Philippines

A representation of a headless priest reportedly seen on Corregidor.

What Makes Corregidor’s Ghost Story an Unusual Philippines Tale

The Legend That Won’t Stay Buried Picture this: you’re wandering through the bombed-out ruins of Corregidor Island at twilight. The air smells like salt and rust and something older. Then you see him, a priest in tattered robes, gliding soundlessly through the crumbling Spanish barracks. He raises his hands as if to bless you. Except […]

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Traditional bangka boat traveling to Malapascua Island Philippines across turquoise Visayan Sea

What Actually Happens When You Lose Everything Abroad

Setting the Scene: Authentic Philippines Travel vs. Tourist Expectations Malapascua Island sits like a tiny comma in the Visayan Sea, barely five square kilometers of white sand and promise. As I discovered, budget travel on Malapascua Island is a very realistic goal for travelers. Backpackers on a budget in the Philippines flock here for one

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Aerial view of El Nido, Palawan, Philippines, with limestone cliffs and turquoise lagoon

Philippines Travel Guide 2026: Everything You Need to Know

Welcome to Paradise (With Excellent Wi-Fi and Questionable Traffic) The first time I tried to explain the Philippines to my skeptical uncle at Thanksgiving dinner back in 2009: “It’s like… Hawaii, but with 7,641 islands instead of eight, incredible food that doesn’t cost $47 for a mediocre poke bowl, and people who will literally invite

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Digital nomad fantasy versus reality in Philippines - split screen comparison

Digital Nomad Life in the Philippines: The Complete 2026 Guide

If you’re considering working remotely in the Philippines or embracing digital nomad life in Southeast Asia, this is the reality check you need. After five years of watching dozens of remote workers navigate digital nomad life in the Philippines, I’ve learned that the Instagram aesthetic rarely matches the reality I’ll never forget the message my

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Amazing Filipino Resilience In the Aftermath of Typhoons Kalmaegi & Fung-Wong

Introduction Before celebrating the grit and humor that shine after every Philippine storm, it’s worth acknowledging what Typhoons Kalmaegi and Fung-Wong truly left behind. Across Cebu, Bohol, and Bacolod, families woke up to flooded homes, cut-off roads, or entire barangays without clean water or electricity. Fisherfolk stayed ashore longer than they liked. Travelers slept on

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Aerial view of Palawan lagoon with cliffs, turquoise water, and a traditional banca boat.

The Best Places for First-Time Philippine Travelers: A Love Affair with Cebu, Siquijor, Palawan, Leyte & Negros

One of the immediate lessons that first-time travelers to the Philippines learn is: if paradise had Wi-Fi, karaoke, and mangoes that make you rethink every mango you’ve ever eaten, it would be the Philippines. But where do you start when the country has over 7,000 islands, each shouting “Pick me! Pick me!” like contestants on

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