The Philippines is a country that is worth visiting for many reasons including the natural environment, shopping, historical attractions, beaches, wildlife, and the nightlife. However, the country is also notable for its food, to the point that a visit to the Philippines is not complete without sampling any of its famous dishes.

Typical Filipino buffet

Philippine cuisine is truly remarkable and each region or province has its share of delightful tastes that helped define their local culture. Nowadays, you can find that the food choices served by the Filipinos range from simple street favorites to well-prepared dishes and home-cooked meals that can leave a lasting impression in your taste buds.

Philippine food is influenced by many ethnic and international roots, with major influences including the Spanish, Chinese, Indians, and Indonesians. Most meals served in the country are accompanied by rice, which is a food staple. Filipinos are also fond of sauces and spices that you can also optionally add to your food like soy sauce, vinegar, fish sauce, and red pepper. There are also tasty and flavorful noodle dishes that you can enjoy like pancit canton, pancit malabon, and lomi.

It is also worthwhile to try regional specialties like the Bicol Express that originated in Bicol, a province in southern Luzon. This spicy dish is known for its peppers and spices that can truly excite your taste buds. Also worth trying are dishes like Bulalo, Caldereta, Sisig, Bopis, Dinuguan, Karekare, Lechon, Kinilaw, Sinigang, Tinola, and the already famous Adobo.

Street foods in the Philippines are also worth trying with some exotic choices like the Balut (duck egg)and fried crickets. There are plenty of street food vendors in the Philippines where you can also sample favorites like fish balls, squid balls, isaw, and chicharon.

All the food choices mentioned here are just some of the many other dishes that you can sample when visiting the Philippines. Why not drop by today and get started on a food trip?

The Philippines is one of the most popular travel destinations in Asia mostly due to its pristine beaches, interesting historic sites and cultural attractions. But just like any other trip to a foreign country, you have to be well prepared for travelling around the islands to make your holiday worthwhile.

Climate

The Philippines has a tropical climate and gets a lot of rainfall. The best times to visit are during the cool season from November to February and during the summer months of March through May. However, you might want to avoid travelling around the country during Christmas and Easter or the Holy Week because everyone is actually on the move during those times so it’s difficult to arrange for proper transport as all flights are booked.

Fiestas

If you’re looking to experience the many festivities in the country, best book your flight during the months of January, May or December because this is when most of the fiestas are held. It’s important to note, however, that the summer months including May can get really warm for comfort so make sure to bring cool clothing with you.

Clothes

Because of the climatic changes in the country, you’ll need a wide variety of clothes. You want loose and light clothing for visiting the beaches, sweaters for trekking the mountains or heading up north to the uplands. You might also want to bring flip-flops because they are the best footwear for walking the streets of various cities.

What to bring

When you’re travelling around the Philippines, you will need to bring as little as possible. You will need an umbrella, travel plug adapter, medications and your camera, of course. Don’t bring a lot of expensive valuables especially if you’re going to walk through crowded areas like Quiapo.

Manila is the capital of the Philippines but it is not the only home to the best nightlife. In fact, going beyond Manila, you can experience more exciting and maybe even unconventional night-out adventures. Here is an overview of what to expect from some of the popular hotspots for a nightlife in the Philippines.

Davao

Davao can give you a lot of reasons to enjoy your visit, ranging from its cultural diversity to its beaches and of course, its vibrant nightlife. Most of the hotels have bars where you can mingle with other guests, usually foreigners like yourself. Otherwise, you can choose among the selection of bars and clubs in the city, like the ones along Jacinto Street or at the Matina Town Square where you can immerse yourself in the local culture and nightlife scene while enjoying a variety of drinks and food.

Cebu

The nightlife of Cebu is equally exciting as that of Manila. Since the city is already urbanized, you can expect various places where you can party, sing, drink, and dance all night. Local entertainment also consists of various places where you can enjoy homegrown music from locally-produced bands. Salinas Drive in Cebu is home to the biggest disco in the city, the Sunflower Disco. On the other hand is Club Vudu that you can find at the Crossroads where high-profile clients flock to enjoy an evening. There is also the Mango Square found near the Fuente Osmena Circle where several nightclubs await to please the night owls.

Boracay

As a popular tourist and vacation destination, Boracay is well known for its beaches and highly regarded for its vibrant nightlife. Nightlife and party enthusiasts won’t have a hard time searching for a place to enjoy the evening with plenty of bars, discos, clubs, and pubs offering a one-of-a-kind atmosphere that can match the taste of any party lover.

