Going to the beach seems to be the most popular summer activity to most Filipinos. From north to south, local and foreign tourists revel on Philippine sand – may they be white or gray, fine or coarse. After all, it’s a known fact that Philippine beaches can be considered at par with the best in the world. Our cover story will give you a glimpse of the known – and not-so-known – exquisite beaches in the country.

But this issue of Philippine Business is also a wake up call of sorts to those who might not be aware of the wide array of recreational sites and activities they can get into within the country. Indeed, there is much to discover and appreciate in the remotest areas of the Philippines.

It takes the more inquisitive and adventurous to look at sleepy little towns with wide-eyed excitement – anticipating days of simply experiencing and letting things be in a not-so-familiar place. They may be mountain climbing, exploring caves, or just enjoying the view, but it’s a journey they wouldn’t exchange for the world. We know. We at Philippine Business consider ourselves as part of this type of travelers.

Writing about travel seems odd at a time like this, when the region has been adversely affected by SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) and the travel business is in a down-turn. On the other hand, current problems notwithstanding, now is a good time to discover what the Philippines has to offer.

Tourism should become increasingly important for the Philippines, given the industry’s ability to generate jobs and foreign exchange receipts. Relative to the rest of Southeast Asia, the Philippines remains undiscovered by travellers - even by many Filipino travellers themselves.

We hope this issue inspires you to discover a little more of the Philippines.