With more than 7,100 islands, surely, there are also thousands of reasons you must go to the Philippines. Here are the first ten.

THE LOCALS

No list of the world's hospitable countries is complete without mentioning the Philippines. The Filipinos are the kindest and nicest people that you'll ever meet. They love to smile and sing, too, especially during their town fiesta.




THE BEACHES

As an archipelago, the country is one of the largest island groups worldwide. There are widely famous white sand beaches like Boracay and then, there are hidden islands such as those in Palawan.




THE SHOPS

The Philippines is also a shopping mecca, with some of the biggest shopping malls in Asia and the world. Apart from the gigantic malls, there are also flea markets, boutiques, souvenir shops, supermarkets, handicraft centers, etc.




THE WILDLIFE

The Philippines takes pride in its widely diversified wildlife. In fact, some of the world's smallest animals are here like the tarsier and pandaca pygmea, smallest primate and fish in the world, respectively. There are also 600 bird, 300 reptile and amphibian, and 200 mammal species spread throughout the country.




THE NATURE

Aside from the animals, the country is a haven for the nature junkies, too. From the Chocolate Hills in Bohol to Banaue Rice Terraces, there is always something to discover in each province. There are also lakes, waterfalls, and caves that you may explore if you want.




THE CLIMATE

Flora and fauna thrive because of the favorable climate. The average temperature 26.6 degree Celsius throughout the year. So, no extreme weathers. It's a tropical country after all.




THE FOOD

While there is no such thing as the Filipino cuisine, every province seems to have its own distinct cuisine. Case in point: the Pampangan cuisine. Likewise, the country and its people are proud of its halo-halo, sinigang, adobo, and lechon, among others. World-renowned chef Anthony Bourdain even dubbed lechon as the “best pig ever.”

THE LANGUAGE

Perhaps, the biggest advantage of the Philippines compared to other Asian countries is the fact that more than 90% of the population can speak and understand the English language. Even the bystanders know basic English mainly because it is the language of the government and other institutions like schools and businesses.

THE LOGISTICS

Traveling around the country is easy and the fares are very cheap. Through riding a jeepney, for instance, you may explore a town or city like the locals. Ride a ferry if you want to island hop. There are also low-cost carriers that serve domestically and internationally.

THE ACTIVITIES

Aside from being a scuba diving and surfing paradise, the Philippines also houses the longest zipline at over 1,300 meters and the first roller coaster zipline in Asia. These are found in Butuan City and Pampanga, respectively.



There you have it! These are some of the reasons that make the Philippines a great travel destination.


Author Bio

Mark Justine DeMesa is a Filipino Blogger and a freelance writer. He currently writes and blogs for Alviera Country Club, a high-end country club in the Philippines with one-of-a-kind amenities and facilities to offer a memorable family recreational activities and bonding!

Property developer Ortigas & Company is set to celebrate their 82^nd anniversary as well as the launch of their most recent project – Capitol Commons by hosting a month-long festival that showcases world-class Filipino acts back to the local stage starting May 25 until June 15.

The first part of the series of events started off last Saturday, June 1 with an art exhibit that showcased Filipino paintings and sculptures. Artworks featured in the show include traditional subjects and forms to modern statement pieces.

On the other hand, home experts will be the focus of the upcoming event this Saturday, June 8. The event will start at 6pm and will feature chefs Claude Tayag and Vicky Pacheco as the reveal their secrets for being kitchen superstars with a special demo. There will also be an exhibit of beautifully designed contemporary Filipino furniture by world-class designer Kenneth Cobonpue during the event.

To cap of the month long celebration, there will be a fashion show on the 15^th featuring the hottest names in fashion including Michael Cinco, Amina Aranaz, Herbert Custodio, Roel Rosal and Albert Andrada.

Mercato Centrale will organize a food market featuring different gustatory delights. All events are free and open to the public.

About Capital Commons:

Capital Commons is the newest urban destination in the southern part of Ortigas Center. It is located at Meralco Avenue corner Shaw Boulevard. Capitol Commons stands at the former site of the Rizal Provincial Capitol and can be accessed via Shaw Boulevard, and via Capt. H. Javier Street near ULTRA and Valle Verde Country Club.

The 10-hectare mixed-used development will feature posh retail establishments, state-of-the-art office space, modern living units, and a full range of amenities. Fifty percent of the development’s total area will be dedicated to wide, open spaces, making it an ideal destination for relaxation and enjoyment.

For more information, you can visit the developer’s website at www.ortigas.com.ph or call 401-3332.

Most Pinoys nowadays are frequent travellers. The popularization of seat sales in airline companies as well as improved routes of transformation has made travelling to a lot of easier compared ten years ago. But of course, we Filipinos are more of a muncher than a traveller. So whenever we go out and about exploring the world, we always like to bring some food to eat to past the time or to just fill an empty stomach.

So what are the most popular chichas for Filipinos on the go? If you’re planning for an out of town trip, an adventure trip or you’re just plain hungry, here are a few snacks you might want to consider bringing the next time you want to go Dora the Explorer.

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Peanuts – Peanuts are probably one of the best knick-knacks to bring whenever travelling. They’re very easy to stash in your bag. Peanuts can be bought from supermarkets as packed snacks with different variants and flavors or be bought from vendors in bus stations or sidewalks.

If you’re buying from sidewalk vendors, you can either get a steamed peanut (shells included) or a fried version with two variants. One with the skin (the brown coating found on peanut seeds) or the one without which is known locally as the hubad na mani.

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Chips – Another snack favorite for people on the go are chips. Chips are readily available in most supermarket and even in sari-sari stores so getting them is a piece of cake. The most common chips are those from Jack N’Jill, Oishi and Regent. For the more posh traveller, there are a variety of imported chips you can choose from including Lays, Pringles and Doritos.

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Pugo (Quail Eggs) – Although not really something that’s easy to eat on the road, quail eggs or pugo have long been a favorite for travellers all over the country. They are usually sold in small plastic bags with a small amount of salt included. Each pack contains around 4-5 pieces of quail eggs and costs around 20 pesos per pack.

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Corn (Cornick or fresh corn) – Another favorite snack in buses and trains is corn. Whether in the form of deep fried corn bits or steamed corn on the cob, you can see corn snacks sold in bus and train stations and even sold by vendors in bus stop overs.

If you love the steamed corn on the cob, do take note that there are buses that do not allow passengers to eat this while on the bus. This is because they can be quite messy to eat at times and can’t leave an unpleasant smell if you leave them on plastic for a considerable amount of time.

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Biscuits/crackers – Last but definitely not the least are biscuits and crackers. They’re very cheap and very reliable when it comes to satisfying a hungry stomach. There is a diverse list of choices such as plain crackers, cream filled biscuits, jelly-filled biscuits and flavored crackers to name a few.

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So there you have it guys! Which is your best buddy whenever you’re travelling? Please tell us by leaving a comment below. And please, don’t forget to add TFL on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Google Plus and subscribe to their feed for more Filipino lifestyle stories.