The Philippines is identified by its rich green rice fields, packed townships, blistering volcanoes, rich cultures and histories as well as cheerful people. The more you explore, the less it seems. To get you familiar with the lush beauty of Philippines tourism, let us guide you through the ultimate Philippines travel guide in this article.
Tourism: Exploring the Philippines offers an experience for a lifetime
Adored with all-year-round sunlight, beautified by breathtaking beaches, and innumerable opportunities for surfing, bouncing from one island to the other, and diving, the Philippines has always been attracting a good number of visitors throughout the year. Additionally, there’s more to these islands than just pristine sand and island activities. There are dramatic Spanish churches, gorgeous tribal villages, antique rice fields and surely a lot more beyond the shoreline. If you happen to dig deeper into these islands, you’ll come across the presence of too many cultures. The smooth blend of American, Islamic, Spanish and Malay could be prominently felt especially during the festivals and celebrations in the Philippines.
How to reach the Philippines
Just a disclaimer, that you wouldn’t find any direct flights to the Philippines from India. However, you can still travel to the Philippines via Bangkok, Kula Lumpur or Singapore to reach Manila. You may board a flight any day of the week and the journey is usually hassle-free. If you want to go for more affordable flight options, then Chennai, Kolkata, and Bengaluru will show you comparatively low fares, than Delhi or Mumbai. For even more economical rates, you may go for booking a low-priced flight during the offseason, that way, you can have a budget-friendly trip to the Philippines. Philippines Air Asia, Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, and Scoot are some of the flights that travel from India to the Philippines. Additionally, given the high tide during the festive season, especially from January to February celebrating the Chinese-new year, you must book your tickets in advance. Although mainly the holiday season complements the entire charm of the Philippines tourism, you can still go for visiting this place any time of the year.
Best places to travel
The landscape in every corner of the Philippines stretches from tropical and mountainous to urban. You may enjoy a day of taking a stroll by the ancient colonial streets of Manila’s capital city or discover an unusual sight of little tarsier monkeys at a private retreat on the island of Bohol. The plush mountains offer one-of-a-kind trekking experiences. Since the Philippines is encompassed by the Pacific Ocean, it is not additionally amazing that this place is home to some of the best beaches in entire Asia along with excellent scuba-diving opportunities. The in-and-out of the Philippines tourism is voluminous and to have a good idea about everything this destination has to offer, keep scrolling.
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Boracay
Given a sum of 12 beaches existing on Borocay Island, this island is fairly considered the Philippines’ beach capital. Planted in Visayas’ western region, this island is the perfect spot for beach lovers seeking a relaxing day at the beach. On the west side of the island is this White Beach which is known as one of the best beaches in the Philippines. This island is also known for its best resorts so looking for a comfortable stay after a tiring day at the beach is no big deal here.
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Cebu
Planted in the key Visayas district, this island of Cebu is regarded as the harbour to some of the outstanding scuba diving options in the Philippines. If you’re someone who has a zeal for underwater sports and activities, Cebu is your one-stop destination, for it takes you close to sea turtles, stunning coral reefs, and whale sharks. Some of the best views from the water close to Cebu are the sea caves that draw a lot of admirers and photographers globally, especially the ones who are on the look for some uncommon diving experiences.
Banaue
Considered one of the prime attractions in Philippines tourism, the rice terraces of Banaue are one of the most stunning things to see in the destination. The rich green terraces are an agricultural marvel in this area. Some of the terraces are supposed to have been hand-carved into the mountains over 2,000 years ago. For the unbelievable scenery of the terraces, watch the entire landscape during sunrise overlooking the faded fog and painted rays of the sun!
Manila
The Philippines capital of Manila, on Luzon island, is a busy city with endless movements. To get familiar with the ultimate drive of the local lifestyle, head for travelling in bright jeepneys which happen to be the basic kind of transportation while you pay a visit to Manila’s top tourist spots. Frequently jammed with local people, the jerky ride between the streets on the historic and jazzy jeeps will be one of the striking features of your visit.
