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“A Trip That Astonished Us" (2013) 

Here we are now in Italy, my family just got back from our very beautiful trip to the Philippines. It’s a trip that astonished, charmed and excited us with 20 days of sun, flavors and smells that stayed in our heart.

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Our trip was planned to discover the best that country has to offer. Our destinations were Siquijor, Bohol, Cebu, Puerto Princesa, El Nido, Coron and Manila and each place gave us a different emotion.

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Our first destination was Siquijor Island, probably the less touristy place but not less charming. White beaches, crystal-clear sea, falls and caves were the peculiarities of our first days in the Philippines.

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Our trip went on to Bohol, with the spectacular nature of Chocolate Hills, thousands of rounded hills as far as the eye can see, absolutely something not to miss. Bohol is famous also for the little Tarsier, a small animal with big eyes that hides during the day on trees after being very active at night. Also the small cruise on Loboc River is very nice and allowed us to admire relaxing landscapes while enjoying a delicious meal with many local specialties.

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After Bohol we went to Cebu where we had our long-awaited swim with whale sharks. Swimming with these beautiful and peaceful giants of the sea was really a unique experience. Also in Cebu we found white beaches, like those of the private island of Sumilon, spectacular multi-level waterfalls and hot natural pools, like the Mainit sulfuric hot springs, some of which you cannot enter because sometimes, the temperature gets very high (42.6°C).

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And finally we reached the archipelago of Palawan. Our first step was in Puerto Princesa, where we admired the show of the fireflies among the mangroves, passing through the river with a small paddle boat, immersed in the silence of the night, how amazing! Another place you absolutely shouldn’t miss is the Puerto Princesa Underground River, UNESCO Heritage and part of the New 7 Wonders of the World of Nature.

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With a 6-hour van trip, we transferred from Puerto Princesa to El Nido, maybe the most touristic destination of the Philippines despite not having big hotels and everything being still very rustic. Las Cabanas beach is very beautiful: from there you can admire a breathtaking sunset. And the surrounding lagoons and islets were even more beautiful.

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And then, we reached Coron, our last sea destination. It is a bit difficult to reach because of not too comfortable transfers, but it is fundamental to go there for those who love snorkeling, thanks to its colourful fishes and corals of every possible shape and colour. Also Coron has incredible lagoons and landscapes that will leave you speechless.

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Our tour of the Philippines ended with a visit of Manila with Samuele, very good guide and very pleasant escort, that gave some anecdotes about Filipino people and their life.

We are grateful to Samuele and his wife Candice who organized our trip in a flawless manner. Day tours and transfers were studied in detail. Day tours were exclusively dedicated to our family, which was a great thing since it allowed us to stay out of the crowd of tourists. We also really appreciated all the tips on restaurants were to eat: for those who go to Puerto Princesa there should be a compulsory stop at “Ka Lui”, which is a wonderful place that offers a great dinner at quite affordable prices.

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Riding a "Kalesa" in Manila.

What else to say? If you still cannot decide if having your next trip to the Philippines or not, stop the delay and book instantly, with Tropical Experience you will be surely OK, they are trustworthy and professional and will do anything to make your vacation unforgettable.

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Thank you again guys and who knows, maybe we will meet again one day.

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A big hug,

Chiara, Paolo, Emma e Mario

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