Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Insight Guides The Philippines (Travel Guide eBook)
    Insight Guides The Philippines (Travel Guide eBook)
    Insight Guides The Philippines (Travel Guide eBook)
    Ebook760 pages6 hours

    Insight Guides The Philippines (Travel Guide eBook)

    By Insight Guides

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    This Insight Guide is a lavishly illustrated inspirational travel guide to the Philippines and a beautiful souvenir of your trip. Perfect for travellers looking for a deeper dive into the destination's history and culture, it's ideal to inspire and help you plan your travels. With its great selection of places to see and colourful magazine-style layout, this Philippines guidebook is just the tool you need to accompany you before or during your trip. Whether it's deciding when to go, choosing what to see or creating a travel plan to cover key places like Boracay or Palawan, it will answer all the questions you might have along the way. It will also help guide you while you're exploring Mount Apo or discovering Ifugao rice terraces on the ground. Our Philippines travel guide was fully-updated post-COVID-19.

    The Insight Guide The Philippines covers:     Luzon, Manila, Manila's Environs, The Central Plains, Ilocos Region, Northeast Luzon, Central Cordillera, Bicol Peninsula, Luzon's Islands, Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Western Visayas, Palawan, Northern Palawan, Southern Palawan, Mindanao, Southern and Central Mindanao, Northern Mindanao and Caraga, Zamboanga and the Sulu Islands.

    In this guide book to the Philippines you will find:

    IN-DEPTH CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL FEATURES  
    Created to provide a deeper dive into the culture and the history of the Philippines to get a greater understanding of its modern-day life, people and politics.

    BEST OF
    The top attractions and Editor's Choice featured in this Philippines guide book highlight the most special places to visit.

    TIPS AND FACTS
    Up-to-date historical timeline and in-depth cultural background to the Philippines as well as an introduction to the Philippines's food and drink, and fun destination-specific features.  

    PRACTICAL TRAVEL INFORMATION
    A-Z of useful advice on everything, from when to go to the Philippines,  how to get there and how to get around, to the Philippines' climate, advice on tipping, etiquette and more.

    COLOUR-CODED CHAPTERS
    Every part of the destination, from Luzon to Zamboanga has its own colour assigned for easy navigation of this  Philippines travel guide.

    CURATED PLACES, HIGH-QUALITY MAPS
    Geographically organised text, cross-referenced against full-colour, high-quality travel maps for quick orientation in Abu Palawan, Manila, and many other locations in the Philippines..

    STRIKING PICTURES
    This guide book to the Philippines features inspirational colour photography, including the stunning Chocolate Hills and the spectacular Taal Volcano crater lake.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherInsight Guides
    Release dateOct 1, 2023
    ISBN9781839053740
    Insight Guides The Philippines (Travel Guide eBook)
    Author

    Insight Guides

    Insight Guides wherever possible uses local experts who provide insider know-how and share their love and knowledge of the destination.

    Read more from Insight Guides

    Related to Insight Guides The Philippines (Travel Guide eBook)

    Related ebooks

    Asia Travel For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      TALES of PAR ADISE

      Mar 14, 2018

      TALES of PAR ADISE
      6 min read

    • Article

      The Philippines

      Mar 7, 2024

      The Philippines
      6 min read

    • Article

      Ready, Set, Jet!

      Nov 11, 2021

      Ready, Set, Jet!
      3 min read

    • Article

      7 Trending Destinations For 2024

      Jan 20, 2024

      7 Trending Destinations For 2024
      1 min read

    • Article

      7 Trending Destinations For 2024

      Jan 20, 2024

      7 Trending Destinations For 2024
      1 min read

    • Article

      North Country

      Mar 28, 2022

      North Country
      4 min read

    • Article

      Passport Green Philippines

      Feb 10, 2024

      Passport Green Philippines
      5 min read

    • Article

      Smart Spending

      Feb 1, 2023

      Smart Spending
      1 min read

    • Article

      Hidden Gems

      Jun 2, 2021

      Hidden Gems
      5 min read

    • Article

      Blue and Black Magic

      Mar 8, 2024

      Blue and Black Magic
      9 min read

    • Article

      High Society

      Mar 25, 2022

      High Society
      8 min read

    • Article

      High Society

      Mar 25, 2022

      High Society
      8 min read

    • Article

      EXPLORING THE Philippines

      May 9, 2023

      EXPLORING THE Philippines
      3 min read

    • Article

      Papua New Guinea

      Aug 12, 2021

      Papua New Guinea
      3 min read

    • Article

      Porirua Double The Fun!

