You might feel like you’re stuck in a rut in your daily life. Or you’re yearning for something exciting and different. You’re craving new experiences and new challenges. Travel is the ideal place to test yourself. It pushes people to their limits and gets them outside their comfort zone. You’ll discover how resourceful you are when you’re exposed to new places, people and experiences. Maybe it’s finding your way around a busy city. Or ordering a meal when you don’t speak the language. Or zip-lining. You’ll feel pride when you finish your trip successfully. Overcoming challenges will bring you joy and energy for future tests. You’ll realize how capable you are and build your confidence.

Learning
Learning is a strong reason why people love to travel.  They want to experience something unfamiliar and leave with new skills or knowledge.

Seeing the world is more educational than a high school or college class. This condensed crash course in discovering how the rest of the world lives actually will cover subjects like history, geography and sociology. Every destination has something unique to teach visitors, and immersing themselves in a completely different world is the best learning experience.

People may travel to learn something specific: a new language, a new cuisine, aspects of a different culture, or a deeper appreciation of faith or spirituality. As a bonus, they’ll take away more than their specific goal. They’ll discover totally different ways of doing things. They’ll also gain awareness of new customs, cultures, people and places. And because you’re actually experiencing this learning in real life, not reading it in a textbook, it will stay with you for a long time. You’ll gain a deep sense of satisfaction with the new skills you’ve learned – and new insights you’ve gained.

Many travelers wonder why they should visit the Philippines instead of other overhyped destinations in the area. Well, if you are looking for a tropical paradise with endless stretches of deserted beauty, amazing locals, and a varied cultural heritage, look no further.

The Philippines are a fascinating country and the fact that they are a bit under the radar in comparison to other Southeast Asian hotspots further increases their appeal. There are however certain things to know before going to the Philippines in order not to fall into rookie traps. To make your stay as memorable as possible, here is a list of do’s and don’ts in the Philippines.

     DO'S

• Be friendly                                                                                                                                                                                                  The Filipinos are by nature very friendly people. Smile is something that never runs out (even if there’s no food on the table) in any situation. A reciprocal friendliness will get you the best friends one can ever find in the world.

• Have a Good Sense of Humor

            Filipinos can take anything in stride and by just making fun out of even the most trying circumstances. Take time to laugh with them and see the genuine appreciation for the gesture.

• Use honorifics or familial words

           You should know that the people are courteous and respectful. “Sir” and “Ma’am” or “Madam” are used by the Filipinos to each and every new kid on the block. For travelers, try using familial words like “Tita” for Aunt, “Tito” for Uncle or just about any elder you bump into, “kuya” or “ate” (brother and sister, respectively) for the much younger brood  but maybe older than you. The word “Po” will earn you that genuine smile that is so scarce in this world. “Po”, by the way is a word indicative of respect.

• A simple Thank You

         Hospitality is a trait commonly shared by every Filipino. Tourists and travelers often get the experience first-hand and they are quite surprised with the kind of welcoming hearts the people have in this country. A simple Thank You for any favor done will be gratifying for them.

• Wave back

           Strangers or no strangers, the people love to wave at people anytime, anywhere. This is their way of saying they do appreciate your coming to the country (for whatever reason or purpose) and that they would be happy to see you again. Waving back is acknowledging their presence and that simple gesture will make them very pleased.

• Bring your own Lotion (Most Lotion are Skin Whitening)

          Lotions that contain bleach in order to make your skin lighter in color are quite common all over SE Asia. Philippines is the one of the country Iwhere  ALL of the lotions at the stores contained whitening agents. If you are actually hoping to leave the Philippines tanner than you are now, better bring your own lotion from home.

     Beware of the Don’ts

• Don’t walk the streets alone

If you are in the metropolis or the rural areas, it is not advisable to walk the streets alone. As a foreigner, you will easily get the attention of people and some of them may not be as heartwarming as the others.

