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Traveling to the Philippines is a One of a Kind Life Experience

Hello. Welcome to my country - the Philippines!


I want to promote the Philippines, not just because I am a Filipino who lives here, but because the Philippines is a country that is so welcoming, so beautiful, and so diverse in a lot of ways. In this blog site, I’ve written many articles about the good places to visit here, the realities of life, and the challenges of the modern times we Filipinos are facing. I know those blogs are just a tiny portion of the whole story about the Philippines so in this another post series, I would highlight good stuffs that would more likely make you appreciate the land of the Filipinos in a more positive and engaging way.

Laiya - One of the Most-Visited Beaches in the Philippines During Summer

Boats in Hundred Islands, Alaminos, Pangasinan

If you’re reading this post right now and you happened to be not a Filipino, I suggest you continue up until the last word. You will get to discover what truly a good life is here in the country. Philippines is also known as the “Pearl of the Orient Seas” and this post will attempt to prove that to you, once again.

A Country Surrounded by Seas
You probably heard of Boracay, one of the famous beaches here in the Philippines. With fine white sands, beautiful sunset view, and lovely people, who would not try to be here when given the chance. Even Filipinos can’t resist the inviting beauty of this paradise that we spend our summer vacation here together with our families and friends.

Breathtaking Sunset View in Boracay, the Philippines

The Popular Fine White Sands and Vintas of Boracay Beach in Aklan, Philippines

But Boracay is just one of the thousands of amazing beach paradises in the Philippines. In a sense, the beauty of the Philippines lies within the lovely beaches we have. This is why we’re known to the world. With over 7,100 islands, each of these islands is surrounded with beaches many of which were now developed to accommodate thousands of visitors and tourists from anywhere in the world. Imagine having your lunch under a nipa hut with tasty lobsters, grilled squid and tuna, fresh buko juice, slices of juicy fruits, and plenty of other original Filipino seafood cuisines while looking at the blue ocean one summer day. How relaxing is that!

Caramoan Islands in Camarines Sur, Philippines

Hundred Islands in Alaminos, Pangasinan, the Philippines

If you have the means, why not book a travel in two or three beach resorts here in the country and get to experience the inviting seaside atmosphere of the Philippines. I recommend Coron in Palawan, Santa Fe in Cebu , Siargao Island in Surigao del Norte, Pagudpud in Ilocos Norte, and Laiya in Batangas. These beach places have plenty of hotels, inns, and inexpensive cottages to accommodate you. Aside from the famous ones, I suggest that you also explore other towns where there are beaches still not known to many. Town folks offer room sharing in their own house, renting of private villas, and other inexpensive ways of accommodation. Ever heard of Romblon, Bohol, Aurora, Pangasinan and Tingloy? The pearl of the seas are here.

Beautiful Beach with Crystal Clear Water in Batangas, the Philippines 

The Land of Farms and Plantations
With roughly about 300,000 sq. km land area, agriculture is the main source of living here in the Philippines. If what you want for dinner are those fresh and organically-grown fruits and vegetables, you can certainly find and eat them here. Did you know that Philippines is a major exporter of banana, pineapple, mango, and corn? Bananas are coming from Davao while pineapples are from Bukidnon. Chickens, hogs, cows, goats, duck, bangus and tilapia are also raised in many provinces in the Philippines. I believe this is one of the great reasons why many foreigners decided to stay and live here in the country.

Strawberry Plantation in Baguio, Benguet Province

Farm in the Philippines

Food is not at all a problem here.

With rich soil, tropical climate, and water abundance together with patience and hardwork, you can feel the advantages of becoming a Philippine farmer if you’ll only try. Growing your own tomatoes, pechay, squash, okra, and eggplant can be a good start. You can then plant a huge variety of vegetables as you go on. The abundance of agricultural products on Philippine markets is enough to prove Filipinos will never starve. We have here a local song titled “Bahay Kubo” and this is a song about all the vegetables you can grow at your backyard. The first line of this song says:

Bahay kubo kahit munti, ang halaman doon ay sar-sari…
(Native house even if it’s small, the plants there are in huge variety…)

