Introduction
Travel to the Philippines and explore an island nation that stretches over one thousand miles from north to south through the Western Pacific. This beautiful country is still being discovered both by visitors and natives alike.

Philippines travel offers a warm, tropical climate, friendly people, and a wealth of unspoiled natural splendor. There is great diversity here also. The archipelago encompasses 7,107 islands, from tiny, uninhabited outcrops to the largest islands of Luzon and Mindanao, both larger than Ireland. Many cultures call the Philippines home; over 60 tribal groups are recognized.

The Philippines has a multitude of natural highlights. The Hundred Islands off Luzon are a compact collection of tiny coral islands, some with deserted white sand beaches — the quintessential desert islands. The vast Banaue rice terraces soar from the valleys into the Central Cordillera mountains. Mayon Volcano is among the most beautiful in the world.

Small-ship travel is an ideal way to visit the Philippines. With so many undeveloped islands, a small ship offers the opportunity to make landfall anywhere and wind your way leisurely through this fascinating country.
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Natural History
The ecosystems of the Philippines reflect the proximity of the various islands to other Asian countries. For example, the northern island of Luzon has many species resembling those found in Taiwan and southern China. The species of Palawan, in the west, resemble those of neighboring Borneo.

The islands harbor a great biodiversity of flora and fauna. Among the animals, there are 200 mammal species, 600 bird species, and 200 reptile species. Among the plants, there are 10,000 tree and fern species and 900 orchid species. Since large portions of the archipelago remain relatively unexplored, the numbers and range of diversity are probably even higher. The Philippines also boasts a significant share of the world’s tropical rainforest, comprising 10% of the country’s area.

The Philippines is home to the world’s two smallest primates, the tarsier and the tabius. The tarsier is the world’s smallest primate and can easily sit in the palm of your hand. Spot the tarsier at dusk as he leaps between small trees. He sports a long tail and enormous eyes, all the better to see his prey with on nocturnal expeditions. Both of these tiny primates are currently endangered.

The Philippine eagle, or haribon, is one of the world’s largest birds of prey. It’s also greatly endangered, with only 100 or so remaining in the wild. In Mindanao’s Mt. Apo National Park, the haribon can be observed soaring in the sky; its piercing cry may alert you to its presence. Unfortunately, the haribon’s diet consists partly of tarsiers and tabius, which he plucks easily from the trees. The situation makes for a conundrum of animal preservation.

The tropical waters and sheltered seas teem with a trove of marine life. Extensive coral reefs live in the Mindoro Strait and Mindanao Sea areas. Sharks, dolphins, whales, and sea snakes are found in Philippine waters.

Like its East Asian neighbors, the Philippines lies in a geologically and seismically active area. The country is home to 37 active volcanoes. Earthquakes, while not frequent here, can be very severe. A 1990 quake of magnitude 7.7 killed 1,600 people. The 1990 earthquake disaster was quickly eclipsed by the 1991 eruption of the long-dormant volcano Mt. Pinatubo on Luzon. Pinatubo’s eruption spewed ash, mud, and rocks 25 miles into the sky, causing widespread destruction on the heavily populated island. The eruption was also credited with cooler temperatures worldwide in the following year.

For more information on the natural history of the Philippines, see book selections below.
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History
The original inhabitants of the Philippines arrived 25,000 years ago from the Asian mainland. Subsequent migrations brought peoples from Indochina and Malaya.

Indian influences came much later from Buddhist-Hindu empires on Sumatra and Java. The Chinese traded with Luzon and the Visayas. In 1380, Islam was introduced in the southern Philippines.

Explorer Ferdinand Magellan was the first European to arrive in the Philippines, in 1511. Magellan immediately claimed the islands for Spain. Local chieftains had other ideas, however, and the great circumnavigator was killed in a subsequent battle. Spain persisted in her attempts to acquire the Philippines and, by 1571, dominated most of the country.

Only in the late 19th century did an independence movement flourish. European-educated Filipinos returned with democratic ideas. One was writer and poet Dr. Jose Rizal, who inspired the Filipino people to revolt in 1896. Spain put down the insurrection and Dr. Rizal was executed the same year. But by now Spain’s power in the islands was on the wane.

The 1898 dispute between the United States and Spain over Cuba brought those powers into conflict at Manila. The Spanish were resoundingly defeated. The Filipinos, fighting on the American side, had expected their independence to be rubber-stamped. Instead, the U.S. bought the islands from Spain and only granted them commonwealth status.

The Philippines remained under partial U.S. control until the Japanese invasion of 1942. American forces recaptured the islands in 1944. In 1946, full independence was granted, with Manuel Roxas as first president of the new republic. Instability followed independence; crime spiraled upwards, and corruption was rampant.

This was the state of affairs inherited by Ferdinand Marcos in 1965. The early Marcos years saw chaos continue until 1972, when Marcos declared martial law. Matters improved economically, but Marcos ruled with an iron fist. Guerrilla groups in the south opposed his rule with violence. Rigged elections ensured his continued rule until 1986.

The murder of popular politician Benigno Aquino in1983 turned sentiment against Marcos. The opposition galvanized under Aquino’s widow, Corazon “Cory” Aquino. She embarked on a campaign of peaceful but paralyzing protest — “People Power,” as it came to be known. The turning point came when portions of the military abandoned Marcos to support Aquino. Aquino won the 1986 elections, and Marcos and his wife, Imelda, fled into exile.

