Muslim insurgency in the southern island of Mindanao and regular devastating typhoons are other impediments to an otherwise lovely country with sweet friendly people, most of whom speak English. The islands of the Visayas are as near to tropical paradise as you get in these parts, but there's plenty of culture, colonial history and good value for money elsewhere too.

Travel to The Philippines - Getting There

Manila is the only international air gateway to the Philippines, and geographically, the country isn't too close to any other Southeast Asian capital. For short-time visitors, flying is the only practical way to get around to all the islands, but most routes are out of Manila with few inter-connections. The iconic jeepney is the Filipino answer to the Thai tuk-tuk, but acts more like a mini-van, relied on daily by throngs of commuters. There are also conventional air conditioned taxis to get you around. Bus networks on the islands are frequent if somewhat slow but come in various classes depending on how much time or money you have. Between the islands, a vast network of ferries of all sizes and speeds operate and are often the lifeblood of the country.