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.

Philippines tourism can be considered as the country’s comparative advantage and this is the reason why the government puts great effort in promoting the tourism industry. The country is archipelagic and located in the Pacific Ocean and this is one reason why the tourism is a hit in the country.

The Philippines has been blessed with stunning natural resources made more appealing by its distinctive culture which in turn was influenced by many foreign cultures. Spain, Latin America and the United States have all contributed in its little ways to help make the Filipino culture what it is right now.

The tourism in the country is booming thanks to its natural resources scattered in all parts of the country and also to its unique Filipino identity. The tourism in the Philippines began stepping up in the 1970s and this lasted until the mid 1980s. After that time, tourist arrivals in the country started to slow down. An indicator that the country’s tourism business is on the move down is on the average stay each of the tourist in the country. By 1988, the average stay of a tourist in the country is 8.9 days. This figure is significantly lower than the registered 12.6 days in previous years. But this scenario for the country didn’t last since by 1990s, the sector once again peaked with around 1.2 million tourist arrivals for 1992. This jolt in the arrival of visitor in the country has gave the Department of Tourism a more optimistic outlook and allowed for the Department to say that they anticipate more tourist arrivals in the future.

By the year 2000, the tourist arrivals in the Philippines totaled 2.2 million and this was pushed to 2,838,000 by 2003. The Philippine archipelago is known for many sights, sounds and festivals and these are some of the reasons why the tourism industry in the country is a hit.

From Metropolitan Manila to as far as the Northern provinces to the southern provinces of the country, there will always be a tourist spot that travelers and tourists will love.

. Metropolitan Manila. Intramuros in Manila and Makati City are known tourist draws. The Intramuros in Manila is called the ‘walled city of Manila’. This was built in the 1500s and originally the whole of Manila was confined within the areas of the walled city. But since the city has been growing exponentially, a number of buildings have been built outside the city. Right now, Intramuros is being visited due to its museums, churches and the old fort. Manila on the other hand is known for its vibrant night life. A nightlife and party scene that can rival those found in other Asian capitals. Other than Manila, Boracay and Cebu are also considered as party hotspots in the country. Makati is simply Manila in a modern way. Most modern amenities can be seen here- from shopping malls to major hotels and business centers.

. Aklan. This is one province in the Visayas region and considered as one of the most visited provinces in the country. Aklan is known for its ‘Ati-Atihan Festival that is hosted in Kalibo.

. Bohol. This province in the Visayas region is known for its ‘Chocolate Hills’. These are limestone hills that look like ‘chocolate hills from afar. The province is also the home of the Philippine Tarsier, which is considered as one of the smallest primates in the world.

. Northern Philippines. The Northern Philippines is famous also because of its many tourist spots. One popular destination is Mt Pinatubo known for its massive eruption that happened in 1991. The Hundred Islands is another place worth visiting. The Banaue Rice Terraces are known for its beauty too- rice terraces that are carved from the mountainside. This is a UNESCO world heritage site. A visit to the northern provinces of the country will not be complete without checking the ‘Hanging Coffins’ of Sagada.

. Taal Volcano in Laguna is worth checking too, and this is considered as one of the smallest volcano in the world.

. Palawan. This is a province and an island located in the South China Sea and known for its beaches.

. Boracay. And speaking of beaches, Boracay is one spot worth visiting.

There are a number of great tourist spots in the country and since the country is archipelagic in nature, some of the adventure that can be experienced by the tourists will be mostly water-based. Philippine tourism activities and festivals are often concentrated on some of the best surfing and diving sites in the country.

About the Philippines: The Philippines is an archipelago in Southeast Asia composed of more that 7,100 islands. Many of the volcanic islands that constitute the archipelago are isolated. The 11 largest islands namely Luzon, Masbate, Mindoro, Palawan, Bohol, Cebu, Leyte, Samar, Negros, Panay, and Mindanao, account for more than 94% of the total land area.

The topography is generally hilly, rising to a high point of about 3 kilometers at Mount Apo, a volcano in the island of Mindanao. Luzon and Mindanao islands only have wide lowland areas. There are various dormant and active volcanos, particularly Mount Pinatubo in Central Luzon, which made a big noise in 1991.

Wildlife incorporates the carabao (water buffalo), monkeys, reptiles, and tropical birds. There are rich deposits of gold, lead, manganese, silver, nickel, cobalt, chromium, copper, iron ore and coal and an excellent hydroelectric and geothermal power impending. Volcanic steam provides an increasing factor of the nation’s power supply demands.

There are two distinct seasons, the Dry and the Wet. The dry season is somewhere between the month of March to June whereas the wet season is from the month of July to October. The period in between is neither too hot nor too wet for comfort. Humidity is relatively high, about 80%. The climate is warm but healthy. It was considered that it is one of the most favorable tropical climates all over the world.

The mean annual lowland temperature is about 27°C (80°F). Temperatures fluctuate more between day and night and high and low altitudes than between seasons.

The Filipino people is a mixture of races. Racially, most Filipinos are a mixture of Malaya and Mongoloid races, with some mixture of Chinese, Indian, Arab, Spanish, and American elements. The Spanish expression ‘mestizo’ is used to describe anyone of mixed blood.

Although the Filipino people speak a variety of languages and are spread across many islands, they have a rather high degree of cultural resemblance. The long fight for self-government, the utilize of Filipino (which is the national language) and English languages in the schools, the persuade of Christianity, and the rural-to-urban relocation have contributed to union. Least saturated are the Muslims of the south, the upland hill tribes, and recent Chinese immigrants.

Generally, Filipinos have these qualities: friendly, hospitable, devoted to family, respectful of authorities, devoted, sentimental and happy. They could easily adjust to new situations almost certainly because of the fact that they had been under several colonial rules in the past.