Introduction
While planning for a trip, people choose the country based on their interests. People generally prefer to visit hospitable countries with fancy shopping destinations or those which offer delicious food or those with fascinating beaches. However, if one wants to experience all in one place, then tour in Philippines stands out as the perfect vacation.
About Philippines
Philippines, or say, the Republic of Philippines is the eighth most populated Asiatic country with more than 7,000 islands! These numerous islands are divided into 3 groups: namely Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. The people of Philippines are known as Filipinos. The Filipinos are very hospitable and friendly and always seem to be happy and smiling. They always celebrate their festivals and other occasions with great enthusiasm and love to sing as well as dance during these celebrations. Two languages are spoken in Philippines, namely Filipino and English. Filipino is the national language and is based on Tagalog language. English is also very common in Philippines and is the medium for instruction in higher education. The Peso is the official currency in Philippines. Pesos are colorful notes with denomination of 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 Pesos. The dressing style of the Filipinos varies from dusk to dawn. In the day, women generally wear tops over shorts while men usually wear collared t-shirts over trousers. In the evening, women switch from shorts to skirts. Moreover, if a male has to attend an event, then barong Tagalog, which is the national dress of Philippines, stands out as a wonderful choice. Moreover, of the 10 largest malls in the world, 3 of them are found in Philippines. Plus, the islands are enriched with captivating range of flora & fauna. You may find some of the rarest species of birds along with the one of the worlds smallest fish species, Pandaca pygmea. Hence, through Philippines tour, you get to explore all these wonders in one place! Philippines also offer some of the best tourist destinations such as Borcay islands, Mayon Volcano, San Agustin Church and many more. Further, there are some of the fascinating Philippines vacation spots for nature lovers that include Banaue Rice Terraces, Chocolate Hills, etc. All these tourist attractions answer the question as to Where to go in the Philippines for vacation?
Culture In Philippines
The culture of Philippines is what sets them apart from other countries. It is surrounded by their lifestyle, festivals, cuisines, rituals and many more. Moreover, the culture is highly influenced by Spain and US as a result of their previous settlements. Christianity is practiced by most of the Filipinos as religion. Around 80% of the population of Philippines practices Christianity while 11% believe in Islam and the rest of the 9% practice other religions. The customs practiced by the Filipinos were mainly influenced by the Austronesian inhabitants of Philippines. Filipinos are fond of music and dance and love to present dance performances and group singing during festivals and other occasions. The dance forms vary from traditional style dances to modernized western dance. Dance forms such as Banga, jotabal and Tinikling are quite popular in Philippines. The Tinikling is also the national dance of Philippines. Some of the most remarkable music composers are Antonio Buenaventura and Lucio San Pedro. The music popular in Urban areas is mainly Pop, as it is aimed at entertaining the youth. Other genres are quite popular in Philippines are jazz, Latino, reggae and many more. Speaking of cuisines, Filipinos can be considered as hearty eaters. There are many dishes worth trying during your stay in Philippines. Some of these include Adobo, Calamansi Juice, Balut and Sinigang. When it comes to festivals, there is hardly any chance that Philippines would fail to amaze you. Festivals are often called as fiestas in Philippines. Every festival in Philippines has its own cultural or religious significance. Street gatherings, colourful costumes, marvellous parades are how festivals are celebrated in Philippines. Besides, Christmas celebration holds a special place in the hearts of Filipinos. Families, friends, relatives and neighbours hold gatherings on the day of Christmas Eve to celebrate the midnight feast known as Noche Buena There are many festivals celebrated for the purpose of honoring patron saints. Some of them are the Silmugi festival is celebrated in honor of Saint Sebastian, the Sinulog festival to commemorate Santo Nino de Cebu or The Kuraldar festival which is held in the memory of Saint Lucy
Learn The Filipino Way Of Life With A Local
What can be the best way to explore an alien country? Well, the answer is to explore it with a local who has been living there for years. In this way, you get to know about the particulars of the culture of the nation very closely. Through Moksh Philippines travel packages, you get to live with a host family in Philippines so that you can experience living like a Filipino as well as learn about their customs and traditions. Though Philippines is one of the largest English speaking countries in the world, yet you can learn to speak Filipino language while living with a host family. In this way, you not only get a better exposure to the vibrant culture of Philippines but improvise your personality as well as discover a different part of yourself. Manila and Cebu are largely populated areas in Philippines. There are further many international schools for foreign children in Philippines, precisely in Manila. The cultural diversity of the nation makes the life of citizens interesting and attractive as there are endless cultural celebrations. The culture is also family oriented as the bonding of families and friends is very strong and maybe this is the reason behind their hospitable nature. English is widely spoken across the nation. So there is no chance for you to face any troubles while conversing with the Filipinos. Internet is available everywhere across the nation as a large part of the population depends on Wi-Fi and mobile connectivity in all aspects, whether it is work or home. Other places like cafeteria, hotels, government institutions, schools, etc. provide internet facilities too! So you dont need to worry about how you are going to upload your Philippines tour photos on social media if your data pack runs out. Filipinos are very industrious which is valued by the managers and business owners. This serves as a good option for big companies to come up and invest in Philippines, providing excellent job opportunities to the people of Philippines. The local mode of transport is very popular in Philippines for getting around. The most common modes of transportation are tricycles, cabs, buses, etc. Jeepneys are the multi-coloured buses which are quite popular and a fancy mode of transportation in Philippines.
