The Philippines: Getting to Know the Basics

The Republic of the Philippines is a country that is made up of 7,107 islands. It is an archipelago home to many ethnic groups. The Philippines is divided into three major parts, though – Luzon, the biggest island is home of the capital, Manila. Visayas,  which is composed of many small islands, and Mindanao, the second largest island in the Philippines that is at its south. The people of the Philippines are called Filipino. In their native tongue, men are called Pinoy and the women Pinay. Their language is of the same name. However, the language is based on the Tagalog dialect and this is why sometimes it is called Tagalog as well.

Yearly, many people from all over the world travel of the Philippines. Why? Well, first of all, there are many tourist destinations there. Being an archipelago in the Pacific, the Philippines is home to many great looking beaches and other water bodies. This is the main reason why people go to the Philippines.

Being able to enjoy the many different beaches will really rejuvenate the stressed you. Among the world renowned beaches of the Philippine Islands is Boracay, which is named as one of the best tourist beaches around. During the day, you can enjoy the beach and take on quite a lot of many different activities as well. There are some people who go to Boracay to skim board. There are some who try Helmet Diving. There are some who go there so they can go parasailing. While there are some who enjoy the land activities there such as zip lining and their ATV trips. But there is one new thing that many people of the world visit the Pinoys and the Pinays for. Recently, the Philippine Mermaid Swimming Academy was born. Yes, you’ve read it right. It’s a mermaid swimming school. You don’t even have to learn how to speak Tagalog so you can take classes here. They offer mermaid swimming lessons to adults and kids alike, whether you are a man or a woman. Indeed, visiting the island of Boracay will make your Philippine vacation the best!

If you are not into the beaches and swimming, you can take a stroll down their history when you visit the northern province of Vigan. There you will come across this place where you will feel like you were literally back in the 16th century. The buildings and the people there are still living during that time – and it’s not a show, it’s for real. You can ride a kalesa, or a Filipino carriage. You can enjoy their food as well. Visiting the Pinoys and the Pinays of Vigan will surely be a memorable one for anyone who visits this part of the Philippines

One of the reasons why there are many foreigners in the Philippines is because they are an English speaking country. You don’t need to learn Tagalog to be able to communicate there. Wherever you go, you will get to see pinoys and pinays that you can speak English with. Therefore, you won’t be at risk of getting lost or anything. As long as you are in the Philippines and you can speak English. But if you are in the Philippines, here are a few Tagalog words that you should be prepared with: “Salamat” means thank you, “Magkano” is how much, “Saan” means where, while “Paano” is how.

The Philippines is known for their food as well. There they have the world famous dish adobo, which is a stew that has a soy sauce and vinegar sauce. Alternatively, you can taste  balut as well. This famous food is basically a boiled duck egg – with a fertilized duck inside. Weird? Read on. The Philippines is also home of the Dinuguan dish, or the Pork Blood Stew. Yes, you read it right, blood. Don’t worry Filipinos are not vampires. In fact, they are always all smiles.

The Philippines is known for their hospitality. Filipinos are very nice too. This is why more and more people enjoy visiting the Philippines.