In an ever changing travel landscape, many places vie to take the title of the World’s Most Beautiful Place. And yet, though ultimately the topic is truly subjective, and based only on one’s personal tastes more or less, I have still yet found that there are only three certainties in life – death, taxes, and the indescribable beauty of The Philippines.
If it’s the tropical island life you are looking for, either as an expat looking for a new home base, or just looking to have the trip of a lifetime, then moving to The Philippines might just be your ticket to paradise – it’d be hard to do much better than this beautiful country situated between the borders of Southeast Asia, and the gateway to the Pacific islands of Oceania.
A vast, diverse nation, made up of an archipelago of around 7640 islands, The Philippines can be rivaled only by Indonesia with its sheer number of tropical possibilities to choose from, giving you near endless possibilities to find your next home in quite literally the best place on the planet to live the beach life at its fullest.
But exotic island life isn’t the only thing that makes this Southeast Asian country unique and perfectly suited for the sun-worshiping expat – so to break it all down, here are my top 5 reasons why The Philippines should be at the top of your list for a move to Southeast Asia!
#1: Ease of Communication and Assimilation
First of all, one of the top reasons why moving to The Philippines is one of the best options for an expat moving from the Anglosphere, is the island nation’s adoption of English as a national language (along with Tagalog). Communicating with the locals as a result is a no-brainer for someone with no experience with some of the more difficult Asiatic languages and scripts, used in countries like Thailand and Cambodia for example.
This high national fluency in English is a left-over remnant from the days when both the British and the Americans held the islands as territories back in the day (as well as the Spanish, which influenced some words and phrases in the local Filipino language as well), which has also translated to a high amount of cultural semblance to their former colonial overseers in the present day.
Expats from English speaking countries as a result will notice a heavy dosage of similar pop-culture and day-to-day customs quite prevalent in the modern day island country, which is also reflected in the presence of the local religion, where the population identifies as 86% Catholic – making it one of only two countries in Southeast Asia to have the Christian faith as the main belief system of their people (the other being East Timor).
#2: Crazy Good Eats
If you’ve ever heard of or been to the Philippine fast-food chain Jollibee, you might already have some idea about just how finger-licking good the culinary offerings of this country can be, from the amazingly crisp and juicy fried chicken, to even sweet spaghetti with banana-ketchup (trust us, it’s amazing. It shouldn’t work, but it absolutely does).
Now throw in more extravagant dishes, like amazing plates of grilled pork or crocodile sisig, as well as for the more adventurous, exotic foods like balut, and you start to get a little bit of a taste of the delicious and diverse dishes that The Philippines has to offer.
And of course, in a country that loves its sweets as much as this one, it would be remiss of me not to mention the national dessert halo halo, which is quite literally ice cream on steroids – think shave ice, all the flavored syrups you could want, plus sprinkles, plus corn flakes, plus sherbet, plus actual corn (!), plus more balut (we’re kidding about the last one, but really you could just about add anything you want), and it all makes for one of the most memorable things you will ever try after moving to The Philippines.
#3: The Friendliest People in Southeast Asia. Period.
Of course, this sweetness also translates into the hearts of the local people, whom I’ve routinely found to be some of the kindest, friendliest, and altogether loveliest people in all of Southeast Asia. In fact, its their seemingly endless zest for life and beauty that has also made Filipinos rated as the 3rd happiest people on Earth in some surveys!
With a culture that thrives on closeness and family, you would be thrilled to know that the people are also open to bringing you into that very same threshold – something that will please many expats moving to The Philippines looking to assimilate into a new culture, and make new friends quickly.
With a love of song and dance, Filipinos also have an ungodly obsession with karaoke, and if you are willing to belt out a few lines, with this gregarious bunch, you’ll soon be making so many memories and smiles with the locals in no time.
#4: Amazingly Diverse Culture
As is the case with being a nation made up of an astronomically gigantic archipelago, after moving to The Philippines you’ll soon realize that this country has a massive diversity of culture to be found, from region to region, island to island, each with their own customs, beliefs, and local dialects.
From the city slicker streets of Manila, the nations capital on the island of Luzon, to the surfer vibes of Siargao, from the Islamic flavor of Mindanao, to the laid-back vibes of Cebu, there is a community waiting for you.
It’s an incredible melting pot of Southeast Asian diversity, leaving the prospective expat always in awe, and never bored of discovering new cultures and customs on an island hopping trip around their new found home.
#5: Truly Unbelievable Gorgeous Beauty
And of course, I had to save the best for last – because the main reason why people are moving to The Philippines these days has got to be the nation’s rapidly growing reputation as a world-class expat paradise, due to the country’s incredible natural wonders to be found everywhere the eye can see.
Islands like Palawan have routinely ended up on Best Island in The World lists for years now, and after having spent some time there in 2019, I can safely assure you that it’s not at all just hype. Nature lovers and beach bums alike will be in absolute awe as they explore some of the bluest water and most picturesque islands they’ve ever seen, making them begin to believe they’ve entered a world of fantasy.
But I am happy to tell you, that The Philippines is absolutely the real deal, and after having been to every continent on Earth, I can safely say that though it’s close (Indonesia gives them a run for their money), this country truly is the most beautiful place on the planet, for expats looking for their island paradise.
Destination: The Philippines, the most beautiful country on Earth
In a happy land, of singing, dancing lovers and friends, this Southeast Asian nation truly has it all when it comes to offering the perfect foundations for an amazing expat lifestyle, in a land seemingly beyond magic. Picturesque to the near point of perfection, moving to The Philippines will allow you to wake every day in a truly aqua blue gem of the Pacific, and it awaits you dreamy sun-seekers who long to make this place their brand new home.