      Feb 22, 2021

      Porirua Double The Fun!
      1 min read

    • Article

      Beaches And Islands

      Sep 12, 2018

      Beaches And Islands
      4 min read

    • Article

      Sardinia

      Jun 11, 2018

      Sardinia
      1 min read

    • Article

      Islands For The Intrepid

      Jul 31, 2018

      Islands For The Intrepid
      5 min read

    • Article

      Escape!

      Feb 5, 2020

      Escape!
      17 min read

    • Article

      The Travel Edit

      Apr 30, 2020

      The Travel Edit
      2 min read

    • Article

      Wander Lust

      Dec 16, 2020

      Wander Lust
      14 min read

    • Article

      FLYING High

      Nov 7, 2021

      FLYING High
      6 min read

    • Article

      Papua New Guinea

      Oct 4, 2020

      Papua New Guinea
      6 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Insight Guides The Philippines (Travel Guide eBook)

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      Insight Guides The Philippines (Travel Guide eBook) - Insight Guides

      HOW TO USE THIS E-BOOK

      Getting around the e-book

      This Insight Guide e-book is designed to give you inspiration for your visit to Philippines, as well as comprehensive planning advice to make sure you have the best travel experience. The guide begins with our selection of Top Attractions, as well as our Editor’s Choice categories of activities and experiences. Detailed features on history, people and culture paint a vivid portrait of contemporary life in Philippines. The extensive Places chapters give a complete guide to all the sights and areas worth visiting. The Travel Tips provide full information on getting around, activities from culture to shopping to sport, plus a wealth of practical information to help you plan your trip.

      In the Table of Contents and throughout this e-book you will see hyperlinked references. Just tap a hyperlink once to skip to the section you would like to read. Practical information and listings are also hyperlinked, so as long as you have an external connection to the internet, you can tap a link to go directly to the website for more information.

      Maps

      All key attractions and sights in Philippines are numbered and cross-referenced to high-quality maps. Wherever you see the reference [map] just tap this to go straight to the related map. You can also double-tap any map for a zoom view.

      Images

      You’ll find hundreds of beautiful high-resolution images that capture the essence of Philippines. Simply double-tap on an image to see it full-screen.

      About Insight Guides

      Insight Guides have more than 40 years’ experience of publishing high-quality, visual travel guides. We produce 400 full-colour titles, in both print and digital form, covering more than 200 destinations across the globe, in a variety of formats to meet your different needs.

      Insight Guides are written by local authors, whose expertise is evident in the extensive historical and cultural background features. Each destination is carefully researched by regional experts to ensure our guides provide the very latest information. All the reviews in Insight Guides are independent; we strive to maintain an impartial view. Our reviews are carefully selected to guide you to the best places to eat, go out and shop, so you can be confident that when we say a place is special, we really mean it.

      © 2023 Apa Digital AG and Apa Publications (UK) Ltd

      49617.jpg

      Table of Contents

      Philippines’s Top 10 Attractions

      Editor’s Choice

      Asia’s Maverick

      Island Nation

      Decisive Dates

      Born of Fire and Water

      Foreign Domination

      The Democratic Era

      Filipinos

      Religion in the Philippines

      Fiesta Fantastica

      A Thriving Arts Scene

      Insight: Indigenous Arts and Handicrafts

      Cross-cultural Cuisine

      The Sporting Life

      An Architectural Pastiche

      Insight: Forces of Nature: Volatile Volcanoes

      Places

      Luzon

      Manila

      Manila’s Environs

      The Central Plains

      Ilocos Region

      Northeast Luzon

      Central Cordillera

      Insight: The Fabled Rice Terraces of Ifugao

      Bicol Peninsula

      Luzon’s Islands

      Visayas

      Eastern Visayas

      Central Visayas

      Western Visayas

      Insight: Living Seas: Source of Life and Pleasure

      Palawan

      Northern Palawan

      Southern Palawan

      Mindanao

      Southern and Central Mindanao

      Northern Mindanao and Caraga

      Zamboanga and the Sulu Islands

      Transportation

      A-Z: A Handy Summary of Practical Information

      Language

      Further Reading

      PHILIPPINES’S TOP 10 ATTRACTIONS

      Top Attraction 1

      Boracay. Leave the cares of the world behind on this idyllic island of perfect beaches, luxurious resorts, and water adventures. For more information, click here.

      Shutterstock

      Top Attraction 2

      Corregidor Island, Cavite. Get an on-site crash course on how the successive armies of Spain, Japan, and the US sought to defend the Philippine capital. For more information, click here.

      Chris Stowers/Apa Publications

      Top Attraction 3

      Ifugao rice terraces. Perhaps the most spectacular sight in the Philippines, this amazing terraced landscape in the highlands of central Luzon was sculpted over 2,000 years of cultivation. For more information, click here.

