong Pilipino. This cultural park has a miniature Philippine Islands including some of the beautiful spots of the country. You can also buy here some native foods as well as souvenirs.

6.) Camp John Hay

When you visit Baguio, the country’s summer capital, be sure to visit also Camp John Hay. This used to be an American Military area but was later given to the Philippine government. Now, it is a recreational center with golf club, and it also offers horseback riding as well as camping.

7.) Boracay

Boracay Island is located in the Visayas Region. What this beautiful island offers is its majestic white sand beaches. This is a popular tourist destination of not only the locals but the foreigners as well, and there are a lot of activities here like the usual water sports as well as trendy bars and discos during summertime.

8.) Mount Apo

This magnificent mountain can be found in Davao. Here, you can go nature tripping as well as hiking. You will also see here the Philippine Eagle, which is said to be one of the biggest eagles of the world.

9.) Mayon Volcano

This wonderful and perfectly cone-shaped volcano can be found in Bicol. What makes this a major tourist spot is that you will find here the bell tower of an old church that was buried when it erupted during the early 1800s, and also, with that major eruption, it buried the Cagsawa town. Now, this is a must-see when you visit the Philippines, and you can also buy your souvenirs here as well as the famous pili nut candy.

10.) Camarines Sur Water Sports Complex

Located in Pili, Camarines Sur in Bicol, this is fast becoming a must-visit place whenever you visit the Philippines. If you love cable wakeboarding, then this is the place to be as it boasts of a wonderful cable wakeboarding experience as well as modern amenities. You can also find quaint cabanas here where you can spend your summer or vacation, plus, the services here are excellent.

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Jose Abada asked:




The Philippine culture defines the unique distinctiveness of Filipinos from the rest of the world. Its richness in culture makes it highly different and more prominent from other countries. The Philippines have diverse cultural heritage, arts, traditions and spoken languages. The country has innumerable museums that take account to the wide historical and cultural evolution of its nation with churches, museums and galleries available throughout the Philippine Islands and are found in the different key cities of its provinces.

Each province has its own cultural folk dances showcasing the elegant styles of Filipino dances and the beauty of its people. They also follow their own unique traditions and have a way of celebrating their cultural practices through fiestas and events. The Filipinos naturally love arts and they can depict certain historical events through paintings, poems, songs and writings.

Historical Influence to the Philippine Culture

The culture of the Philippines is highly influenced by history and the blending of foreign influences and its indigenous civilization. The Philippines has been colonized by Spain for over three centuries. Hispanic influences are dominant in the Philippine’s folk music, foods, art, religion, language and folk dances.

The Malayo-Polynesian has influences to the Philippines during its pre-Hispanic and non-Christian era. It influenced the country’s mythology and indigenous culture along with the Buddhism, Hinduism, Islamic and Christianity traditions.

The United States also has an influence to the Philippine culture signified by the love of the Filipinos to contemporary pop music, film, basketball, music and fast foods. The Chinese and Japanese introduced martial arts, mahjong and other gambling forms. They also influenced the people’s natural preference to Asian cuisines.

The Philippine Cultural Heritage

The culture of the Philippine is diverse. About 90% of the Filipinos are Christians and 5% are Muslims. The rest practice other religions and others do not seem to have any religion at all. Despite the westernization of the country and foreign influences, many of its people remain to believe in superstitions. This cultural belief came from their ancient ancestors.

The country has beautiful traditional folk dances that showcase the elegance, beauty and grace of the Filipinos. They use flaunting Filipino dress and play Filipino music. The dances showcase the Filipino culture.

The Philippines is also a land of artists. Filipino artists are renowned in the world in the fields of music and art. They are highly respectable in these fields and brought honor and glory to their country. The Filipino people are great optimists. They always see light in the midst of darkness and always keep a positive point of view. This makes them endure the various challenges that arise in the economic, political, socio-cultural, religious and other aspects of their way of life.

There are several dialects that Filipinos can speak. They rank high as the country with most dialects spoken. The country has the most traditions to follow which continues to prevail despite its westernization. Most of these traditions are handed down in generations and continue to be practiced by majority of the Filipinos.

The diverse cultures and traditions in the Philippines make the country shine throughout the world. It has solicited fame and uniqueness to the country and its people. There is no wonder that the Filipinos are known for their warm hospitality and innumerable cultural traditions and heritage. The blend of foreign and ancient influences in Philippine culture makes the country uniquely distinct from the rest of the world.

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Rita Mae Badrina asked:


When it comes to collecting jewelries and accessories, women have different tastes. Some ladies collect diamonds, precious stones, pearls, and so much more. I however prefer accessories made from capiz shells.

