14°35′N · 121°00′E — The archipelago

Seven thousand islands under one sun.

From the limestone lagoons of Palawan to the surf breaks of Siargao and the rice terraces carved into Ifugao's mountains — this is the Philippines. Come find your island.

Explore the islands When to go
7,641 islands 3 island groups · Luzon · Visayas · Mindanao 180+ languages spoken 36,000 km of coastline

Kumusta — welcome

A country you don't visit so much as island-hop your way through.

The Philippines spreads across the western Pacific in three great clusters — Luzon in the north, the Visayas in the middle, Mindanao in the south. Between them lie coral reefs of the Coral Triangle, active volcanoes, walled colonial towns, and beaches that regularly top the world's lists. Warm water, warmer people, and a plate of food shaped by four centuries of trade.

1521
Magellan's arrival — the start of the Spanish era that shaped the language and faith
6
UNESCO World Heritage Sites, from Vigan's cobblestones to the Tubbataha Reefs
₱ Peso
The currency; English is widely spoken alongside Filipino
26–32°C
Year-round tropical warmth across the lowlands

Where to go

Six starting points across the archipelago — pick one, or thread several together by boat and short flight.

11.18°N · 119.39°E
Palawan

El Nido & Coron

Jagged limestone karsts rising from glass-clear lagoons. Kayak the Big Lagoon, dive WWII wrecks off Coron, and watch the sunset from a bangka.
09.83°N · 124.17°E
Bohol

Chocolate Hills

Over a thousand symmetrical hills that turn cocoa-brown in the dry season — plus the saucer-eyed tarsier, one of the world's smallest primates.
09.85°N · 126.05°E
Siargao

Cloud 9 & the surf

The country's surf capital — a teardrop island of coconut palms, tidal rock pools, and a reef break that draws boards from around the world.
16.91°N · 121.06°E
Ifugao · Luzon

Banaue Rice Terraces

Two-thousand-year-old terraces stepping up the Cordillera mountains, hand-cut by the Ifugao and still farmed today. Trek to Batad for the amphitheatre view.
11.97°N · 121.92°E
Aklan · Visayas

Boracay

Four kilometres of powder-white sand along White Beach, calm turquoise shallows, and the country's most famous sunset stroll under the palms.
17.57°N · 120.39°E
Ilocos · Luzon

Vigan

A perfectly preserved Spanish colonial town of cobblestone streets and ancestral houses — ride a kalesa down Calle Crisologo at dusk.

Ways to feel the place

Beyond the beach — the reefs, the streets, the plate, the fiesta.

01

Dive the Coral Triangle

The Philippines sits at the heart of the world's richest marine biodiversity. Drift with thresher sharks off Malapascua, snorkel the Moalboal sardine run, or reach the remote Tubbataha Reefs by liveaboard.

02

Join a fiesta

Nearly every town has its own festival. Dance in the drum-driven crowds of Cebu's Sinulog, Kalibo's Ati-Atihan, or Bacolod's smiling MassKara — some of the most joyful street parties in Asia.

03

Eat your way through

Sour-savoury sinigang, slow-braised adobo, crisp lechon, and halo-halo to cool down. Filipino food is having its global moment — start at a roadside carinderia and work up to the tasting menus of Manila.

04

Ride a jeepney

The country's rolling folk art — surplus wartime jeeps stretched, chromed, and hand-painted into public transport. No two are alike, and the fare is a handful of coins passed up the aisle.

When to go

A tropical climate with two main seasons. Roughly, the dry months are the sweet spot.

Dry season NOV — MAY

The most reliable window: sunny skies, calm seas, and prime island-hopping. December to February is coolest and most pleasant; March to May is hot and peak beach season. Book ahead around Holy Week and the Christmas holidays.

≈ Wet season JUN — OCT

The southwest monsoon brings afternoon downpours and the chance of typhoons, mainly across Luzon and the Visayas. Landscapes turn lush and green, crowds thin, and prices drop — the south, like Mindanao and parts of Palawan, often stays drier.

Manila & CebuMain international gateways
Filipino & EnglishOfficial languages
Type A / B / CPlugs · 220V
GMT+8Philippine Standard Time
Peso (₱)Currency

It's Absolutely fun in the Philippines.

7,641 islands, and every one of them ready to welcome you. Start planning the trip you'll be talking about for years.

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Palawan

El Nido & Coron

11.18°N · 119.39°E

Limestone lagoons, hidden beaches, and some of the clearest water in the country.

Overview

Why go

Palawan is the Philippines at its most postcard-perfect. In the north, El Nido's island-hopping tours weave between towering karst cliffs to hidden lagoons and pocket beaches. A few hours away, Coron pairs a jade-green lake with a dozen divable WWII shipwrecks resting in warm, shallow water.

Highlights

Big & Small Lagoon

Kayak through towering limestone walls into still, jade-coloured water — the signature El Nido experience.

Kayangan Lake, Coron

Often called the cleanest lake in the country. A short climb up rewards you with the classic viewpoint.

WWII wreck diving

A cluster of Japanese ships sank off Coron in 1944 and now sit shallow enough for snorkellers and divers alike.