      Shutterstock

      Top Attraction 4

      Ati-Atihan festival. The frenetic, colorful, and noisy festivities on the island of Panay each January commemorate the sale of land to 13th-century refugees from Borneo. For more information, click here.

      Shutterstock

      Top Attraction 5

      Palawan. Long ignored, this biodiverse island, endowed with beautiful beaches, prime dive sites, and extensive tracts of jungle, is now attracting the attention it deserves. For more information, click here.

      Shutterstock

      Top Attraction 6

      Jeepneys. A hop onto one of these brazenly embellished and garishly painted vehicles – the local answer to urban mass transit – is an essential experience for any visitor to the Philippines. For more information, click here.

      Shutterstock

      Top Attraction 7

      Fort San Pedro, Cebu. Step inside the massive stone walls to an era when the Pearl of the South was under siege as the Spanish struggled for a toehold in the Philippines. For more information, click here.

      Shutterstock

      Top Attraction 8

      Intramuros, Manila. For a sense of Manila’s rich history, explore this district of handsome semi-reconstructed Spanish colonial architecture. For more information, click here.

      Shutterstock

      Top Attraction 9

      Vigan, Ilocos Sur. Stroll or take a horse-drawn carriage down some of the country’s best-preserved streets from the Spanish era, stopping at cafés inside historic mansions to sip San Miguel Pilsen. For more information, click here.

      Shutterstock

      Top Attraction 10

      Volcanoes. In a country littered with volcanic peaks such as Apo, Mayon, Pinatubo, and Taal, enlist the help of a trained guide for a rewarding trek up one of the great cones. For more information, click here.

      Shutterstock

      EDITOR’S CHOICE

      Image.jpg

      The famous tropical beach of Boracay is lined with palms.

      Shutterstock

      BEST BEACHES

      Baler, Aurora. A string of accessible surfing beaches halfway up Luzon’s east coast. For more information, click here.

      Boracay. The Philippines’ world-famous resort has fabulous beaches, luxurious resorts, and offshore adventures. For more information, click here.

      Dauin, Negros Oriental. Snorkelers can wade into a marine sanctuary covered with coral gardens and their colorful underwater life. For more information, click here.

      Puerto Galera, Mindoro. A complex of beaches relatively close to Manila appeals to divers, party-goers and the sailing crowd. For more information, click here.

      Samal Island, Davao. This island features sleepy palm-lined, white-sand beaches just a quick hop from urban Davao. For more information, click here.

      Image.jpg

      The Camia shipwreck, Boracay.

      Shutterstock

      BEST DIVE SITES

      Alona Beach, Bohol. This coastal trading post of dive shops, guides, and boat rentals acts as a hub for the offshore reefs and seawalls. For more information, click here.

      Apo Island, Negros Oriental. This islet draws scuba divers to follow schools of colorful fish swimming past the coral just offshore. For more information, click here.

      Apo Reef National Park, Mindoro Occidental. At 34 sq km (21 sq mi), this is the largest coral reef in the Philippines. Home to 285 marine species, it has largely rebounded from years of damage by dynamite fishing to be listed for consideration as a Unesco World Heritage Park. For more information, click here.

      Batangas. This well-developed resort area, two to three hours’ drive from Manila, stands out for its convenience and class A beaches. For more information, click here.

      Busuanga Island, Palawan. Dive to see dugongs and other marine life, or search for World War II shipwrecks. For more information, click here.

      Moalboal, Cebu. A 35-meter (115ft) wall drops right off from Panagsama Beach where millions of sardines congregate. For more information, click here.

      Image.jpg

      Fish on the Apo Reef.

      Shutterstock

      Image.jpg

      The Chocolate Hills, Bohol.

      Shutterstock

      BEST WILDERNESS AREAS

      Chocolate Hills, Bohol. The sunrise over these hills, named for their confectionery-like appearance in summer, leaves a lasting impression. For more information, click here.

      Mt Banahaw, Laguna. A mountain that has been held sacred for thousands of years. For more information, click here.

      Mayon volcano, Albay. This almost perfectly conical, and still active, volcano invites intrepid trekkers. For more information, click here.

      Sierra Madre National Park, eastern Luzon. The country’s largest national park covers grand mountain landscapes while sheltering endangered species such as the iconic Philippine eagle. For more information, click here.

      Sohoton National Park, Western Samar. Tour gigantic caves and underground rivers, and see natural arches. For more information, click here.

      St Paul Underground River, Palawan. Vertical cave walls form caverns and narrow passageways along an aquamarine river deep in the jungle. For more information, click here.

