Philippines as a Tourist Paradise

Personally,I do not agree with the beaches in Thailand being "better" and having visited Malaysia a few times to visit my friend and his wife..Quite frankly I cannot see the attraction and am usually quite eager to get back home!
Not my thing at all and have you seen the price of beer there? Ouch..That was definitely a deal breaker!!
Horses for courses I guess and Im quite happy for the tourists to stay well away.
Its a shame that Bohol has decided to build anything more than a new domestic airport on Panglao in my view as I can see hoards of Koreans now flying here direct..
There was a plan 2 years ago to construct 6 islands just off Doljo similar to those in Dubai that would have cost some smart investors 100`s of Millions to complete...
Fortunately the environmental mob in Manila put a stop to that earlier this year I believe.. Would have destroyed Doljo reef IMO..
The island as it stands now can not really cope with the tourism it gets every day.. There are a huge shortage of rooms available even with Hotels like the new Bellevue in Doljo and others set to start springing up everywhere including my pathetic 8 rooms!!




http://www.scribd.com/doc/118577066/Briefing-Paper-Panglao-Reclamation-Project

You would think, with over 7000 islands, that there would be no need to reclaim anymore?

I agree but purely from a business perspective it was probably a sound decision by investors because of the infrastructure projects here to support the new airport..
They have already re constructed and widened both causeways from Tag B connecting to new 4 lane highways..
Our 3 year old resurfaced blacktop road is being ripped up now and being replaced with 14" thick concrete.(8 ft wider)
They put in high tech data cable right round the island last year and are now accepting bidders for a new comprehensive water supply.
People are saying that the R.P is not getting its fair share of tourists.. Perhaps they mean that Bohol and Borocay are hogging them all!!
Every type of tourist here imaginable including families with their kids.

Well, I guess that comes under the heading of developing tourism in the Phils. I hope that the local filipinos are benefitting from it?

No sign of rampant lager louts or rampant sex tourism?

No.. They are very strict with that kind of thing here..Im sure there are underground avenues for that type of thing but the lager louts are far better off touring Patpong or Angeles city..Not Bohol!!

So Bohol is a success story!

I am not saying that all 7000 islands should be turned over to tourism. But if well managed tourism need not be invasive yet still provide the local regions with sources of income.

Im not sure about success..Only time will tell.. Not much I can do about it..Just need to go with the flow.
Right now its hard to find a decent labour force as they are all working on one project or another around Panglao...
My Mrs is in Manila because of my sons exams.. When she comes back in 6 weeks she is flying in a working foreman and two labourers with her from Manila for our small project here.. Can you believe that!!
Crazy,but no choice.

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Best scuba diving spots in the Philippines

Malapascua, Cebu

Apo Island, Negros Oriental

Anilao, Batangas

Coron, Palawan

Apo Reef, negros Oriental

Tubbataha Reef



http://www.kristn.com/index.php/travel/article/51/best-scuba-diving-spots-in-the-philippines

One of the biggest differences I've seen between here in Cambodia, especially Kampot, and the Philippines, especially Olongapo, is the greater range of tourists here. Families, couples, retired people, young backpackers, and so on. The sex trade is in Phnom Penh and Sihanouville but it doesn't seem to be a dominant factor in tourism.

One can't help feeling that the Philippines is missing out.

Malapascua, Batangas and Apo Island are both dive places that are poor now.
I've dived in other places in Phils too. Nowhere is really that good IMO, also too many dive boats these days, John
The Phils puts a spin on "Paradise"

Sounds like it all needs regulating - cutting down on numbers.

Have you seen the thresher sharks coming in for a clean up in Malapascua?

Yes, John.
I went to see the thresher sharks and met my wife in a restaurant there.
It was nice to see the shark with the massive tail but the dive on Monad shoal is boring otherwise; it is just a rocky shoal with no corals on top.

Obviously, my life changed in a very big way when I took the pump boat over to that nice island. Malapascua will always be the most special place in the Phils for me due to meeting Rochelyn My wife is from another, smaller island in that area though, she had moved over for work as a waitress.

The phrase "World Class Diving" is a very over-used in the Philippines.

I do believe you. Why no corals? Just never there in the first place or they were there but are now gone? And is it simply that "World Class Diving" is a thing of the past?

Here's a CNN Special Report on the issue of Philippine tourism. http://travel.cnn.com/explorations/escape/philippines/whats-problem-philippine-tourism-918924

Very true. Though this doesn't seem to stop people settling there from the UK or USA etc.

Error, sorry.

A good article with many factors in the pot.

It would be interesting to see how these people get on with their business of holidays in the Philippines. Kuoni:

http://www.british-filipino.com/search.php?searchid=215383

Don't know why there are no corals there.
It doesn't help watching many divers "stand" waiting for the thresher to show up.
I guess that the loss of coral was dynamite but I'm not sure.

I have been to many places that are better than the Phils.
Maldives and Egypt are better IMO.
There are too many divers everywhere now and consequently there are fewer fish.