The best places to travel in the Philippines this 2015.

The Philippines is a very beautiful country. Not only is it teeming with natural resources, it has buildings and structures that date back when the Spaniards came to colonize it, each telling a beautiful story behind its construction and maintenance. These places has become popular tourist destinations, both local and international.

For 2015, here are our top travel destinations in the Philippines. Make sure you visit them all!

Batanes

Starting off this list are the group of islands located at the northernmost part of the country. These islands are constantly battered by typhoons in the years past, so you’ll rarely find two story houses here. But what makes Batanes so special is its serene atmosphere.

In here, people knew each other and trust each other. You can rarely find “honesty stores” nowadays, but it Batanes, you’ll definitely find a couple of them. Modern technology is scarce in this place but in turn, you get treated to scenic natural views of the mountains and the sea.

El Nido, Palawan

If you love the sea in all its glory, then you will surely love what El Nido has to offer. These groups of islands found in Palawan are not only known throughout the country for its beauty, but to the whole world as well. One definite proof of its beauty are the luxury resorts lining up here like the El Nido Resorts in Pangulasian Island, Miniloc Island and Lagen Island.

If you want to enjoy nature at its finest while being pampered to the very best, booking into one of these hotels is a must. A word of caution though – they don’t come cheap.

Siargao Island

This island is located off the northern coast of Surigao del Norte and is famous for its sea waves. In fact, it is considered as the Surfing Capital in the Philippines, drawing in people not only from around the country but from all over the world. The island plays host to local and international surfing competitions as well. There are a couple of great hotel accommodations here, with Buddha’s Surf Resort a personal favorite by many surfers.

Coron, Palawan

While part of El Nido is still part of the Palawan mainland, Coron is entirely separated from it up north. It is best known for its diving spots, that not only feature great aquatic biodiversities but a piece of history as well. During WWII, a couple of Japanese ships have been sunk here. Their wrecks lie on the bottom of the sea, have become home for various aquatic wildlife and are one of the most sought out destinations here in Coron.

Another great destination is Kayangan Lake, regarded as the cleanest lake in the country. It’s also one of the best diving spots around.

Boracay Island

In one would ask what is the most popular tourist destination in the Philippines, you would likely hear the name Boracay coming up a lot. The place itself has evolved from being a quiet island blessed with great white sand beaches to one of the most overcrowded beachfronts in the country, packed with over commercialism. And while the number of the beach bums here can sometimes be intimidating, it’s nevertheless a popular spot for party-goers. The island feels much more alive at night than at day.

Boracay is home to some of the most prestigious hotel resorts in the country, one of it being the Shangri-La, a hotel chain known throughout the world for their first class services.

Bohol

The humble island of Bohol pales in comparison to its highly urbanized neighbor province, Cebu. However, what it lacks in BPO establishments and highrise buildings is well compensated with beautiful, serene beaches, forests and wildlife. And lets not forget the iconic Chocolate Hills which put Bohol in the limelight until now. The beauty of these hills are best seen during the dry season, where its color changes from green to chocolate brown, hence their nickname.

Sagada, Mountain Province

For Filipinos, soaking in the hot summer is commonplace. However, there are places which are naturally immune to the hot rays of the sun. Sagada, one of the municipalities in Mountain Province, offers more than just that. Located on a highly elevated ground, the place gives off a very cool climate despite the summer season. Aside from that, it’s widely renowned for its hanging coffins, a traditional way of burying for the Ifugaos, the natives in these regions.

Aside from getting a view of these coffins, you can do some trekking, spelunking and exploring caves, visiting waterfalls, do camping trips and more.

Siquijor

An island located just below Cebu and Negros Oriental, Siquijor has been the center of various rumors like being an island inhabited by witches and otherworldly beings. While some might be “true”, it’s far from being a reason not to go here. In fact, it could be because of these rumors that Siquijor remained somewhat separated from modernization and thus, its natural beauty remained and flourished.

There are great beaches here as well as some favorite destination spots like the Mysterious Balete Tree which can be downright eerie, especially if visite alone. As for hotel accommodations there are a couple here like Coco Grove Beach Resort.

Caramoan, Camarines Sur

A natural beauty, still untouched by modernization and commercialism – that is how you can describe Caramoan in Camarines Sur. The small islands that are part of this municipality also plays host to great beaches and aquatic wildlife. You can enjoy the sights and the beach to the fullest here, as you can have them all to yourself, because of the rarity of travelers that go here.

Simply put, you can consider Caramoan a hidden gem, just waiting to be found and polished.

