Unexpected archipelago
THE PHILIPPINES
It’s Southeast Asia, but not as you know it: beautiful beaches, wild jungle and friendly faces – but mixed with Spanish architecture, Catholic festivals and a smattering of American culture, says Laura Gelder
TOP SELLING TIPS The less adventurous will
appreciate the excellent English spoken by Filipinos and the western foods
Bird watching is very popular in the Philippines, where there are 200 endemic bird species and over 600 species in total
Donsol in Bicol is one of the
best places in the world to see whale sharks. Visitors can swim right up close next to the giants
F
Clockwise from top left: Spanish-influenced Vigan in Luzon, jungle zip-lining is found all over the Philippines; a Palawan beach; the white sands of Boracay; the annual Moriones festival on Marinduque Island
52 March 2011 •
www.sellinglonghaul.com
or some reason, the Philippines has never quite matched other Southeast Asian destinations, like Thailand, when it comes to
attracting UK visitors. But with a spate of five-star developments, improved air connections and a pro-active tourist office, this looks set to change. The Philippines' 7,000-plus islands are
diverse enough to offer something for most clients. Luzon, the largest island, includes Manila, the capital and economic and political hub of the country known for its glossy shopping malls and vibrant nightlife. For contrast, Luzon also sports the
UNESCO-rated Banaue Rice Terraces and the colonial village of Vigan, the spectacular Lake Taal and Taal Volcano, and the beach resorts of Batangas. Further south is the island of Mindoro and Puerto Galera's world-class diving. A growing force to be reckoned with is Palawan, an island famous for its limestone cliffs and powdery beaches as well as its fantastic diving – particularly wrecks. It also has a subterranean
national park packed with rivers and caves ripe for explorers and adventurers. Once the preserve of the backpacker, Palawan now has some upper-end resorts to its bow, like Amannpulo, set on the private island of Pamalican, with 40 beach, hillside and treetop casitas. The Visayas comprises the islands of
Panay, Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, and Samar, amongst others, and is a region of tropical scenery and water sports. Cebu City, the eponymous capital of
the island, is the second largest urban centre in the country with good flight connections as well as large resorts, colonial heritage and smaller islands like the bare-foot beach hangout Bantayan, or the diving community of Malapascua. Bohol is famous for its Chocolate Hills,
a landscape of rolling hills with a passing likeness to Telly Tubby Land, and Tarsiers, the world’s smallest primate. Sister island Panglao is another diving centre. Budget accommodation can be found in Alona Beach, as well as higher-scale resorts like Eskaya Beach Resort and Spa. The sugar plantations, lakes and
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