      Image.jpg

      The entrance to Puerto Princesa subterranean river.

      Shutterstock

      BEST HISTORIC SITES

      Butuan, Agusan del Norte. Some consider the area the cradle of Philippine civilization, and three museums showcase the local archeology. For more information, click here.

      Kadaugan sa Mactan, Cebu. Spanish explorer Ferdinand Magellan’s fatal encounter with the local hero Lapu-Lapu is dramatized on the waters off Mactan Island. For more information, click here.

      Lights and Sounds of Rizal, Manila. National hero Jose Rizal’s final hours before his execution are re-enacted in this open-air audio-visual presentation. For more information, click here.

      Museo Dabawenyo, Davao. Free guides explain the city’s history, Mindanao’s indigenous groups, and local forays into modern art. For more information, click here.

      Vigan, Ilocos Sur. Stroll among some of the country’s best-preserved streets and houses from the Spanish era. For more information, click here.

      Image.jpg

      White Beach, Boracay.

      Shutterstock

      BEST ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICTS

      Balibago, Angeles, Pampanga. An entertainment-intensive boomtown near Clark Airbase. For more information, click here.

      P. Burgos Street, Makati. Manila’s upmarket financial district doesn’t close at 5pm but rages on with a strip of lively bars. For more information, click here.

      Ermita and Malate, Manila. This district inland from Roxas Boulevard stitches together Latin bars, gay bars, and everyday clubs with hotels and a bookstore. For more information, click here.

      White Beach, Boracay. The hundreds of resorts, bars, and restaurants throw what amounts to a party along the palm-studded beach at night. For more information, click here.

      Image.jpg

      The aquarium at Manila Ocean Park.

      Alamy

      BEST FAMILY HANGOUTS

      Avilon Zoo, Rizal. North­east of Quezon City, this is the best zoo in the country. For more information, click here.

      Manila Ocean Park. This indoor and outdoor aquarium showcases marine life from around the world. Sea lions steal the show. For more information, click here.

      Museo Pambata (Children’s Museum), Manila. Explores themes ranging from the environment and science to the human body. For more information, click here.

      Star City, Manila. Amusement park in Bay City, with far-reaching views from its air-conditioned Ferris wheel. For more information, click here.

      Image.jpg

      The Moriones Festival held on the island of Marinduque.

      Shutterstock

      BEST CULTURAL ICONS

      Ati-Atihan Festival, Kalibo. At the most famous and raucous of Philippine festivals, the line between spectators and participants gets increasingly blurred as the day progresses. For more information, click here.

      Batanes. Spend a night in one of the far-flung villages in the islands off Luzon’s north coast to experience one of the country’s most isolated cultures. For more information, click here.

      Jeepneys. A ride on this often brazenly embellished and garishly painted mode of transportation is an essential Philippines experience. For more information, click here.

      Metropolitan Museum of Manila, Metro Manila. The works of local artists are on display along with gold artifacts and pottery dating to the 8th century. For more information, click here.

      Moriones Festival, Marinduque. A spectacular festival featuring men wearing masks (moriones) and colorfully dressed as Roman soldiers. For more information, click here.

      Image.jpg

      Decoration on a Manila jeepney.

      Chris Stowers/Apa Publications

      Image.jpg

      Durian fruit seller, Magsaysay Park, Davao.

      Chris Stowers/Apa Publications

      BEST SHOPPING

      City Market, Baguio. Look for unusual weavings, carvings, and other crafts at this crossroads of the Cordilleran mountain tribes. For more information, click here.

      Batak Village, Puerto Princesa. This indigenous Batak community along the highway sells basketry, kitchenware, and musical instruments. For more information, click here.

      Divisoria, Manila. An intense shopping experience awaits at this bargain-basement flea market with thousands of stalls. For more information, click here.

      Greenhills Shopping Center, Manila. Look for freshwater and South China Sea pearls as well as cheap electronic goods. For more information, click here.

      SM Mall of Asia, Manila. The Philippines’ fourth largest commercial complex testifies to the favored Filipino leisure pursuit of shopping. Outdoor eateries serve local cuisine. For more information, click here.

      Image.jpg

      Divisoria Market, Manila.

      Chris Stowers/Apa Publications

      Image.jpg

      Mayon Volcano is known as the perfect cone because of its symmetrical shape.

      Shutterstock

      Image.jpg

      Vibrant costumes at the Dinagyang Festival in Iloilo City.

      Shutterstock

      Image.jpg

      A man taking a breather on the pier on Coron Island, Palawan.

      Shutterstock

      Image.jpg

      Bustling Quiapo market in Manila.

