Philippines
The Place
Manila, the in-your-face capital of the Philippines, is the usual starting point for most visitors' journeys to the archipelago.Increasingly, however, with the opening up of the air routes, travellers may enter through other gateways, such as Cebu City, Davao, Zamboanga or Laoag.
Manila is on the southern part of Luzon, the largest island, located at the northern end of the archipelago. North of Manila are the loftyhighlands of Baguio and Banaue, where cascading rice terraces spill over as far as the eye can see; and the refined Ilocos region, home to jewels such as the well-preserved Spanish city of Vigan.
South of Luzon are the Visayas, a gathering of variously shaped islands that can keep travellers engaged for years. Increasingly, adventure toursare moving into such untouched locations as Samar and Leyte in the eastern Visayas. Central to the whole Visayas region is the island, and city, ofCebu. This has become not only the gateway to resorts and coral reefs, but also a growing entrepreneurial city (noted too, for its guitars). Boracay, off the northerntip of Panay, is a national showcase, with fabulous white sand beaches.
The Palawan archipelago, west of the Visayas, consists of roughly 1,700 miniscule islands, some harbouring a single village, if that.Palawan is best known for its remote beach locations, difficulties of road travel, and exotic wildlife (rare species include the sea turtle, Palawan peacock pheasant,scaly anteater and Palawan bear-cat, or binturong.
Mindanao is the deepest south of the island nation. On its sunny shores and cool mountains exist cultures quite different from those of the northernislands, including various Muslim groups and Badjao sea gypsies, who spend almost all their lives on the water. Mindanao has seen the kidnapping of tourists and fierce fighting between rebel groups and the government in recent years, and its southwestern areas are notrecommended for even the most adventurous travellers. Many of its cities, however, such as Davao and Cagayan de Oro, remain accessible.
