Location and Climate
Wonder of the World
The Philippines is an archipelago composed of about 7,107 islands and covering an area of around 300,000 km2. The exclusive economic zone of the Philippines covers 2,263,816 km2. Its 36,289 kilometers long coastline gives it the fifth-longest coastline in the world. Geographically located between 116° 40′, it is bordered by the Philippine Sea to the east, the South China Sea to the west, and the Celebes Sea to the south. The island of Borneo is located just few hundred kilometres southwest with Taiwan located to the north and Palau to the east of the islands.
The highest mountain is the Mount Apo. It measures up to 2,954 meters above sea level and is located 32 kilometers to the west of Davao City on the island of Mindanao. It is a well known mountain for hikers and a well-worthy travel. The Philippines’ longest river is the Rio Grande de Cagayan and measures about 520 kilometres. The largest lake is the Laguna de Bay which is connected with the Manila Bay through the Pasig river. And last but not least is the Puerto Princesa Subterranean river. This UNESCO World Heritage Site runs 8.2 kilometers underground through a karst landscape before reaching the ocean. This protected area is located on the island of Palawan and can be visited. Book a tour on your next visit to the Philippines and see the spectacular limestones on your own.
The beautiful Banawe rice terraces, called Hagdan-hagdand Palayan ng Banawe, are man-made carved terraces in the mountains of Banawe, Ifugao in the Philippines, by the ancestors of the Igorot people. Located at about 1,500 meters above sea level, they are often referred to as the “Eight Wonder of the World”. The terraces are fed by an ancient irrigation system from the rainforests above the terraces.
A Tropical Paradise
The Philippines is a tropical country and its climate is usually hot and humid. There is a hot and dry season from December to May, with April and May being the hottest time of the year, and a rainy season between June to November. Despite of this time being called the rainy season, it is still a hot and humid weather condition but rainy conditions which can lead to typhoons. The temperature ranged from 21 °C to about 35 °C. The weather may feel hotter because of the humidity, or much cooler than it is if it drops to close to 20 °C. You may want to experience Baguio for a cooler weather, where it can feel sometimes like a spring season time in terms of temperature. This is also one of the biggest reasons why people visit that place besides the beautiful landscapes.
The tropical climate hosts plenty of species you will not find elsewhere. A shy inhabitant who you might not easily find somewhere else is the Tarsier. This little primate that grows about to 15 centimetres tall is the second smallest primate in the world and is a protected species in the Philippines. They can be seen on the islands of Bohol, Samar or Leyte.
Three Main Island Groups
There are three main island groups: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Luzon is the biggest island group in the Philippines. Besides Metro Manila, the capital region, there are many other places and tourist attractions you can visit on this island. It stretches from Bataan in the most northern part to Sorsogon in the South East and Palawan in the South West. Visayas is the middle island group with Cebu as the most known city known for their beautiful sandy beaches. It streches from Samar at the East moving South to Bohol and West to Antique and Aklan. Mindanao is the fruit basket of the Philippines where you will find one of the largest banana plantation in the world (the Philippines is the second largest producer), vast fields of coffee beans and cocoa, Pomelo, Durian, and so on. The fertile soil and relative steady all year round climate makes this island so rich in planting all kinds of fruits and vegetables. The most known city is Davao City. It is the largest city in the Philippines in terms of land area.
We will soon roll-out more information about the these three main islands and what special places you can visit!