      Shutterstock

      ASIA’S MAVERICK

      Geographically within Southeast Asia, yet far removed culturally, the Philippines has a Latin temperament which sets it apart from its neighbors.

      Three centuries of Spanish rule and 48 years of United States government have both left an indelible mark on cultural landscape of the Philippines. The indigenous population, descendants of the first human migrations out of Africa via coastal routes, have also influenced the dominant Filipino culture, which traces its roots back to the Malays. Spanish place names and devotion to Catholicism will give visitors a sense of traveling Latin America, while the widespread use of English connects the country with the world, in particular via American pop culture. Adding to the mix, over 20 million Filipinos have Chinese ancestry. This blend makes this Southeast Asian archipelago of 113.9 million people unique. It is truly the maverick of Asia.

      Today, on almost every island, white-sand beaches open into coral-studded waters. Popular resorts such as Alona Beach, Boracay, and Puerto Galera attract scuba divers, who can get trained for a deep-sea adventure within days after arrival. The mountains that dominate the interior of most Philippine islands appeal to travelers wishing to embark on rigorous treks. Between the coasts and the cones, tourists trust in the local barbecued chicken, songs and smiles.

      The Philippines is part of a giant mountain backbone from Japan to Indonesia. It stretches 1,840km (1,140 miles) north to south and up to 1,000km (690 miles) wide. Its land area is slightly bigger than that of New Zealand. A total of 111 cultural, linguistic, and racial groups live in the country. More than 100 languages are spoken, with Tagalog by far the most dominant one.

      Democracy runs deep in the country, but due to widespread corruption, 5.6 million Filipinos families live below the poverty line, a situation that was exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Some 10 percent of the economy comes from money sent home by Filipinos working abroad, known as OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers).

      The country’s reputation had improved in the mid-1990s, due to the economic strategies of President Fidel Ramos, but it stumbled again under successive leaders. In 2022, Rodrigo Duterte’s populism gave way to the election of dictator Ferdinand Marcos’s son, Ferdinand Bongbong Romualdez Marcos Jr, who assumed office after a campaign focusing on national unity.

      Rice paddies, Bicol Peninsula.

      Chris Stowers/Apa Publications

      ISLAND NATION

      The Philippine archipelago stretches from its largest, most populated island of Luzon in the north to uninhabited southern atolls small enough for just a thatched hut and a few coconut trees.

      If one number sticks in your mind after a visit to the Philippines, it’s probably 7,600. This estimate of the total number of islands in the archipelago regularly appears in tourism literature because it’s so large yet also so singularly descriptive of the country’s geography. The actual total is 7,641, and about 1,000 of those are inhabited.

      For purposes of easy analysis, the archipelago divides into northern, central, and southern island groups. In the north is the large island of Luzon and the nearby, smaller islands of Mindoro, Romblon, and Marinduque. Most of the population, wealth, and dominant Tagalog-speaking Filipino ethnic groups are clustered on Luzon, which is anchored by the 13.4 million-population capital Metro Manila (otherwise known as the National Capital Region, or NCR). The country’s most prominent industrial belt sits south of Manila on the Batangas peninsula, and one of its most fertile farming areas bounds the capital to the north. Luzon – as home to Mt Mayon and Mt Pinatubo – is largely volcanic, but some of its mightiest mountains form solid, barely penetrable ranges, such as the Sierra Madre, in the far north. It’s also known for the flat Central Plains farming area and the drier wind-battered Batanes islets off the north coast.

      The central group of islands is known as the Visayas. Poorer and culturally distinct from Luzon, they range from Samar and Leyte in the east through Cebu to Negros Island and Panay in the west. Fisheries dominate the economy, with tourism an increasingly vital source of income because of the region’s endless coastline. Divers work the waters of Bohol, Boracay, Cebu, and tiny Apo Island off the coast of Negros Island in search of underwater life. Some of the country’s most fabled beaches occur in Visayas. Mountainous patchworks of farms and jungles make up the island interiors.

      Coron Island, Palawan.

      Chris Stowers/Apa Publications

      The southernmost part of the country consists of Mindanao plus its attendant Sulu Sea islands. Known for its range of indigenous peoples – including Muslim groups – Mindanao is a large and, until recently, relatively undeveloped island, home to the country’s highest peak (Mt Apo: 2,956 meters/9,698ft) and some of its most extensive tracts of rainforest. Davao is the most populous city on the island and is spearheading an economic revival in the south. However, some predominantly Muslim towns rolling across the islets of the Sulu Sea, southwest of Mindanao, up to the strait dividing the Philippines from Malaysia, remain restive and at war with the government.

      The Asian bearcat, or binturong, lives in Palawan. The nocturnal creature resembles a cross between a raccoon and a bear, with a long tail and retractable, hooked claws for climbing trees. Asian bearcats eat mainly fruits and leaves.

