Living Up to the Reputation - Scuba Diving in the Philippines

To give it its full name, The Republic Of The Philippines is made up of over 7,000 separate islands, and covers an area of just over 300,000 square kilometers (115,000 square miles). Its population of 77 million people makes it one of the larger South East Asian countries, but recent political unrest, and sporadic outburst of militant activity have resulted in the tourist figures for the Philippines being lower than for many of their South East Asian neighbors. The main island groups in the Philippines are Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao and the capital city is Manila, where over 10 million of the Philippino population live.

Due to the size of the Philippines, the weather patterns are relatively diverse, however they can be roughly divided into the dry season, which runs from September through until May, and the wet season, which runs from June to September. The average temperature across the Philippines is 78 degrees F (25 degrees C) ranging up to 90 degrees F (32 degrees C) in the drier months.

Diving in the Philippines is possible at any point in the year, although it may be wise to avoid the monsoon months which run from July to September. When considering whether or not to go diving in the Philippines, the figures are very compelling. 34,000 square kilometers of coral reefs, and over 400 species of fish means the Philippines undoubtedly holds a great deal of potential for novice and expert divers alike. The unique location of the waters of the Philippines, means that they are constantly enriched by the currents of the South China Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Celebes Sea.

The diving in the Philippines can be split into five main regions, Luzon, Palawan, Puerto Galera, the Sulu Sea and Visayas. The diving ranges from fresh water cave dives in the inland lakes, through to some of the best drift diving available along one of the Philippines numerous coral reef walls.

The best diving in the Philippines is considered to be at the Visayan Islands, which are towards the centre of the archipelago. Popular dive sites within the Visayan Islands include Bohol and Moalboal. The is also excellent diving to be in the multitude of dive spots around Puerto Galera, where the Canyons is rated is widely rated as a 'must do' dive. Drift diving through the three deep canyons, accompanied by a multitude of barracudas, tuna, jacks and trevally, make this a truly enthralling dive. Add to this the common sightings of giant manta rays, hammerheads and white tips, and you'll see why many people dive the Canyons more than once.

Overall, the diving in the Philippines is of the highest standards, and the difficult traveling between the various sites is more than compensated for on the actual dive sites. It caters for all standards of scuba diver, from novice up to the most experienced pro's, and undoubtedly leaves all wishing they had booked their stay in the Philippines for longer.

Mark Burns is Director of Scubaworld.tv, a specialist scuba diving web site providing extensive information on scuba diving in the Philippines and scuba diving holidays throughout the world.

K1 Visa Philippines - Interview Questions Tips

Honesty and consistency are the keys to answering interview questions for a K1 fiancé / fiancée visa. Consular officers conducting interviews are merely basing majority of their questions on the details indicated in the application form as well as the supporting documents attached to it.

Interview questions are usually formulated to discover the true objective of the applicant or the real purpose of travel to the US. In the K1 visa case, the applicant is to marry his/her American fiancé / fiancée once in the US. Apparently, the questions will revolve around the topic.

Officers conducting interviews will determine if there is an intention to get married upon applicant's arrival in the US. They may ask some intimate questions about the future spouses to establish whether or not the couple know each other well enough to substantiate an actual marriage. The succeeding common questions must be answered without concealment or deception.

"Where did you and your fiancé meet?"

"When and where did he propose?"

"When is your fiancé's date of birth?"

"Does he have any brothers or sisters?"

"What do his parents think about the engagement?"

"Do they approve of it?"

"What do you love about your fiancé?"

"Will you and your fiancé have children?"

"What are your plans for the future?"

Consular Officers also ascertain if the applicant possesses all the qualifications required by the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by asking probing questions if indeed the applicant is qualified.

Applicants for K1 Visa Philippines should not hold back any information when asked. Full disclosure is the best strategy. Once the officer discovers that the applicant is not telling the truth, or misrepresents facts during the interview, the application will most likely be denied. Worst, the applicant may permanently be disqualified or considered as ineligible from ever entering the United States.

Jose Darrel Bella works as a Consultant for Siam Legal International, Thailand's largest legal service network with offices in Bangkok, Manila, London, Los Angeles, Phuket, Samui, Pattaya, Chiang Mai and Hua Hin. Contact Siam Legal at +66 (0) 253 8100 or info@siam-legal.com to learn more about Philippines K1 Visa.