THE Philippines, ‘where Asia wears a smile’ has been appearing on the global travel radar and appealing with its pristine beaches, mystical mountains and adventurous trails. It is the second largest archipelago in the world, with 7,107 islands, sixty per cent of which is uninhabited, and has 58, 390 km coastline.
Holiday-seekers from the Middle East have been particularly lured to some of the country’s most scenic and culturally rich destinations such as Bohol, Boracay, Cebu, Davao, Palawan and Tagaytay.
Originally home to the indigenous Ati tribe, Boracay was an obscure and unexplored island and is today the beach capital of the Philippines. Cebu is the queen city of the South and the ninth largest island in the Philippines and boasts a mix the old and new, nature and modernity, the mountains and the seas, and the land with the underwater world, all virtually a few minutes away from each other. Davao City is a modern metropolis and a bustling hub of commerce, education, tourism, arts, culture and wellness in Southern Philippines. The Bohol island is considered to be an eco-cultural paradise. Palawan, known as the Last Frontier, attracts tourists to its lush rainforests, marine life, mountains, primeval caves, pristine beaches, and exotic flora and fauna. Tagaytay is an hour and a half drive away from Manila and boasts of a scenic view of Taal Lake and Volcano and cool climate.
GCC nationals, amongst 166 countries, are entitled to a visa-free privilege where they are allowed to enter the Philippines without visas for a stay not exceeding 30 days. Travellers will need to hold valid tickets for their return journey and valid passports valid for a period for at least six months beyond the contemplated period of stay.