Tailor Made Holidays in The Philippines: Introduction

Poised on the edge of Southeast Asia and looking out to the Pacific, the Philippines is a fascinating and diverse archipelago. With over 7,000 islands it is the ideal place to escape to beautiful beaches, but it also shelters some of Asia’s most remote ethnic tribes, many of which have had little contact with the outside world.

Culturally it is astonishingly diverse, with its national language, Tagalog, revealing traces of a long and complex history. As an early trading point between the Middle East and China it uses Arabic numbers, four hundred years of Spanish occupation installed Hispanic names for the days of the week along with a deep and devout Christianity, while a blast of American imperialism added country music, a smattering of English words and an abiding awe of the dollar. None of these invaders got much beyond the major cities, leaving the impenetrable interior, with its stone-age tribes and ancient agricultural systems, miraculously untouched.

On the coast, the tides have washed all foreign influences from the smooth white sands, leaving some of the world’s finest reefs intact. Add to this the charming and sophisticated welcome of the Filipino people and it is easy to see why this fabulous country is worth the few extra hours’ flying time to get beyond Southeast Asia’s better-known destinations.

Selected Highlights

Our specialists have travelled the length and breadth of the country to research the best places to stay and things to do. Here they list a few of their favourite “unmissables”. Click here for more highlights

Take a ride in a Jeepney

Possibly the ultimate Philippine icon is the Jeepney which were originally fashioned out of American World War II jeeps and other vehicles welded...  [more]

Climb Taal Volcano

Taal volcano is reputed to be the smallest active volcano in the world but has not erupted since 1965 and is found right in the middle of Taal lake on...  [more]

Explore dramatic El Nido and the Bacuit Archipelago

Found on the northwest coast of the exotic and rugged island of Palawan is the little town of El Nido, the place to head for in order to explore the jagged...  [more]