21 Tourist Destinations in the Philippines to Explore in 2017
Travel Contents
1. Caramoan Peninsula, Camarines Sur
ALSO READ: Ultimate Caramoan Travel Guide
The peninsula is not yet popular, but I can vouch you that it is one of the best Philippine destinations.
Best Things to Do:
- Play with the creamy white sands and crystal clear ocean waters. Snorkeling, island hopping and Plankton meeting.
2. El Nido, Palawan
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Courtesy to: Wikimedia.org user Ischa1, Flickr user nennnn | El Nido Palawan Big Lagoon |
- El Nido has been known in China since year 960-1279 during the Song Dynasty because of its beauty and edible birds’ nest…. well, mainly because of the nest.
3. Oslob, Cebu
- Litsong Baboy (Pork Lechon) Cebu Version
4. Boracay, Aklan
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Photo Credit: Pexels.com |
- Swim, kite and skim boarding, parasailing and night life adventures.
5. Mactan, Cebu
Best Things to Do:
- Skydiving, Scuba Diving
6. Subic, Zambales
- Magoes during the right season. They are titled as the “sweetest mango in the world~~Guinness Book of Record 1995”.
7. Baler, Aurora
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Courtesy to: Wikipedia.org user Carlo Jose Garcia | The Dicasalarin Cove, Aurora |
- The Hollywood film Apocalypse Now was filmed at the Baler Bay.
8. Carmen, Bohol
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Courtesy to: Wikipedia.org user Qaalvin | The Chocolate Hills |
- There are three legends that make the Chocolate Hills: The first says that they are from a rubble of two giants. The second are from a couple of dried tears tears of a female giant. And the third says that they are the feces of a giant carabao.
9. Cagayan Province
- There are about 300 caves in Cagayan including the Callao Cave. Tourists can visit them, most are hard to access, but some are very easy such as the Sierra Cave. The province is also being promoted to be the “Caving Adventure Capital of the Philippines”.
10. Vigan. Ilocos Sur
Forget your beach trips in Boracay or island hopping experiences in El Nido. Because in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, you’re going to have a journey like you’re in the 50’s! Vigan is actually a UNESCO World Heritage Site which is one of the few “Hispanic” sites in the Philippines. The streets and buildings seems to be a throwback Thursday in the Philippine’s history during the Spanish colonization.
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Photo Credit: Wikipedia user Obra19-Jojo Deladia | Calle Crisologo, Vigan at Night |
Tourists can actually shoot photos in the city with matching Hispanic clothes while riding a “kalesa” a vehicle pulled by a horse, a chaise.
Best Things to Do:
- Take a cosplay of the old times.
11. Mt. Mayon, Bicol
A stunningly perfect volcano awaits you in Bicol. The all famous Mt. Mayon of the Philippines. The volcano herself is so perfect that she looks like a big cone with perfect symmetry from far away. Her surrounding landscapes have also been declared to be a National Park.
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Photo Credit: Wikipedia user Barrera marquez | Mayon volcano |
You can view the volcano from the Casagwa Ruins where the famous church lies. In Camalig where a colorful town awaits you. In Daraga or from the Lignon Hill. Either way, they are all a great spots to take your selfies around the mountain.
Best Foods to Eat:
- Bicol Express and Laing
12. Hinatuan Enchanted River, Surigao
Just like the name implies, the river seems to be very “enchanted”. With its bright sapphire and emerald-like colors, the underground cave seems to be a setting of a magical fairy tale.
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Photo Credit: Wikipedia user 2il org | Hinatuan Enchanted River |
The river houses a deep cave that many cave divers had hard times in exploration. This body of water is connected to the Philippine Sea and Pacific Ocean. At the mouth of the river, you will find the Hinatuan Bay where various species of turtles makes their habitat.
Best Things to Do:
- Sight see and savor the beauty!
13. Batanes Group of Islands
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Photo Credit: Wikipedia user bingbing | Batanes Hills |
Batanes is just the popular gem in the very north of the Philippines. Every tourist wants to visit the Batanes group of islands. Just like in Caramoan, you can experience a lot of island hopping where you are going to meet the “Three Sisters” (Three lighthouses), a colorful bay, white sands, majestic coves and many more!
You can also see a lot of stone houses that are built in their region to take shield from extreme typhoons.
- They have stone houses
14. Ilocos Norte
“The north remembers”. But instead of a lot of ice, the Ilocos Norte of the Philippines can offer you a wide variety of activities in sand!
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Photo Credit: Pexels.com |
You heard me right, if you’re sick of water surfing, then try the famous sand surfing in Paoay Sand Dunes or in La Paz Sand Dunes. There, you can surf in the sand all you can, take a 4×4 ride and cherish the beauty will give you the feel of Dubai.
