Hello everyone! Get ready to be taken to the tropical islands of the Philippines through the most beautiful destinations in my home country.
This is the first article that I will be writing about. I hope you enjoy and let me know if there are any places you want to visit!
Without further ado, here are my top 10 destinations:
10. CORON
Coron Island is an island located in northern Palawan in the Philippines. Tourism on Coron Island is quite well regulated to protect its natural sites and environment. The must-visit on this beautiful island includes the stunning Twin Lagoon which involves a swim through a narrow passageway to reach one of the twins, the Barracuda Lake, which is popular with divers, Kayangan Lake in the mountain and Banol Beach. I put this to my 10th spot because Palawan is commonly known for beautiful islands and beaches, but the Coron Island is one of the island that captures my eyes for its natural beauty and scenic views.
Barracuda Lake
Kayangan Lake
Banol Beach
Twin Lagoon
9. SIQUIJOR
Siquijor is an official municipality of the province of Siquijor. It is located in the Central Visayas Region. Siquijor is one of the smaller island provinces in the Philippines. In this island, there are still traditional ‘healers’ who use insects and plants to brew potions to heal all kinds of illnesses. Thus, it is known to be an island of the magic and mystic. Traditional medicine aside, it’s an excellent island for snorkeling and beach dwelling. Inland is also a popular place for hiking through the forest, swimming in waterfall lagoons (including the Cambugahay Falls). I put this to my 9th spot because of its enchanting view that makes you feel you are one with nature.
Cambugahay Falls
8. NORTH LUZON
North Luzon is a part of Luzon Region. In contrast to Siquijor, This is the biggest island in the Philippines and has it all – sandy beaches, calm seas, jungle, interesting architecture and its famous rice terraces. The rice terraces in Banaue and Batad are more than 2,000 years old. They cover more than 20,000 km and really are a sight to behold. The locals organizes trekking along the ridges which take in villages, waterfalls and various terraces. If you want to do something more active, North Luzon is a popular place for spelunking and mountain biking. I put this on the 8th spot because of its extraordinary place and one of the famous man made tourist destination.
Banaue Rice Terraces
Batad Rice Terraces
7. MINDORO
Mindoro is is located off the southwestern coast of Luzon and noertheast of palawan. It is also the 7th largest island in the Philippines. Mindoro is another diver’s and snorkeler’s paradise. One of the famous tourist spot is the Apo Reef, a 34 kilometer coral reef system with more or less 200 species of coral and many species of fish. The reef is off the west side of the island, the area known as Mindoro Occidental. You can reach the Apo Reef by boat from the municipality of Sablayan. The south coast of Mindoro is great for island-hopping and there are lots of incredible small caves and beaches to explore. You can also head to the middle of the island to hike and visit indigenous villages. This one goes to my 7th spot because of its outstanding underwater view and if you are a beach lover, this one is a must-visit place.
Apo Reef
6. BOHOL
Getting tired of the sea? Well, in my 6th spot, you will see the majestic scenic land view. Bohol is the principle island in the Bohol Province, which is made up of a whopping 75 smaller islands and is located in Visayas Region. Its biggest claim to fame is the unusually shaped hills known as the Chocolate Hills. It might drool you but it is not edible. They’re so-called because of the color of the vegetation growing on the mounds. The 1,500 mounds are one of the most popular places to visit in the Philippines. Locals believe the hills were formed by the tears of a giant who was heartbroken, but geologists say it’s more to do with rain and erosion of the limestone. The island is also home to the tarsier, the world’s smallest monkey. The best place to see them is at the Philippines Tarsier Foundation, and not in the small metal cages by the river where they’re kept in poor conditions solely for tourism. One of the best view in land, next to the Banaue Rice Terraces that is in my 8th spot.
Chocolate Hills
5. CEBU
The island of Cebu is also located in the Visayas Region. Cebu is a well know place for scuba divers. One of the popular diving site is off the east of the island around Mactan. On a good day you might see turtles, tuna, lionfish, barracuda and more. Off the west of Cebu island is Pescador Island which offers deep dives but has shorter visibility. For many, the pièce de résistance of Cebu diving is around a 45 minute boat ride off the north of the island, at Malapascua. Here you’ll see manta and devil rays, bobtail squid, blue ring octopus and black-tip sharks. And as of today, there are already many beaches and resorts that you can choose to stay in Cebu. Oslob is also famous for its whale shark viewing and many more!
Pescador Island
Oslob
4. BATANES
In my 4th spot, I will take you to the top of Philippines. The landscapes of the Batanes Islands to the very north of the Philippines aren’t like most of the other Philippine islands. The rolling hills are in contrast to the white sandy beaches and jungle hills that occupy these islands in the country. Locals often visit here when the hot and humid weather, and tourists come to learn about the indigenous communities who have their own languages and traditions. The three most popular islands in the group are Batan, Sabtang and Itbayat, the only three inhabited islands. Jeepneys are the mode of transportation to Batan or you can hop on a faluwa boat to visit Sabtang and Itbayat. I highly recommend this places for you to unwind and forget the stressful cities and learn the indigenous culture that Batanes has to offer.
3. SIARGAO
Getting bored on swimming ang hiking? No more question! head to Siargao, located north of Mindanao. It’s home to the famous Cloud 9 reef break, which creates one of the most famous waves in the world! These type of wave is not for beginners though, and there are lots of easier surf spots close by. This is why Siargao is famous for producing world class Filipino surfers and the reason why many competent surfers from across the world are going to the island. Because of this, many locals earn their living by becoming surf trainers along the beach. I put this on my 3rd spot because I like surfing and the sound of big waves which calms my mind.
2. PALAWAN
And again, let's go back to the place of Palawan! Palawan is home to some of the best beaches in the Philippines, with El Nido winning the crown. It is a jungle beach which many people use as a base to explore the beautiful Archipelago, a collection of limestone islands that jut out of the water. The name El Nido means nest in Spanish and refers to the swiftlets that build their nests out of saliva on the limestone cliffs surrounding the town. From El Nido you can take boat trips to some of the most beautiful scenery Palawan has to offer including Nacpan Beach and Corong Corong. Palawan earned my 2nd spot because of the wide stretch of these island and it is really gifted with such beautiful creations of mother nature.
El Nido
Nacpan Beach
Corong Corong
1. BORACAY
Yes! I know that this one deserves the top one. The beautiful island of Boracay. It is located in the Western Visayas, northwest tip of Panay Island. Boracay island is a beach paradise with almost endless stretches of coastline. There are lots of selection for hotels to suit every budget, quality restaurants and bars, island hopping, water sports activities and many more. If the weather condition is good, you may witness the beautiful sunset. Boracay also earned a spot in the 7 Wonders of the World. There’s 12 beaches in total and the island is split into so-called “boat stations” to make it easier for people to distinguish the various parts.
And that concludes my top 10 places to visit in the Philippines. Have you already choose where to go next? I know all of us are suffering from this pandemic and we are all hoping to end this very soon, to go to our dream destinations, to relax, unwind and become one with nature.
