The Philippines is to scuba divers what Switzerland is to skiers, Hawaii to surfers and Nepal to mountaineers: is a place you must visit at least once, to get the real heart of the sport. The country is a veritable smorgasboard of world-class dive sites set in a lush tropical environment with all the trappings you could wish for.

Spain's colonization of the Philippines brought many constructions comprised of European buildings, centuries-old walls, dungeons, churches, bulwarks, plazas and churches. Futhermore there's several of spots from World War II and the american era which is worth paying a visit.

Tee off and experience the beautiful settings of the Philippines' unique golfing enclaves, from lush valleys to mountaintops, seaside resorts, or just within the cityscapes. Play at venues that have been proud sites of some of the most prestigious international and local tournaments, like the Johnnie Walker Classic, the World Amateur Golf Championships, the World Cup, The Asian PGA, and the Philippine Open.

The Philippines is a sanctuary to an amazing variety of flora and fauna that are found nowhere else in the world. View the Philippine Eagle, the biggest eagle in the world, in the wilds of Davao, Samar, and Quezon. At night see the world's smallest mammal in existence, the Philippine Tarsier, which inhabits the mahogany forests of Bohol. Swim and interact with the whale sharks in Donsol, Sorsogon or bow-ride with the dolphins in Bais, Dumaguete, and Bohol.

The fiesta is part and parcel of Filipino culture. Through good times and bad times, the fiesta must go on. Each city and barrio has at least one local festival of its own, usually on the feast of its patron saint, so that there is always a fiesta going on somewhere in the country. But the biggest and most elaborate festival of all is Christmas, a season celebrated with all the pomp and pageantry the fun-loving Filipino can manage.

Wander over the world heritage site, Banaue Rice Terraces, Eighth Wonder of the World, carved from the high Cordilleras over 2,000 years ago. Behold the 500-year old mummies in Kabayan. View Taal Volcano, the smallest volcano in the world. Head for the 1,268 Chocolate Hills of Bohol. Top off your experience with an exhilirating ride on a canoe down an 8-kilometer Underground River in Palawan.