Discover the Philippines
The Philippines is an archipelago in South-East Asia consisting of 7,107 island and is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, Celebes Sea and the South China Sea. It is the only predominantly Christian nation in Asia with an approximate of 85 percent of the total population made up of Christians, most of them Roman Catholic.
The archipelago is rich in natural beauty and has many species that are endemic to the Philippines alone. The bio-diversity is seen in a wide range of habitats from sandy beaches to lush tropical jungles and high mountains.
Quick Facts About The Philippines
- Many Filipino women have “Maria” on their names because during the Spanish occupation, priest would refuse to baptize a child if the parents’ chosen name does not have reference to Virgin Mary.
- Three presidents aced the bar exams namely Manuel Roxas, Diosdado Macapagal, and Ferdinand Marcos.
- Rafflesia or Uruy is the largest flower in the world and it is found in the province of Antique.
- Following United States and England, Philippines was considered as the third largest English speaking nation in the world.
- Philippines is considered the “text capital of the world”, with the biggest volume of text messages daily.
- The SM Mall of Asia is the biggest mall in Asia with a 5-hectare land area having a total of 550 retail stores, shops, and restaurants
- Former First Lady Imelda Marcos was recorded by the Guinness Book of World Records as the woman with the largest shoe collection with around 3,400 pairs of expensive shoes.
- St. Paul of Palawan is the longest navigable underground river in the world.
- Next to Canada and Indonesia, Philippines has the third largest coastline in the world.
- The Philippine Tarsier's have huge eyes compared to the size of their body, providing them with excellent night vision.
- Pandaka Pygmaea or Dwarf Goby is the tiniest fish in the world and found in Philippines’ freshwaters.
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Diving in The Philippines
The archipelago of the The Philippines is located in the Coral Triangle, a triangular shaped area encompassing parts of Indonesia, Malaysia and Papua New Guinea, which is home to the most diverse marine life of the planet.
Diving in The Philippines started in Anilao, 2 hour south of Manila and renowned for its macro life. A few hours north of Manila is Subic Bay, a former US navy base which major attractions are the WW II wrecks beneath the waterline. More wreck diving options can be found in Coron, also named the wreck diving capital of The Philippines, due to the remains of a battle group of Japanese WWII warships resting in its waters.
Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro boasts some of the countries prime underwater views and has the cheapest prices for dive courses and fun dives. The waters surrounding Balicasag Island in Bohol are teeming with unusual marine critters and offer stunning visiblity to divers. Snorkelers also will not be disappointed at this place as the coral starts at shallow depths.
Tubbataha Reef is an UNESCO World Heritage site located in the middle of the Sulu Sea some 10 hours away by boat from Puerto Princesa. The pristine reefs are festooned with hard and soft corals and home to an impressive array of tropical marine life. Weather only permits live-aboard excursions to these pristine reefs from April to June. Read more.
Climate of The Philippines
The proximity to the equator puts the whole of the Philippines in the tropical climate zone. Local temperature and rainfall patterns however vary widely due to altitude and wind and sea patterns. If you compare for example the rainfall in Davao and Banaue you will notice that the rainfall in Davao is evenly distributed throughout the year, while in Davao there is a clear peak in the months from May till October.
| Rainfall in Davao | Rainfall In Banaue |
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The same is true for the temperatures, in Davao temperatures are monthly above 25°C / 77°F, while in Banaue temperatures can drop to 12 °C / 54°F during the winter months. For more information about the rainfall and temperature patterns of destinations in The Philippines click one of the following links.
Exchange rate
Philippine PesoAirlines Philippines
- Cebu Pacific air
- Philippine Airlines (PAL)
- Zest Air
- Air Asia
- Airphil express
- Seair
- Subic Air
- Spirit of Manila Airlines
- Tiger Airways
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