Best Must-See Destinations in the Philippines!

T he Hadean Eon is when the earth formed. Over time life was born, and it started to flourish. Some civilizations caused adverse effects on nature, while others preserved it. The Philippine Islands resulted in one of the most beautiful conservation of the present-day nature reserves.

On these islands, people can experience must-see destinations in the Philippines. With the 12^th highest population among all countries, the Philippines is home to 109 million people. As it is often said, the beauty of a place is not due to its infrastructure, but it comes from the local people, their customs and traditions, and especially their hospitality. The Philippines contains a diverse range of ethnicities because people from all over the world come here; some decide to stay while others enjoy the breathtaking beauty that has been preserved by the local population for uncountable generations.

Why visit the Philippines?

Unlike most places, the Philippines contains innumerable tourist attractions that might take someone more than mere months to visit completely. Every island that falls under its territory has some attractive spots that many come from far and wide to see and experience.

Almost all 7,640 islands can be added to the best must-see destinations in the Philippines. Being a global market for manufactured products and flourishing in agriculture, the islands also contain a significant amount of biodiversity. The islands are also prone to earthquakes and typhoons as the Philippines reside near the equator and experiences its fair share of natural catastrophes, mostly not that severe.

The enchanting never-ending blue!

As the Philippines is a combination of many islands, tourists always come across some form of a water body, either in the form of the ocean that surrounds the islands or the rivers that flow in between them. Although waterways are found all around the world, Philippine islands contain some of the cleanest estuaries compared to the whole world. Coran is one of the top-ranked tourist locations that should be visited once in a lifetime. With coral reefs greener than the forests, fascinating marine life, and even underwater preserved WW2 Japanese warships, it is truly a sight to behold.

Balabac islands are another example of spellbinding beauty that is hard to find worldwide, with pristine waters and never-ending seashores. These groups of islands provide tourists with the clearest and bluest sea experiences that they can become fully immersed in (literally and otherwise!) by diving, kayaking, jet skiing, snorkeling, and several other activities. Puerto Princesa is the capital of the Palawan islands and contains the world's second-longest navigable underground river listed as a world heritage site and preserved by UNESCO. Food all around the Philippines is caught fresh from the local rivers and prepared traditionally in local spices to give it a distinct flavor that is not found anywhere else. Fresh seafood indeed contributes to making tourism so successful in the Philippines.

The charm above!

The beauty of the Philippine islands isn’t only restricted to the underwater areas, the islands above are equally as beautiful if not more. All places mentioned later on are included in the best must-see destinations in the Philippines. Sagada is a town surrounded by mountains. It has managed to preserve 2000 years old hanging coffins, which are part of a very old burying tradition.

Banaue and Ifugao are also ancient towns. Approximately 2000 years ago, the mountainsides were hand-carved by farmers to plant rice, resulting in the mountains becoming rice paddies. They were later named rice terraces. Local folklore narrates that these plantations were actually stairs made for giants so they could pass through these lands. The rice terraces in Ifugao have also been named heritage sites by UNESCO.

And for the people who like learning about the past and also experiencing it, there is no better place to visit than Vigan. Vigan is a well-preserved Spanish colonial town with cobblestone roads, horse carriages, and many centuries-old buildings such as churches and shops. It is also easy to book a room in one of these tourist homes that also date back to the colonial era. And if you are in the mood to visit Spanish architecture, Manila is the perfect place for you, it is a walled city enclosing multiple UNESCO world heritage sites such as the San Agustin church and the manila cathedral.

That was all you needed to know about the best must-see destinations in the Philippines. So, streamline your finances and get busy planning your vacation!