Davao City

No other city in Mindanao would receive wide acclaim than Davao City. It is considered as the industrial hub of Mindanao and the Durian Capital of the Philippines too. But aside from its nicknames, it is also famous as a tourist destination. Travelers can go visit various nature parks here, like Philippine Eagle Foundation and Nature Center, the Davao Crocodile Park, Eden Nature Park and more.

The southern coast of the city is famous for its great beaches as well, especially Samal Island.

Cebu

Nicknamed as the Gateway to the Central and Southern Philippines, Cebu is the most urbanized province in the Visayas and Mindanao. But don’t let all the modernization fool you. That is because the island offers some of the most beautiful beaches that you could ever go to. The white beaches in Mactan are a favorite destination for tourists from all over the world, and these are further complemented by the hotel resorts that own them.

Aside from frolicking in the beach, you can also visit its surrounding islands and experience peace and quiet to the fullest. Cebu is also full of other natural wonders like the Kawasan falls, the thresher sharks in Malapascua and the whale sharks in Oslob. And lets not get started with its historical sites here. There are simply so much that you can do in Cebu.

Vigan, Ilocos

As of today, there are only a few establishments left in the country that can be dated back into the Spanish era. Vigan City in Ilocos Sur on the other hand, has most of its hispanic architecture intact, making it a very popular tourist destination. It’s considered as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and is one of the New7Wonders Cities as well.

Baguio City

Baguio is the Summer Capital of the Philippines because of its cool climate. It’s one of the preferred destination spot by people who are trying to escape the heat of summer season. There are a lot of things that you can do here, like visiting Wright Park, Burnham Park and Camp John Hay.

Dumaguete City

Dubbed as the City of Gentle People, Dumaguete is home to a couple of historical landmarks and is littered with natural beauty as well. There’s the Rizal Boulevard, the Silliman Hall, and the Campanario de Dumaguete which can take you down memory lane, or you treat yourself to one of their great beaches like the one on Antulang Beach Resort.

There are also many good diving spots near here, making Dumaguete as great place for snorkeling, diving and other aquatic activities.

Banaue, Ifugao

The Banaue Rice Terraces is the country’s pride as it was even dubbed by most of us as the “Eighth wonder of the World”. These rice terraces found in Banaue make it one of the main reasons why would want to travel here. The rice terraces may not be what it had looked like before, but it still sports a great scenic view from the top. A travel to the Philippines wouldn’t be complete without a detour here.

Intramuros

Located within the heart of the Philippine capital is the walled city of Intramuros. It was once the seat of government of the country back when it was still under the rule of the Spaniards. Now, it is but a shadow of its former self, as it had undergone serious damages from the wars.

The lack in management also resulted in the Walled City’s deterioration but regardless, it’s still a breathtaking view. Visiting this place is truly worth it as it will give you an idea as to what Manila looked like back in the Spanish Era.

Tagaytay

The City of Tagaytay is also regarded as another Baguio City because of its cool climate aside from its picturesque sceneries. From the highly elevated ground, it’s fairly easy to see the lake in which Taal Volcano is located. As for the active volcano itself, it is a wonder to behold, especially if looked much closer. So make sure you reserve time so that you can enjoy the fully glory of the volcano – you can even go inside the crater and cook some boiled eggs just by soaking them on the waters.

Mount Pinatubo, Zambales

The eruption of Mt. Pinatubo last 1991 is the most disastrous volcanic eruption to be recorded in human history. Now, all that remains is a very large caldera, filled with water. It has been a horrific reminder of how helpless we are against the might of nature itself.

With the crater named as Lake Pinatubo, it has became one of the major tourist destination spot as well as a hiking destination too.

Mt. Mayon, Albay

The Mayon Volcano is another iconic figure in the Philippines. It’s one of the most active volcano in the country while retaining its almost perfect cone shape. Because of the sheer beauty of the volcano, it has been a beautiful scenic spot for tourists. There are shops in Albay that offer treks near the volcano and observatories to view it at an even better angle.

In a nutshell, if you ever plan on visiting Albay, make sure you’re putting this on your list.

Camiguin

Finally, ending this list is the Island Born in Fire, Camiguin. It is called as such because the island resulted from a couple of stratovolcanoes. Throughout the whole island, lush vegetation take residence as well as some great views of the sea if you are on high ground. There are mountains here but Mt. Hibok-hibok is only the most active one it’s alright.

There are many islands surrounding Camiguin that further improves the quality of the island as a tourist destination. These are White Island, Mantigue Island, the Ardent Hotspring and the Sunken Cemetery.

More Destinations

So, these are our most popular destinations for this year. Do you have your favored ones above? Are there any more places in the Philippines that you need to travel into? Looking for a resort in Cebu City, Philippines? You may visit JPark Island Resort and Waterpark.