The Republic of Philippines is located in the South Pacific, a tropical land with Filipino and English as it’s main language. There are almost 80 other major language groups, with more than 500 other dialects. Since English is the medium of instruction in higher education and is widely used, anywhere you travel to you will be greeted by a friendly face that speaks English quite fluently. It consists of over 7000 islands with all kinds of tropical wildlife to be found. From beaches to volcanoes to tropical rain forests, it’s all there. The Philippines is divided into three main groups of Islands: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

Luzon is home to the country’s capital, Manila, as well as to its most populous city, Quezon City. The Central Luzon Plain is the country’s largest producer of rice. It is worth to travel to central north to visit these world famous rice plains! They are truly spectacular. Located on the western side of Luzon, there are the Zambales Mountains, the mountain range where famous Mount Pinatubo broke out into the most powerful volcanic eruption in the 20th century, in 1991.

Visayas is probably the most well known destination to tourists. Cebu is the oldest city in the island republic and it warmly welcomes tourists each year. The many beach resorts in Cebu cater to tourists from around the world and the vibrant city offers much for visitors to enjoy. Also located in Visayas is Boracay, a paradise of beaches, palm trees, crystal blue waters, exotic marine life, and much much more.

Mindanao is one of Philippines richest islands in natural resources. Over half the country’s pineapple, coffee, and cocoa is produced by Mindanao. In addition there are more beautiful islands, waterfalls, mountains and caves that prove to be attractive tourists spots. There is also a rich Muslim culture in Mindanao, with Arab and Indonesian minority groups in the southernmost island. The colourful malongs (fabric) worn by the Muslim girls will surely catch your eye.

It is believed that the Filipino people, of Austronesian origin originally came from Taiwan and first settled in this northern most part of the Philippines. Later they spread to the rest of the Philippines and colonized most of Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific Islands. The Austronesians still make up the majority of people in Philippines.