Full travel guide to the Philippines

1. Trek to the top of Osmeña

Osmeña is the highest peak in Cebu. At 1,013m above sea level, it’s not much of a challenge, just a 20-minute hike from the park entrance. However, when you climb the limestone of the last few pits, your reward is a rare green clump of hills that stretch to the horizon. If you’re looking for a longer adventure, a 7-hour hike from the dazzling Kawasan Falls to Osmeña will take you all the way through the beautiful countryside. Ended up camping overnight near the summit to see the land below bathed in golden mist at sunrise.

2. Dive into the remote Tubbataha Reef

The Tubbataha Reef Natural Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is unique. Home to half of the world’s coral species, its remote location (10-12 hours liveaboard from Puerto Princesa) ensures that this part of the Sulu Sea has been virtually inaccessible to local fishermen for generations. It was left to thrive and still thrives even today thanks to its protected status. Now home to 700 species of fish, turtles, sharks, manta rays and coral reefs, whether you’re joining predators at the Shark Airport or exploring the Deslan wreck, it’s a wild dive experience. Surrounded by only ebb tides and strange whale sharks drifting, it felt like another world.

3. Discover a fascinating river

It’s not hard to see why they call Hinuatan in Mindanao the “Magic River”. Its incredibly clear, iris-blue water comes from deep underground, emerging just 300m before spilling into the estuary. It’s like a magic trick: blink and you’ll miss it. Much of the underwater cave system into which it pours is still unknown, so it’s no surprise that legends of fairies and mysterious fish grew up around these waters. It’s not too difficult to get to, though, and after a 10-minute walk through the jungle, you can jump into the cool river and see shoals of silvery fish congregating at the estuary. magic.

4. Go bird watching in the Philippines

The extreme northwestern tip of Luzon is where the Cordillera Mountains completely run out of land. It is probably best known for its beaches, the white sands of Saud Beach in Pagudpud known as “Boracay of the North”. But if you look to the horizon, you might see one of these lesser-known pleasures. The coast, especially Lake Paoay, offers viewing of rare native and migratory birds. Tourists like the dwindling Chinese egret or the Philippine endemic duck, known for its orange head and blue beak, are just a few of its prized sights.

5. Explore Chocolate Hills

“Chocolate Hill” takes its name from the crisp brown color of the Bohol herbs roasted by the summer sun. However, what makes this natural wonder so unique is not the color, but the sheer scale of the hill. The flat jungle floor here is dotted with more than a thousand circular grass-limestone mounds resembling the world’s most ambitious bubble wrap. Some are as high as 500m, and the entire complex spans miles. The views of Carmen town and Sagbayan are worth checking out, especially when you arrive at dawn and sunset.

offshore Karamoan Peninsula Nestled in a wonderful archipelago of green tufted islets surrounded by creamy white sandy beaches. Local boats can place you on isolated islands surrounded by caves and inland grassy hikes. But, for a truly peaceful escape, head to the sandy lagoon of Pony Tucade – its setting is pretty close to perfection.

Another attractive island chain is caraguas, found in the province of Caramarines Norte. Its white coast rivals even Boracay, albeit far less developed, while Mahabang Buhangin at 2.5km on Tinaga Island is one of the few beaches where you can camp and wake up to rolling green hills and lush seascapes.

Finally, is there anything the traveler in sandals hasn’t heard of? Boracay. Its bleached coast is known as the gold standard against which most other coasts are measured. These days, luxury resorts are all over the place, but when you’re tired of everyone else, you can always take a boat tour of the island, or go snorkeling in the incredibly clear waters alone. happiness.

Hand-hewn over 2,000 years, the rice terraces of Banaue are almost a living record of Cordillera life. Ifugao villages are scattered on these hills. Some are only a few miles apart, but they might as well be on another island, where the unique culture, festivals and traditions are quite different from their neighbors. Multi-day hikes allow you to spend more time in these communities, where planting and harvest seasons are everything. Try to arrive before the triennial Imbayah festival in April (next in 2022), and you’ll witness a wealth of traditional games and feasts – even hand-carved scooter races!

2. Explore the historic Wigan melting pot

The 16th-century city of Vigan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is everything a Spanish colonial town in Asia aspires to: order, civility and elegance. Its historic center—full of hardwood mansions, rich cobblestones and carriages (baby carriage) – it’s a miracle that so much history has survived intact. However, it’s not just colonial relics here.Local potters are still famous combustion Pot, the legacy of pre-colonial Chinese immigrants, beyond Calle Crisologo and its museum of historic mansions, a quintessentially Filipino city bustling on the outskirts, albeit full of the conquistador’s great culinary heritage – pie.

Explore Cebu City’s colonial heritage

Cebu City has its origins in the original Spanish settlement established in the Philippines in 1565. Its pier even retains its old fortifications, which were rebuilt in stone in the 18th century. Fort San Pedro served as a garrison, prison and even a zoo, but it is very well preserved. You can also visit the first church on the island, the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu. Rebuilt in Baroque style, it contains the famous Flemish figurine presented to the explorer Ferdinand Magellan, a complex figure in the Philippines but still considered the first to bring Catholicism here. The revered Magellan’s Cross is preserved in a pavilion in Sugarbo Plaza, which is said to contain fragments of the original cross he planted on the coast of Cebu in 1521.

what to eat in the philippines

Seafood abounds here, although the city of Roxas, in the province of Capiz, is often referred to as the “seafood capital” of the island, thanks to the Sibuyan Sea and its stagnant coast with thousands of fish farms. For a local taste of surf ‘n’ turf, try pork stuffed squid (rAlannon pdon’t sit).

Despite the abundance of seafood, the island’s cooking is meat-heavy, adobo (stewed meat in a rich marinade) is one of the more famous dishes.For true indulgence, try crispy Pata, Pork legs are deep fried, then both meat and crispy skin are soaked in soy sauce.

Start the day with a classicSilo‘, fried eggs and rice are often served with dry corned beef (Tapsilog), pork belly (He says) or corned beef (Consisogue). A true breakfast of champions.

Feeling inspired?