Many islands in the western part of the Pacific Ocean just above the equator line are the Philippines. They are located in the Malay Archipelago, and in total geographers know more than 7100 islands, over which the flag of the Philippines is raised. Tours to the country are gaining more and more popularity, because few places can offer such a variety of leisure options to the sophisticated traveler. When asked which seas in the Philippines, travel agents do not spare enthusiastic epithets, calling them the most beautiful and warmest.
Republic of a Thousand Islands
All these islands drift in the Pacific Ocean, but a more detailed answer can be given to the question of which sea washes the Philippines. The southern part of the archipelago is given over to the Sulawesi Sea, the eastern part is washed by the Philippine Sea, and in the west you can swim in the South China Sea. The northern islands are separated from Taiwan by the small Bashi Strait, and the Sulu Sea separates the Philippines and Malaysia in the southwest. The water temperature on the beaches of the country, depending on the location of one or another island, ranges from +26 to +32 degrees.
Interesting Facts:
- The maximum depth of the South China Sea is 5.5 km, the Sulawesi Sea is 6.2 km, and the Strait of Malacca is just over 100 meters. By the way, it is this strait that connects the Pacific and Indian Oceans and is as important a section of sea routes as the Suez or Panama Canals.
- The Philippine Sea is an inter-island sea and is the second largest in the world. Its area exceeds 5.7 million square meters. km.
- The deepest point in the World Ocean is located east of the Philippine Sea. The famous Mariana Trench has a record low elevation of almost 11 kilometers.
- The salinity of the Philippine Sea exceeds 34 ppm, and in the southern regions it reaches 35 ppm.
- The Sulu Sea, despite its small size, boasts sufficient depths. The lowest point here is located at 5576 meters.
- The coral atoll Tubbataha in the southern Sulu Sea is protected by UNESCO as part of the World Heritage Site.
Beach vacation
Tourists prefer the seas of the Philippines, because the local beaches are perfectly clean, the sea is beautiful, and natural attractions untouched by civilization look especially pleasant backdrop. The snow-white sand and turquoise waters in the country of a thousand islands are spectacular companions for beautiful photo shoots, and the solid waves and coral reefs are a great reason to visit the southern seas for surfers and divers.