Asia

[Stuart Ginbey]

Please submit your Asian travel stories here!

[Kelvin Lim]

The Philippines - Land of Smiles


I grew up in the Philippines, and have been lucky enough to travel through and experience going around Asia. However, I'll share my thoughts on the Philippines, as this is one place that not a lot of tourists have on their "must-see" places in Asia.

Though having grown up in the Philippines, I have not really appreciated much of my country until I left in 2001 to live overseas. The Philippines is not one of the most developed countries in Asia, and oftentimes, you only hear of it in the news having encountered natural disasters, government corruption, kidnappings and what-nots. I believed in all of this, and that made me lose my appreciation of my country. But to be honest, having looked at it more closely, not all of it is true, and a lot of it is sensationalised by the media.

I realised that my country has so much to offer in terms of its natural beauty, the friendliness and warmth of its people, and the mere sense of happiness in people's faces despite the poverty and the hardships in their daily lives. I've met a few foreigners who actually told me that even if life is hard in the Philippines, they always feel happy because everyone seems to smile and find a way to laugh at the toughest situations in life. Now that is something made me realise that my country is a lost treasure awaiting to be discovered.

The Philippines has 7,107 tropical islands. There are so many beaches and islands to explore and choose from. I've been to the beaches in Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, but I have to say (biases aside, and I really mean it!) that I have not found any of these beaches that can match what the Philippines has to offer. Just the fine quality of the powder white sand, and the clear blue waters makes it so beautiful and pristine. Best beaches to go to are: Boracay, Camiguin, Bantayan Island, and Bohol..

I love to snorkel and chill out on the beach, and even the marine life is unlike any other... The best spot I've snorkelled at was near Sabang in Puerto Galera. Boracay also has nice snorkelling spots, as does Bantayan Island. I have yet to go to Palawan, but I have heard of raving reviews about those islands on the western end of the Philippines.

I can share a whole lot more, so watch out for my blog... =)