6 Places You Must Visit in Philippines

So you’ve finally made the big decision and have started planning a vacation in the Philippines. That’s great; it’s an amazing place and a country which should be somewhere close to the top of every adventurous traveler’s must go to list. But because of its geographical make-up, it’s an archipelago of over seven thousand five hundred islands covering more than one hundred and twenty thousand square miles, pre-planning your must-sees in the Philippines is a good idea.

The Philippines don’t receive as many visitors as the neighboring countries of Thailand and Vietnam, and are nowhere near as touristy either, but tourism to the Philippines is on the increase. While there are areas which are undeveloped commercially, they may not stay that way for very much longer. So now is a great time to go.

When you get to the Philippines, forget about visiting Buddhist temples because there aren’t any and the added bonus is, almost everyone speaks English. As a vacation destination, the Philippines are unique. There is literally so much to see and do there, from incredible surfing spots to terraces of rice fields to volcanoes and innumerable beaches, it’s hard to decide just what are the best things to do in the Philippines. Check out these top 6 and see if they make it onto your to-do list.

# Mayon Volcano

The Philippines, with twenty-five active volcanoes, is the ideal country for volcano tourism. The Mayon Volcano, as well as being an almost near perfect classical cone shape, is one of the most amazing volcanoes in the world. It is also one of the most active and can be dangerous so if visiting it is on your wishlist, check its current eruption status here before going.

# Chocolate Hills, Bohol

The Chocolate Hills in the province of Bohol is a natural geological phenomenon of which there are few examples in the world and a definite must-see when in the Philippines. In this very unusual landscape, and in an area of just over thirty square miles, there is mound after mound of karst hills. The cone-shaped bumps, some over a hundred and fifty feet high, blanket the ground wherever you look. The number of hills has never been ascertained, but is well over a thousand and could be closer to two. Covered in grass during the wet season, when the climate changes and the grass dries out, the hills take on a distinct dark brown coloration from which they take their name.

# Surfing Siargao Island

Siargao is a tear-shaped island, two-hundred and seventy miles southeast of Manila, which takes the meaning of paradisiacal to a whole new level and even more so if you’re a surfer. The Philippines are a surfer’s paradise with countless beaches receiving world-class waves in many spots around the archipelagos twenty-two thousand plus miles of coastline. But the best is Siargao, the capital of surfing in the Philippines and also possibly the best surf spot anywhere in Asia.

# The Batanes Islands

The Batanes Islands are the most northern in the Philippines and are the same distance from Taiwan as they are from Manila. The mini-archipelago is made up of ten individual islands only three of which, Sabtang, Batan and Itbayat, are inhabited. What makes these islands standout from many others are their landscapes and their culture which is virtually crime free. While they are well worth visiting, they’re not the easiest or most economical to get too, and the island’s tropical climate often plays havoc with flight schedules.

# Banaue Rice Terraces

When you think of rice terraces, the first country which comes to mind will probably be China. Think again, because the Banaue Rice Terraces in the Philippine province of Ifugao are classed by many as the eighth wonder of the world.

The rice terraces were constructed more than two thousand years ago by the indigenous inhabitants of Luzon and rise, tier upon tier, up the mountain sides to a staggering five-thousand feet. Which, considering there was no agricultural machinery in that era, and the terraces were constructed by hand, is an incredible feat. The Banaue terraces are part of the extensive spread of Ifugao rice paddies which also include similar fields at Batad, Bangaan, Mayoyao, Kiangan, and Hungduan and a must-see when in the Philippines.

# Coron, Palawan Island

If you’ve made it as far as Palawan Island in the Philippines and have seen the underground river plus all the sights of the island’s capital, Puerto Princesa, you may feel it’s time to hit the beach and take time out. While the municipality of El Nido in the north of Palawan island is a popular choice and convenient to reach for many visitors to the region, there is another option which has all the same features as El Nido but is much less crowded, and that’s Coron.