Maybe you’re still on the fence or not yet completely convinced about visiting the Philippines. So, just in case you needed that little extra nudge, below are a few reasons why visiting the Philippines could just be one of your best experiences.
1. Unspoiled Tropical Paradise
The Philippines is home to more than 7,000 islands. And a lot of them are still unexplored. Some of our islands, such as Boracay, Cebu, Palawan, and Siargao, have already made international headlines — and for good reason. They are indeed beautiful.
Those are just some of the more touristy options. If you’re looking to get away not just from your day-to-day life in the modern world, but also from other tourists, there are still some ‘untouched’ places that you can go to. The downside is that they may be a little bit difficult and uncomfortable to get to them, but the reward is a short stay in paradise all to yourself. Or maybe to just very few other people as well.
For all you cityfolks out there, when did you last see a beautiful, star-filled night sky?
2. Outdoor Adventures
Relaxing and basking in the beauty of nature is already awesome on its own, but if you want to take it up a notch, the Philippines is ready to play with you. From easy to difficult hikes, snorkelling to full-on scuba diving, canyoneering to cliff diving, these are just some of the adventurous things you can do in the Philippines! Check me out setting my fear of heights aside and jumping into majestic blue waters in Kawasan Falls in Cebu:
3. Climate
According to the Philippine weather bureau PAG-ASA, the mean annual temperature in the Philippines (with the exception of Baguio) is 26.6°C (79.88°F). Now, Filipinos, including myself, will often complain about the heat but our climate is very much ‘friendly’ almost all year round, suitable to relaxing on the beach wearing thin, comfortable clothing or to doing hikes or outdoor nature trips/adventures.
Aside from typhoon season (usually from July to September), the weather throughout the whole year is pretty much the same so what you can do in January, you can most likely do in May or in December.
4. Relatively Low Cost of Living
Although the cost of living in the Philippines has slowly been going up over the past few years, you’ll find that the prices for food and services can still very cheap in the Philippines, especially if you’re coming from a country with a developed economy
You can get meals from street vendors and fastfood chains for USD 1-5, or USD 5-20 for restaurants. A GrabCar ride (the Southeast Asian Uber) during rush hours within Metro Manila can cost somewhere from USD 7-25. The most expensive fare in Metro Manila’s metro network (called LRT or MRT depending on the line) is around USD 0.70. You get the drift.
5. Food
Admittedly, Filipino food is not as popular globally as Thai or Vietnamese food. But it doesn’t mean that we don’t have gastronomic delights to offer. Some foreigners may describe mainstream Filipino cuisine as being too salty or savory. The thing is, most of our food are meant to be eaten with plain rice, which tastes nothing, so that the flavors are “diluted”.
We have a wide variety of stews, roast pigs and chicken (lechon), rice cakes wrapped in leaves (pioneers in environment-friendly packaging?), deep fried fruits, such as bananas (banana-cue) or sweet potatoes (kamote-cue), coated in caramelized sugar just to name a few.
Not only does each locality have their own version of Filipino dishes, they also have dishes that are uniquely their own! Maybe that’s why it’s difficult to a Filipino cuisine sampler showcase for the global market, it’s so varied!
6. Cultural Diversity
The Philippines is home to more than 7,000 islands, and a some of our land masses are made up of mountainous terrain. These geographic boundaries have to led to us having a lot of sub-ethnic groups. Each locality will have its own subculture, traditions, cuisine (previous point), and language. Every locality you visit can offer you an experience that’s uniquely their own.
There are more than 170 local languages spoken in the Philippines. If all of us spoke to each other in our native languages, we would not understand each other. To overcome this hurdle, we have two official languages — Filipino and English. Which brings us to the next reason.
7. The 4th Largest English-speaking Country in the World
According to a 2017 article published by k-international.com, the Philippines is the 4th largest English-speaking country in the world, with over 90 million (at least 92% of the population) Filipinos speaking English as a second language. English is undeniably the world’s current lingua franca, i.e. it is used by almost everyone in the world to communicate with each other.
Upon arrival here, you’ll quickly notice that most public signs and announcements are in English. Even official business and government documents are in English. No, most of us may not understand slang terms from more predominant English-speaking nations, but we use English on a daily basis in professional and academic contexts.
8. Different Architectural Styles
Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar (just to name a few) are home to a lot of beautiful temples. Unfortunately, that architectural style is not prolific in the Philippines. But 300 years of Spanish occupation then 50 years of American occupation have led us to adopt a greatly different architectural style compared to many other Southeast Asian nations.
In Intramuros (the walled city), the Spanish stronghold in Manila developed in the 16th century, you can see Spanish and Latin American influences in architecture. You’ve probably heard of baroque architecture, but how about tropical baroque? Pineapples instead of gargoyles in a cathedral? Yep, it exists in Manila. You will find a lot of medieval Spanish style architecture (mostly churches) in many parts of the Philippines.
Just outside the walls of Intramuros are neoclassical and art deco buildings which sprung under American influence. Sadly, Manila was the second most destroyed city in the world after Warsaw after World War 2, and many of our Spanish and American “heritage” buildings and structures were never rebuilt.
9. Modern Urban Leisure
If nature tripping isn’t your thing, you can enjoy man-made attractions and facilities in major urban centers in the Philippines, particularly in Metro Manila. That’s modern city living and entertainment at lower prices.
Watch movies in 4D cinemas where the chairs move and there are ambient effects that enhance the movie-watching experience, learn more about sea creatures in Manila Ocean Park, watch the world’s largest dancing musical fountain in Entertain City, and play games such as laser tag and escape rooms, among others. You can expect to spend USD 5-25 per person for such attractions.
10. The People are Warm, Helpful, and Friendly
Filipinos are known to be some of the warmest, most helpful, and friendliest people on the planet. This is exemplified in rural areas in the Philippines, where most of the nature relaxation and adventure can be found. People will go out of their way to help you.
I would have to admit though that people in big cities may be a bit less welcoming than rural folk, but that’s not because they’re bad people, I think it’s just a function of their environment, they’re trying to be more cautious. Like in big cities in the western world or other parts of Asia, a little bit of caution is necessary. But this doesn’t mean we Manila folk are not hospitable; we still are!