Summary

The Philippines costs of over 7000 islands. The Philippines was colonized by Spain who ruled for 377 years until 1898. From 1898 to 1946 the country was an American colony.

The most commonly spoken local language is Tagalog which is a mixture of European, Asian and Native American languages. Of the 170 languages spoken, English is the most widely used of the European languages. The major religion is Roman Catholicism, which accounts for 80% of the population.

The currency is the Peso, at the time of writing 1 ZAR = 4 Pesos (approx).

My cycle tour started in Manila, and from there headed south, ending in Cebu City, and included the following islands;
Luzon, Mindoro (Occidental), Panay (Antique), Negros, and Cebu Island

The Philippines struggles with excessive corruption (that appears to be changing now under the leadership of the new president), extreme poverty, and yet Filipinos are extremely hospitable and friendly.Read more