A collection of green island gems scattered between the vast Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea, the Philippines is bursting full of natural wonders that are waiting to be explored and discovered. Luzon, Palawan, and the numerous Visayan islands are all blessed with different natural attractions that include sky-high terraces, rolling hills, underground rivers, and scenic mountains.

Banaue Rice Terraces, a man-made natural attraction located high in a mountain range in the island of Luzon, is a world-famous destination. In fact, it is often dubbed the eight natural wonder of the world. This UNESCO recognized site is a collection of rice field terraces that were supposedly hand-carved in the mountain slopes by Philippine natives several thousands of years ago. Benguet province, where the terraces are located, is 10 hours away by bus from Manila.

Another unique land formation in the Philippines is located in the island province of Bohol in the Visayas. The Chocolate Hills, as the attraction is dubbed, features more than a hundred limestone hills that resemble chocolate drops, especially during the hot summer months.

Several mountains and volcanoes in the Philippines also make for outstanding destinations. Mt. Pinatubo in Luzon inspired worldwide panic when in erupted in the early 1990s but today, it is a famous destination for adventure-seeking tourists. Taal Volcano, an active volcano in southern Luzon, is also very popular. It is located near Tagaytay, a destination known for its cool weather and excellent accommodation facilities.

A list of the top natural destinations in the Philippines would not complete without mentioning Mt. Mayon, which is considered one of the most beautiful volcanoes in the world thanks to its almost perfect cone. Mt. Mayon is located in Legazpi City in Albay, a province in southern Luzon.

Then again, not all of the Philippines best natural attractions are located above ground. In the island Palawan, there is a subterranean river system that every visitor to the Philippines should visit. A trip down the Underground River, as it the system is popularly referred to, is an incredibly exciting experience.

A trip to the Philippines won’t be complete without buying anything that you can take home as a souvenir. While the country may not exactly be a retail wonderland, it still offers charming options as far as shopping enthusiasts are concerned. In fact, in Manila alone, you can find several high-end shopping malls (think Gucci) and even more cheap, hole-in-the-wall stores selling all sorts of merchandise you can imagine. The Philippines has everything from goods designed by locals to top international designer names. From electronics, clothes, shoes, and more – all of these are easily available in any of Manila’s many malls and department stores.

Shopping in the Philippines is also a tourist attraction itself, especially if you search for locally-made goods like woodcarvings, handicrafts, and jewelry with designs that are unique to the country. Cebu and Manila are among the best cities to visit when it comes to retail therapy. In Manila, you can drop by under the bridge in Quiapo so you can purchase useful bamboo or palm baskets for a cheaper price than when you buy them in malls. You also have the option to haggle for much cheaper prices to get  the best value for your money. You can also head over to Marikina where you can find a wide variety of locally made and designed footwear that boast world-class quality.

If you’re okay with a long bus ride to Baguio, you can shop for silver jewelry and interesting antiques that can give an eccentric charm to your house back home. Baguio is also home to the well-known ukay-ukay shops where you can buy a variety of really cheap second-hand apparel, shoes, and bags that are one-of-a-kind. Who knows, you may score second-hand designer goods for less than a dollar when you drop by every Sunday morning or Saturday night? Nowadays, you can also find ukay-ukay shops in Manila and other major cities, too, but prices may be a bit higher.

Elsewhere in Luzon, you can find more products such as hair pieces, bracelets, necklaces, mats, bags, fans, hats, and other souvenir-worthy products with different designs according to the region where you are buying them.

Bancas and beachlife

Cruise the islands of the world’s second largest archipelago, from Luzon in the North to frontiers of Palawan. There’s thousands of islands and many more gorgeous beaches waiting to be discovered, and the island hopping starts here.

This Philippines travel blog is the beta version of a 100 page, picture laden site, rich in travel tips and essential info, coming soon. We’ve been all over Southeast Asia seeking out the best spots and they’re all here on this site to help make your travels easier and more rewarding.

Whether you are coming to dive, sail, treat yourself to fresh seafood, mingle with the locals, soak up the sun, trek volcanic peaks or simply lie on the tropical beaches, the Philippines promises an excellent holiday. Start planning it here.

One fantastic way to experience the Philippines is to hire your own private villa on one of the islands, and you can find plenty of choices on sites like self catering breaks.