The Philippines is a fun place to visit, explore, and live in.
It has some of the friendliest people you can meet, the nicest beaches you walk on barefoot, and the most scrumptious dishes you can feast on.
It is an amazing country and here are ten things that Philippines does better than anywhere else.
10. Hospitable and fun people
Where else in the world can you visit someone’s home and they would offer you a meal no matter what time of day it is?
Only in the Philippines can you go to someone’s house and they will invite you to join them on the dinner table. If it’s not breakfast, lunch, or dinner time, they will make sure they can serve you with any snack.
Pinoys love to smile and welcome people warmly. Even when times get tough, we can still crack a joke and just laugh about it.
Also, karaoke all day, all night!
9. English everywhere
Traveling around the Philippines even for non-Filipino-speaking vacationers is easy because English is spoken almost everywhere.
You can go even to the farthest places, even to those areas where there is no data signal, and you can still find someone who speaks English well, if not fluently. Even the kids are familiar with the language.
Asking around when you get lost is easy because there is virtually no language barrier in the Philippines.
8. Selfies
You know, because the Philippines is home to the “Selfie Capital of the World.”
7. Dive spots
Students under the tutelage of the Davao Ocean Divers
Dubbed as Asia’s Diving Capital, the Philippines offers a one-of-a-kind diving experience to both amateur and professional divers. The country is known for having the highest density of coral species in the world and the marine life is greatly diverse.
There are many spots in the country that offer diving lessons to get a license including Anilao, Puerto Galera, and Boracay.
Additionally, the Philippines is home to an underwater UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Tubbataha Reef.
Other diving spots include Coron in Palawan, Verde Island in Mindoro Oriental, Apo Reef National Park in Mindoro Occidental, Apo Island in Dumaguete, Balicasag and Pamilacan Islands in Bohol, and Malapascua and Moalboal/Pescador Islands in Cebu.
6. Powdery sand on beaches
Having more than 7,000 island, it is quite apparent that the Philippines has a lot to offer when it comes to amazing beaches.
From Luzon to Mindanao, you can find powdery beaches that you can relax and walk on barefoot. The extremely popular White Beach of Boracay is almost always packed with crowds who want to experience its beauty. If that’s not your kind of scene, there are many hidden beaches that you can explore. Some are almost people-free that you can enjoy them in solitude.
Other beaches you can check out are located in El Nido in Palawan, Camiguin Island, Pagudpud in Ilocos Norte, Puerto Galera in Mindoro, Calaguas in Camarines Norte, Nasugbu and Lian in Batangas, Panglao in Bohol, Bantayan Island in Cebu, and Siargao in Surigao del Norte.
5. Unique rides
The jeepney is the most Pinoy means of transportation that you can take to go around the country. Although it may be a bit challenging to ride in one especially when it is packed during rush hour, this unique ride offers an experience of the local life. So, make sure to try one as you cannot find it anywhere else.
Plus, riding one can bestow you bragging rights of riding the king of the road.
Aside from the jeepney, another unique ride in the Philippines is the tricycle. This ride may not seem much but it can get you places.
4. Feasts
Celebrations in the Philippines are always done in a big, big way. Be it a birthday celebration, a wedding, a barangay fiesta, or a welcome home party for loved one who went away to work in a foreign land, we celebrate with large feasts.
Maybe because of our strong family ties that there is no small celebration. Oftentimes, we even invite the neighbor’s sister’s tita’s friend just because they were there during the feast.
Also, we even have conversations of how many pigs “ang itutumba” to feed everyone invited.
And don’t get me started with the lechon…
3. Nature trips
(Image from: Brian Grubb)
The country’s diverse wildlife makes nature trips more enjoyable. There is a lot to see, and there are animals and plants that can only be found in the Philippines.
The Philippines is home to the smallest monkey (Tarsier), one of the world’s largest eagles (Philippine Eagle), and smallest freshwater fish (Pandaca Pygmaea). The ginormous butanding (whale shark) has also found haven in the Philippine waters.
When it comes to magnificent views, the Philippines has some of the nicest mountains, caves, waterfalls, and lakes. Take a trip to the Rice Terraces, check out the Puerto Princesa Underground River, or take a picture with the perfect Mt. Mayon.
There is a lot of nature to discover…
2. Shopping
Shopping malls are rampant in the Philippines. However, contrary to common belief that people go to these places to merely splurge cash on stuff that are on sale but don’t really need, we often go there to spend quality time with family and friends. Also, oftentimes, just to feel a little cooler with the free air-conditioning (it gets really hot sometimes).
Shopping malls in the country offer almost anything that you need. From clothes to shoes, food to electronics, name it and they carry it. So, it makes buying essentials a lot easier because malls serve like one-stop shops.
For budget-friendly shopping options, we have Greenhills and Divisoria.
1. Christmas
The Philippines celebrates Christmas the longest because as the first day of the “ber” months (September 1) begin, we already start counting down until Christmas. Radio stations and shopping malls already fill the air with Christmas carols. Homeowners begin putting up the lights and trees. Then, carolers start going from house to house to sing songs for a few bucks.
We also have the Simbang Gabi. Nine mornings before Christmas, we commit ourselves to attend the early morning mass.
Many of us believe that completing this will grant our wishes.
It is also like homecoming to most because we spend this time going back to our provinces, to our families, celebrating it with a feast of food and stories.
After Christmas, the festivities continue until New Year’s Day and a few more days after until the celebration of the Three Kings.
What things do you think the Philippines does better than anywhere else?
Share them with us!
