Philippines Overview

The Philippines is a bigger country than it seems. It is the second largest archipelago in the world, with 7107 islands (sixty percent of them uninhabited) and 58,390km of coastline, all in a land mass no bigger than Arizona. Filipinos refer to it as their string of pearls. Your biggest problem is likely to be deciding which of the pearls to see first.

Most international flights land in Manila, the capital, which is choked with traffic and somewhat dilapidated, but secrets some of the ritziest shopping malls and exciting nightlife in Asia. JM Nakpil Street in Malate on a Friday night is a sight to behold. Locals mingle with film stars while transvestites and a smattering of expatriates create a good-natured outdoor party atmosphere that makes all other parties look tame by comparison.

For beach connoisseurs, the central Visayan region is an island-hoppers' paradise, with white sanded waterfronts and crystal clear waters alive with myriads of fish and other colourful sea creatures. An hour to the southwest of Manila by plane or an overnight journey by ferry, is an unforgettable wilderness of blue lagoons, volcanic lakes and first-rate scuba diving. In the Cordillera Mountains of the far north live tribes whose way of life has barely changed other than giving up head hunting, since they first settled there around 500BC.

Centuries of colonial rule have resulted in a country of potent but conflicting influences. When Magellan placed a sovereign hand on the Philippines on behalf of King Philip of Spain in 1521, he brought with him Catholicism and European architecture.

Three centuries after Magellan, in 1898, there was another bizarre twist in the country's colonial history when America bought the Philippines from Spain for US$20 million, part of the booty from a war the two powers had fought over Cuba. It was from America that the Philippines got its town planning, its constitution, and its passion for basketball, beauty pageants and pizza. Independence was finally granted on July 4, 1946, making the Philippines Asia's first real democracy.

It was however the events of the 1980s that brought the Philippines to the general attention of the rest of the world. In 1972, President Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law. When Marcos's lifelong political rival, Ninoy Aquino, was assassinated at Manila airport in August 1983, patience with the dictator ran out. What followed was nothing short of momentous "people power" revolution that ridded the islands of Marcos and his ambitious wife Imelda. In February 1986, they fled to Hawaii, where Ferdinand died in exile.

It has become hackneyed to describe the Philippines as the land where Asia wears a smile, but there's no denying it's true. Graciousness and warmth are built into Filipino genes. English is widely spoken, even in the provinces, and everywhere you go you will be greeted with the honorific "ma'am" or "sir".

Filipinos are a romantic lot and nowhere is this more evident than in the hundreds of fiestas and religious ceremonies that are held every year. Some are flamboyant and theatrical, like the Ati-Atihan in Kalibo and the Parade of Pigs in Batangas. Others have their origins in the Scriptures and are quieter, or more solemn.

The 7000 or so islands that comprise the Philippines are considered the forgotten islands of South-East Asia. Off the main overland route and with a recent history of martial law and endemic corruption, the country has struggled to attract tourists in the numbers many of its southeast Asian neighbours have.

Since the demise of the authoritarian Marcos regime 15 years ago the Philippines has fared better; however, the last few years have sent the country's fortunes tumbling once again.

In 2000 a Brussels-based research centre declared the Philippines the most disaster-prone country on earth. It named typhoons, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods, garbage landslides and military action against Muslim insurgents as just some of the problems both locals and tourists have had to deal with.

Political woes continue to set the country back. Despite these difficulties, most of the Philippines is laid back, stable and relatively safe. Transport is cheap, the food is good, accommodation is plentiful and English is widely spoken.

Climate

There are two distinct seasons in the Philippines, the wet (southwest monsoon) and the dry (northeast monsoon). The wet season runs from May to October and the dry from November to April. The wet season is best avoided, as the country is hit by typhoons regularly. These cyclonic storms are more of an inconvenience than an outright threat, with flights cancelled and roads made impassable by floodwaters, even in the capital. November and December are the coolest months, with daytime temperatures of around 28 deg.C, while March, April and May are very hot: expect temperatures to peak at 35 deg.C. Watch out for Christmas and Easter when the whole of the Philippines hits the road and getting a seat on a bus or plane can be difficult.

Warning

The Philippines' political stability has been consistently precarious during the last few years. Guerrillas have developed a predilection for kidnapping foreign tourists and ransoming them for large sums of money.

Although the danger lies mostly in the south, travellers should also be cautious in Manila and other major centres. Serious thought should be given to avoiding some of the islands too and travellers are advised to keep an eye on developments, and seek local advice on travel to the various parts of the country.

The other major issue to be aware of is boat safety. The Philippines archipelago is serviced by a flotilla of ferries, some of them little more than rickety tubs that are often overcrowded and under serviced. If you feel uncomfortable boarding a ferry that looks suspect, leaky or overcrowded, look for an alternative boat or catch a plane.

Note: We take absolutely no responsibility for travellers visiting the Philippines. All visitors to this country do so at their own risk.