Philippines or Thailand
Which is best for you?
Thinking of a trip to Asia? Maybe you are thinking of retiring and changing your style of living. There are many western expats in both the Philippines and Thailand. Besides the warm weather and beaches there are other things to consider before you choose the Philippines or Thailand.
The Philippines
Philippines, an island country in the Western Pacific Ocean. It is an archipelago consisting of some 7,100 islands and islets.
Manila is the capital and it is located in the National Capital Region (Metro Manila), located on Luzon, the largest island. The NCR Region is estimated to have a population of 13,000,000 plus.
In Manila, there are two seasons. Wet and dry. The wet season is often cloudy and the dry season can be very sunny but both can be hot. Over the course of the year the temperature is often above 90°F and rarely below 70°F.
Tagalog is the national language but English is taught in most schools so you will find people are good at English in the Philippines. There are also 8 major dialects. Bikol, Cebuano, Hiligaynon (Ilonggo), Ilocano, Kapampangan, Pangasinan, Tagalog, and Warray. Depending upon where you are and what dialects is being spoken, even some Filipinos don’t understand each other’s dialects. So English, which is taught in most schools, is common and actually easier for the locals in some cases.
The Philippines proudly boasts to be the only Christian nation in Asia. More than 86 percent of the population is Roman Catholic. There are other religions like Islam and freedom of religion is practiced.
In 2019 about 8 million tourists visited the Philippines. South Korea was the leading source of tourists with approximately 2 million tourists and China was in second place.
Thailand
Thailand, known also as the Kingdom of Thailand and previously known as Siam, has a population of over 66 million.
Thailand is a country of mountains, hills, plains and a long coastline along the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea. There is also the coastlines of some 1400 islands, most of them in the Andaman Sea.
There are 3 seasons, hot and dry, monsoon, and a cooler and dry season. Temperatures will vary depending if you are in the mountains or on the beach. In Bangkok, one of the most visited cities in the world, the temperature can range for an average low of 70°F in December to an average high of 97°F in April.
Thai is the national and official language but English is also taught in schools so it is not difficult for a tourist to get around.
The main religion is Buddhist but other religions are also practiced since there is freedom of religion here.
Until COVID19 happened, you would expect over 35 million tourists a year to visit Thailand. Tourism plays an ever more important role in the Thai economy.