[PeterG]

The Philippines is one of the archipelagic countries right on the Southeast Asian region. The reason for such a reference is because much of the regions comprising the country are distributed as small archipelagos within the Philippine area. Because of its physical topography, the Philippines is also considered as the pearl of the Asian Pacific region. Some experts say that the country appears to be small pearls glistening ever so beautifully when seen from the outer space.

Aside from this, the Philippines is also one of those tropic places in Asia. It only has a couple of different seasons—wet and dry. There isn’t any snow happening during the latter part of the year and no white Christmas to spend. But his does not mean that the Philippines is not a festive country because it is, as you will see later on. The dry season is also the summer time for Philippines.

Around this time, most people flock the cooler provinces of the country as the season lasts from roughly around late February until midway in June. After that, rainy season kicks in. Usually this is marked by continuous entries of typhoons in the country.

Because the Pacific Ocean is right beside the country, it inevitably became prone to typhoon visits. Rainy seasons last from July until December but it usually recedes by the latter month, just leaving behind cool winds that make up for a winter Christmas experienced in other countries.

The Philippines has Manila as its capital and it also has over 7,107 islands comprising it as a whole. While the country used to be a primarily agricultural land, innovations in its IT and business industry has made it an attractive offshore destination for foreign investors.

The Philippines is considered to be one of the few countries in Asia that are considered to be Catholic. Although other prime religions such as Islam and Protestantism also abound in the country, Catholic remains to be the top religion recognized in the country. Also because of this, the Philippines is well-known for its festive mood that happens all over the country.

These festivals are also the reason why most foreigners find it interesting to visit this tropical country, apart of course from the hospitable places and the many cities of smiles that are expected to be seen all over. Most of the festivities being held in the country are made to honor various patron saints. One of the biggest festivals is the Sinulog, celebrated in Cebu around January. The festival is held in honor of the patron, Sto. Niño.

Speaking of foreigners and travelers, the Philippines is also known for its vast beaches and wonderful tropic regions. Among the top destinations for certified beach lovers are Boracay in Aklan, Bohol, and the coral reef rich coast of Palawan.

For divers, Batangas is a well-loved venue for exploring the Philippine marine ecosystem. Certainly you will find that the Philippines can satiate your exploration cravings. In addition to these, the Philippines also has other prime destinations which are not necessarily beaches. Among the tops hotspots for this is Baguio, Davao, Cebu, Bacolod, and lots of other different regions and cities.