Philippines, forgettable paradise no more.

Almost every single day, I'm dreaming of traveling whether in my home country or in other parts of the globe. Friends tell me that I was born with a mole on my feet, which means, I can't stand being in one place -- I need to go...wherever. The moment, I get to imagine my next destination, I purchase a book or a magazine or nowadays I browse the net for a quick information. In one of these moments that got me thinking of checking out what other reliable sites have to say about my country. I checked the famous backpacking sites Lonely Planet and the high end Conde Nast Travels.

Compared to our neighbors, the Philippines is low key destination. Most of the time bypassed by both western and eastern travelers. Too bad, they’re missing half of their life by doing that.

Anyway, I’m re-posting two of the most interesting write-ups I’ve found.

Photo courtesy of National Geographic. Photograph by Paul Chesley/Getty Images Life revolves around the sea on many of the Philippines' 7,100-plus islands.

1). www.lonelyplanet.com/philippines

The second-largest archipelago in the world, with over 7000 tropical islands, the Philippines is one of the great treasures of Southeast Asia. Often overlooked by travellers because of its location on the ‘wrong’ side of the South China Sea, the Philippines rewards those who go the extra distance to reach it. And because it’s off the beaten path, the Philippines is a great place to escape the hordes who descend on other parts of Southeast Asia. First and foremost, the Philippines is a place of natural wonders – a string of coral-fringed islands strewn across a vast expanse of the western Pacific. Below sea level, the Philippines boasts some of the world’s best diving and snorkelling, including wreck diving around Coron and swimming with the whale sharks off Donsol. Above sea level, it has a fantastic landscape with wonders enough to stagger even the most jaded traveller: the Chocolate Hills of Bohol, Banaue & the Rice Terraces and fascinating reminders of the islands’ history in places such as Samar & Leyte and Vigan. And if you’re after palm-fringed, white-sand beaches, try laidback Sipalay or flat-out party town Boracay.

Of course, any traveller who has been here will tell you that it’s the people and their culture that makes the Philippines unique. Long poised at the centre of Southeast Asian trade, colonised by a succession of world powers, the Philippines is a vivid tapestry that reflects its varied cultural inheritance. And despite the poverty that afflicts much of the nation, the Filipinos themselves are among the most ebullient and easygoing people anywhere. The Philippines truly qualifies as one of the last great frontiers in Southeast Asian travel. Cross whichever ocean you need to and see for yourself.

Photo courtesy of concierge.com

2) One of the 13 Best Adventure Trips 2008

A Masked Ball in the Philippines (www.concierge.com - Conde Nast Travels)

This is the stuff of cubicle fantasies. Pristine coral reefs where parrot fish and angelfish swim. Tiffany blue snorkeling waters. Palm trees, brown-sugar beaches, and you, kicking back with a fruity cocktail to the ting of tropical music. Welcome to Palawan, a spray of 1,760 islands in the Pacific, most often overlooked by the Fiji- and Tahiti-bound. This April, you can spend 13 days snorkeling, paddling, and simply floating around Palawan's remote regions courtesy of Wilderness Travel. Mingle among the world's greatest concentration of whale sharks at the Bay of Donsol before kayaking into caves. Should a tiny bit of discomfort creep in, a masseuse will provide seaside therapy. Trip leader and marine biologist Lee Goldman sparks regular discussions on sea life and guides expeditions to the Apo Reef National Park, which brims with 500 types of coral and 500 marine-life species. You'll divide your time between camping at secret lagoons (with air mattresses, nightlights, fans, and screened ceilings for stargazing) and wallowing at beachfront resorts with four-poster beds in Fijian cottages. Your office mates really will hate you.

I feel quite proud of this particular article because we’re alongside ‘Best of Peru’, ‘Lost Alaska by Kayak’, ‘Argentina: It Takes Two (Wheels) To Tango ‘, ‘Sand and Savannas in Mali’, ‘Panama Party: Jungles and Carribean Beaches’, ‘Gabon, Where the Wild Things Are’, ‘Trekking Through Transylvania’, ‘Swiss Freeze’, ‘Globe-Gazine ing Tibet’, ‘River Wild in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, ‘ British Columbia: Fish Finding From 13,000 Feet, Texas Chain Saw : Biking Big End.

-r-