      To Mindanao’s northwest lies Palawan, a long north-south island known for its stunning beaches, and offshore reefs, and flora and fauna more akin to neighbouring Borneo than the rest of the Philippines. Throughout the archipelago one will find countless barely visited islets of coral reef-rimmed white-sand beaches. Some have nothing but the beach and a few trees. Visitors can ask pumpboat operators on larger islands about getting out to one.

      Lush vegetation on Mt Isarog, Bicol Peninsula.

      Chris Stowers/Apa Publications

      Located between the Pacific Ocean and South China Sea, the archipelago is surrounded by a rich marine life, from tiny squid to massive marlins, on which it is both economically and nutritionally dependent. Late-year weather brings regular typhoons from the Pacific, flooding villages and setting off deadly landslides after sustained rainfall, a situation worsening with climate change. The odd volcanic eruption, such as that of Mt Pinatubo in 1991 and Taal Volcano in 2020, wreaks further deadly havoc. Much of the country is located on the Pacific rim of fire and is prone to earthquakes. On the plus side, fertile soil and abundant rainfall make the Philippines a productive place for rice, coconuts, and a range of fruits.

      Island communications

      Filipinos once lived largely in tribal villages. Then, some 800 years ago, ethnic Malays came from other parts of Southeast Asia to set up coastal communities, pushing indigenous peoples into remote valleys and hills. Beasts, notably water buffalo, and outrigger dugout canoes provided transportation in those days.

      While some parts of the country still operate in that time-honoured fashion, people in most of the Philippines get around on a network of two-lane roads and a range of public transportation, from jerrybuilt tricycle taxis to air-conditioned buses. That has facilitated widespread domestic migration, intermarriages and new urban jobs for people from poor parts of the countryside. The Philippine Nautical Highway System is an integrated network of highways and vehicular ferries (called RoRos, from Roll-On, Roll-Off, referring to the vehicles rolling on and rolling off the ferries) that connect much of the country today. A growing list of airports, including some on faraway islands – served by Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines, AirAsia and others – further aid business and migration.

      Transportation and communications had effectively connected most of the country by 1990. That said, some Filipino farmers barely make it to market once a week because they must walk down muddy dirt roads from their mountain fields to the nearest town. For them, the market is a major social event as well as a place to sell pigs or produce.

      Zamboanguita Beach, Negros Island.

      Chris Stowers/Apa Publications

      Television, education and nowadays the internet have functioned in different ways to homogenize the country’s ethnic and linguistic groups, giving everyone a bite of English – plus a lot more Tagalog. Like everywhere, smartphones are now commonplace, helping Filipinos keep in touch with friends or family in cities, or working overseas, notwithstanding the country’s intermittent blackouts and internet speeds – it ranks 82nd in the world for mobile speed and 41st for fixed broadband speed.

      Some members of minority ethnic groups in the highlands of Luzon and in the harder-to-reach parts of Mindanao and Palawan islands stayed out of the 20th-century shifts in transit and communications, keeping them semi-autonomous, yet poorer and far less plugged in to national affairs than their fellow country people in the cities and lowlands. Some of those groups have a legacy of resisting colonists, while others simply lack the money or skills to move into the mainstream.

      Flora and fauna

      The so-called Wallace Line that defines the geographical habitat of most Philippine plants and animals is named after English naturalist, explorer, and writer Alfred Russel Wallace (1823–1913), who first noted the zoological differences between the Asian and Australian continents. This zoological division runs up the Lombok Strait between Indonesian islands Bali and Lombok. It continues north through the Makassar Strait that separates Borneo and Sulawesi, turns east into the Pacific and then north again to encompass the Philippines. All animals to the east of the line, including those of the Philippines, owe their biological heritage to species originating in Asia.

      RICE FARMING

      Rice, the staple food of the Philippines, is the most common crop cultivated in upland volcanic areas. Yet despite the abundance of rice fields, what is planted locally is often insufficient to sustain an ever-growing population. The International Rice Research Institute in Los Baños, near Manila, works to develop new varieties of faster-yielding rice and improvements in cultivation methods to increase output.

      Rich volcanic soil remains the farmer’s chief ally. Coupled with abundant rainfall throughout the year, the most productive farms are clustered beneath the archipelago’s numerous volcanoes.

      When sea levels fell during the last Ice Age, a series of land bridges cut through the shallow waters between Philippines’ Palawan and Mindanao and Indonesia’s Sulawesi and Borneo. Like the tentacles of an octopus, these land bridges made possible a temporary alliance of flora and fauna, which led to adaptations and mutations in isolation when the land links sank again.

