Magical Philippines: Islands of paradise are retreat for Angelina Jolie and ...
Buses, festooned with garlands, fairy lights, statues of wild horses and the Virgin Mary.The Philippines is made up of 7,107 islands. Between them, they have beaches to conjure up every paradisiacal fantasy, some of the world's top dive sites, enthralling hinterlands promising adventure and overwhelmingly welcoming people.
But only tiny numbers of tourists come here compared with neighbouring South-East Asian countries such as Thailand. Why?
Reports of civil unrest in the southern Mindanao province (which, for this reason, should be avoided), compounded by the fact there are no direct flights from Europe, provide some explanation.
But as I have found, the Philippines truly are the forgotten islands of Asia. They are the region's best kept secret, appealing to people drawn to destinations less obvious, less travelled, more varied.
Like most visitors, my introduction was Manila, the vast, sprawling, slumridden capital, which I escaped as soon as I could, for an astonishing five-day road trip through the mountains of northern Luzon, the largest island.
