Philippines Landmarks

Best time to go to the Philippines

The best time to visit is between December and May, when it’s a little cooler and drier. The whole country is on the road during Christmas and Easter, as well as Holy Week, and you will find it difficult to find transportation or rooms. The most beautiful festivals are between January and May, the rice terraces of Luzon are suitable for March and April and the best time for island hopping is between October and March.

Money

Currency: 1 Philippine peso corresponds to 100 centavos or sentimos.

Currency abbreviation: PHP (ISO code) – ABBREVIATIONFINDER.ORG

Banknotes worth 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1,000 pesos (common) and 5 and 10 pesos (rare) are in circulation. Coins are used in amounts of 25 sentimo and 1, 5 and 10 peso (common) and 1.5 and 10 sentimo (rare).

Exchange rate:
October 2009
1 US dollar = 46.7 PHP
1 euro = 68.6 PHP
1 Swiss franc = 45.3 PHP

The Philippines has a large number of different sights and attractions to offer its visitors. The Angona petroglyphs are something special. These are rock paintings that are approximately three thousand years old. This landmark is the oldest in the country and is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Wigan, a historic city center, is also a World Heritage Site. The city was built by the Spaniards and is today a prime example of a European trading city in Southeast Asia. The city is a special mix between Asian and European elements, which makes it even more attractive for visitors.

Philippines Sightseeing Places

Anyone interested in antique furniture should take a detour to Calle Crisologo. The shopping street is in the center of the Mestizzen district. The street is surrounded by old Vigan houses. Most of these houses now have stores on the ground floor. You can buy excellent old furniture there.

The Plaza Salcedo is also worth seeing. On it stands the Juan Salcedo monument from the seventeenth century.

Liba City is something special. There is a large number of monasteries and monasteries to see here. The city is also home to the most famous cathedral in the country.

The Philippines has some historic religious buildings to offer. There would be z. B. the four baroque churches from the end of the sixteenth century. The four are located in the cities of Manila, Santa Maria and Miang-ao. But the Catholic Church of St. Augustin in Intramuros is also definitely worth seeing. It was built in 1599 and is considered the oldest stone church in the country.

Other interesting religious buildings in the Philippines would be St. Martin in Taal, the Basilica of San Sebastian (the only steel church in all of Asia) or the St. Pauls Cathedral in Vigan.

The Magat dam is impressive. It is one of the largest dam projects in all of Asia. The Magat dam was designed for power generation and irrigation.

The Magapit suspension bridge is something special. It was the first bridge to be built in this architectural style in Asia. It can be found in Lallo, where it spans the Lallo River at 760 meters.

But nature lovers do not miss out in the Philippines either. So you shouldn’t miss the St. Paul National Park. The park has the largest system of underground rivers in the world. The park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

But the Calibiga cave is also worth a visit. The cave has a size of more than 29 square kilometers and consists of twelve individual rooms. The Calibiga Cave is the largest karst formation in the country.

If you are interested in marine fauna, Donsol is the right place for you. Donsol is a small fishing town where you can watch whale sharks, especially from November to May.

The rice terraces of the Ifugo are impressive. The fields are irrigated by a complex system of canals. The rice terraces were created about two thousand years ago. In any case, this sight is impressive for visitors. Nevertheless, there is a great danger that this beautiful cultural landscape will disappear, since the management of the terraces is extremely arduous and the farmers face the task.

The reef of Apo and the coral reef Tubbataha are particularly recommended for divers and snorkelers. Both reefs have a fantastic underwater world.

Noteworthy national parks in the Philippines are the Northern Sierra Madre National Park, Mt. Isarog National Park and Mt. Guitin National Park.

Philippines Landmarks

Manila (Philippines)

Manila

General information about Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines and is located in the Metro Manila district. The city has an area of ​​38.55 square kilometers and has almost 1.7 million inhabitants. The capital of the Philippines is located on the main island of Luzon. Manila is considered the political, cultural and economic center of the country. The city is really unique and has a lot to offer its visitors.

Manilas Tourist attractions

Music and theater
As a cultural center, the Filipino city attracts gifted artists of modern and classical music, dance and theater art. There are of course numerous bars and music clubs in the city.
One should know that the largest theater scene in Southeast Asia is established in Manila. The city not only shows modern plays, but also classical theater performances typical of the country.

Museums
In Manila you can visit numerous museums. The National Museum of the Philippines is a must. The museum was opened in 1901 and shows exhibits from the fields of anthropology, zoology, botany and art. Another interesting museum in the city is the Casa Manila. Here you can admire Chinese and European furnishings from the nineteenth century. If you want to learn more about coins and banknotes, you should n’t miss the Central Bank Money Museum. Here you can learn not only about Filipino coins, but also about foreign ones. However, the city has many other museums to offer.

Buildings
There are many special buildings to explore in the capital of the Philippines. In the heart of Manila is Intramuros, a district that is surrounded by walls. During the Spanish colonial period, the seat of the colonial administration was here. Buildings from this period are still preserved today.

The San Agustin Church is also in this district. The sacred building was built between 1587 and 1606 in the Baroque style. The church is the oldest in the country and one of the few buildings that survived the Battle of Manila almost unscathed. The golden mosque is absolutely fantastic that stands in the Quiapo district. It is interesting that the Islamic church was built in 1976 by a woman. Her name was Imelda Marcos. The mosque also bears its name because the dome glows in the shimmering gold.

To give a few more examples: there are the Palagio del Gobernador, the Cathedral of Manila or the Fort Santiago.

Parks
There are several green areas in Manila that you should explore. Rizal Park, also called Luneta, is something special. It originated during the colonial period. Another attraction of the city is located in the park, the Rizal Monument, erected in 1912. The monument was erected in memory of the Filipino patriot Jose Rizal. There are also museums and restaurants in the park. But also an open-air theater, a planetarium, the National Library and the well-known Manila Hotel.

Manila also has some Chinese and Japanese gardens to offer. The artificial small lakes with replicas of the Philippine Islands are particularly worth seeing.