One reason the Philippines has gone unnoticed may be because of how isolated it is. From Thailand you can easily take a cheap bus through a few other countries – Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos. The Philippines, on the other hand, is a country of over 7,000 islands, and they are hanging out by themselves out in the vast Pacific Ocean. Another reason might be that, to Western eyes, the country doesn't seem as "exotic" (read: different) as other Asian nations. It makes sense, given that it was colonized for hundreds of years by both the US and Spain (from my understanding, Filipinos themselves are a melting pot of Malay, Chinese, and Spanish blood).



Filipinos have a strong sense of modesty and prefer not to boast or show off. Perhaps that's why we haven't heard much about the beauty of the Philippines yet! Well I've witnessed the beauty and cultural diversity firsthand, and I'm not Filipino...so allow me to boast for them :) The country is in fact quite "exotic," and it's poised and ready to give other destinations in SE Asia (and even places like the Maldives and the Bahamas) a real run for their money! In my opinion, backpacking meccas like Khao San Road in Bangkok are completely over-saturated and have just become havens for unruly tourists looking for cheap booze and young girls.