When walking, remember to: (this is not necessarily applicable or true in all places, but just a warning)

• Keep your bags close to you and in front of you

• Do not show off cellphone, iPod or any other electronic gadget.

• Do not put your wallet in the rear pocket.

• Do not leave valuables if staying in hotels. Keep the valuables with you all the time or Keep it in the safe.

• Walk in groups if going out at night

• Walk away from local groups in a drinking session. This usually spells trouble.

As in any other country, travelers will encounter some isolated cases of unpleasant experience with few rascals. Generally, the Filipinos are accommodating, friendly and nice to guests. They want the foreigners to experience the Filipino hospitality when they come and visit.

• Don’t lose temper

You may encounter some people in the places that you travel to who only speak their dialect. Don’t show irritation when talking to them. Instead try to find someone who can at least understand a little English to get your message across.

• Don’t refuse food

Filipinos are hospitable and they will offer food to guests every chance they get. That’s part of the hospitality they are so known for. Don’t refuse especially if they made the effort to cook them for you.

• Don’t be flashy

Most targeted by scammers and pickpockets are those flashing out their wealth. It is always recommended that tourists don’t come in with valuables flashed around. Keep them and use them only when in a safe environment, and not on the street.

• Drugs are Strictly Forbidden

The sitting president of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, has taken a very hard-line stance on drugs. Known as the " Philippine War on Drug", the president has urged citizens to kill suspected criminals and drug addicts. Thousands of people have lost their lives since he started this campaign. So, not that you were planning on attempting to purchase drugs during your visit to the Philippines, but if you were, don’t.

Everyone in the Philippines speak English, Children learn to speak both Tagalog and English in school so you’re unlikely to encounter anyone who can’t speak at least a little English. You’ll have no trouble reading street signs, menus, or anything else as they’re all written in English.

• Places You Should Avoid in the Philippines

Find out which provinces in the Philippines you should avoid before you book your trip. From military areas to kidnapping hotspots, here is everything travelers need to know.

Terrorism is perhaps the biggest threat to tourist safety in the Philippines and continues to be an ongoing problem.

The whole of the far south is a no-go zone: the areas of Mindanao, the Sulu Archipelago, and the Zamboanga Peninsula are all considered extremely dangerous and travelers are advised to stay away. The terrorist group Moro Islamic Leberation Form (MILF) has been blamed for numerous violent incidents, kidnappings, and frequent clashes with the Filipino security forces.

The unpredictability of terrorist acts makes them much more dangerous, so steer clear of the locations where they are most likely to occur.

The risk of kidnap is especially hazardous for visitors because terror groups target travelers from overseas for the high profile publicity, and the high ransom they can obtain from relatively wealthy families. Thankfully, these crimes are not widespread. The following locations carry a higher risk of kidnapping and should be avoided:

• Sarangani Province
• North Cotabato Province
• South Cotabato Province
• General Santos City
• Sultan Kudarat Province
• Lanao del Sur Province
• Lanao del Norte Province
• Iligan City
• Pangutaran Island

Additionally, several foreigners have been captured in Zamboanga City, Pagadian City, Patikul and Jolo in recent years.

Do Not Travel to the Sulu Archipelago, including the southern Sulu Sea, due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest, and kidnapping, or Marawi City in Mindanao due to terrorism and civil unrest. They have also issued advice to Reconsider Travel to other areas of Mindanao due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest, and kidnapping.

The US Government advice, repeated by other foreign departments including Australia's DFAT, is for travelers to avoid these areas, to review personal security plans, to remain alert to their surroundings, monitor local news reports for updates and be vigilant.There are plenty of beautiful locations throughout the Philippines that are trouble-free

If you stick to destinations that are popular among travelers, and follow the advice of your Government's travel advisory, you will no doubt have a safe and enjoyable time in the Philippines.

We hope this post has helped you get ready for your visit to the Philippines!

                                                                                                                                 ;)