Philippines Destination

The Philippines is a popular destination for foreigners seeking adventure, history, cultural and recreational activities and white sand beaches. Even the locals are going out of their comfort zones to explore cities they’ve never been before.

There are so many things to do and places to see in this beautiful country in the pacific.
From historical places to underground rivers, you will not leave disappointed.

One of my favorite places in the Philippines is Cebu. The Island of Cebu has a lot of history. It is known to be the oldest city in the Philippines. Some of the attractions to see in Cebu include: the Magellan Cross—it symbolizes the birth of Christianity in the Philippines (500 years old), Fort San Pedro—the oldest and smallest fort in the Philippines, and Basilica Minore del Santo Nino—the oldest Christian church in the Philippines.

There are other attractions in the nearby area, such as the famous Chocolate Hills in Bohol Island. The nearly perfect rounded hills look like chocolates in the middle of the dry season because of their brown color. There are hundreds of them and they all look uniform in sizes. It is one of the best natural settings I’ve ever seen.

There are also beautiful beach resorts where you can relax and enjoy the scenery or take an adventure under the sea and go scuba diving or snorkeling in the shallow end and appreciate the colorful reefs.

Another must-see sight is the St. Paul Subterranean River National Park in Puerto Princesa, Palawan. Located in the northern coast of the island, the 8.2km of underground river is believed to be the longest in the world. You can take a tour of the river—goes for about 1.3m. One outstanding feature of the river is that, it flows directly to the South China Sea. The underground river is one of the United Nations World Heritage Sites. The rock formations inside the cave are truly spectacular. They’re huge. I’ve never seen anything like it.

The Philippines’s climate is tropical all year round. Although in some parts of the country some islands are cooler than the others. Here’s a quick breakdown of when it’s best to go to certain areas of the Philippines.

Cebu

Cebu is considered as the second capital of the Philippines. This province in the Southern part of the archipelago is a tourists delight. Many foreigners have made Cebu their adopted home.

The best time to visit Cebu is during the months of December to May. The weather year round is pretty steady at a minimum of 22C (72F) to a maximum of 33C (83F).

It’s cooler during the months of December to February. The hottest months are April and May. In the summer the temperature could rise to 100F. Meanwhile, the rain will start pouring down in he month of June.

Manila

Manila is hot and humid all year long. The hottest month is in May where the temperature is about 93F with 70% humidity. Handkerchiefs are commonly used in the Philippines to wipe the sweat off your face and neck.

The best months in Manila weather-wise are from November to February. Those are the cooler months. However, anytime from October to May is a good time to be in Manila. It is the dry season.

Boracay

Boracay is an island in the South well known for it’s white-sand beaches—it has one of the best beaches in the world.

Boracay weather is described as tropical with two seasonal wind patterns controlled by the Northeast (Amihan) and Southeast (Habagat) monsoon.

The best time to go to Boracay is during the months of November to June. It is usually cooler from November until the end of March, with a temperature of 75F to 82F and a low of 72F in the evenings. The cool breeze coming from the sea makes a difference. However, from the end of March to June it is mostly hot. The temperature is about 78F – 88F. There are thunderstorms here and there, but it doesn’t have much affect on the temperature. This is the best time to check out the beautiful beaches of Boracay.

Tagaytay

At 2,500 feet above sea level, Tagaytay has a relatively low temperature of 73F year round, a very low humidity, cool mountain air and abundant rainfall. Tagaytay is perfect for a vacation anytime.

In general, the best time to travel in the Philippines is from December through May. It is dry season and it’s cooler (December-February).

If you want to experience the lively and very colorful festivals, they are celebrated between January and May.

Island hopping is best between the month of October and March.

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