There are more than 7,000 reasons to visit the Philippines, with a coastal length twice as that of the United States. The Philippines boasts stunning and practically endless white sandy beaches and an underwater world which is no less spectacular. It also doesn’t hurt that six months out of a year, you will have nothing but sunshine and tan lines. If you come for the culture and cuisine, you won’t be disappointed: There are that 300 years of Spanish occupation, pre-Hispanic trade with the Chinese, Sri-Vijayan escapees from the Malay peninsula, and aboriginal people keeping up with the demands of 21st-century living. So if you are ready to call it a tropical holiday in a country of more than 7,000 islands, here are of the best and most beautiful places to visit in the Philippines…
1. El Nido – one of the most famously beautiful places to visit in the Philippines
This small beach town perched on the edge of Bacuit Bay in northern Palawan is famous for its more than 50 karst limestones rising vertiginously out of cerulean waters teeming with colourful corals and fish. Named at various times by various agencies to be one of the most promising destinations in the world, El Nido, and the province it belongs to, is an ultimate beach lovers’ paradise without the suffocating forest of beachside hotels (yet) ruining the natural view.
Best explored on an island-hopping spree, El Nido islets and islands hide in their bosoms cavernous depths, sumptuous lagoons, uninhabited stretches of powder-fine, dazzling white-sand beaches, and wildlife not found anywhere else in the country. An arduous ferry ride to the north and an equally long bus ride to the south bring the adventurous traveller to the emerald lakes of Coron and one of the New7Wonders of Nature, Puerto Princesa Underground River.
2. Boracay Island – one of the most stunning beauty spots in the world
This dog-bone shaped island epitomizes beach bumming and partying from sundown to sun up. Rightfully the beach capital of the Philippines, Boracay’s crown jewel is the 4-kilometre long White Beach whose powder-fine sands and sumptuous turquoise waters give the Caribbean a run for its money.
As the premiere tropical escape of the country, Boracay has everything you may expect from a major city – international cuisine, five-star hotels, and riotous, booze-induced nightlife. If you’ve had enough of the madness, escape to Puka Beach to the north where solitude, swaying palms, and pounding surf will keep you company. Easily one of the most beautiful places to visit in the Philippines, if not the world!
3. Siquijor – the pretty and mystical island to explore in the Philippines
In Filipino folklore, Siquijor enchants with its mystic traditions and equally enchanting native, albeit raw, beauty.
A small island floating between central and southern Philippines, Siquijor was once the stronghold of Catholic missionaries in the region best exemplified by well-preserved 300-year-old churches and a convent, a national treasure and said to be the largest in the archipelago.
4. Sagada – the unique destination to explore in The Philippines
This landlocked town in the aptly named Mountain Province of north-central Philippines is a storehouse of Ifugao culture which remains alive and well to this day.
Coffins hanging by the cliff-side and unbelievably sculpted rice terraces are as natural scenery as the verdant karst mountains spread out on your feet. Sagada, due to its high-altitude location, opens you up into the world of freezing nights and misty mornings while the rest of the country is parched with sweltering heat.
5. Davao City – a popular place to visit in The Philippines
The transport, commercial, economic and educational hub of southern Philippines, Davao is a delightful mix of “colorful life, wildlife and city life.” Here, you have a city ruled with an iron fist, which means petty thievery is next to non-existent, clean streets are the norm, and the comforts of civilization – shopping malls, WiFi connection, cafes, universities – are all within arm’s reach.
Davao is an expatriates favorite because it is a liveable city within close distance to a wealth of satellite attractions and cultural heritage that the Spanish conquistadores did not manage to subsume. Join the throng of Kadayawan Festival and witness the “lumad” (indigenous peoples) in their traditional thanksgiving celebrations as they beseech divine guidance and express their gratitude with a bountiful harvest and native dancing at the foot of the Philippine’s highest peak, Mount Apo.
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