In death as in life, Manila’s rich Chinese like to live large, and the renowned Chinese Cemetery—lined with otherworldly mansions, some complete with air-conditioning and flush toilets—is a tribute to their wealth. Sprawling over 133 acres (54 hectares), it’s one of Manila’s quirkiest attractions: You can even rent a bike to get around.
Located in Makati, the Ayala Museum is considered one of the most culturally significant museums in the Philippines. Spread over four stories, this well-organized and -maintained gallery houses a large collection of art, gold jewelry, archaeological artifacts, maritime vessels, and dioramas covering Philippine arts, culture, and heritage.
An enormous 3D trick-art museum in Cubao, Metro Manila, Art in Island is tailor-made for the selfie era. Insert yourself into more than 100 3D images, some based on classic originals. Pose on magazine covers, among Egyptian ruins, or in the jaws of a sea monster. Besides the paintings, there’s an on-site café if you need to refuel.
This activity-packed park on Cebu Island offers a range of activities against a backdrop of lush greenery. It’s home to caves, lakes, freshwater springs, waterfalls, a zipline course, a go-karting track, and free-fall attractions sure to get your heart pumping. The park has an environmentally friendly ethos.
Set amid the bustle of downtown Manila, Manila American Cemetery is an oasis of peace and remembrance. The cemetery is home to the remains of 17,184 soldiers who died during World War II, with serried ranks of brilliant white crosses across manicured lawns and galleries that explain key battles.
Tiny Pandanon Island sits between Cebu and Bohol, with a densely packed village on the western side, and white sands and a sandbar on the eastern side. The eastern side has a private-island feel, with beach cottages to rent, a small chapel, and the remains of a structure whose Roman-style columns are an Instagram rite of passage.
The Mt. Purro Nature Reserve ecoresort sits in the foothills of the Sierra Madre Mountains, east of Manila. Activities include hiking, bird-watching, ropes courses, tree planting, waterfall swims, a swimming pool, and encounters with the indigenous Dumagat people. There’s also a restaurant and accommodation at a range of price points.
The country’s national center for the performing arts, the Cultural Center of the Philippines is a vast complex spread over 150 acres (62 hectares). Designed by Filipino architect Leandro Locsin, this is Manila’s go-to venue for ballet, classical music, and theater, as well as other local and international productions, performances, and festivals.
Set among the rain forest of Rizal, east of Manila, the Masungi Georeserve is a conservation area with a difference. A network of paths, bridges, ladders, and nets winds its way among trees and karst pinnacles, while a second trail focuses on conservation. The restaurant is reserved for private dining, but there are other food options.
A series of geothermally heated pools framed by mangroves and the ocean, Maquinit Hot Springs is a popular trip from Coron Town. The warm salt water, similar to hot tubs, is particularly appealing in the evening when the air is cooler, providing more contrast with the water. On hot, sunny days, the heat can feel too much.
Jagged mountain slopes and tropical greenery descend into the fresh waters of Kayangan Lake, one of Coron Island’s most popular locations. Moor at a pristine reef on the shore, hike a few minutes up to the viewpoint for ocean views, then walk down to the lake. Eerie underwater cliffs and a dark cave make for spectacular snorkeling.
A popular weekend escape from Manila, Subic Bay was once the base for a huge US naval fleet. Today it’s reinvented as a family-friendly tourist destination, with attractions from theme parks and safari parks to jungle trekking. Most foreign travelers visit to dive the magnificent wrecks, trek the jungle, and tour the abandoned base.
Powder-soft white sand, gently swaying coconut palms, and gin-clear turquoise waters make Malcapuya Island something dreams are made of. Apart from a viewpoint, caves, hidden coves, and a fresh coconut stand, there’s not a great deal to this little islet in Coron’s Calamian archipelago. So it’s perfect for lazy afternoons of sun, sea, and sand.
Despite the name, you’re unlikely to encounter a barracuda in Coron’s Barracuda Lake. Beyond the sculptural rock formations and flickering light, what makes this limestone lagoon so special is the temperature variation: Cool fresh water gives way to geothermally heated brackish water then neutral salt water, creating a series of shimmering thermoclines.
A pair of lagoons divided by a limestone wall you can swim through at low tide or climb over at other times, Twin Lagoon is one of the signature sights on Coron Island. The inner lagoon feels tranquil, unspoiled, and wild, with rugged cliffs descending to turquoise waters that change temperature as cool fresh water mingles with warm seawater.
