Category: Destinations

Widely known as one of the finest swimming destinations in the world, Boracay is blessed with unsullied fine talcum powder-sand beaches. Its tranquil crystal clear waters are perfect for swimming, sailing, fishing and sunbathing. Boracay also boasts of sapphire seas and spectacular sunsets. Countless hidden coves dot the island and tall coconut trees line up along the beaches. Boracay lies at the northwest tip of Panay, in the west Visayas region, off the Sibuyan Sea. The island is made up of villages, namely: Yapak in the north, Balabag in the middle, and Manocmanoc in the south.

Take a peek into Filipinos' history and culture mirrored by century-old churches, ancient forts and modern museums. See the best of nature in our white-sand beaches and three-layered virgin forests.

Blessed with an extensive coastline, the Philippines is ringed with unspoiled beaches and first-class resort facilities. Its deep-blue, crystal-clear waters offer about 40,000 square kilometers of coral reefs teeming with a wide variety of marine life.

Endowed with a tropical climate, the Philippines offers a perfect treat to enjoy the sunlight. Lying in southeast Asia and surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, the Philippines boasts of unsullied beaches, spectacular sunsets, luxuriant pastoral lands, cool mountain weather, brilliant man-made resorts and dazzling islands.

The Philippines boasts of some of the best beaches and scuba diving waters in the world. Witness the vast expanse of nature's splendor under the spell of cool mountain breeze. A perfect setting for romance or nature tripping, the country's mountain villages serve as a perfect hideaway from the lowlands' summer heat.

Feel the breeze of summer at white-sand beaches of Boracay, Panglao and Palawan deemed as among the world's finest; be fascinated at the spectacular view of Baguio, Sagada and Tagaytay; and take a dip in the refreshing waters of modern resort facilities.

If you have yet to see the Philippines, then embark now to what promises to be a trip to paradise. Watch our special video. Click here.

Gaining high recognitions as the Top 5 Best Diving Area, Top 10 Most Desirable Destination, Best Dive Resort (Bohol Tropics), and Favorite Dive Operator (Blue Coral, Cebu), the Philippines continues to be an acknowledged marine explorer’s haven. The awards were based on a survey participated in by more than 50,000 dive enthusiasts in Japan.

The list of top ten dive sites also includes Maldives, Palau, Ishigaki Island; Saipan, Okinawa Island, Zamami Island, French Polynesia, Mizako Island, and Guam. Given at the recent 17th Marine Diving Fair (MDF) held in Tokyo, the largest diving fair in Asia, the MDF Awards are among the highly-acknowledged commendations for must-visit dive destinations in the world.

BATAC, Ilocos Norte—Garlic farmers in this province have shifted to the planting of other crops, corn in particular, as the unchecked smuggling and open importation of garlic from Taiwan pulled local prices below profitability levels.

According to Batac farmers, what used to be a billion-peso garlic industry in Northern Luzon has now been relegated to a backyard enterprise that is slowly collapsing to extinction because of the country’s allegiance to the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Banaue Rice Terraces, which has been recently named as one of the 50 greatest travel destinations in the world, has gained another distinction on the pages of TNT, one of the top travel magazines in the United Kingdom. The premier travel and lifestyle magazine came out with a four-page, full-color article, and a front-page mention of the rice terraces.

Prior to this, the National Geographic Traveler magazine, in its October 2009 anniversary edition, included the Rice Terraces of the Cordillera in the 50 places of a lifetime, highlighting the world's greatest travel destinations.  The National Geographic described the rice terraces as "masterpieces of agrarian art."

Leyte province’s tourism potential has been cited by the regional office of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).  DTI provincial director Desiderio P. Belas, Jr. said the Northwest Leyte corridor is an ideal place for investment since it now hosts geothermal power plants, large industries, roll on-roll off (RO-RO) ports, an airport, schools and undiscovered tourist destinations.

International tourists in the Philippines increased 17 percent year-on-year in 2010, reflecting the growth in tourism in Asia during the year and marking a strong rebound from the global financial crisis that hit the region in 2008 and 2009.  On a monthly basis, December 2010 saw the highest number of foreign tourists at 393,585.

Tourism Secretary Albert Lim said foreign visitor arrivals hit 3.52 million in 2010, topping the previous record or 3.3 million in 2008.  This was led by 48.7 percent growth in arrivals from Korea which reached 740,622 and represented a fifth of the total.