If you have ever thought about taking a vacation into the Pacific (without just strapping on a pair of flippers and hoping for the best), you usually have to take a moment and collect your wits after you realize how expensive it usually is. Obviously, if you want to go somewhere such a Hawaii, you are going to have to be prepared for a long flight (even from the coast), and then to pay extravagant prices for anything you might want once you are on the island. This is because, obviously, there are only so many things which can be produced on a small group of islands. While Hawaii is rich, it is so primarily because they charge a premium for the weather.

On the other side of the coin is an island nation known as the Philippines (or as the natives spell it, the Filippines). The vibe in the Filippines isn’t quite the same as Caribbean holidays, but it’s also not the same vibe as Hawaii, either. For one thing, the Filippines has not gotten to be a major tourist destination. They are just a country that has laws which keep it in a little behind the times. Major corporations often do not want to work there, because of their laws.

Not only are there several major cities in the Filippines, such as Cebu (the oldest city there) and Manila (the capital), but there is a lot of room for American dollars. Since most people in the country live on around $2,500 per year, you can live extremely well for as long as you want to stay for a very reasonable amount of money. While you won’t be able to buy a place and live there (because foreigners are forbidden from doing so), you can have a blast on the beach. With the friendly people and cheap digs, it’s a great and inexpensive vacation.