Of all the countries in South East Asia, without a doubt, the Philippines is the most underrated of all and almost not in the list of a backpacker’s trail. In my eight months of travel around South East Asia, I can only count the number of people I met that have visited or wants to visit the Philippines with my two hands. Whenever I ask why they don’t want to travel to the Philippines, 99% of them says only one thing- the country is dangerous. But any place can also be dangerous. It’s sad that a lot of people have been missing out on so many beautiful places to see and experience just because of the news in a part of the country. The Philippines is comprised of 7,107 islands and definitely not all of them are dangerous. I, myself have traveled solo in some parts of the country that are considered "dangerous" by the media and I turned up just fine.
Since the department of tourism has been making a big move towards promoting the country this year, I pulled up beautiful pictures from this site and let them do the talking instead.
1. Natural Beauty
Home of the Banaue Rice terraces, a national cultural treasure and also a UNESCO World heritage site.
2. Natural Wonder
It is also home to one of the New 7 Natural Wonder of the World- The Underground River of Palawan.
3. Stunning Beaches
Home of Boracay which is considered as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.
4. Delicious Food
5. Cheap Drinks
Need I say more?
6. Exotic animals
Home of the smallest primates in the planet, the Tarsiers. These animals are considered to be endangered and cannot be found anywhere else.
7. Excellent dive spots
Want to swim with whale sharks? Why not?
8. Colorful Festivals
The Philippines is a fun loving nation and festivals are held in every region.
9. Christmas
As the only Catholic country in South East Asia, Christmas is a big thing in the Philippines and is actually one of the happiest places to be to celebrate the holidays.
10. The Filipino People
It can be quite frustrating to travel in Asia when you speak only the English language. The Philippines is the exception in terms of language barrier. The people here are not only fluent in English but are also among the friendliest and most genuine locals you’ll ever meet in your travels. If you’re a foreigner, you’re surely to get a star treatment.
All I can say is that it is South East Asia’s best kept secret.You just have to come see it for yourself. 
(Photo credit: http://www.itsmorefuninthephilippinesgallery.com/)
It’s unfortunate that The Philippines has to suffer from that notorious rep. I’ve been living in the US for 6 years now and I actually feel safer in The Philippines. True, there are pickpockets and there is unrest in few of the provinces but for the most part, our problems aren’t that different from our neighbors.
Anyway, great blog you have here! I read that you’ve been to the Caribbean- will you blog about those trips? Would love to read about your adventures and to gain some tips na rin hehe. Thanks
Thank you! I didn’t really backpack in the Caribbean since I was there for work before but I’ll be blogging more of my Asian adventures.