Brief information
Philippines in Asia is considered a special country. Indeed, even the dishes there are not as spicy as in other Asian countries. In addition, European colonists had a great influence on the Philippines. Therefore, the Philippines, which consists of many islands, can be considered an amazing Asian country with beautiful nature, waterfalls, ancient sights and snow-white beaches.
Geography of the Philippines
The island nation of the Philippines is located in the western Pacific Ocean in Southeast Asia. To the north across the strait is Taiwan, to the west across the South China Sea is Vietnam, and to the south lie the islands of Indonesia. The total area of this country is 299,764 sq. km
The Philippines consists of more than 7,100 islands, the largest of which are Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
Most of the territory of the Philippine Islands is covered with dense forests. The largest local peak – Mount Apo, whose height reaches 2,954 meters, is located on the island of Mindanao. Earthquakes often occur in the Philippine Islands, but they are not felt, because. too weak.
The longest river in the Philippines is the Cagayan with a length of 505 km. Cagayan, flows through the northern part of the island of Luzon.
Capital
According to itypemba.com, Manila is the capital of the Philippines. More than 1.8 million people now live in this city.
Official language of the Philippines
The Philippines has three official languages - Pilipino, which belongs to the Austronesian language family, as well as English and Spanish.
Religion
More than 90% of the Philippine population is Christian (mostly Catholic), and the remaining 10% are Muslims.
Government of the Philippines
According to equzhou.net, the Philippines is a presidential republic. Its head is the President, elected by popular vote for a term of 6 years.
The bicameral parliament in the Philippines is called the Congress, it consists of the Senate (24 senators, elected for 6 years) and the House of Representatives (240 deputies, elected for 3 years).
Administratively, the Philippines is divided into 17 regions and 80 provinces.
Climate and weather
The climate is tropical, hot and humid. The hottest months are from March to May. The rainy season starts in June and lasts until the end of October (typhoons are possible at this time). The coldest month is February (average air temperature is +21C), and the hottest is May (+36C).
The best time to visit the Philippines is from November to April. At this time, there is very little rainfall, and the air and sea are very warm.
Sea in the Philippines
The Philippines is washed by the Philippine Sea, which is part of the Pacific Ocean. The total length of the coast of all the Philippine islands is 36,289 km. Thus, the Philippine coastline is the longest in the world.
The diving season in the Philippines runs from the beginning of November to the end of May. The peak diving season is from March to May.
Rivers and lakes
There are over 45 rivers in the Philippines. The longest of them is Cagayan, its length reaches 505 km. Cagayan, flows through the northern part of the island of Luzon.
Culture of the Philippines
The culture of the Philippines was greatly influenced by Spanish and American colonial customs. It was thanks to the Spaniards that the tradition of fiesta and carnivals took root in the Philippines.
Every January, Manila hosts the biggest festival in the Philippines, Black Nazarene Day. On this day (and this is January 9), several hundred thousand people take to the streets of Manila.
Tourists in the Philippines will be interested to see the Mango Festival, the Aurora Festival, the Ati-Atiha Festival, the Pineapple Festival, the Lantern Festival and many others.
All Philippine festivals are accompanied by colorful musical, dance and theatrical performances. Most of the participants of these festivals take part in them in traditional national costumes.
Kitchen
Filipino cuisine has been influenced by Chinese, Malay, Spanish and even American culinary traditions. The cuisine of the Philippines for Europeans is not as well known as, for example, Vietnamese, Thai or Chinese dishes. Filipino cuisine differs from the cuisines of other Asian countries in that it is not as spicy. Although, of course, Filipinos also like to add spices to their dishes.
Spices (garlic, onion, ginger) are needed by Filipinos in order to add flavor to dishes. As in other Asian countries, in the Philippines the staple food is rice, as well as fish and seafood.
Tourists in the Philippines are recommended to try the following local dishes:
- Adobo – stew (chicken or pork) with garlic in soy sauce;
- Pansit – rice noodles with chicken, pork or shrimp along with vegetables;
- Tinola – chicken soup with ginger;
- Sinigang – spicy soup with pork, chicken, fish or shrimp;
- Lengua – fried beef tongue in savory sauce;
- Calamares – fried shrimp / squid;
- Kare-kare – simmered beef;
- Bopis is a spicy pork tripe.
Traditional non-alcoholic drinks in the Philippines – “Sago’t Gulaman” – a sweet drink made from lemon balm, coconut juice, sweet drink “Taho”.
