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The Atlas Obscura Guide To Philippines

55 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in the Philippines

Updated March 17, 2023

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  1. Baguio
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  5. Marikina
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  8. Sagada

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Stories About the Philippines

The Disappearing Philippine Tradition of 'Souling' for Rice Cakes

Pangangaluluwa means singing, costumes, and treats.
by Barbara Woolsey

A 105-Year-Old Tattoo Artist Is Teaching Girls to Ink for Independence

Filipino tribal tattooist Fang-od Oggay has built an economy on the back of skin art.
by Lynzy Billing

Giant Cloud Rats Hint at a Prehistoric Biodiversity Paradise

Oversized, fluffy rodents in the Philippines may have been hunted by our evolutionary cousins. 
by Gemma Tarlach

Why Filipino Christians Greet the December Dawn With Purple Rice

Puto bumbong is a sweet, post-mass breakfast during Simbang Gabi.
by Pam Casis

The Malaysian Penanggalan Haunts Pregnant Women and Newborns

These provincial specters are as gruesome as they are hungry.
by Josh Levine

At 'Soda Springs' in the Philippines, the Seafloor Bubbles Like Champagne

The bubbles are mostly carbon dioxide, and gurgle up from the ground in streamers or curtains.
by Jessica Leigh Hester

Ash From the Taal Eruption Will Stick Around ‘Pretty Much Forever’

Some ash particles will blow or wash away, but others will get sealed into the sedimentary record.
by Jessica Leigh Hester

The Man Making Hats Out of Vegetables

Teofilo Garcia may be the last Filipino to turn gourds he grows into headwear.
by Richard Collett

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