Coron Island
Famously known as one of the best diving destinations in the world, this Coron Island is truly an evergreen heaven. With turquoise green and royal blue water, this towering island is positioned right on the peak of the Palawan island district, the Philippines islands’ westernmost section. Due to the presence of such intricate debris here, this island is famous for diving as well as hiking.
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Puerto Princesa
The caves, the gorgeous natural sanctuaries, and the rock islands are the hidden treasures in the book of Philippines tourism. The seaside town of Puerto Princesa is where you would come across all these treasures of the land of islands. Especially, the Subterranean River National Park is a great tourist spot to explore a five-kilometre underground river and stunning limestone caves. This UNESCO World Heritage Site offers boat rides to help you discover the entire place.
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Things to do in the Philippines
From marvellous surfing places, eye-catching rice-field terraces, and gleaming volcanoes to heavenly beachside activities, there is a chain of fun and enthusiastic things to do when it comes to exploring this particular chapter of Philippines tourism. The Philippines is a true blue equatorial wonderland providing the ideal picture for a lot of adventures and activities like snorkelling, swimming, island hopping, diving, cruising and a lot more. To help you discover this majestic paradise in detail here’s everything covered in this ultimate Philippines travel guide.
Explore Makati
Discovering all about Makati is simply one of the best things to do in the Philippines. Famously considered the financial centre of the country, this destination is the ultimate address to innumerable skyscrapers, the best shopping malls, chic entertainment centres, and top-notch restaurants. Walking around Ayala Triangle Gardens, exploring art and culture at various museums, relishing distinctive delicacies, stopping by eye-catching churches, spending fun time at the classy shopping complexes, and exploring lovely flea markets are some of the many reasons why visiting Makati should certainly be in your bucket list.
Visit the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park
The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is a famed UNESCO World Heritage Site amidst the current 7 Wonders of Nature. Travelling to this natural wonder is one of the most incredible things to do while discovering the Philippines. The river outpours beneath the St Paul Mountain Range and passes an array of caves. Stopping by this location is certainly a worthwhile experience.
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Explore Hinagdanan Cave
Located in Bohol Province, Hinagdanan cave is built with limestone and is naturally illuminated by the bright rays of sunlight peeping through the tiny passages. You should be visiting the cave not only for its beauty but for perceiving the stalagmites and stalactites outflowing from the ceiling and the ground. Not just that, the cave even has a spectacular lagoon where visitors can dive in for a relaxing swim but also at an additional cost.
Walk Across Bamboo Hanging Bridge
Famously familiar with the name Tigbao Hanging Bridge, the Bamboo Hanging is among the most uncommon bridges in Bohol and daring to take a stroll over this is one of the most adventurous things to do in the Philippines. Whenever you search for an ideal Philippines travel guide, do include this in your bucket list. Basically, this is a set of two bridges constructed to cross the Sipatan River and currently serves as one of the most stunning attractions in the Philippines.
See Mayon Volcano
Mayon Volcano is an actual marvel with eye-catching charm but dangerous as well for its disastrous explosions. It is the Philippines’ most lively volcano and draws travellers for its magical appearance, ideal conical structure and charming beauty. Taking a tour along the Mayon Volcano is among the most adventurous things to do in the Philippines and counts not only watching the gigantic volcano but a series of daring activities like camping, ATV riding, and hiking. Next time onwards, don’t forget to bookmark this location while surfing through the best Philippines travel guide.
Best time to visit the Philippines
Given the climate and the range of temperatures, the best time to visit the Philippines would be during the period of November to April. The climate is usually dry during these months and also the country’s remote areas as well as the gorgeous islands could be comfortably visited. The months between May and November is also advisable as it is usually less crowded and the climate is beautiful.
Hero Image Credit: Cris Tagupa/Unsplash; Feature Image Credit: Mikel/Unsplash
This story was first published on Travel + Leisure India
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