      Sixty species of Bornean plants are found in the southern islands of Mindoro, Palawan, and Mindanao. Flora identified with Sulawesi and Moluccas of Indonesia are widespread in the Philippines, mainly ferns, orchids, and the dipterocarp, a tree that makes up the country’s primary tracts of forests, as it does in Thailand and Indonesia.

      Farmer, Northern Mindanao.

      Chris Stowers/Apa Publications

      DYNAMITE AND DEFORESTATION

      The Philippines, like many resource-rich but impoverished countries, suffers from its share of environmental degradation. Despite efforts by the government and NGOs since the 1970s, illegal logging persists throughout the country. It has been blamed for soil erosion that has set off countless mudslides.

      A second major conservation threat to the Philippines is dynamite fishing, as well as over-exploitation of fisheries as the human population grows. The country sits at the Apex of the Coral Triangle, the most biodiverse marine environment on earth. There are 1,800 protected marine areas, although policing the waves remains challenging. Some tourist areas charge visitors a fee to help restore the local seas.

      Much of the country’s wildlife remains hidden from general view. At least 130 species of Philippine fauna now stand on the United Nation’s list of endangered and threatened species. In an encouraging move, the government has set up 107 national parks and designated protected areas, including wilderness areas and so-called critical areas.

      There are mammals found nowhere other than the Philippines including the Philippine tarsier, a tiny, large-eyed primate mostly found on the islands of Bohol, Samar and Leyte and the Philippine colugo, a nocturnal gliding primate sometimes known as the Philippine flying lemur.

      In Palawan and nearby Calamian islands, the same species of mousedeer, weasel, mongoose, porcupine, skunk, anteater, and otter are found in Borneo’s interior. Species of Palawan shrews, as well as a rare bat found in Mindanao, have kin in Sulawesi.

      Fish in the waters of eastern Sumatra and western Borneo are like those in southwestern Philippines, as are the fish between Mindanao and Papua New Guinea. Many Malaysian and Bornean birds make their home in Palawan.

      Orchids, Luzon’s Islands.

      Chris Stowers/Apa Publications

      There is evidence of an even older land bridge that connected northern Philippines with Taiwan at a time when that island was itself connected to the Asian mainland. The remains of the stegodon, a pygmy elephant, have been dug up here as well as in Taiwan.

      Plant life

      Botanists have discovered more than 12,000 different species of plants in the Philippines, including ferns, orchids, and vines in the jungles. Tourists will see a substantial amount of mangroves growing in the sea and palms along the coast. Bamboo and rattan, both sought after by crafts people, rise from the inland soil. Locals in Mindoro, Panay, and the Cagayan Valley use the rough cogon grass to thatch the roofs of houses that have helped to form a distinctly Filipino architectural style. The 1,000 orchid species found in the Philippines include the waling-waling of western Mindanao. The pinkish endemic flower is one of the largest orchid species in the world but hard to find in the wild due to habitat encroachment.

      When the Spanish arrived, the Philippines had 90 percent forest cover. By 1900 it was still 70 percent but by 1999 it had declined to 18.3 percent. Conservation efforts have started to reverse this trend, and, although more needs to be done, vast tracts of tropical forest still survive in the protected areas of Palawan and Mindanao.

      Research on the evolution of anteaters, orchids, and other species proves links between the Philippines and neighboring islands to the southwest, now part of Indonesia.

      Back from the beaches, dry forests of heavy, highly prized woods grow slowly, rarely exceeding 30 meters (100ft) in height. Characteristic species include the molave (of the teak family), kamagong, ebony, and narra.

      Birds

      There are 695 recognized bird species in the Philippines of which 195 are endemic. Of these, 66 are island-endemic, occurring on only one island. This makes it the fourth most important country in bird endism in the world and of course, one of the best birding destinations in Asia.

      Common birds include the white-collared kingfisher, with its iridescent coat of turquoise blue, which makes itself at home near water. One of the most peculiar bird species is the Luzon bleeding heart dove, endemic to south-central Luzon and outlying Polillo Island. Grayish green on the back and upper mantle, the bird’s white chest feathers are interrupted by a splotch of red. Among the country’s newest recognized bird species are Lina’s sunbird and the Panay striped babbler. Ornithologist Robert Kennedy of the Cincinnati Museum Center in the US discovered and named the babbler in 1989.

      Resident of the Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary in Corella, Bohol.

