Top 5 Destinations in the Philippines You Should Add to Your Bucket List

The Philippines is an amazing place to visit because you will surely find a wide range of activities to enjoy in many parts of the country. Whether you’re planning to go mountain climbing or spelunking or diving or island hopping or simply sightseeing, there are plenty of options for you to try!

Top 5 destinations in the Philippines you should add to your bucket list

Boracay

It might just be a small island but Boracay packs a lot of exciting things for you to enjoy. There are many beachfront hotels and budget accommodations in Boracay to choose from so you don’t have to worry about where to stay. The white sand beaches of the island, the fun party spots that come alive in the evenings, and the stunning sunset cruises are among the reasons why it was voted as “Best Island in the World” in the 2016 Readers’ Choice Awards of Condé Nast Traveler, an international magazine.

When in Boracay, you should also try exciting activities like kiteboarding or kitesurfing, windsurfing, parasailing, and cliff diving. Scuba diving and snorkeling are also popular activities.

Palawan

Ranking second on Condé Nast Traveler’s list, it would surely be a great idea to also add Palawan to your bucket list of places to visit in the Philippines. You should go island hopping to best enjoy the amazing destinations you can find there.

You must also include a tour of the underwater cave in your itinerary! The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is one of the New7Wonders of Nature selected in 2011.

Bohol

Don’t miss Bohol when visiting the Philippines! This is where you can see the tarsier, the smallest primate in the world – and it happens to be endemic in the locality. While there, you should also check out the amazing Chocolate Hills, the most popular attraction in Bohol.

As with many areas in the Philippines, Bohol also has plenty of beautiful beaches to offer. The best ones in Bohol can be found in Panglao island. The province also has a number of old churches which have become landmarks on their own.

You should also enjoy a sumptuous lunch aboard the boats on the Loboc River cruise. Indulge on fresh seafood while listening to the angelic voices of the singers. If you’re lucky, the singers could be the Loboc Children’s Choir, a world-renowned singing group from the ‘Music Town’ of Loboc.

Surigao

It is in Surigao that you can find the Enchanted River of Hinatuan. This mysterious river is surely one for the bucket list as it holds a lot of unexplainable features, including having a lovely blue color similar to that of the sea, a ‘bottomless’ riverbed, and strange fish that supposedly could not be caught through any means!

While in Surigao, you should also check out Tinuy-an Falls, a multi-tiered waterfall located just a few minutes from Hinatuan Enchanted River. Dubbed as the “Niagara Falls of the Philippines”, it definitely is a stunning sight to see.

There are also plenty of locations for extreme sports as well as skimboarding and surfing in the eastern parts of Surigao, facing the Pacific Ocean.

Banaue

While Banaue is not your typical tourist destination, it is definitely one for the traveler’s ultimate bucket list! A fourth class municipality in the province of Ifugao, Banaue is a must-visit mainly because of the Batad Rice Terraces and Bangaan Rice Terraces, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The terraces are being touted as the “Eighth Wonder of the World” and were, amazingly, built by hand some 2,000 years ago! Even with crude tools, the Ifugaos of long ago were able to show incredible engineering skill as they carved out the mountains to create these rice terraces which are still being used to this day.

Don’t expect high-end hotels in Banaue, however, but this is a great destination if you want to commune with nature and enjoy a quiet trip away from the city. If you prefer boutique hotels, then it is a great idea to simply go to Banaue on a side-trip and make your way back to Baguio City, the Summer Capital of the Philippines.