El Nido
You can take a guided tour of this complex of well-preserved traditional Cuyonon houses to learn about ordinary village life. Consider a night in a native…
Must-see attractions in Philippines
Eastern Visayas
A bit north of Cabucgayan, these falls can put on a good show depending on the amount of recent rainfall, and remain appealingly undeveloped. There's a…
Leyte
This gorgeous desert island is inhabited by only 500 people, mainly fishers and their families, and has a lovely white-sand beach and good snorkelling. It…
Tacloban
Huge ships were cast inland during the 7m storm surge caused by Typhoon Yolanda. The bow of one of them, MV Eva Jocelyn, has been kept as a memorial,…
Around Manila
In a bunker beneath the main Battle of Bataan shrine, this absorbing and blissfully air-conditioned museum has an impressive range of weaponry, battles…
Panglao Island
Far more mellow than its noisy neighbour Alona, Danao Beach consists of patches of fine white sand backed by coconut palms – it's an idyllic tropical…
Eastern Visayas
Tulang Island, off the northern coast of Pacijan, has a stunning sandy beach where you can play Robinson Crusoe for an hour or so. Boaters in Tulang Daku…
Samar
This remote cluster of islands lies east of Capul. Previously virgin territory, a new beach resort has started to put them on the map. Sila Island is…
Eastern Visayas
Off the main road south of Esperanza is stunning Borromeo Beach, a blinding expanse of white powder.
Manila
Still widely known as 'Luneta' (its name until the 1950s), Manila’s iconic central park is spread out over some 60 hectares of open lawns, ornamental…
Sablayan Prison Farm & Rainforest
Mindoro
A wonderfully quirky experience, this penal colony 40 minutes out of town offers much more than a chance to meet and greet prisoners in their element…
Cultural Center of the Philippines
Manila
The centrepiece of the CCP Complex is this bombastic building designed by noted Filipino architect Leandro Locsin. Inside attractions include the country…
Manila
Quiapo Church is a 1933 replacement of an older structure destroyed by fire. One of Manila’s best-known landmarks, Quiapo is the home of the Black…
Manila
Perched overlooking the Pasig River, this sprawling palace complex dates to the mid-18th century, when it was built as the residence of a Spanish…
Cebu City
Ferdinand's Catholic legacy, a large wooden cross, is housed in a stone rotunda (built in 1841). The crucifix on show is said to contain remnants from a…
Dumaguete
About 20km northwest of Dumaguete, the twin crater lakes of Balinsasayao and Danao offer some wonderfully scenic hiking. The area is virgin forest and…
Boracay
Looming high above the east coast, this viewpoint has stunning views across the island, though the steps up were designed for giants. The lush cross…
Cebu City
The sprawling Carbon Market is a boisterous, cacophonous frenzy that seemingly never sleeps. It's a local affair: expect mounds of fruit and vegetables,…
Manila
If you thought Manila's Chinese Cemetery was different, you clearly haven't made it to its abutting North Cemetery. While significant for being the burial…
Iloilo
Spelunkers take note: this 847-hectare old-growth forest 33km north of Iloilo has dozens of caves, of which six are open to the public, all within 3km of…
Camiguin
At 15m or so this is the shortest of the falls on Camiguin and one of the most difficult to reach. You can go on your own or with a guide arranged through…
Around Manila
Hidden away a 1½-hour drive north of Quezon City, this small, volunteer-run farm is attempting to alleviate poverty by fostering young local entrepreneurs…
Puerto Galera
Tukuran Falls is a series of gentle cascades and turquoise-toned swimming holes accessed from the village of Calsapa, about 45 minutes south of Puerto…
Around Manila
The jumping-off point for the climb up Mt Pinatubo is the village of Santa Juliana, from where you take a memorable 4WD journey across an eerie, lunar…
Mt Guiting-Guiting Natural Park
Western Visayas
This 15,200-hectare natural park (pronounced 'gee-TING gee-TING') is a biological treasure, home to an estimated 700 plant species, 130 bird species and a…
Busuanga & the Calamian Islands
Just off the northwestern tip of Busuanga, African megafauna roam on Calauit Island. Species include 25 or so giraffes and about 35 zebras. Both species…
Baguio
A Japanese internment camp for Allied prisoners of war in WWII, and then a US military rest-and-recreation facility, 246-hectare Camp John Hay has been…
Bicol
Pottery dating from 200 BC to AD 900 has been found in this easily accessed limestone cave, set on a quiet hillside above a pretty rural valley. Guides…
Mactan Island
Mactan is the improbable site of one of the defining moments in the Philippines' history. It was here on 27 April 1521 that Ferdinand Magellan was fatally…
Manila
Once the grandest building in all of Intramuros, the Ayuntamiento was destroyed in WWII and spent years as a parking lot before a faithful recreation of…
Puerto Princesa
About 15km from Puerto, this penal colony invites visitors to drop in and mingle with the prisoners. In the gymnasium of the central compound, inmates…
Bacolod
Set on lovely manicured grounds surrounded by sugar plantations, the RUINS is an early-20th-century Italianate mansion originally built by a local sugar…
Baguio
Nine traditional Ifugao homes and two Kalinga huts were taken apart then reassembled on the side of a hill at this artists colony. Spending the night in…
Manila
This stunning piece of art deco opened as the city’s premier opera theatre under the Americans in 1931. Today it’s in a state of utter disrepair, but…
Negros
Sagay is best known as the guardian of the 32,000-hectare Sagay Marine Reserve, established in 1999. For visitors, highlights are the 200-hectare Carbin…
Bicol
About 16km southwest of Barcelona is Bulusan Volcano National Park. Just inside the park, Bulusan Lake is a popular picnic spot, and there’s a 1.8km…
Manila
The heart and soul of Quezon City is this vast park at the centre of a roundabout where several major avenues merge. There's all sorts of local flavour…
National Museum of Natural History
Manila
As well as being an excellent, comprehensive look at the Philippines' flora, fauna, geography and geology, Manila's latest and greatest museum is an…
Around Manila
This former Camp O'Donnell POW camp was where the American and Filipino soldiers who endured the notorious WWII Bataan Death March were transported: their…
North Luzon
This small national park off the coast of Alaminos, 35km southeast of Bolinao, actually consists of 123 separate islets (some are just large rocks). Over…