I love buying earrings and bangles made from capiz shells. Why? I really don’t know the answer to that or maybe because capiz shells are from the country where I was born and grew up… The Philippines. These type of jewelry is so unique, exotic, beautiful and when worn, it reveals the feminine side of the wearer.

Capiz is a name of a province and a type of shell found in the Philippines; It is also used largely in interior decorating and as gifts and accessories. Capiz is a geographical location found in the Philippines facing the Sibuyan Sea. The Capiz shell is the outer shell of a marine mollusk called the “Placuna Placenta” which is abundantly found the Philippine’s coastal waters and is used for decorative purposes.

The Capiz shell is a semi-transparent and flat shell with a pearl like appearance. It is often used to create beautiful lampshades and other luminescent accessories such as chandeliers and candle holders due to its cool and striking appearance when light shines through. It is also used used to match many household and fashion accessories. Capiz shells are considered to be formal and elegant.

Used for interior designs, the capiz is used not only on lampshades, chandeliers and furniture, but are also decorated on walls. Numerous hotels in the Philippines feature capiz panels on the walls of their lobbies , hallways, rooms, restaurants and even in showers and bathrooms. There are some homes that uses capiz panels, but they’re generally reserved for formal areas only, however, a casual look can also be attained by using capiz panels.

Capiz can also be used to accent leather handbags, shoes and watches. In the Philippines, it is only natural to find gift ware and souvenirs made with capiz. Dishes made from capiz sell like hotcakes because they create an elegant, one-of-a-kind look.

Synthetic capiz shells are cheaper but it is very difficult to tell the difference from a genuine capiz shell. The use of capiz shell in fashion and decorating is unlimited. Capiz shell products gives the room an elegant or formal look and at the same time creates a pacific or coastal atmosphere. If you want to experience a Filipino ambiance or if you are visiting the Philippine Islands, make sure that you don’t miss out on buying a capiz shell product.

Jose Maria Abada asked:

More than the usual- this is how the Philippine is positioned in the tourism block. The country is an archipelago and known officially as the Republic of the Philippines. This archipelago is located in Southeast Asia and holds the distinction of being one of only two predominantly Christian countries in Asia. The other country is East Timor. There are around 7,107 islands in the country and these islands host around 90 million people. This population based on 2008 estimates makes the country as the 12th most populous country in the world. For the traveler interested to know more about the country, it should be learned that the country has around 11 million overseas Filipinos worldwide and these are the Filipinos who work in other country and one of the main reasons why the economy of the country is competitive.

According to 2008 estimates, the gross domestic product or the GDP of the country is pegged at over US$ 327.2 billion and this is considered as the 37th largest in the world. The name ‘Philippine’ traces a long history. This name was derived from the name of King Philip II of Spain in the 16th century. It was the initiative of Ruy Lopez de Villalobos to use the name Las Islas Filipinas or the Philippine Islands as his name for the islands Leyte and Samar. And the use of this name was in reference and in honor of the Prince of Spain.  A further examination of the name ‘Philippine’ will reveal that this has Greek roots and according to historians this was the name of the father of Alexander the Great.

The country is divided geographically into three groups:

•    Luzon

•    Visayas

•    Mindanao

And these three major island grouping is then sub-divided into 17 regions, another 81 provinces and 136 cities. The country also plays host to 1,494 municipalities and 41,995 barrios. The government also controls Sabah, North Borneo as asserted by Section 2 of the Republic Act Number 5446. Ecologically, the country is known as one of those countries which feature diverse flora and fauna. This feature of the country is one of the major reasons why the archipelago is one of the favorite places for travelers who seek to experience nature at its best. Another main reason why the country is always part of the list of preferred travel destinations is that the country is rich in natural resources and its scenic spots are panoramic and ready to comfort and to overwhelm the first-time visitors. The natural resources of the country are extensive and this can be seen in many areas like agriculture, forestry and minerals.

Talking about the archipelago is not complete without talking about its fertile and arable lands, the forests that host diverse flora and fauna and the panoramic coastlines. For those travelers willing to sample what the country has to offer over a limited amount of time, it is suggested that the interested traveler should focus on its culture, its beaches and its heritage. The unique Philippine culture will let the traveler experience the many festivals in the country- from Sinulog in Cebu to the Penafrancia Festival in the Bicol Region. The country has a number of festivals and these festivals will usually peak during April and May- the time for the country’s fiestas. Most of these festivals have links to the church and religious in nature.

