Cebu's Basilica del Santo Niño (Basilica of Santo Nino) was born from fire. In 1565, the church was built on the site where one of conquistador Legazpi's men supposedly found a statue of Jesus in the burning ruins of a hostile native village. The statue—considered the country’s oldest religious artifact—was left completely unharmed.
Located along the Pacific Ring of Fire, Taal Volcano is one of the most active volcanoes in the Philippines. Rising up from the center of Taal Lake and harboring its own crater lake and island, the unique setting—an island in a lake on an island in a lake—makes for an incredible sight.
One of Manila’s best-known streets, Roxas Boulevard hugs the waterfront for most of its length and includes Rizal Park, the historic Manila Hotel, and the popular promenade Manila Baywalk. It’s backed by the lively Malate district, with its open-air bars and restaurants, while Manila Bay sunset views make it a popular early evening stop.
Located in a small fishing village on the western coast of Palawan in the Philippines, Sabang Beach is framed by mountains and lapped by calm waters. The nearby Underground River—a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature—is famous for its stalagmites and gaping caverns.
With thick white walls built to withstand tropical typhoons, Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral looks like a typical Philippine church. Decorated with griffins and floral motifs, the facade is the only original part of the chapel left, as the interior was destroyed during World War II. The restored cathedral has a gold altar and life-size statues of saints.
Perched 1,969 feet (600 meters) above Cebu City in the Mt. Busay area, Tops Lookout offers sweeping views across the city, Mactan Island, and beyond. Brave the steep and winding road for sunset for spectacular photo ops as the sun sinks into the sea, the greenery fades into darkness, and the city lights begin to sparkle.
First settled by the Spanish during the 16th century, Manila Chinatown in Binondo is one of the world’s older Chinatowns. It centers on Ongpin Street, where stores offer mooncakes, incense, paper money, herbal medicines, and tasty dumplings. Buddhist temples and towering gates add extra color to the Chinese area of Binondo.
Amid the crystal waters and vibrant reef of Cebu’s Sumilon Island Marine Sanctuary, tiny Sumilon Island offers secret caves, hiking trails, colorful marine life, a lighthouse, and a brilliant white sandbar that’s an Instagram favorite. It’s home to the Bluewater Sumilon Island Resort, with pools, water sports, restaurants, and stylish bungalows.
Large letters atop this rocky Boracay islet spell out the name “Crystal Cove.” For some years, the island housed the Crystal Cove Island Resort, with beach bungalows, photogenic sea caves, and a collection of birds of prey. Following a shut-down of Boracay several years ago, regulations on the island have changed.
One of Palawan’s most-Instagrammed natural wonders, the Small Lagoon in El Nido is a clear-water cove surrounded by dramatic limestone rock formations. Because of the near-vertical walls, swimming or paddling through the Small Lagoon can make you feel like you’re on the set of a Hollywood action film.
Located on Panglao Island in the tropical region of Bohol, Hinagdanan Cave impresses visitors with its stalagmites and stalactites, and the visual effects created by sunlight filtering through holes in the ceiling. Take in the cave’s surreal beauty while swimming in the underground lagoon.
There’s no need to watch for crocs when you snorkel or scuba the coral around this Boracay islet. Seen from the water, Crocodile Island looks exactly like a crocodile, with a protruding spine, low-lying head, and long tail, all covered in green leaves. But it’s the huge sea fans and colorful life below the surface that draw travelers.
Centered on the city of Legazpi, the Bicol region of the Philippine island of Luzon comprises the Bicol peninsula, home to four provinces, and the island provinces of Catanduanes and Masbate. While most travelers visit for the whale sharks of Donsol or volcanoes such as Mt. Mayon, the area is home to dazzling beaches and quirky festivals.
Towering 4,757 feet (1,450 meters) above Luzon, the Mt. Pinatubo stratovolcano blew its top quite spectacularly in 1991. Today, the crater lake that’s left behind and the surreal mudflow landscapes around it make one of the Philippines’ most fun adventures—and one that’s well worth the early start. The volcano is carefully monitored for safety.
