The second-largest archipelago in the world, with over 7000 tropical islands, the Philippines is a string of coral-fringed islands strewn across the western Pacific. The Philippines boasts some of the world’s best diving and snorkeling, wreck diving,  and  palm-fringed, white-sand beaches.  Of course, any traveler who has been here will tell you that it’s the easygoing Filipino people and their culture that makes the Philippines unique.