Visiting the country without visiting some of its finest beaches is not suggested. Since the country boasts of around 7,107 islands and a coastline twice the length of the United States, you can really expect that the country will have some best beaches. Mere mention of the Philippine will evoke images of fine and white beaches of Boracay, Palawan and some of the more not-so commercial yet beautiful sands of other beaches. Some names that should be part of the plans of the traveler include Pagudpud, Mactan Island and Panglao. And speaking of heritage, the country is home to Ifugao Rice Terraces which is now part of the UNESCO Heritage List in 1995. Aside from this rice terraces, Philippine also plays host also to many old churches- baroque churches in Metro Manila and these are all considered as heritage sites that carry the country’s culture and history.

Ruel Hinaloc asked:

Scuba diving Philippines does not get any diverse, anywhere in the world! No matter what level of diver you are, diving Philippines has something to offer you. In fact I can just virtually guarantee that the scuba diving you do in the Philippines is able to blow your mind and make you concur twice about diving when you get home. You will literally be spoilt when diving in the Philippines.

Water Temperature.

The water temperature diving in the Philippines, is similar to diving in your warm bath at home! It is definitely divine. A balmy 22 C to 25 C during the cooler months of December to March and 25 C to 28 C during the warmer cycles of April to November. Water temperatures want these, supplies you the opportunity of diving in the comfort of lycra skin suits or 3mm wetsuits. When you are use to diving in 5mm and 7mm steamers or a great deal dry suits, this type of diving is pure heaven.

Why Dive the Philippines?

The Philippine Islands, that there are over 7,100, have the widest variety of marine life in the world. The diving here is still making discovered, it does however have a level of popular spots which are very familiar with the diving tourist and these types of ones are world class. Outside these types of popular diving locations lie thousands of unexplored scuba diving opportunities. Since the Philippines has so many islands, with chosen of them not easily accessible, the draw for the scuba diver in the Philippines to be the first to explore an underwater reef or to discover a wreck is a real possibility.

Statistics out of the Philippine Department of Tourism indicate that scuba divers visiting the Philippine Islands, return for an average of 10 trips each. If currently is not a high recommendation on the grade and health of the scuba diving industry in the Philippines, afterward I’m not absolute what is!

Scuba Diving Philippines – What Sort of Diving?

Philippines scuba diving has everything to satisfy the most fussy diver. All you have to do, is put your wetsuit on and put your tank together, even then there is someone there to assist you. From here it gets easier. Someone will carry your gear on and off the dive boat for you, help you put your scuba reservoir and gear onto your back and help you out of the water when you have finished. Sound easy? You bet it is. Now, what type of diving should you expect? Well rather much everything you can think of is covered.

Pristine reef diving.

Exhilarating drift diving.

Big pelagic fish action.

World War II wrecks to be discovered.

Fantastic wall diving.

Muck diving for those who like macro photography.

Deep diving.

Coral Gardens.

Night Diving.

Swim throughs and caves.

Technical diving.

Soft coral spectaculars.

The majority of dives are conducted by boat, generally a basically short trip from your resort. If you are not diving from a boat you can by and large provide fine reefs right in front of your resort, superb and easy shore diving. For the final experience, live aboard dive vessels can in addition take you to areas seldom if ever visited by scuba divers, this is the ultimate experience.

Diving Philippines ? What will I see Underwater?

The list is too big to try and let you know how you will see underwater, but I will say to you about the marine life you will definitely see underwater. The marine life is exceptionally abundant, based on data from rare nudibrachs to a high density of the 27 species of clownfish or Amphiprion Sp., not to mention the gregarious colours of the soft corals and the vibrancy of the hard corals. If big fish are an attraction, then schooling barracudas, sweetlips, Thresher and Hammerhead Sharks am able to not disappoint you. The top fish in the country furthermore frequents Philippine waters, the mighty Whale Shark. Even mammals are widely seen, both dolphins and dugongs.

Diving Philippines provides you so many options that every dive will be distinct and mind blowing, a great deal if it is at the same dive site!

Note: The Philippines has had it’s fair share of dynamite fishing and cyanide poisoning. This is continually being pushed out, as more Filipinos comprehend a better times ahead in tourism dollars. Cyanide poisoning is used for capturing fish for marine aquarium enthusiasts. This practice is being addressed by the Marine Aquarium Council in conjunction with Philippine Authorities, who are training local fisherman in the use of ecological net catching of small fish. They are moreover teaching good husbandry techniques for the sustainability of this industry.

Diving Philippines is everything and more you want it to be. Your expectations will be met and driven further as opposed to you thought possible, the possibilities are endless.