7 Things to Have in Your Backpack When You Travel to the Philippines

Being transferred to the United States by my parents at age 3, I grew up only hearing the romanticized stories about my native country, the Philippines. I heard countless tales of the richness of the culture, the hospitality of the people, and the incredible landscape. As a resident of the USA for 33 consecutive years, I wanted to discover whether or not all those stories about the Philippines had any validity. Regardless of destination, traveling to other places usually 'grounds' a person & helps them appreciate what they have, that before the trip, they would normally have taken for granted.

In addition to bringing the usual tourist necessities like a camera, your passport, sunglasses, money, etc., below are few items for your backpack that you can't go without when traveling to the local sites in the Philippines. Because comfort is important to me, the items listed here just helped me feel more at ease as we toured the local sites for an extended period of time.

Backpack Item #1 - The Backpack Itself

Bring a handbag or backpack with you as you visit the local sites in the Philippines. Be sure it sits firmly on your shoulders to preserve your back. Keep your important things like your wallet, ID, money and hotel key in a pocket inside the backpack itself versus storing them in an outer pocket so as not to tempt any would-be pickpocketers. The backpack also allows you to carry any souvenirs that may have purchased along the way.

Backpack Item #2 - Toilet paper (TP)

If you are the person with a big bladder that can hold "it" for a long time or can control your bowels at the snap of a finger, then disregard this item. Otherwise, pack yourself some toilet paper. Estimate how much you will use on your trip depending how often you typically go to the restroom. Our trip to the Philippines was a family vacation, so as mother, I was designated the official carrier and brought an entire roll.