Plan Your Trip

Before trip planning and booking your trip, read this. We have practical guides on visas, transportation, accommodation, and what nobody tells you until you’re already there.

Map of the Philippines with some labeling of Key locationsRelaxing Travel

10 Surprising Facts About the Philippines

We will present a few facts about the Philippines here that you may find useful. The Philippines is a treasure trove of surprises, even for the most experienced globe-trotters. With its Instagram-worthy beaches, lively urban scenes, and friendly locals ready to greet you with open arms. No wonder this Southeast Asian jewel is a top

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The electronic thermometer is an essential item when traveling to the PhilippinesRelaxing Travel

Health Emergencies when Traveling: How to Prepare for Illness Abroad

About a week into my recent trip to the Philippines, I began to feel unwell. I have traveled to this location many times over several years, so I was confident it was just a bug I could overcome. Now, I must know how to prepare for and handle health emergencies while traveling. This time, I

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The Spanish colonial facade of Casa Manila museum in Intramuros, Manila, featuring cream-colored walls, red canvas awnings, wrought-iron balconies, and palm trees in the courtyard.Travel The Philippines

The Ultimate Wonderland: Discovering the Best Philippines Tourist Spots

Welcome, fellow travelers! Prepare for a grand tour of the Philippines’ best tourist spots. Have you ever dreamed of discovering a place where every turn reveals a new wonder, each more breathtaking than the last? Welcome to the Philippines, an archipelago with pristine beaches, majestic mountains, vibrant festivals, hidden waterfalls, historic sites, and underwater marvels.

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The Philippine FlagTravel The Philippines

American Influence on Culture in the Philippines

Did you realize the Philippines ranks among the top English-speaking countries globally, surpassed only by the United States and India? This fact underscores just one dimension of the deep-seated American influence on the Philippines’ Culture and Traditions that infuses many aspects of the Philippines. American traditions have subtly and significantly shaped the Philippines’ national identity,

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Map of the Philippines broken down by region.Travel The Philippines

8 Insider Secrets: TIPS for Unforgettable Travel in the Philippines

When planning a trip, there’s nothing quite like diving headfirst into a new destination, armed with a heart full of wanderlust and some killer insider tips. Our mission is to help senior travelers over 50 live their chosen lives, and we mean to do just that by sharing these invaluable Philippine travel tips that will

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Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park Palawan Philippines with limestone cave entrance, green river water, and dense tropical forest.Travel The Philippines

Best Places to Visit in the Philippines: A Travel Guide

Prepare for the journey of a lifetime as we delve into the best places to visit in the Philippines! Nestled in the heart of Southeast Asia, the Philippines is a treasure trove of history, breathtaking landscapes, and vibrant cultures. Envision a place to wander through ancient Spanish fortresses, traverse awe-inspiring rice terraces, and plunge into

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Sunset over a small mangrove on Siquijor Island at sunset with calm reflective water, dramatic clouds, and silhouetted trees at low tide.Travel The Philippines

Perfect Guide: Lesser-Known Island Hopping in The Philippines

Island hopping in the Visayas region of the Philippines ignites the passion of travelers and the imaginations of those who have only dreamed of island escapades. My initial exploration of the Visayas remains vivid. It was a sunny day when I jumped off a small boat onto the sandy beaches of Siquijor. The island’s mysterious

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Fort Santiago main gate stone arch and bridge over moat Intramuros Manila PhilippinesRelaxing Travel

Fort Santiago in Manila: Four Centuries of Power, Prison, and Survival

The approach to Fort Santiago never loses its effect, no matter how many times you make it. You cross the stone bridge over the moat, the Pasig River visible to your left, the bay somewhere behind the walls to your right, and then you pass under the main gate. The archway is massive. The stonework

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San Agustín Church Baroque stone façade Intramuros Manila Philippines morning lightRelaxing Travel

San Agustín Church in Manila: The Building That Refused to Disappear

I have been to San Agustín Church more times than I can count, and the approach still gets me every time. You come through the streets of Intramuros — past the walls, past the vendors, through the shade of the old city — and then the façade appears. Four centuries of Spanish Baroque stonework rising

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Manila Bay sunset view from Roxas Boulevard Baywalk, PhilippinesRelaxing Travel

Manila Bay: A Senior Traveler’s Adventure Worth Taking

My mother-in-law, Rosaria, and father-in-law, Enrique, had a plan for my first day in Manila. They were going to show me everything. The bay. The boulevard. The neighborhood markets. The relatives, and there were many of those. By mid-afternoon, we had covered more of Manila than I had managed in a week in most other

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Rizal Monument bronze statue Rizal Park Manila Philippines with honor guard at baseRelaxing Travel

Rizal Park in Manila: Walking the Ground Where a Nation Was Born

From The Manila Hotel, Rizal Park is right there. Cross Roxas Boulevard in the morning, early enough to beat the heat and the crowds, and you walk straight into it. The Rizal Monument is visible almost immediately. A 12-meter bronze figure rising above the sunken garden at the park’s eastern end. The honor guard flanking

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Stone gate entrance to Intramuros walled city Manila Philippines with kalesa in foregroundRelaxing Travel

Intramuros in Manila: Where the Philippines Keeps Its Past Alive

The first time you pass through the gates of Intramuros, you feel the shift before you understand it. Modern Manila disappears. The noise doesn’t. This is still a city, but the register changes. Cobblestones replace asphalt. Walls that have absorbed four centuries of history rise on either side. You are no longer in contemporary Manila.

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