      Chris Stowers/Apa Publications

      THE PHILIPPINE EAGLE

      The endangered haribon, or Philippine eagle, is the national bird of the Philippines and the second-largest bird in the world, after the Californian condor. The eagles once soared freely over much of Luzon, Samar, and Leyte. They would eat small animals, including bats, snakes, and flying lemurs. The Philippine eagle is thought to be monogamous, challenging its long-term survival in the wild. Today fewer than 100 haribon remain.

      The Philippine Eagle Center (for more information, click here) near Davao may be the eagle’s last hope. The center has successfully bred eagles in captivity, with an aim of reintroducing the young back to the wild.

      Scientists exploring the Sierra Madre range in Luzon said in 2010 they had discovered a new species of monitor lizard. The biologists called the yellow and black, 2-meter (6.6ft) -long reptile the Northern Sierra Madre Forest Monitor.

      Palawan’s endemic Papilio trojano, with bold black and green markings, has a wingspan of 18cm (7ins), but it’s a butterfly, not a bird.

      Mammals

      Among the country’s 180 mammal species are leopard cats, oriental small-clawed otters, civets, and wild boar – a staple food for the local inhabitants. Native primates include flying lemurs and lorises of the tropical forests. The nocturnal tarsier is the world’s smallest primate. It lives in Bohol, Samar, Mindanao, and elsewhere in Southeast Asia. Visitors can see these tiny monkey-like creatures in their native habitat at the Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary in Corella, Bohol.

      Thousands of fruit bats with wingspans of 1.8 meters (6ft) roost in the lauan trees of Cubi Point at Subic Bay. They head out every night around 8pm to feed and return to roost by 5am. Most visitors to Subic will also see long-tailed macaques walking fences along the roadside, looking for a hand-out from visiting tourists – though feeding them is not recommended. Visitors to Honda Bay on Palawan will see giant fruit-eating bats flock over from an offshore island around sunset after a day’s rest.

      New species are always turning up in the Philippines. The Panay cloudrunner, for example, is one of 15 new mammals found and classified in the past 25 years and documented only in 1996. The 1kg (2lbs) gray, nocturnal rodent resembles a fox squirrel in appearance. Still, little is known of its native existence in the mountains of Panay in the Visayas.

      Marine life

      With almost 36,300km (22,500 miles) of coastline (nearly twice that of the US), the Philippines gives home to 488 species of coral and more than 2,000 different fish species. Among the more visible creatures are octopus, cuttlefish, and squid. Sea turtles can also be found on much of the coastline. The snorkeler out for a casual dip will easily turn up schools of tiny fish bearing a rainbow’s worth of colors. On Apo or Tubbataha reef, look for manta rays and (harmless) sharks of the white-tipped and black-tipped types. Any of 20 dolphin species may pop up behind your boat in the waters off Dumaguete or Puerto Galera, for example.

      Coral and clownfish.

      iStock

      Pearls are harvested in Philippine waters, from the natural South Sea pearls to the freshwater, cultivated pearls of Mindanao province. Marlins and tuna are among the more prized commercial fish.

      Perhaps the most unique underwater species is the massive whale shark or butanding, discovered in the Philippines in numbers larger than anywhere else on the planet. They congregate off the coast of Donsol, on the Bicol peninsula and Oslob, on the Southeast tip of Cebu, from February to May every year (for more information, click here). Despite its protected status, unscrupulous villagers have slaughtered several of the 20-meter (66ft) -long giants, selling the meat to traders en route to the lucrative Taiwan market.

      For more details on Philippine marine life, for more information, click here.

      MINDORO’S DWARF BUFFALO

      Few visitors will spot the endangered native tamaraw, or dwarf buffalo, of Mindoro Island – the country’s largest indigenous wild land animal. Hunting, shifting agriculture, deforestation, and cattle ranching have reduced the herds from 10,000 a century ago to only 260–300 tamaraw today, mostly in the grasslands of Mt Iglit in Baco National Park.

      The government holds six animals in captivity in Rizal, Occidental Mindoro, with the hope of breeding more for eventual release into the wild. Local charities have also moved to save the animals. The city tourism in San José, Mindoro, arranges day trips by van from the town to a tamaraw viewing area in the mountains.

      Fort Santa Isabel, also known as Taytay Fort, was built in 1667 under the Order of Augustinian Recollects.

      Shutterstock

      DECISIVE DATES

      Early days

      Prehistory

      Migrants cross land bridge from Asian mainland and settle in an archipelago that would become the Philippines.

      AD 900

      Chinese establish coastal trading posts over the next 300 years.

      1400

      Muslim clergy start to bring Islam to the Philippines from Malaya.

      Colonial intrusions

      1521

      Explorer Ferdinand Magellan lands on Cebu and claims the region for Spain. Lapu Lapu (Rajah Cilapulapu), in defending his island of Mactan, slays Magellan.

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1