Phillippines Vacations

Overview

The Philippines is an island country located in Southeast Asia. It's made up of 7,107 islands in the western Pacific Ocean and is divided into three island groups: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Manila, which is the capital city, is on Luzon.

There are many active volcanoes in the Philippines such as the Mayon Volcano, Mount Pinatubo, and Taal Volcano in the archipelago. The country has tropical climate and it is usually hot and humid throughout the year. To avoid typhoons, the best time to take a Philippines vacation is from December to May.

Activities & Attractions

Ocean lovers will enjoy the country's many pristine beaches. Boracay Island offers the perfect beach getaway with shopping, open air music, and much more. Diniwid Beach Resort has fewer crowds but is great for relaxation.

A vacation to the Philippines has to include a stop in Manila, the world's eleventh largest metropolitan area. While there you can dine in elegant restaurants or visit entertaining clubs. Plus, there is plenty of great shopping in the many stores and open-air markets. If you are into history you can take a tour of Intramuros, a Spanish walled city of Manila, for a deeper understanding of Manila heritage.

The city of Tagaytay is nestled on a 600 meter high ridge overlooking Taal Volcano. This geological wonder is still active and occasional rumblings do sometimes trigger an evacuation. The last eruption was over 40 years ago but did not cause major damage.

Another tourist attraction in the Philippines is the island of Cebu. It offers many fine beaches with opportunities for scuba diving. If you visit in January, you can join the city's biggest annual event, the Sinulog Festival.

Lodging

It is not difficult to find lodging in the Philippines. You can find hotels and accommodations for every type of budget. The Heritage Hotel, Manila Pavilion Hotel, Century Park Hotel and Bay View Hotel are some of the more popular hotels in Manila. If you wish to learn more on hotels in the country and how to make reservations in them, you can check out the Web sites in the resource section below.

Transportation

Roads connect most places in the country. In fact, the most popular mode of transportation in Manila is the Jeepney, which is a type of colorful jeep. Other modes of transportation in the cities include taxis and the Light Rail Transit system. To get from island to island you can use either the ferries or any one of the domestic airports.