What Is A Cultural Tour?
More than sightseeing, youth travel to Philippines is an exploratory travel and tourism, where you immerse into a new culture and explore a city, not like tourists in Philippines but like a local! When you are a tourist of Philippines, eat the Adobo, become a part of a Filipino festival, live the language like its your own! Through a cultural tour, you get a front line view of the native history, art, architecture, religion etc. Typically, a cultural tour may be urban or rural or both. The purpose of such a Cultural Travel would be to have a Global exposure all by yourself or with a group of close friends & learn the minute details of the Filipino life along with the top tourist destinations in Philippines!
Eligibility Criteria
Anybody, who is 16 years old and above, is welcome, without any exceptions!
Lessons
During the tour in Philippines, Filipino language lessons are conducted so that you can interact with the natives like a local as well as participate in different tour oriented activities. Although majority of the people speak English, you can learn to speak Filipino language in many ways such as living with a host family, taking lessons, participating in different activities, etc. This will boost your confidence as well as enhance your career opportunities.
Accommodation
During your Philippines tours, Philippines will never fail to exhilarate your stay as it offers some of the fanciest hotels and resorts. You have many alternatives for enjoying your stay in Philippines. For instance, you can relax on the beach and spend your nights watching the seashore by opting for a beach resort. Or you can learn the Filipino way of life by living with a host family. Further, many other hotels and lodges are also available in Philippines to make sure you have a homely stay in Philippines. Another favourable option for accommodation is Condominiums which are units in building which can be either bought or rented from the owners. The locations of Condominiums are near to the business sectors which makes them a great option for stay. However, the space is very limited in condominiums as the company that builds these units always aims to build as many units as possible in a single building. The cost of your accommodation in Philippines further depends upon many factors. The more it is nearby to shopping malls, beaches or main roads, the costlier it will be.
Food
To start off, it is a must to mention the fact that the Filipinos are foodie by heart. There is a large variety of Filipino cuisines that have uniqueness in their taste and you really dont want to miss that out! Maybe this is the reason why Philippines is known as the melting pot of Asia. The most common meal in the life of a Filipino is rice. There is not a single day when they dont include rice in at least one of their meals. There are many popular cuisines of Philippines which one must give a try during his stay. Some of them are listed below:
- Adobo: Your Philippines tour is incomplete if you miss out on the most likes Filipino Cuisine, Adobo. In this, Chicken (or pork) is marinated in vinegar, soya sauce and various spices
- Balut: The main ingredient of Balut is a developing duck embryo. It is eaten in the form of a snack and can be obtained at any street food stall in Philippines. It is generally eaten with vinegar.
- Kinilaw: Kinilaw is a salad involving raw fish, acidic juice, vinegar, garlic, onion and spices such as pepper and chilli.
- Sinigang: It is a stew that involves meat and sometimes veggies. What makes this dish special is its sour taste. The ingredient that makes this dish sour is tamarind.
- Tapsilog: Tapsilog is very popular in Philippines in the form of breakfast. It is generally made up of beef (which is called Tapa in Filipino language) and Litsilog (Lechon with eggs and fried rice)
Theres also a large variety of Filipino desserts. The most popular desserts are as follows:
- Halo-Halo: The Halo-Halo is a very pleasant dessert and holds a special place in the heart of Filipinos. The literal meaning of Halo-halo means mix-mix and the recipe explains it all. Halo-Halo is a blend of milk, fruits, crushed ice, kidney beans and ice-creams.
- Banana Cue: The banana cue may look simple but the taste is incredible. It is a very popular street food. The food is prepared by applying a coating of brown sugar on Saba bananas, and then deep fried.
- Maja Blanca: It is another Filipino dessert prepared from coconut milk, sugar, etc. It is also known as coconut pudding and is made mostly during celebrations.
There are many other desserts such as Buko Pandan, Leche Flan, Cassava Cakes and many more. Moreover, you will be amazed to know that Philippines is the largest producer of coconut in the world!
WHY MOKSH?
MOKSH Overseas is one of the Top Foreign Education Advisor in India, known ubiquitously for its honest, transparent modus operandi. Moksh is equally popular for the innovative and unique approach to any endeavor it takes up. Owing to the rich experience of almost a decade in the field of Foreign Education, Moksh is well versed in the art of blending Education and Travel and thereby, provide the youth in India, a memorable and productive Global Exposure.