Off the coast of Siargao in the Philippines, Guyam Island is an uninhabited slice of paradise, with powdery white sands, turquoise water, and a cluster of palm trees in its center. But unlike the surf breaks and swells surrounding Siargao, Guyam’s waters are warm, calm, and ideal for swimming.
Reached by swimming between the tall cliffs that shield it from view, Hidden Beach is one of the most popular adventures in El Nido’s Bacuit Archipelago. A strip of pale sand backed by a landscape of tumbled karst, jungle, and palm trees, and framed by soaring cliffs, it’s as beautiful as a movie set.
With swaying coconut palms, lazy hammocks, and clear waters from which a crescent-shaped sandbar emerges at low tide, tiny Banana Island is the tropical paradise of cliché. There’s snorkeling off the fringing reef, a volleyball net, and a simple convenience store where you can buy drinks and snacks, however most travelers come here to simply soak up the sun.
Following renovation in 2018, Boracay's most famous stretch of sand, the 2.5-mile (4-kilometer) White Beach, delivers exactly what you want a beautiful beach to. Its sand is powdery and bright, and its water is warm and translucent. It’s also one of the best places on the island to catch the sunset.
It takes a little imagination to see how Dilumacad Island got its nickname, Helicopter Island, but as your boat sails in you’ll likely detect a tail rotor to your left and the cockpit to your right. However, it’s the golden sand beach, one of the Bacuit Archipelago’s longest, that draws island-hoppers. Scuba divers come for the green sea turtles that graze offshore.
Long, narrow Matinloc Island wiggles its way through the waters of El Nido’s Bacuit Archipelago like the spine of an arching lizard. As well as a resort and an atmospheric shrine to the Virgin Mary, it’s home to two of the archipelago’s top island-hopping draws: Hidden Beach and Secret Beach.
A hidden pool almost completely enclosed by jagged limestone, Secret Lagoon lies concealed beside one of the Bacuit Archipelago’s most perfect beaches. Many travelers find the soaring pinnacles and spires of the karst behind the creamy beach more impressive than the cool, dark pool—although scrambling through the rocky entrance is an experience.
Banul Beach is an idyllic strip of pale gold sand backed by soaring, jagged limestone cliffs. Shady palm-thatched huts provide a spot to eat lunch and a shack sells cool drinks. It’s a great jump-off point for a kayak adventure, with caves, coves, and a mangrove forest to explore.
You’ll often see Boracay on lists of the world’s best beaches, and Yapak Beach (Puka Shell Beach) makes it easy to see why. A serene alternative to the island's bustling White Beach, this stretch boasts powdery sand and turquoise waters backed by lush greenery. It gets its name from the puka shells that once lined the beach.
A soaring sea cave that gleams brilliant turquoise thanks to a hole in the ceiling, Cathedral Cave is the star attraction on tiny Pinasil Island (aka Cathedral Island). Stalactites drip from the ceiling like natural chandeliers and frame the entrance arch like pillars; the beauty of the limestone formations continues below the clear water.
Coron’s top sunset viewpoint, Mt. Tapyas looms over Coron Town, adorned with a Coron sign and a giant crucifix that lights up after dark. As the sun sinks into the Sulu Sea and tints it bronze, rolling hills and offshore islands shade into silhouette. You can also hike up before dawn for a less crowded trek, and a mellow, ambient light for photos.
Not far from the coral-encrusted Lusong Gunboat Wreck, the bright hard and soft corals of Lusong Coral Garden glisten in the warm water. Butterflyfish, damselfish, shy clownfish, and more flicker amid sponges, anemones, and staghorn coral, with excellent visibility even as you descend the steep drop-off on the ocean side.
On pocket-sized Shimizu Island, flying buttresses of jagged karst frame slender pale gold beaches. Sculptural rock formations, gin-clear waters, and colorful coral offer impressive snorkeling, while small caves and slithering monitor lizards add to the Lost World feel—all within easy reach of the ever-popular Secret Lagoon.
A white-sand strand with views across a narrow strait to the saddle of Matinloc Island, Star Beach is a private beach on Tapiutan Island (although some travelers call it Star Island and say it’s a private island). Snorkelers love not only the starfish that gave the beach its name but also the sheer reef drop-off that sometimes plays host to turtles.
A rocky, jungle-clad islet with a long white tail of powder-soft sand stretching all the way to the mainland, Snake Island—officially known as Vigan Island—is one of El Nido’s most photogenic islands. It’s particularly striking at low tide, when a cavalcade of different shades of blue frames the brilliant white sandbar.
