Philippines guide

The Philippines represent a series of the scattered islands along the fringes of the Pacific Rim stretching from Malaysia's Sabar in the south to Taiwan in the north. The nation cobbles together some 7000 islands or more, and it is this geological disintegration that characterises the Philippines. The infrastructure and development is as broken as the contours of the land, and each province or island has traditionally been somewhat separate from the rule of the capital. Endemic corruption and conflicting religious backgrounds means the country grapples with overwhelming social, economic and political problems. Also, rather unluckily, its location means it suffers a catalogue of natural disasters – typhoons, hurricanes, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. In fact, the unfortunate Philippines was recently cited as the most disaster prone country in the world! So quite why would you come? Could it be the fascinating rice terraces of north Luzon, or Boracay's White Beach oft cited as the best beach in the world, or the steep limestone cliffs and spectacular diving around the secluded islands of Palawan or the chocolate hills of Bohol or could it be just that infectious Filipino smile which welcomes all comers to these stunningly beautiful shores? No doubt for delicate travelers the Philippines might prove intimidating, but for the majority the diversity and sheer beauty make the effort worthwhile.

El Nido, Palawan

Being the only Asian country colonized by the Spanish, the Philippines is quite apart from any other land of the East. It exudes a Latin flair and pulse and has more in common with South American countries than near neighbours Taiwan, Malaysia, Hong Kong or Japan. The culture is heavily rooted in religion and spirituality, with the vast majority of Filipinos following Catholicism. Most pay more heed to their church leaders than their traditionally weak governments (periodically turfed out by incredible surges of 'People Power').

The country can broadly be split into three regions – the northerly fertile island Luzon, the central island band of the Visayas and Palawan, and the large island of Mindanao furthest south. Metro Manila is found on Luzon and is a sprawling and chaotic city. It is not a pretty city and for visitors it is more famed for its raunchy nightlife, Manila and Bangkok being considered international leaders in the ambiguous massage field. The commercial centre Makati is orderly and smooth except for the traffic, but the poverty elsewhere is quite obvious and some areas are best avoided.

Chocolate Hills, Bohol

As soon as you leave the city behind the pace drops. The Visayas and Palawan feel much more remote than they look on the map. Cebu City is a major commercial hub but not far away are the developed beaches of Mactan and countless quieter forgotten ones. The dive sites around this region are absolutely fantastic, with crystal waters and abundant marine life drawing underwater enthusiasts from all over the world.

Distant Mindanao is closer to Malaysia and Indonesia than Manila and culturally separate from the rest of the country. By the time you get down there the capital's influence has all but dissipated. It has a predominantly Moslem population with a strong separatist movement characterised by some guerilla activity. Mindanao has real security issues and it is strongly advisable to give the island a wide berth.

Rice Terraces, Banaue

Filipino hotels are not the best by Asian standards but this is more down to shaky infrastructure than anything else. Within the mediocrity are some real gems of resorts and some world-class business hotels. The staff are almost always a total delight. Smiles are a constant in the Philippines, no matter what life conjures up, so it is almost impossible not to be drawn to them, and the level of English spoken is remarkably high, among the best in Asia.

Typhoons can bring the Philippines to a standstill so it is best to visit it away from the wet season during the humid and sticky summer months around July to September. Outside this period you can expect beaming sunshine to match the smiles of this happy people.

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