Right in the heart of Southeast Asia is the Philippines, a rambling chain of some 7,107 islands and islets. From north to south, this tropical archipelago stretches for more than 1,700 kilometers towards the Equator. These 7,107 islands are more or less the forgotten islands of Southeast Asia as they are off the main overland route and have never attracted great number of tourists - although they offer a great nature, food is good, transport is cheap, accommodation is plentiful, and what's probably most important, the locals are predominant exceptionally friendly and helpful.
More information (demographic, geographic, historical, ...) can be found here.
For me, the Philippines is an indescribable country - a country that's blessed with pure nature, but also harassed with traffic (the air, especially in Manila is really bad); jeepneys and tricycles are unique means of transportation and sometimes very adventurous; there are so many poor people, but on the other hand there are some many huge shopping malls only the small rich and the small middle class can afford; the humidity is extreme, but also the constant high temperature;... - the Philippines is a country full of stark contrasts. This is probably the reason why I felt in love with this country. I'm sure that my first 3 months there are not going to be the last ones.
In the following, I want to introduce you to the capital of the Philippines, namely Manila, after that I want to show you the surroundings of Manila and in the end, I take you along on a trip through the Visayas - Ok? Let's go!
Embassy of the Philippines in Vienna
Department of Tourism
Philippine Convention and Visitors Corporation Center
Lonely Planet - Philippines
Mabuhay - A country and its people
Lakbay TV
Orientation Philippines
Philippines
Philippine Golden Links
Jeepney.com
National Economic & Development Authority
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