Good to know

Best time

November to May (dry season).

Getting there

Fly into El Nido (Lio) or Puerto Princesa for the north; Busuanga airport serves Coron.

Don't miss

Sunset from a wooden bangka on the water.

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Central Visayas

Bohol

09.83°N · 124.17°E

Chocolate Hills, tiny tarsiers, and a slow cruise down the Loboc River.

Overview

Why go

Bohol packs an outsized amount of wonder into one island. Inland you'll find the surreal Chocolate Hills and the saucer-eyed tarsier, while the neighbouring island of Panglao — just across a bridge — offers powder beaches and easy reef diving.

Highlights

The Chocolate Hills

Over 1,200 symmetrical grassy mounds that turn cocoa-brown through the dry season.

Tarsier Sanctuary

Meet one of the world's smallest primates at an ethical conservation site, not a roadside cage.

Panglao Island

Alona Beach, dive sites, and quiet coves a short drive from Tagbilaran.

Good to know

Best time

November to May.

Getting there

Fly into Bohol–Panglao International (Tagbilaran), or take the fast ferry from Cebu (~2 hrs).

Don't miss

A lunch cruise on the Loboc River.

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Surigao del Norte

Siargao

09.85°N · 126.05°E

The country's surf capital — and a lot more than just waves.

Overview

Why go

A teardrop of coconut palms in the far southeast, Siargao made its name on the Cloud 9 reef break but has grown into a laid-back island for everyone. Beyond the surf are glassy lagoons, tidal rock pools, and a three-island hop through the turquoise shallows.

Highlights

Cloud 9

The reef break that put Siargao on the world surf map, with a boardwalk right over the wave.

Sugba Lagoon

Paddleboard across mirror-still, mangrove-fringed water and jump from the platform.

Magpupungko rock pools

Natural tidal pools that appear at low tide over a shelf of flat rock.

Good to know

Best time

Surf peaks Sept–Nov; drier and calmer roughly Mar–Oct.

Getting there

Fly into Sayak (Siargao) via Cebu or Manila, then a short transfer to General Luna.

Don't miss

The three-island hop — Naked, Daku, and Guyam.

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Ifugao, Luzon

Banaue

16.91°N · 121.06°E

Two-thousand-year-old rice terraces carved into the Cordillera mountains.

Overview

Why go

High in the mountains of northern Luzon, the Ifugao hand-cut these terraces into near-vertical slopes and still farm them today. It's a place for slow travel: village homestays, mountain air, and a trek down to Batad's natural amphitheatre of stone-walled paddies.

Highlights

Batad Rice Terraces

The famous amphitheatre view, reached on foot along a mountain trail.

Tappiya Falls

A steep hike below Batad drops to a wide waterfall and a cool plunge pool.

Banaue Viewpoint

The classic panorama of terraces stepping up the valley walls.

Good to know

Best time

Dry season Nov–Apr; terraces are greenest around Feb–Mar and golden before the mid-year harvest.

Getting there

Overnight bus from Manila (~9 hrs) to Banaue, then a jeepney or trike to the trailheads.

Don't miss

Staying overnight in an Ifugao homestay.

Keep exploring

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Aklan, Visayas

Boracay

11.97°N · 121.92°E

Four kilometres of powder-white sand and a legendary sunset.

Overview

Why go

Small, walkable, and famous for good reason: Boracay's White Beach is a long ribbon of impossibly fine sand backed by bars, restaurants, and calm turquoise shallows. After a 2018 clean-up the island reopened tidier and better managed than before.

Highlights

White Beach

The main event — four kilometres of soft white sand split into Stations 1, 2, and 3.

Sunset paraw sail

Glide out on a traditional double-outrigger sailboat as the sky turns gold.

Puka Shell Beach

A quieter, wilder stretch of sand on the island's northern tip.

Good to know

Best time

November to May, when the calm Amihan winds settle the sea.

Getting there

Fly into Caticlan (closest) or Kalibo, then a short boat across to the island.

Don't miss

Sunset drinks at Station 1.

Keep exploring

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Ilocos Sur, Luzon

Vigan

17.57°N · 120.39°E

A living Spanish colonial town of cobblestones and ancestral houses.

Overview

Why go

One of the best-preserved Spanish colonial towns in Asia, Vigan is a UNESCO World Heritage Site where mestizo mansions line cobblestone streets and horse-drawn kalesas still clip past. It's compact, atmospheric, and delicious — the local empanada and longganisa are worth the trip alone.

Highlights

Calle Crisologo

The heritage street of 18th-century houses — magical once the day-trippers leave and the lamps come on.

Kalesa ride

Tour the old quarter by horse-drawn carriage, the traditional way to see the town.

Vigan empanada

Crisp, orange, and stuffed with longganisa, egg, and green papaya.

Good to know

Best time

November to April.

Getting there

Fly to Laoag and drive down (~1.5 hrs), or take a bus from Manila (~8–9 hrs).

Don't miss

Calle Crisologo after dark, when the crowds thin out.

Keep exploring

This is one of 6 starting points. See where else the archipelago can take you.

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