Sights of the Philippines
In the Philippines, you can see very interesting sights. So, on the island of Mindanao in the city of Davao there is a unique Apo National Park and a large orchid farm. On the same island, tourists can visit the medieval Spanish port of Pilar and several other natural parks. On the island of Sulu, you can visit the villages of local residents built right on the water.
On the island of Cebu there is a very old Spanish fort built in the middle of the 16th century, as well as several medieval churches.
Some sights of the Philippines are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List – the city of Vigan, the underground river of Puerto Princesa, the rice terraces in the Philippine Cordillera, the Church of St. Augustine in Manila, the Church of Miag-ao on Iloilo Island, the Church of Paoya, the Church of Santa Maria, Tubbataha Reefs National Park.
Cities and resorts
The largest cities in the Philippines are Kesson City, Kalookan, Davao, Cebu, Zamboanga, Antipolo and the capital is Manila.
The Philippines is world famous for its fantastic sandy beaches. The infrastructure on most beaches is well developed, there are excellent opportunities for outdoor activities, including diving. By the way, some of the Philippine diving centers meet all international standards.
Top 10 best beaches in the Philippines:
- Boracay island. The length of the beach on this island reaches 5 km, the sand is white and fine. Considered one of the best beaches in the world.
- pagudpud. There can be strong winds here and Pagudpud is therefore a great place to surf. Compared to Boracay, Pagudpud is considered more secluded and quiet.
- Mactan Island. On this island, there are not only beautiful beaches, but also a fun nightlife. Suitable for tourists who want to do more than just sunbathe on white sand beaches.
- Panglao Island. Do you love diving? Then Panglao Island is just for you. Quiet, secluded island surrounded by coral reefs.
- Camiguin. This beach is considered the “Garden of Eden”. The beach is located near a beautiful waterfall, as well as hot and cold springs.
- Dakak. This is a private beach, its length reaches 750 m. There are waterfalls and spring water sources on the beach.
- Honda Bay Islands. These islands are located in the southwestern province of Palawan. It is considered an excellent place for diving.
- El Nido. This island is located in the province of Palawan. El Nido is a quiet, secluded place with white sand beaches.
- pearl farm. The resort is located in the south of the country near the city of Davao. It is considered one of the largest Philippine resorts.
- Siargao. This beach is considered to be another popular diving destination in the Philippines.
Souvenirs/Shopping
From the Philippines, tourists usually bring handicrafts, baskets, purses, wallets, rugs, local hand-embroidered clothes, sarong clothes, scarves, musical instruments (for example, bamboo flutes), figurines, hammocks, traditional Philippine knives, hats, Filipino delicacies (mango, for example, is best wrapped in a napkin to keep the fruit fresh).
Office Hours
Banks:
Mon-Fri: 09:00-15:00
Shops:
Mon-Fri: 10:00-20:00
Shopping centers are open until 21:00 or 22:00.
Visa
Ukrainians need to apply for a visa to visit the Philippines.
Currency of the Philippines
The Philippine peso is the official currency in the Philippines (the international designation is PHP). One Philippine peso = 100 centavos. Prestigious hotels, restaurants and shops accept all major credit cards.
Customs restrictions
If you want to bring into the Philippines (or take out) more than 10 thousand dollars, then this must be recorded in the declaration. It is allowed to import (or export) no more than 10 thousand Philippine pesos (for a larger amount, a permit is required).
To export antiques, ivory items, rare plants, animals and birds, you must obtain the appropriate permit.
Useful phone numbers and addresses
Address of the Consulate General of the Philippines in Ukraine:
Index: 01014, Kiev, Michurina St., 19A
T: (044)
286-62-10 email: [email protected]
The interests of Ukraine in the Philippines are represented by the Embassy of Ukraine in Vietnam:
Hanoi, Ba Dinh district, Le Hong Phong 6
T: (+844)
3734-4484 Email: [email protected]
Emergency numbers
117 – all emergencies
time in philippines
The difference with time in Kyiv is +6 hours.
Tips
Tipping is not expected in the Philippines, but is always welcome. The standard tip is 10% of the bill.
The medicine
Doctors before traveling to the Philippines advise tourists to be vaccinated against typhoid, diphtheria, tetanus, hepatitis A and B, and malaria.
Security
The Philippines is generally a safe country, but petty crime and theft are quite common, especially in big cities. Therefore, tourists in the Philippines are advised not to forget about reasonable precautions. In general, Filipinos are very hospitable people.
