Philippines Travel Guide
The Philippines has a marketing problem, and, in the wake of recent events, foreign tourism here has dissolved to a trickle. Lacking the mystery of Malaysia or Indonesia; the rugged allure of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia; and the tourist mecca atmosphere that is Thailand, the Philippines have a difficult time convincing travelers that they should actually go. A long history of political and economic instability and recent insurgency movements and terrorism in the southwestern islands further relegates travel to those on business, those connected with an embassy, and those traveling on behalf of a mission or simply there by accident. In this section, we offer some historical and cultural information, a listing of the essentials in Manilla, the capital, and a few of the resort destinations that dot the magnificent coastline of this vast archipelago. Independent rural travel is left to the very hearty, and safety should be one of your primary concerns when making a trip to this troubled land. There is but little infrastructure outside of the larger cities.
