Russell Ri of e-philippines is on a quest to explore, experience and enjoy the thousands of islands that are the Philippines. And he gets his adrenaline rushes from skydiving, paragliding, game fishing, river trekking, spelunking and mountain hiking.
The secret is out, and Russell looks forward to seeing the Philippines take its place as one of the top travel and adventure destinations in the world.
ATM: What would you say makes the Philippines so special as a destination for adventure travelers?
Being an archipelago consisting of 7,107 islands, the Philippines offer countless options on the land, the sea and in the air. The variety of terrain available here will surely satisfy the appetite of any adventure traveler.
Also, being an English-speaking nation, travelers from the USA, UK and other countries that speak English will find it quite easy to converse with most locals.
What are the most popular adventures people can look forward to if they like to explore the ocean and the beaches?
The Philippines are considered by many the world’s center of marine biodiversity, which makes it one of the best locations for scuba diving.
Besides diving, we have three rivers for great white water rafting adventures including Cagayan de Oro, Davao and Chico River.
For something different we also offer “Pinoy rafting” or river tubing. This is a great alternative for rafting. Some parts of the country also serves as rich fishing grounds.
For air adventures we have Ultralight flying, kiteboarding and paragliding.
We are also working tirelessly to make the Philippines a skydiving destination as well.
The Philippines also has a number of adventure parks that offer great ziplining and rapelling activities as well as a canyon swing, which is quite similar to bungee jumping.
For land-based adventures the most popular activity is mountain hiking with hundreds of local mountaineering clubs scaling the numerous mountains here. We have a number of volcanoes that offer great sights like Mount Pinatubo, Taal Volcano and Mount Mayon.
What are the exciting adventures a person can experience in the Philippines that only the locals know about? Give us the inside scoop.
There are still countless caves, rivers, islands and mountains that are not yet being offered to the ordinary tourists. The locals in these places are always happy to assist anyone that’s interested. One great adventure that even Filipinos don’t get to do that often is hunting. This is still being done by locals who do it as a hobby.
Of all the islands in the Philippines, is there one or two that really stand out in your mind? If so, which ones and why?
This is a very, very hard question with more than 7,000 islands to choose from, but if I would have to choose one I would pick the Bohol Island over the others because it offers a balance with nature and the modern world.
This island has a lot of budget to high-end beachfront resorts. It also offers great scuba diving and snorkeling in Balicasag. Then it’s just a short ferry ride to the more cosmopolitan island of Cebu City.
But more importantly, Bohol is home to Dahilayan Adventure Park which offers great adventure activities such as river kayaking, canyon swings, ziplining, spelunking and root climbing.
What activities would you recommend for those who like high-adrenaline adventures?
For adrenaline junkies I would say air adventures are the best option. We have ultralight flying, paragliding and the “Plunge” or the canyon swing. We also offer static-line skydiving jumps from time to time.
How about people who enjoy the softer adventures. What activities do you think they would enjoy most when in the Philippines?
For beginners to adventure travel — and the Philippines — I would recommend camping adventures. This would involve some mountain or river trekking, and there are beach sites, river sites and mountain sites. Beginners can easily choose which would suit their taste.
What is the most common misconception people have with the Philippines?
It seems that most people don’t consider the Philippines when it comes to adventure travel experiences. And if not for Manny Pacquiao the Philippines would have an even lower profile. But for those who know about us, some have the impression that the Philippine islands aren’t that clean or a safe place to visit, and that’s far from the truth.
There will always be signs and effects of a developing country in its cities, and the Philippines is no exception, but if you travel to the other regions outside the cities you will see why a lot of tourists have decided to become permanent residents here.
What are your three favorite adventure travel activities and why?
Pinoy rafting (river tubing) is quite similar to whitewater rafting but gives you a better feel of the rapids. Just sitting on a tire tube and traversing the river rapids can easily get your heart thumping. And you won’t get as tired as when fighting the rapids with a paddle.
The game fishing in the Philippines is incredible. I had my first experience off of Siargao Island, and it was exhilarating when I struggled to land a fish that I had to reel in for a long time.
And I really like skydiving. For someone with a fear for heights this has been on my bucket list for quite a while. The time between jumping off the plane and feeling the pull of the chute seemed like an eternity for me, but after my jump I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face for the rest of the day.
Tell us a little about e-Philippines. What are some of the most popular experiences you offer?
e-Philippines Adventure Travel aims to help people explore, experience and enjoy the Philippines. We have been offering trips and experiences around the country that focus on adventure and outdoor activities.
With adventure travel being quite new to local Filipinos, a majority of our guests prefer whitewater rafting, mountain trekking, ziplining and camping adventures. And there is a growing number who do the more skilled adventure activities also such as surfing, wakeboarding and kiteboarding. e-Philippines can help you find all kinds of new and exciting adventures.
e-Philippines Adventure Travel and Destinations is the first and only comprehensive online adventure travel and tour company based in the Philippines. They offer unique trips and genuine experiences, which will change the way you see the Philippines. For more information visit their Web site at http://www.e-philippines.com.ph.