Some Fun Facts we bet you didn’t know about the incredible country, the Philippines.

 1.It is Illegal to kill Turtles in the Philippines

Under Philippine and international law, it is illegal to capture and kill sea turtles and to trade in sea turtle by-products. Click here to find out where to see turtles for free!

2. The Philippines produces 153,532,000 Tonnes of coconuts a year, making it the worlds second largest producer of the fruit.

The Philippines is the world’s second largest producer of coconuts. It was previously the world’s largest producer before being overtaken by Indonesia. Luzon, Southern Mindanao, and the Eastern Visayas are a few of the country’s most prominent locations for coconut producing.

3.Manilla was one of the cities which suffered the most damage during WWII.

Other cities included Warsaw, Hiroshima and Hamburg. The United States of America controlled the Philippines at the time and possessed important military bases there. It was bombed 9 hours after Pearl Harbour.  There are many walking tours of the city to learn about its history during the war. 

4. Inception of Lakes

The Philippine island of Luzon has a lake. The Lake contains an island, this island contains a lake, and this lake contains another island!

5. There are currently 6 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Philippines

Baroque Churches of the Philippines. Located in Manila, Santa Maria, Paoay and Miag-ao.)

Historic Town of Vigan. Vigan is located at the river delta of Abra River, along the northwestern coastline of the main island of Luzon, in the Province of Ilocos Sur

Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park. The river is 8km long however tourists are only able to travel 1km into the river. This was also named one of the new ‘ 7 wonders of Nature’ in 2011. This Site is commonly refered to as the ‘Underground River’. The Cave dome inside measures around 300m in length, which is filled with deep water holes and river channels.  Located on the island of Palawan, between Puerto Princesca and El Nido.

Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras. The Banaue Rice Terraces are terraces that were carved into the mountains of Ifugao in the Philippines by the ancestors of the indigenous people. The terraces are occasionally called the “Eighth Wonder of the World. Located  Nueva Vizcaya – Ifugao – Mountain Province Rd, Banaue, Ifugao.

Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park. The Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park is a protected area of the Philippines located in the middle of the Sulu Sea. 

Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary. Forming a mountain ridge running north-south along the Pujada Peninsula in the south-eastern part of the Eastern Mindanao Biodiversity Corridor, the Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary has an elevation range of 75–1,637 m above sea level and provides critical habitat for a range of plant and animal species. Location: Mindanao.

6. The most beautiful country in the world

The following is a list of Philippines’ official placements at the Big Four international beauty pageants, considered the most important in the world. Philippines has won in all four pageants with a total of fourteen victories:

• Three — Miss Universe crowns (1969 • 1973 • 2015)
• One — Miss World crown (2013)
• Six — Miss International crowns (1964 • 1970 • 1979 • 2005 • 2013 • 2016)
• Four — Miss Earth crowns (2008 • 2014 • 2015 • 2017)

7. Worlds Biggest Snake

The Philippines is home to the world’s longest snake, the Reticulated Python (Python reticulatus), which also happens to be the world’s longest reptile. It can grow to 28.5 feet (8.7 m)

8. It Takes Gutz To Be A Gutierrez

Move over Kim, the Philippines has their very own version of the Kardashians, The Gutierrez family. The reality show follows the dramatic lives of the Filipino showbiz family. There’s former beauty queen Ruffa and her twin brothers – one’s an actor and the other is a funny/fashionista type, and their parents – Eddie, a ‘matinee idol’ and Annabelle, the classic ‘momager’ slash aspiring politician.

9. Balut – A local delicacy

Balut is street food eaten all across the Philippines. A balut is a fertilised bird egg (usually a duck) which is incubated for a period of 14 to 21 days depending on the local culture and then boiled or steamed. The contents are eaten directly from the shell. Balut that are incubated for longer periods have well-developed embryo and the features of the duckling are recognizable.

The eating of balut is controversial due to religious, animal welfare, and human health concerns.

10. The famous Leonardo DiCaprio film ‘The Beach’ was written about El Nido in the Philippines!

Hundreds of backpackers flock to Maya Bay in Thailand to set foot on the sand which the film ‘The Beach’ was filmed. Little do they know, the book was based on the author, Alex Garland, experiences living in the Philippines. The Krabi  Province is much more developed and accessible than El Nido, therefore the film was shot there. Both places are very simular, both have lagoons, crystal clear waters and of course, hundreds of tourists. El Nido was only discovered by the outside world in the 90’s! 

Can you tell the difference between Krabi and El Nido below?

Krabi, Thailand

El Nido, Philippines.

El Nido, Philippines.

Maya Bay, Thailand

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