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Phenomenal Facts About the Philippines You Might Not Know!
Picture the Philippines and you’re likely to get lost in images of dreamy beaches, turquoise water and island escapes. However, there is way more to this Southeast Asian archipelagic country than that!
This list of facts about the Philippines will reveal unknown insights about the country, reiterating why this is one amazing destination which should definitely be on your bucket list!
1. Fertilised duck embryo is the national street snack
Known locally as ‘balut’, this cheap street eat certainly won’t be for everyone! Balut is a fertilised duck egg, incubated for 2-3 weeks before being steamed and finally eaten. Although many westerners baulk at the idea of slurping down partially developed duck, it is a very popular delicacy in Southeast Asia and especially in the Philippines.
To eat balut like a local, you should first make a hole in the shell, season the inside with salt and give it a swirl. Suck out the broth through the shell before peeling it off to expose the meat. You can eat everything inside, from the yolk to the chick. Although the white is edible, a lot of people don’t like it because it is very tough.
If you can get past its appearance, balut is meant to be very nice!
2. The positioning of the Filipino flag indicates whether the country is at war
The national flag of the Philippines is very interesting. On the surface, it looks much like other flags, however, when you see it being flown upside down, this indicates that the country is in a state of war.
On the flag, there are horizontal bands of blue and red, with a white equilateral triangle at the side. In the triangle, there is a yellow sun. It has eight rays of light emitting from it, each designed to represent a province. Also in the white triangle, there are three yellow stars which represent the main island groups.
3. Camiguin Island in the Philippines is home to more volcanoes than towns
Photos of this island province look just like they’ve fallen out of the pages of a Nat Geo magazine. Located in the Bohol Sea, this idyllic island is known for its distinctive pear shape and sweet lanzones (a type of Asian fruit).
Its status as a volcanic island has led it to be given a rather Game of Thrones nickname… ‘Island Born of Fire’. There are seven volcanoes on the island versus just five towns and it has the highest number of volcanoes per square kilometre anywhere on the planet! Luckily for the residents, there hasn’t been an eruption since the mid-1950s.
4. There are between 120-187 languages spoken in the Philippines
The standardised form of the Tagalog language (known as Filipino) has been dubbed the national language of the country. It sits alongside English as the other official language. Interestingly, the Filipino government works mostly in English.
Along with Tagalog, Cebuano is also commonly spoken. Together, these two languages are spoken by around 50% of the population. Despite this, it is only the two official languages, Tagalog (a.k.a Filipino) and English, that are taught in the education system.
5. The Philippines boasts the world’s longest underground river
Located 75km north of Puerto Princesa, lies the longest underground river in the entire world. In 2011, the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River was christened as one of the New7Wonders of Nature by UNESCO, cementing its status as a natural marvel.
The Underground River Cave measures in at more than 24 km long and the part with the underground section of the Cabayugan River spans 8.2km. Travellers can visit Puerto Princesa River as part of a tour or independently.
And as always have a chilled day from the Viking
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