It’s an undeniable fact that the Philippines is a beautiful country regarding its natural resources. One proof of that is the rising volume of tourists that visit the country year after year. That’s also why the government and other private sectors have improved the tourism industry further. If you’re planning to visit every destination that this country has for you, then you’re going to have a very long list. So here’s a roundup of the best destinations in the Philippines instead.
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Tubbataha Reef
The country is home to a lot of diving spots; some of them are practically world-class. One of the most known would be the Tubbataha, which gets the 8th diving spot in the world. The place is teeming with underwater life and biodiversity, and the coral formations are simply a sight to behold. Getting it is easy – all you need is to fly to Puerto Princesa, Palawan, from Manila or Cebu and then rent a diving boat to the said reef.
There are some rules that you need to abide by before you can dive. You need to follow them to lessen the impacts you’ll have on the reef.
Mayon Volcano
No other volcano in the country would compare to Mt. Mayon when it comes to popularity. The form of the volcano itself is majestic enough to view from afar – it’s almost a perfect cone. Sadly, it’s also regarded as one of the most active volcanoes, so hiking can be hazardous if not deadly. The hike itself is also dangerous as it can get very steep and prone to rockfalls.
Malapascua Island
If we’re to pick the best island in the Philippines (which is composed of more than 7,000 islands, mind you), Malapascua Island would surely be up there, at the very top. The place is a tropical paradise – clean, with fantastic beaches and a perfect diving spot for divers. The island, found on the northern tip of the island of Cebu, is near Monad Shoal, the 11th of the 101 diving spots in the world (according to Asian Diver magazine).
The diving spot is famous for its thresher sharks, deep water sharks rarely seen by divers. They don’t live to their reputation here, though, as they can be cited daily. Other than that, there are a lot more things that you can find on this island.
Underground River
The island of Palawan has been synonymous with the underground river as of late. Heralded as one of the new seven wonders of nature, this underground cave formation has a river that’s 8.2 kilometres long and stretches out into the sea from the other side.
Along with the great cave and rock formations, it’s also littered with minerals, crystals, including a 20 million-year-old fossil to boot. This destination is one of Palawan’s pride, and they have made sure to provide the necessary measures to keep it up as a tourism asset without damaging its natural image.
Donsol
One of the many things that the Philippines is known for is the whale sharks. These giant aquatic beasts (largest fish in the record) might initially seem intimidating but are pretty gentle. Fortunately, there’s a place here where one can assure of a whale shark sighting – and no, they’ve not tamed ones like those in Oslob, Cebu. It’s found in Donsol, Sorsogon, and if you’re a fan of seeing them just as what nature wanted them to be, then you’ll surely love the sightings there.
Chocolate Hills
If there’s something that might have caught your eye when you read about the travel destinations in the Philippines, it would have to be this – the Chocolate Hills. So why they’re called as such? Well, to put it simply, they’re like gigantic Hershey’s kisses, littered all over the central part of Bohol.
The hills live up to their reputation at the end of the dry season. That’s because that’s when the grass covering them turns from green to brown, making them look like giant chocolate mounds. An interesting and a rather curious fact about these hills is that there are only grass growing in them – no trees or shrubs whatsoever.
Boracay
Of the islands in the Philippines, the Boracay is said to be, simply, the best. Well, there’s no reason not to name it as such, as a popular magazine even called it the best island in the world last 2012. It’s one of the country’s leading tourism hubs and boasts a 4km stretch of white beaches. Aside from that, the nightlife of the island has turned into a major tourist attraction as well.
Resorts, restaurants, water sports facilities and other establishments crowd this tiny island. And there’s way too many that you can do here as well. So, to sum it all up, visiting Boracay is like getting an entire package deal.
Banaue Rice Terraces
Another thing that the country is known for back then and till now is the pride of the Ifugaos – the Banaue Rice Terraces. These artificial terraces carved into the mountains are so large and beautifully made that they would look like gigantic art paintings on the face of the earth when looked at from above. And to think that it’s a result of the Ifugao’s way of living back then – farming was the main course of labour.
It’s an ingenious work made by the people who were one of the country’s first inhabitants. And their legacy can still be viewed by us, until now, through this masterpiece.
Afterword
As said before, there are many more destinations in the Philippines than you could list on your paper. And there continue to grow in number, as the government and the private sectors continue to develop more places as a tourism hub. So, are you ready to visit them all?
