My husband and I went to the Philippines to celebrate our birthdays at one of the most beautiful islands, Boracay. We wanted nothing more than to lie in the sun and swim in the ocean. Well, Mother Nature had other plans and we spent most of our time indoors thanks to a typhoon. STILL, we were able to love the Philippines and created this list of the top five reason why you too should visit.
Communication
Traveling to a foreign land can be exciting as well as nerve wracking. One thing that makes people feel more at ease is being able to communicate. Luckily, English, an official country language, is taught to all students and is used often on the islands.
This ensures that despite thick accents, everyone in the Philippines speaks perfect English. You don’t have to carry a translation dictionary with you or get frustrated when lost and trying to get directions. Plus, haggling for a better price is much easier when you don’t have to only rely on hand gestures and a smile.
Activities
There is a huge variety of things to do in the Philippines. First of all, know better than to spend all your days in the grungy capital city of Manila because there is so much more beyond it. In most cities you’ll be able to find a night market of street vendors all pretty much selling the same local souvenirs and goods. It is nice to experience and will serve as the perfect one-stop-place for all your shopping needs.
In addition to being a consumer, you can be a participant! The beach towns offer tons of water sports such as jet skiing, wind surfing, and parasailing. Maybe you want to try your hand at diving, so why not taking a diving course at your own resort. If this sounds like something you and your family want to do, then why not check out the Liquid Dumaguete Resort to see what else they have to offer. Not your idea of vacation? Then head to one of the many spas for a relaxing massage or café to listen to live music; Filipinos sure love to sing, and boy are they good at it!
Breathtaking
With over 7,000 islands (yes, you read that correctly) there is lots of beauty to behold in the Philippines. The white sand and clear water beaches go on for days, and they contrast against the green rolling hills and rock cliffs in a way you have to see to believe.
Hospitality
Filipinos are some of the most genuine, kind-hearted, hospitable people I’ve ever met. Sometimes you go to a place and the hotel staff tries to act nice because that’s their job, but you can still sense a fake vibe. But in the Philippines people are nice, warm, and pleasing because that’s just naturally the type of people they are!
There is a spirit amongst the people that transcends into their culture and across all 7,000 islands. If you ask someone for advice on where to eat, they will walk you to their favorite restaurant, tell the owner you are a personal friend and to take good care of you, and will even ask if you want a ride back to your hotel after – this is not an exaggeration! And they don’t do it for gratuities; they do it because that’s just how their mama raised them.
Easy on your pocket
You can live like a king and queen in the Philippines! Who doesn’t want to go on vacation and splurge on the best of everything? Your money will go a long ways in the Philippines, making it possible to live the life of luxury and not feel the least bit guilty about it! I usually keep track of everything I spend while traveling. Here is a rundown of one day in the “over-priced tourist town” of Boracay, for two people:
- 5 star hotel suite with breakfast: $110
- Lunch of fresh-caught seafood and noodles: $8
- One hour spa massage: $14/person
- Local transport: $2
- Dinner at a ‘fancy’ restaurant: $37
- Fruit cocktails and live music at a beach café: $6
WE SAID THIS: Check out Zeina’s site, Habby Travels, for more about her experiences.