Many attractions in the Philippines share the dichotomy of their allure and their difficulty to reach. The capital city Manila is an easy place to start. There are marvellous buildings and cathedrals such as the Intramuros and San Agustin Church standing as testament to the history of Spanish colonialism. The Nations Museum and the Malacanang Palace are great attractions to learn about this history.
From Cebu, island attractions and beaches such as Visayas are a chartered flight or ferry away but the city itself has things to do including visiting an important religious site Basilica Minore de Santo Nino or Fort San Pedro. Davao is also a great starting point to visit nearby island attractions such as Camiguin Island and the pristine Lake Sebu. These are best visited between May through July although the attractions never become too busy.
The oldest part of Manila is the medieval Spanish walled enclave of Intramuros on the southern bank of the Pasig River, packed with historic buildings and churches, many of which are being or have been restored. The reconstruction of Intramuros has allowed for... see full details
National Museum of the Philippines
The large and comprehensive National Museum of the Philippines preserves and showcases the cultural, historical and natural heritage of the islands with collections housed in two different buildings (within Rizal Park). Exhibits are categorised in five divisions: art, botany, zoology, geology and anthropology. Among the many... see full details
The name of this Palace, now the seat of government and official residence of the Philippines head of state, comes from the vernacular ‘May Lakan Diyan’, which means ‘there lives a noble man’. This gracious villa has been a noble residence on the north... see full details
Tagaytay is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the Philippines, famous for the Taal Volcano. The volcano is unique in that it sits on an island in a lake, and has another lake within its vast crater. The views from the... see full details
This fascinating region in northern Luzon is known for being largely untouched by Western civilisation and gives a glimpse of the true Philippines. In a string of villages around Banaue people live according to age-old tribal traditions. The main attraction in the area is... see full details
The island of Palawan is an elongated stretch of thickly forested landscape bordered by coves, beaches, lagoons and limestone cliffs, stretching from southwest of Luzon towards Malaysia. The island's Tubbataha Reef is extremely ecologically important to the Philippines as a feeding ground and nursery... see full details
Fort San Pedro, located at Cebu City’s wharf area, was the nucleus of the first Spanish settlement in the country. It began as a single triangular bastion, built in 1565, and was not completed for another 200 years. Over the centuries the fort... see full details
The tiny island of Camiguin, on the north coast of Mindanao, is renowned for the friendliness of its people, epitomised in its lively annual festival dedicated to the humble lanzones fruit, which is one of the island's major sources of income. Fruity and friendly... see full details