Philippines
The string of Pearls
The Philippines is the second-largest archipelago in the world with 7,107 islands and over 36,000 miles of coastline. Filipinos justifiably refer to the country as their ‘string of pearls’. Manila, the pulsating hub of the country, is situated on the east coast of Luzon, the most northerly island, which is also the largest and the most well developed. The city was founded in 1571 with its major tourist attraction being the old Spanish walled city, known as Intramuros, which contains some historic buildings and ruins. The modern city, centered around hi-tech Makati District, is also a shoppers paradise with bargains galore. It is also a city of theatres, libraries and museums. The true beauty of the Philippines, aside from her friendly people, is in dramatic hill country and rice paddies, like Banaue and Bagiou, the countryside, the beaches and the pristine marine environment. No finer example of beachside bliss is Boracay Island. It is famous for its White Beach, a four miles long stretch of powder white sand. There are scores of little sandy bays scattered around the island if you want a more peaceful place to go. All you need to do on Boracay is relax, decide whether to go sailing, windsurfing or perhaps snorkeling and then enjoy yourself. The island-province of Cebu sits in the centre of the Philippine archipelago and, along with the adjacent Makati Island, has become a bustling tourist destination
