10 Best Places to Visit in the Philippines

10. Bohol

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Another gem of the Visayas, Bohol is a tropical haven of natural beauty. The coastline of the island is skimmed by gentle coves and white sand beaches. Dolphin watching and whale watching tours are popular with both residents and visiting tourists. In addition to white sand beaches and dive spots, Bohol is famous among other sights, for its Chocolate Hills, the Tarsier – arguably the world’s smallest primate, heritage sites and old stone churches.[wikitravel]

9. Vigan

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Vigan is a fourth class city and capital of the province of Ilocos Sur in the Philippines. The city is located on the western coast of the large island of Luzon, facing the South China Sea. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in that it is one of the few Hispanic towns left in the Philippines where its structures have remained intact, and is well known for its cobblestone streets and a unique architecture that fuses Philippine and Oriental building designs and construction, with colonial European architecture. Vigan has two hearts, a shopping center in the North, and a business district in the South. Tourists will enjoy the museums that have been created from several mansions, St Paul’s Cathedral, and the Mestizo district.[wiki]

8. Manila

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Manila is the capital city of the Philippines,  which mixes Spanish colonial architecture with modern skyscrapers. Intramuros, a walled city in colonial times, is the heart of Old Manila. It’s home to the baroque 16th-century San Agustin Church as well as Fort Santiago. Food, whether from a street cart or high cuisine restaurant, is excellent and diverse, representing much more than the blend of Spanish, indigenous, and Chinese heritages that have found their way to this island nation.

7. Donsol

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Donsol is a small rural town in coastal village close to Legazpi in Sorsogon. A place of pristine beaches, stunning waterfalls and unexplored caves, the sleepy fishing village of Donsol is the place in the Philippines to see whale sharks. There are 2 main areas in Donsol - what is called the town center, with small shops and food stalls, home stays hotels and Dancalan, which is situated around the beach about 2km west of the city center.

6. Tagaytay

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Tagaytay is part of the island of Luzon, Philippines. It is one of the country's most popular tourist destinations because of its outstanding scenery and cooler climate provided by its high altitude. Tagaytay overlooks Taal Lake in Batangas and provides one of the iconic views of the Philippines, the view of Taal Volcano Island in the middle of the lake, viewable from several vantage points in the city. Tourist attractions in town include the Punta de Santiago lighthouse, St Anne Shrine, and the large local flower farm.

5. Mindoro

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Mindoro is an unspoiled island within easy reach of Manila that consists of two different regions, Mindoro Oriental and Mindoro Occidental, which are separated from one another by a high mountain range. Most tourists head to the dive resorts around Puerto Galera on the north coast, but there is much more to Mindoro. If you prefer remote to resort, Mindoro Occidental where virtually tourist-free Sablayan, jumping-off point for the pristine dive mecca Apo Reef. Mindoro’s south coast has unforgettable island-hopping, while in the mountainous interior you can hike to remote villages populated by one of one of Asia’s most primitive tribes, the Mangyan.

4. Banaue

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Banaue is a town on the Cordillera mountain range in the north of the island of Luzon, in the Philippines. The agricultural engineering system represented here was built 2000 years ago and passed on from generation to generation. They serve as a rainwater filtration system and are saturated with irrigation water all year round. The Banaue Rice Terraces were chosen as one of the two green globe destinations of the country by the World Travel and Tour Council. Which are a UNESCO World Heritage site.

3. Cebu

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Cebu is a first income class island province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consisting of the main island itself and 167 surrounding islands and islets. The city is a smaller but similarly busy version of Manila, with many of the same urban benefits of new, old, cutting edge and cultural. Another diving gem, the island and resorts of Malapascua, is about a four hour drive to the port town of Maya, and then must be accessed by boat.

2. Boracay

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Boracay is a tropical island surrounded by stunning white sand beaches and clear blue waters located about an hour's flight from Cebu or Manila just off the larger Philippines island of Panay. Apart from its white sand beaches, Boracay is also famous for being one of the world's top destinations for relaxation. The nightlife pulsates with many bars and restaurants serving food, drink and fun until the wee hours of dawn.

1. Palawan

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One of the best places to visit in the Philippines, the island of Palawan stretches from Mindoro to Borneo in the southwest. Palawan is considered to be the Philippines' last ecological frontier. The province boasts many splendid beaches and resorts and it is where the Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park and the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River two of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.