Farm Valley in Mountain Province, the Philippines

Lettuce Farm in the Philippines

If you’re curious about how farming works here in the Philippines, there is a huge number of farms you can visit. In the province of Cavite alone, there are eco-tourism farms that will allows you to explore the life in a Philippine farm. In Tagaytay, Silang, Alfonso, and Indang, Cavite are where you can find established farms for herbs, honey bees, dragon fruit, and a variety of fruits and vegetables grown organically. In the popular Baguio City, there you can visit the strawberry farm as well the cabbage and carrot farms in the nearby towns of Benguet. In Lipa, Batangas and nearby towns are where the coffee, sugarcane, lanzones, rambutan, avocado, and mango plantations can be found. Living in a Philippine farm is truly a relaxing experience, much more when you get to know how the native Filipino farmers do it on their own traditional ways.

Great Wonders of Nature
Philippines is home to hundreds of nature reserves, national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and marine reserves. Yes, this country still has its resources to provide to the future generations. Known to be rich in natural resources, perhaps, this is one of obvious reasons why Filipinos wherever they go still choose to go back to their homeland. It is good to retire in the Philippines.

Snorkeling Spot in Bicol, the Philippines

Ocean View in Northern Philippines

Underground River in Palawan Island, the Philippines

Wonders of nature truly captivates both the local and foreign visitors.

If you’re into hiking, camping, or mountaineering, then Philippines is the best place to be. Pico de Loro, Banahaw, Mount Pinatubo, Mount Apo, and Mount Pulag are among of the best places to go camping and hiking. Of course, every beach is the best place to build your tents in the sand and make bonfire at night. There are also places where you can go for bird watching. You can go to Candaba in Pampanga, La Mesa Eco Park in Quezon City, Angat Dam in Bulacan, Olango Island in Cebu, or Mount Palay-Palay in Cavite. If you want to encounter marine wildlife up close and personal, visit Donsol in Sorsogon for whale shark called “butanding”. You can go to Anilao in Batangas or Samal Island in Davao if you love snorkeling and scuba diving. Rich coral reefs are why our seas are a bit different from the rest of the world.

Burnham Park in Baguio City, Philippines

Kaybiang Tunnel in Mount Palay-Palay Nature Reserve

Mines View Park in Baguio City

Epic View of Taal Volcano at the Center of Taal Lake from Tagaytay City, the Philippines

My Travel Tips
Get ready those digital cam, smartphone, or GoPro cam and experience the breathtaking beauty of the Philippines. It is not that expensive to be in these places, really. Also, Filipinos are very hospitable, friendly, and nice to be with.

While travel websites, social media sites, and review sites are there to assist you on what you need to know about traveling around the country, it is always good to get in touch with someone who’s familiar with the place you want to go. There are no specific rules actually, but there are things you need to at least keep in mind if you want to enjoy your vacation in the Philippines. It is always exciting to know the culture of the country or place you want to go to for in that will help you truly appreciate everything.

That conversation with the local people is something that cannot be bought by money. I suggest that you ask, shake hands, and smile and laugh with Filipinos. Truth is, Filipinos working in the tourism industry are among of the best-in-class if it’s about hospitality services despite of the fact that they are also the people whom are mostly in the lower class of the society. Mingle with them as if they are your friends and everything will be cool and fine.

In the next post, I will share a few more stuffs that would let you love the Philippines even more. Watch out for the next post.



There Exists the Hundred Islands and They’re Beautiful

A New Life, a New Beggining - A Boracay Getaway of Elliezer and Marivic

Oh Tagaytay Oh Tagaytay – You’re Truly a Paradise


About the Author
Noriel Panganiban is a Filipino blogger/writer who wants to introduce the Philippines to the people of the world. His posts expose the truth about becoming a Filipino, the good and the bad. Noriel's vision is to inspire Filipinos to do good for the interest of the entire nation and not just for their own benefit. The ultimate goal is to welcome the good changes and make the Philippines a better nation, a first world country. As a writer, Noriel also wants to bring free education to the Filipinos who needs it the most. You can get to know more Noriel by visiting his educational website, www.knowriel.com and by following him on his social media channels - LinkedIn and Facebook.

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