Every single time that I would say that I am from the Philippines, the follow-up question is always: “Wow, which part is your favourite?” This question is, then, followed by a shrug. I mean, we have more than 7,107 islands so you could imagine the difficulty choosing.
But since this is an on-going question, I have finally decided to list up my favourite spots (that i have been to) around my beautiful home, the Philippines.
Also, please get it right. It’s spelled as P H I L I P P I N E S, hahaha. It has been such a pet peeve for me whenever people would spell it incorrectly. Also, we are called F I L I P I N O S, not Philipinos. Hah! Yeah, some people thinks it’s spelled with a ‘ph’ too, but no, my friends. It is spelled with an ‘f’. But enough of that, here are my favourite spots in all of the Philippines:
Boracay, Aklan
Boracay is, most probably, the most famous beach spot in the Philippines. It has pristine blue waters, and refined white sand that never gets hot no matter how bright the sun can shine. I am not kidding!
I went here with my ex-boyfriend for my 21st birthday and it was, undoubtedly, one of the best birthdays ever I’ll give him that.
Plus, who will not be happy in spending their special day by the beach? You just have to be careful because there can be a lot of snatchers. We actually lost our stuff whilst swimming in the beach, not very pleased by that but it happens. So you have to be really careful!
Cebu City, Cebu
I always said the my parents that if I ever was to move back to the Philippines, I would, most likely, end up moving to Cebu City. I just cannot handle Manila anymore because of its ridiculous traffic and flooding situations! Ridiculous!
Cebu City is one of the oldest cities in the Philippines. It actually used to be our country’s capital before it was moved to Manila. Plus, Catholicism is such a prevalent thing here. Not that it is a bad thing, but it can be a bit annoying.
Oslob, Cebu
Does swimming with whale sharks sound appealing to you? Then Oslob is the place to be!
For about $30 USD, you can swim with whale sharks with your friends. How awesome is that? But I will admit, it can be harmful to these amazing and gentle creatures.
Moalboal, Cebu
If swimming with whale sharks is not exactly your thing, then Moalboal can be a bit more chill. Snorkeling, diving, and a thing called ‘sardine run’ can be done in this beautiful island a few hours from Cebu City.
Lipa, Batangas
Whenever my family and I are bored of Manila, we would go do a road trip south and end up going to either Tagaytay and Batangas. These are towns about two hours south of Manila, where you meet the skies. It is such a chilly and amazing place, not to mention that they have the best Bulalo in the country!
Botolan, Zambales
Does hiking a dormant volcano sound appealing to you? Then Zambales is the place to be! You can hike and trek for hours to get to Mount Pinatubo. From the photo, you can see me standing on the actual crater of the volcano. How crazy is that?
You can also rent a 4×4 and drive it around. It is such an awesome adventure!
Iloilo City, Iloilo
I am a bit biased with Iloilo City. There really is not much to do here aside from eat their famous La Paz Batchoy. But I love it because this was the hometown of my hero, the late Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago.
Jordan, Guimaras
There are a lot of camping spots in the Philippines, but Guimaras is, by far, my favourite! You can hike to a secluded virgin island and spend a night or two camping in its shores. It can be quite astonishing, but beware of mosquitoes because they are everywhere!
Also, Guimaras is known all over the Philippines for having the best and the sweetest mangoes there are. They even hold a mango all you can eating competition during the summer. I am still waiting to hop on that train because I can eat mangoes all day!
Buscalan, Kalinga
Fed up with the city and want to spend more time in the mountains and up above? Then the Mountain Province is the place to be! Not to mention that the famous Apo Whang-Od lives in this very village. She is the lady who does traditional Filipino tattooing, and people stay in the village for weeks just to get a tattoo done by her.
My cousin, brother and I went here a few years ago, and it was the best bonding experience ever!
Puerto Princesa, Palawan
Another great city a few minutes away (by plane) from Manila is Puerto Princesa. This place has become a favourite of mine as of late because it has the perfect balance between the city life and the beach life.
Pasay City, Manila
A lot of people I have met will strongly suggest that you skip Manila. But come on, it is the capital and are you sure you want to miss the thrilla in Manila? After all, the best museums in the country is in the capital. So, I urge you to spend a day or two here. Any more than that will drive you mad, I am telling you!
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What is your favourite spot in all of the Philippines? I swear, choosing one is such a difficult task because we have so much beautiful spots ranging from beaches, mountains, and city life! You know what they say? It really is more fun in the Philippines!
Also, sorry for not keeping much update in the blog as of late. I just have been feeling quite drained, creatively. Not quite sure why, but I am trying my best to recuperate and post more content. So, friends, please bear with me.
Have a great rest of the week, and blessings!
“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
Micah 6:8 NIV
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