Philippines

Hundred Islands National Park

       Why not visit one of the best places in the Philippines which has its own legend? They say that each of the hundred islands has come from the noble soldiers who fought for the country. Although there are several different islands, only three of them have been developed and are enjoyable from a tourist’s perspective: Governor Island, Quezon Island, and Children’s Island. It’s easy to get around, though – just take a bus ride to Anda Alaminos and rent a ferry bound to the island you want to stay. Children’s Island is named such because it is really perfect for youngsters – it is surrounded by shallow water, which is suitable and safe for children to play.

Ifugao Rice Terraces, Philippines

A few thousand years ago, overland migrants came down from what is now Yunnan province in China and brought with them rice terrace technology. These creations now layer the hillsides of the Ifugao region in the Philippines. Supposedly entirely built by hand, the stone- and mud-walled terraces are tiered on impossibly steep slopes and irrigated my mountain streams and springs. During harvest season in the villages of Banaue and Batad, when the rice plants are at their brightest green, the valleys practically glow in the sunshine, and trekking around the hillsides is a surreal experience.