Philippines is a country located in southeastern Asia. According to businesscarriers, Manila is the capital city of Philippines.
Flora and fauna
There are approximately 14,000 different plant species on the Philippine Islands. In addition, 5,000 different animal species are native to the islands and the sea. These include water buffalos, turtles, snakes, lizards, dolphins and lots of insect species. There is a private nature reserve near Busuanga with African animals such as giraffes or zebras, where visitors can go on a kind of safari, where you can see the diversity of nature.
In the sea there is a large number of beautiful coral reefs with many colorful fish. For diving enthusiasts, these areas are an absolute experience that you will certainly not soon forget.
The climate in the Philippines
No place in the Philippines is more than 200 km from the sea. Due to the location in the tropics and the proximity of the sea, the climate on the islands is hot and humid all year round. There are hardly any temperature fluctuations. The average values are consistently around 26 ° C. The south-west monsoon caused rain between May and October, whereby the eastern part of the archipelago receives much less rain than the western part due to the location of the mountains in the north-south direction.
The best time to travel is between November and May, when the climate is not too hot and dry.
Attractions
The Benaue rice terraces on the island of Luzon is a major tourist attraction in the Philippines. They are considered the oldest structure on the Philippine Islands. Local farmers still grow rice and vegetables there today.
The Pinatubo, Taal and Mayon volcanoes are another point of interest on the island of Luzon. Many describe the 2462 m high Mayon with its almost perfect cone shape as the most beautiful volcano in the world. However, it is also the most active volcano on the island and has erupted 50 times in the past 400 years. There are currently 20 active volcanoes on the islands.
Approx. 90 km from Manila is the Pinatubo volcano to the northwest. This 1745 m high volcano was considered extinct until 1991. After a rest period of over 600 years, the eruption in 1991 was felt worldwide and the most violent of the 20th century. Its current height is only 1486 m.
The completely rebuilt district of Itramuros is located in the center of the city of Manila. During the Spanish colonial period, this complex was the seat of the administration. Within this district there are a variety of historical buildings such as the Manila Cathedral, the Governor’s Palace or the baroque San Augustin Church.
Not far from Manila is the famous Pagsanjan Falls in the province of Laguna. With its drop height of 90 m, it lies in the middle of a jungle area and is one of the biggest tourist attractions in this region. These waterfalls cannot be reached via the long route. For a small fee, visits to the falls are taken with the traditional Filipino built-in canoes.
The national parks are also worth seeing on the Philippine Islands.
The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park was declared a World Heritage Site in 1999. The over 800 plant species and 95 bird species are characteristic of this park and attract thousands of visitors every year. This world-famous landmark is located on the island of Palawan northwest of the provincial capital, Puerto Princesa.
Another park worth seeing is the Quezon National Forest Park or the Hundred Islands National Park. The national park with its 123 islands is a popular excursion destination and is located in the waters of the Philippine province of Pangasinan in the north of the archipelago.
Not far from Hundred Islands National Parkis the historic city of Vigan. This coastal city was an important trading center in Southeast Asia. The center of the city has hardly changed since the colonial era. An outstanding building is the three-aisled cathedral. The Spanish colonial houses around the former port are also worth seeing.
The Chocolats Hills are among the most important sights on the island of Bohol. On a total of 50 km² there are 1268 hills, which are unique with their hemispherical or conical shape and are only covered with grass. In the dry season, these hills turn brown, which is what gave the elevations their name. Alongside Boracay and Bantayan, Bohol is one of the most beautiful islands in the Philippines and is high on the popularity scale of tourists. Landscapes worth seeing such as the Chocolats Hills, the Hindana coast or the Tuntunan waterfall are just some of the many tourist highlights of the island of Bohol in addition to beach and diving paradises.
Diving in Filipino waters
The great underwater world attracts divers from all over the world. Diving centers can be found across the entire archipelago today. The most famous center is in Puerto Galera on the island of Mindoro. In the central region of the archipelago, activities are concentrated on the islands of Bohol and Moalboal. Wreck diving, such as in northern Palawan, is just as popular as diving on the numerous coral reefs.
The Tubbataha reef is the best known and largest coral reef in the Philippine Islands. The reef is 160 km from Puerto Princesa. There are 396 different types of flowering animals in this atoll. With its biodiversity, this reef system is one of the 10 most beautiful in the world. The visibility under water is up to 45 m, especially in May.
The Apo reef is also popular with divers. This reef is located on Mindoro Strait on the southern edge of the South China Sea near Pandan Island.