You can also visit the Bangui Wind Farm where a lot of windmills are waiting to be taken in your shots. Of course, Ilocos Norte also offers crystalline blue beaches.
- Sand boarding!
15. Cagayan River, Cagayan de Oro
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Photo Credit: Wikipedia user Bisayadako | CDOKayak | An actual rafting in CDO |
Cagayan de Oro or CDO is the Whitewater Rafting Capital of the Philippines. Tourists visit the place just to experience the nerve wrecking and adrenaline pumping adventures of white rafting in Cagayan River. There are different courses offered in white farting experience in CDO, from beginners to experts that varies according to the level of adventures along the way. Of course, the experts can be compared into a hard mode game that can make you water raft for hours! But that’s the purpose, right?
Best Facts:
- The river is popular from gold mining, thus it was named as Cagayan (Karayan) which means river and de Oro which means gold.
16. Pamlican Island, Philippines
An exclusive resort in the island named “Amanpulo” will qunch your thirst in your beach travel caravings. The island has a fine white sands that will amaze your sight to the maximum level.
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Photo Credit: Pexels.com |
You can visit the island by boat or by an airplane from NAIA that can land in their airstrip.
Reports said that famous icons had visited the island such as Michael Jackson, Tom Cruise and BIll Gates. If popular stars have set their eyes in this island, why don’t you try to explore it as well?
Best Facts:
- Celebrities such as MJ and Beyonce visited there before!

17. Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park
A National Park that can also be found in Palawan. Just a few miles from the coast, tourists can actually dive to see the beauty of the underwater ocean. You can meet colorful fishes and turtles.. and oh! sharks too! **scarrryyy…
But seriously speaking, Tubbataha Reefs can be considered as one of the best diving spots in the country that the government even included it at the back of the 1000 peso bill.
Best Things to Do:
- You know it already! You can’t eat here also! Just dive deep.
18. Intramuros, Manila
Photo Credit: Wikipedia.org user Badz Patanag | Intramuros Within the Walls |
Intramuros, the Walled City of the Philippines will amaze your inner guts because of the beauty that lies back from the Spanish colonization. Unlike in Vigan, in Intramuros you can sight see a purely build defensive walls surrounding the area.
It used to be a strategic location to defend Manila from foreign invaders. Now, you can find a lot of cultural artefact and a museum.
Best Facts:
- That thing in the photo, it’s a prison!

19. Mt. Pinatubo, Region III
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Photo Credit: Wikipedia user ChrisTomnong | Mount Pinatubo 20081229 |
Unlike other volcanoes in the Philippines, Mt. Pinatubo is a massive volcano that lies in the middle of Region III. It is also full of lahar, or white/grey sands that almost looks like a white dessert when going up. There are numerous company that host a journey up to its top but varies in pick up points like in Tarlac, Pampanga or Zambales.
ALSO READ: Crystal Beach Resort, Zambales
Tourists can visit its mouth and have fun there! Others will camp by the night, play with the waters, and do some kayak. But just be aware that a long 4×4 mobile ride awaits you as well as a few hours of trek.
Best Foods to Eat:
- Mango during summer seasons
20. Sibuyan Island, Romblon
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Photo Credit: pexels.com |
Do you want to drink the best water quality for human consumption in the whole world?
Sibuyan Island is still the most unspoiled ecosystem in the Philippines. This only means that the island itself is a pure natural habitat to a lot of living creatures. And some of these are still undiscovered by the scientists.
Best Facts:
You can find a pitcher-like plant here, known as Nepenthes sibuyanensis. If you’ve seen Victreebell of the Pokemon series, then that’s what it looks like!
21. Calaguas Island
A non-commercialized island where you can find soft and creamy sands like in Caramoan as well as crystal clear bodies of water like in Palawan.
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Photo Credit: Pexels.com |
It is just a few miles from the jump-off region, Camarines Norte. The ride might be too far from Manila, but the scenery and beauty in the island is top notch! Remember, it’s not as commercialized as Boracay, so it’s just you and nature! If you are planning on visiting the Caramoan, which is also in Bicol Region, you might also want to go here because they are just a few miles away compared to other tourist destinations in the Philippines.
Best Things here:
- It’s non-commercialized
Final Words
There are so many tourist destinations in the Philippines, and a list of 20 is not enough! Not even a hundred. There are popular vacation sites but there are also a lot of hidden gems. The key is to find what you really like in your travels as well as trying the things that you have not yet experienced in your life. By crossing out an item or two in your bucket list, I am sure that these journeys will remain in your memory!
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