The
second-largest archipelago in the world, with over 7000 tropical islands, the
Philippines is one of the great treasures of Southeast Asia. Often overlooked by
travellers because of its location on the ‘wrong’ side of the South China Sea,
the Philippines rewards those who go the extra distance to reach it. And because
it’s off the beaten path, the Philippines is a great place to escape the hordes
who descend on other parts of Southeast Asia. First and foremost, the
Philippines is a place of natural wonders – a string of coral-fringed islands
strewn across a vast expanse of the western 
Pacific.
Below sea level, the Philippines boasts some of the world’s best diving and
snorkelling, including wreck diving around Subic and Coron and swimming with the
whale sharks off Donsol. Above sea level, it has a fantastic landscape with
wonders enough to stagger even the most jaded traveller: the Chocolate Hills of
Bohol,Banaue & the Rice Terrace and fascinating reminders of the islands’
history in places such as Samar & amp; Leyte and Vigan. And if you’re after
palm-fringed, white-sand beaches, try laidback Sipalay or flat-out party town
Boracay.Of course, any traveller who has been here will tell you that it’s the
people and their culture that makes the Philippines unique. Long poised at the
centre of Southeast Asian trade, colonised by a succession of world powers, the
Philippines is a vivid tapestry that reflects its varied cultural inheritance.
And despite the poverty that afflicts much of the nation, the Filipinos
themselves are among the most ebullient and easygoing people anywhere. The
Philippines truly qualifies as one of the last great frontiers in Southeast
Asian travel. Cross whichever ocean you need to and see for yourself.
