Travel to the Philippine Islands Is Safe and Fascinating

2007-12-11T13:41:00.000-08:00

Some people may be reluctant to travel to the Philippine Islands because of what they perceive may be political instability in this South East Asian archipelago nation.

True, the Philippines Islands have had a history of military coups; bandits that kidnap foreigners for ransom; and unending communist and Islamic secessionists . But all these are far less dramatic than the words and all the news reports suggest. The Philippines is still generally a peaceful place to visit and even an ideal place to live. The thousands of foreigners and expatriates who have found their second home in the Philippines are proof of that fact.

The Philippines is not just one island, but a group of 7,107 islands, and one of the primary industries that supports the economy of the Philippines is tourism. The Philippines enjoys a constant flow of visitors from Europe, the US, and neighboring Asian countries like Japan, China, Taiwan, and recently a flood of Koreans, many of whom stay for good.

In addition to being a spectacular destination for adventure sports such as SCUBA and snorkel diving, fishing, mountain biking and boating, the Philippines is also known as a popular place to have a romantic vacation.

Many resorts go out of their way to hold spectacular wedding ceremonies, while most accommodations have facilities to accommodate honeymooners.

Another less well known but equally fascinating aspect of visiting the Philippines is the native culture. The people are some of the friendliest on earth, and are eager to share their colorful ceremonies as well as myths and legends with visitors who show an interest.

Such colorful native legends, along with exceedingly friendly people, immaculate sandy beaches and miles of clear blue ocean combine to make the Philippines Islands a highly recommended vacation destination.

Welcome to the Philippines Islands

2007-12-11T12:58:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the Philippine Islands... an archipelago of 7,107 clustered islands in the Western Pacific Ocean, a tropical paradise of lush greens and white sands that shall enchant any traveler.

Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan and his crew were the first Europeans to arrive in the archipelago in March 1521, landing on the island of Cebu where the first Catholic mass in Asia was held. Magellan would later be killed in battle by natives of neighboring Mactan Island lead by chieftain Lapu lapu.

It was only several years later when the Philippines was actually given its name. The second group of Europeans lead by conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legazpi arrived in 1565, and the Philippines got its name after King Philip II of Spain. This began the colonization of the Philippines, with the first Spanish settlements in Cebu. In 1571 he established Manila as the capital of the new Spanish colony.

There is much to be discovered about this paradise of islands, and you will discover more of that here on Philippines Islands.