Built in the 1850s, the Casa Gorordo Museum is a beautifully preserved example of a balay nga tisa, a Spanish colonial building style that blends Spanish, Chinese, and Philippine elements. Four generations of the Gorordo family lived in the house, which now holds antiques, artworks, and multimedia displays about Cebuano history, as well as a shop and a café.
Winding its way through eastern Bohol, the Abatan River was once a major transportation artery. Today, it’s the pristine mangrove forests around its estuary that draw travelers. At night, when conditions are right, the setting comes alive with flickering fireflies, matched by the gleam of bioluminescent life forms in the water.
Also known as San Pedro Macati, Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Makati, Manila, is one of the Philippines’ most historic churches. Originally built by Spanish colonists in 1620, this Catholic church was rebuilt during the 19th century after being destroyed in 1762. It maintains its original baroque architectural style and carved altar.
Surrounded by Panganan, Caohagan, Sulpa, Camungi, Nalusuan, and Gilutongan islets; Cebu’s Olango Island provides a rural contrast to urban Mactan Island. Its protected mangrove wetlands host one of the Philippines’ widest ranges of migratory birds, while tourist offerings range from dive stores and restaurants to high-end resorts.
Focused on the art of Filipino sculptor Ramon Orlina, known for his glass sculptures, Museo Orlina sits atop Tagaytay Ridge with views across Lake Taal and its miniature volcano. Over five storeys and a sculpture garden, the museum explores Orlina’s work, including scale models of monumental pieces. It also displays other local artists.
Named for Christopher Columbus (Cristóbal Colón in Spanish), Colon Street is famed as one of the oldest streets in the Philippines. Just a short walk from Magellan’s Cross and the Basilica del Santo Niño in downtown Cebu City, it’s a bustling, lively shopping hub where brightly colored jeepneys to and fro among bargain department stores.
One of the most atmospheric features of the fortifications of Corregidor Island, the Malinta Tunnel was built by American forces in 1932. It extends about 820 feet (250 meters) into a hill, with additional branches veering off. Part of it served as General Douglas MacArthur’s HQ before the American retreat from the Philippines in 1942.
Variously known as the Tigbao Hanging Bridge, Sipatan Twin Hanging Bridge, and Bamboo Hanging Bridge Sevilla, this pair of bamboo footbridges hang 82 feet (25 meters) above Bohol’s Loboc River. Steel cables have replaced the original rope, but the creaking, swaying, and wobbling as you cross is still unnerving.
A monument to eternal love, the Temple of Leah is sometimes known as Cebu’s Taj Mahal. Built by Teodorico Soriano Adarna, a wealthy local businessman, to honor his wife of more than 50 years who died of lung cancer in 2012, the classically styled edifice houses Leah’s collection of art, vases, and more, as well as the Ristorante Teodorico eatery.
Established in 1901, the National Museum of the Philippines is a vast complex of museums and a planetarium located next to Rizal Park. Immerse yourself in the artistic, historical, and cultural heritage of the Philippines through the museum’s expansive collections covering fine art, ethnography, anthropology, archaeology, and natural history.
Just across the water from Cebu City, Mactan Island (Lapu Lapu) is where most visitors begin their Cebu journey, at Mactan-Cebu International Airport. But there’s more to Mactan Island than transportation alone. It’s home to sleek resorts, a wealth of water sports, excellent scuba diving, and even a monument or two.
Jagged limestone cliffs and sculptural boulders frame the powder-soft white sands and vivid blue waters of Entalula Island, one of dozens of isles and islets that make up El Nido’s Bacuit Archipelago. Visitors relax under swaying coconut palms, shaded from the tropical sun, and there’s good snorkeling just offshore.
Situated next to the walled city of Intramuros, historical Rizal Park is one of the largest urban parks in Asia and covers 140 acres (58 hectares). With lawns, gardens, walkways, ponds, museums, an observatory, a concert hall, and more, it’s one of the most popular attractions in Manila for locals and visitors alike.
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.
One of a pair of neighboring flower gardens in the hills outside Cebu City, Sirao Garden is also known as the Original Sirao Flower Garden or Sirao Garden Little Amsterdam. Exuberant floral displays, including sunflowers, marigolds, hyacinths, and feathery celosia, pair with spinning windmills, rolling hills, flower arches, and a giant hand to make Instagram magic.
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.
