Manila, the capital city of the Philippines, is abundant with historical and educational attractions. The 400-year old historic walled city of Intramuros is home to Fort Santiago, San Agustin Church (UNESCO World Heritage Site), Manila Cathedral, Palacio del Gobernador, Plaza de Roma, centuries-old canyons, cobblestones, and other buildings and ruins from the Spanish period. A walking distance from Intramuros is Rizal Park, the most famous park in the country and home to the iconic Rizal Monument, the country’s tallest flag, KM Zero, and much more.
There are many Spanish colonial period houses and mansions that are scattered in the Philippines. But if you like to see an entire district that is exceptionally intact from its Spanish period architecture and scenery, Vigan is the place to be. The historic town of Vigan is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Walk along Crisologo Street to experience an ambience dating back to the 16th century.
If Mount Apo is for hikers, the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park is a heaven for the scuba divers. This wonderful underwater world near the middle of Sulu Sea is one of the best dive sites on Earth. This protected sanctuary is home to pristine coral reefs, manta rays, sea turtles, clownfish, lionfish, sharks, and the endangered hawksbill sea turtles. The Natural Park which was also declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO is also a sanctuary for a hundred bird species.
If you want the best of the Philippines, why not aim for the tallest mountain in the country? Mount Apo is the highest peak of the Philippines at 10,311 feet above sea level. Mountaineers and adventurers will face a challenging journey to the peak of the mountain traversing creeks, lakes, rivers, grasslands, and forests. The mountain is also home to flora and fauna that are endemic to the area. Trekking to the top is not an easy task but it rewards anyone with the most spectacular views and feelings that we rarely experience in our lives.
One of the most famous landmarks of the Philippines, Chocolate Hills are more than a thousand hills spread over the municipalities of Carmen, Sagbayan and Batuan in Bohol. They are called as such because their green grasses layers turn brown during the dry season, making them look like chocolates. The province of Bohol is also known for white sand beaches, rivers, centuries-old churches, and the Philippine tarsier.
A national cultural treasure and considered by Filipinos as the “Eighth Wonder of the World”, the Rice Terraces of Banaue is a perfect place for sightseeing, getting closer with nature, getting to know the tribes of Ifugao, and even consulting with a Mumbaki (a traditional Ifugao witch doctor) to perform spiritual healing rituals. The Rice Terraces were built 2,000 years ago by our ancestors using stone and mud walls to construct pond fields for rice cultivation in the mountains of Ifugao.
With hundreds of caves explored and mapped, the island of Samar is starting to be recognized as the caving capital of the Philippines. Langun-Gobingob Caves, the largest caving system in the country is also found in Samar, particularly in the town of Calbiga. The cave system has a huge chamber that can easily fit three football fields. So if you want a new spice of adventure, caving in Samar has to be included in your bucket list of top things to do in 2016.
Palawan seems to never run dry of amazing destinations for tourists. The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park also called Puerto Princesa Underground River is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature. The 8.2 km long Underground River is said to be the longest navigable underground river in the world. The cave system contains stalactites, stalagmites, small underground waterfalls, and more river channels.
Tagaytay City in Cavite is a popular holiday destination located south of Manila. It’s an ideal place for leisure and recreation activities, such as picnic, horseback riding, zipline riding, and catching the picturesque view of Taal Volcano Island surrounded by Taal Lake. For more adventure, tourists can head to Talisay, Batangas to cross Taal Lake on a motorboat and reach Taal Volcano Island to trek to the crater of the smallest active volcano in the world.
Mount Mayon is the most active volcano in the Philippines. But in contrast of its threat lies a perfectly cone shaped volcano that can surpass the beauty of any volcano on Earth. The breathtaking landscape of Mayon Volcano is already a very popular landmark of the Philippines, as you can see it in the Philippine money and in common postcards in the country. Mayon is also named as one of the world’s most photogenic volcanoes by CNN Travel.
Jev's blog 