Cory Aquino restored democracy by re-establishing the parliament. While Aquino achieved much politically, daily life changed little for the average Filipino. Poverty worsened and much-needed land reform never materialized. The military never wholly supported Aquino, and there were many attempted coups. Defense Minister Fidel Ramos ensured that she survived politically.

Aquino stepped down prior to the 1992 elections. In a close vote, Fidel Ramos was elected president. Unlike Aquino, Ramos made revitalizing the weak Philippine economy a priority. In this he partly succeeded, though the Philippines remains very much an emerging economy.

Ramos stepped down in 1998. Succeeding administrations have been beset by the problems with which the country has been grappling since independence. Corruption remains widespread, and guerrilla groups in the south remain a thorn in the country’s side. It is unclear how such challenges will be met and effectively curbed.

For more information on the history of the Philippines, see book selections below.
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Culture
In 1996, the population of the Philippines numbered 70 million and is growing steadily. At the current growth rate, the population stands to double in the next 30 years. This growth stems in part from the Philippines’ adherence to Catholicism. The Philippines is Asia’s only Christian country. Some 90% are Christians, leaving the nation’s six million Muslims a distant second.

At first glance, the Philippines appears to be a relatively homogeneous country. But over 60 cultural minorities call the Philippines home, in fact. Yet more groups may exist — one group was discovered as recently as the 1960s. The sprawl of metropolitan Manila’s more than 10 million people contrasts sharply with the remote and little-charted interior of Mindanao, where many cultural minorities live.

Mindanao’s most famous cultural group is the Tasaday, who live deep in the rain forest. Outsiders first discovered the Tasaday in the 1960s. Not only did they not know of outsiders, but they also had no contact with neighboring tribes. They live as gatherers of fruit, fish, and crabs, and use only primitive tools.

On Luzon, the Ifugao group, by contrast, have created a vast monument to their presence in the area. The rice terraces at Banaue took 2,000 years to build and still function perfectly today. Only the most rudimentary tools were used in their construction. The terraces soar more than 3,000 feet from the valley floor, making them possibly the country’s most memorable sight.

The Badjao are seafaring people who live on their boats in the Sulu archipelago. Only recently have some Badjao built stilt houses on coral reefs. The Badjao reserve certain islands for their dead in contrast to their life on the southern seas.

The Bontoc live in the Central Cordillera of northern Luzon. The Bontoc live in village communities and have elaborate marriage, funeral, and war rituals. The practice of headhunting, although declining, continues today. Bontoc warriors will seek the head of an enemy as revenge for a previous attack.

Like neighboring Indonesia, the Philippines recognized that a single language was an important element of national unity. In 1936, Tagalog was declared the national language. But later in the 1970s, the Filipino language was drafted as a compromise among the country’s larger groups. Filipino is based on Tagalog but incorporates elements from other languages of the country, such as Cebuano.

English, however, is the predominant language of commerce and education and is widely spoken in the country. The Spanish language survives among the nation’s upper classes.

For more information on the culture of the Philippines, see book selections below.
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Dos and Don'ts
Philippines Travel Tips:

Be careful about photographing cultural minorities. Insensitive photography will cause resentment.

Do try to learn a little of the Tagalog language. It’s considerably easier to learn than many Asian languages, and your efforts will show respect for and interest in Filipino culture.

Do greet elderly Filipinos in any social situation. Filipino society accords great respect to its seniors.

Be gentle when diving or snorkeling in coral reef areas. Living corals are easily damaged by contact with divers and their equipment.
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Weather
The Philippines has a typical tropical climate: hot and humid throughout the year. The significant weather variation is between the wet season and the dry season.

In the dry season, between December and May, temperatures rise steadily, peaking in May. This is followed by the wet season, which is also typhoon season in the country. Pacific typhoons generally strike the Philippines from the southeast, primarily affecting the northern islands.
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Best Time to Go
December to April
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Temperature Range
70°F (21C) – 98°F (37C)
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Books
Playing With Water : Passion and Solitude on a Philippine Island, by James Hamilton-Paterson
Biography
A wonderful memoir of author Hamilton-Paterson's time spent with the villagers, as well as underwater excursions, on a small Filipino island.

Noli Me Tangere, by Jose Rizal
Culture
Written by one of the heroes of the Philippine revolution, this book is a semi-autobiographical account of Philippine society during its days as a Spanish colony. It reflects the hypocrisy and corruption present in that time and still provides good insight into modern Filipino culture.

Snorkeller's Guide to the Coral Reef, From the Red Sea to the Pacific O, by Paddy Ryan, Peter Atkinson
Guide Book
An illustrated overview of coral reefs, coral reef fishes, invertebrates and plants of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. An excellent resource for anyone planning to explore the underwater world.

The Philippines Rediscovered, by Stuart N. Dee
Photography
A book of photographs that shows the beauty of the Philippines as seen through the eyes of a highly acclaimed photographer. Contains more than 250 photographs.

America's Boy: A Century of Colonialism in the Philippines, by James Hamilton-Paterson
Culture
This insightful look into Filipino culture combines history and sociology, and, indeed, a bit of comedy.

Passport Philippines, by Luis H. Francia
Guide Book
Your pocket guide to Filipino business, customs & etiquette.

The Dive Sites of the Philippines, by Jack Jackson
Field Guide
This book is an excellent and extremely accurate guide to select the best diving spots in the Philippines.

Fire and Mud : Eruptions and Lahars of Mount Pinatubo, Philippines, by Christopher G. Newhall, Raymundo S. Punongbayan
Natural History
An impressive collection of 62 technical papers recounting the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo, ten times larger than Mount St. Helens, and its aftermath.

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