You’ll find 7,000 plus islands belonging to the Philippines. Travel within the archipelago is considered to be both unique and demanding. Filipino holiday travel features a large number of beaches, unspoiled sceneries and resort hopping. Regarding picky vacationers, luxury travel in the Philippines may possibly mean full exposure to the country’s beauty and natural resources. Regrettably, some bad publicity has dogged the Philippine travel and tourist market in recent years, which has understandably put a damper on many people’s vacation plans. Nevertheless, it’s definitely worth the experience to the forward-looking traveler.

The language barrier is not really a problem during your vacation since around 85% of the local residents at the very least understand English, and a good majority talk it well enough to make it one of the premier call center outsourcing countries for the English-speaking community. Even in far-flung locations, an English-speaker can have virtually no problems getting understood, particularly in luxurious major resorts which usually cater to foreigners who are on vacation. Travel to the beaches might provide you the chance to feel the hospitality of the people, which makes it a preferred place to go for many holidaymakers. Philippine travel is one great experience you can’t afford to miss especially if you are on the verge of looking great places.

Additionally, accommodation at even high class hotels and serviced condominiums are affordable. A tourist enjoying his/her journey can pay as low as $30 a single night in Southern Leyte, in the southern area of the country. The amenities at these kinds of hotels and resorts will include a wide variety of cuisines, from the legendary adobo to Italian fare orchestrated by international cooks. Spa amenities jostle for prominence with diving options, because the reefs along side the Philippine beaches are believed to be among the finest in the world.

Just about the most popular locations is Boracay Island . This area provides high class travel for all holidaymakers with full accommodation, high class resorts to the basic hut on the shore. Adventurous vacationers can also enjoy their travel around the white beaches and clear blue seas.

Alternative destinations include Davao and Cebu. Within the island of Luzon, options are varied from the beach vacation to cultural engagement with a travel tour of the many historical attractions including Bataan and Corregidor, not forgetting the attractions of Cavite and Manila. Exclusive islands for the tired holidaymakers are available like Pamalican; a tropical island located 200 miles from Palawan. The Amanpoulo capitalizes on the exotic splendor, providing travellers with casitas, hut-like constructions that mask the present day facilities of the interior. Surrounded by coral reefs, your high class travel within the Philippines can be quite a reality when you pay a visit to Amanpoulo, this area can be reached by charter plane from Manila at $330 per individual. Once at Amanpoulo, a visitor can enjoy all facilities for $875 per individual for seven days. It is always fully booked so if you want to spend your trip at Amanpoulo, book ahead of time through your own travel agent.

Have you ever wonder why this country has been coveted by some powerful nations? What is it in these islands that captured the interest of foreign countries? You must read this article to find out.

Location and Area

The islands of the Philippines are situated in the Southeast part of the Asian archipelago; these beautiful islands are surrounded by three bodies of water: on the east you’ll find the Pacific Ocean, the China Sea on the west and northern part, and on the southern part is the Celebes Sea. Islands that are near the Philippines are Taiwan on the northern part and Borneo which is on the southwest part. You can also find the island of Palau on the east, past the Philippine Sea and on the south are the islands of Sulawesi and Moluccas. The considered national hero of the country gave the title “Pearl of the Orient Seas” to the Philippines. From this you can imagine the beauty of the Philippine Islands if it was likened to a pearl.

Geography

The Philippines is composed of 7,107 islands and islets and because of this, the Philippine Islands was considered the largest archipelago of the world. This is divided into three larger sections – the Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. There were eleven main islands and these are, Bohol, Cebu, Leyte, Luzon, Masbate, Mindanao, Mindoro, Negros, Palawan, Panay and Samar. And to have a clearer view of the area there are fifteen (15) regions, which are further, divided into provinces, municipalities and barangays.

Topography

Mountains and lots of them can be found in the islands, and most of the high mountains in the area are volcanic in origin and are covered by a tropical rainforest. The Philippines is said to be lying on the volatile Pacific “Ring of Fire.” There are two hundred twenty-one (221) volcanoes but only 21 active volcanoes can be found in the Philippine islands. Some of the well known active volcanoes of the Philippines are Mayon Volcano, which is one of the beautiful volcanoes in the Philippines with its perfect cone shape; Mt. Pinatubo, which draw attention when it erupted and left thousands of people homeless and the Taal Volcano which is bounded by water. Even though these three active volcanoes bring worry to the people, it also generates a lot of awe from tourists who take pleasure to view it. Mt. Apo is the highest mountain which is located in Mindanao. This is perfect for mountain climbing enthusiasts.

Coral reefs can also be seen in the many islands in the Philippines, these vivid creations of nature attract tourist from all over the globe. You can find in some of the larger islands, the three major mountain ranges: the Caraballo, Cordillera and Sierra Madre ranges. The Agusan valley, Cagayan Vvlley, Cotabato River valley and the central plain of Luzon is what comprised the four major lowlands of the country.

You can find varied flora and fauna in the rainforests which can be found in the many islands of the Philippines. A large number of bird species can only be found in this country. The flora of the islands is quite similar to those of Borneo and Sumatra but there are some distinct differences that made it uniquely owned. Tourist can feast their eyes to the wonderful and colorful scenery in these islands.

The longest river in the Philippines is the Cagayan River and can be found in the northern part of Luzon. Some of the important bays are Laguna de Bay, Manila Bay, Subic Bay, Davao Gulf and Moro Gulf.

Aside from the grandiose structures in the different islands, there are still other things that can be done while visiting these various islands. Several of the main islands are tourist spots and will offer you the rest and relaxation that you truly needed. Beach resorts, peculiar places, caves, sceneries, historic places, and sports are available. You can also try island hopping in nearby islets and experience the fun and excitement in camping in an island.

The Islands of the Philippines are not only providing tourists places to visit and stay but also to experience the hospitality that only a Filipino (native of the Philippines) can absolutely give. This is a must-see and must-visit destination.