The Philippines holiday homes

The Philippines are an archipelago of 7,107 tropical islands in the South China and Philippine Seas, South East Asia. All year round it is hot and humid, but most of the rainful occurs during the south-west monsoon between June and October. The monsoon period also brings the risk of typhoons. The official languages are Filipino and English.

The Philippines is a beach lovers paradise - both in terms of quality and quantity. There are also some excellent scuba diving opportunities. However, it may be better to rent rather than buy property in coastal areas because of the risk of typhoon damage.

Baguio City

Baguio is 240 kms from Manila. Known as the "City of Flowers and Pines", Baguio has an annual flower festival in February. The festival is known as Panagbenga, which means "season of blooming" but the festival also includes a parade of floats and a golf tournament. Baguio has Botanical Gardens, some fine parks and two golf courses. Baguio is in the Cordillera mountains so the climate is cooler (on average by 8°C) and fresher than most of The Philippines. The mountains also protect Baguio City from the typhoons that menace the lowland areas of the country. Definitely worth considering if you are looking to buy real estate in the Philippines.