Scattered like jewels across the Pacific Ocean, the 7107 islands of the Philippines lie well off the radar of most travellers, despite the lure of riotous fiestas, stunning beaches and some of the best diving in the world! Each of the islands has its own unique character, most are covered in dense jungles and volcanoes, and almost all have glorious beaches and fringing coral reefs.
Best time to visit:
September to May to avoid typhoon season.
Top things to see:
- The perfect sands of Boracay island,
- Rice terraces on an epic scale at Banaue,
- Butanding (whale sharks) on their annual migration past Luzon island,
- Peaceful island backwaters like Siquijor, Carmiguin nd Bohol,
- The spooking hanging coffins of Sagada.
Top things to do:
- Ride in a jeepney (the wildly decorated stretched jeeps that serve as buses across the Philippines),
- Dive into an eerie graveyard at WW11 shipwrecks at Coron on Busuanga,
- Survive the nightlife in Manila – Asia’s most notorious metropolis,
- Ride a dirt bike across rugged Palawan.
Local Cuisine:
Adobo (pork or chicken stewed in vinegar and soy sauce) – the national dish of the Philippines.
Best known for:
San Miguel beer, coral reefs, coc-palm plantations, beaches, jeepneys.
As always if you have any stories or adventures from your trip to the Philippines you would like to share with us, we would LOVE to hear from you! Simply e-mail us at: OntheQT.ie@gmail.com!
