The Philippines is a Southeast Asian archipelago with over 7,000 islands. It's a country with a rich history and culture, and it's home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. I've been lucky enough to visit many parts of the country, and I've compiled a list of some of my favorite places to visit. I hope that it can inspire you for your next adventure in the country!
Thanks to my previous line of work, I was able to have the opportunity to travel to different parts of the country. As a homebody, it took work obligations to get me to see different parts of the Philippines.
An early episode of the Fandesals Podcast discusses travel around the Philippines. Some of the places to visit in the Philippines were part of the show and inspired me to write this post. Allow me to relive some of my favorite local travel destinations by sharing them here!
Cebu
Cebu is one of the places that I visited more than once not only for work but on vacation as well.
Located in the Visayas region of the Philippines, Cebu is where Magellan planted a cross. This was to mark the arrival of Christianity in the area.
What It is Famous For
Cebu has many tourist destinations. These include historical landmarks, beautiful diving spots, and other natural attractions. There are temples and religious sites you can visit as well.
Tourist Spots I Visited
Magellan’s Cross
I visited Magellan’s Cross, which stands across the city hall of Cebu City. This is the cross planted by Ferdinand Magellan in 1521. This was when they introduced Christianity to Cebu.
The displayed cross is a casing to protect the original from damage. Tourists can take photos near the cross because of this.
Basilica de Sto. Nino
The basilica is famous for housing the Sto. Nino de Cebu, which was a gift to the wife of Rajah Humabon when they converted to Catholicism in 1521. This Sto. Nino is the oldest religious relic in the country. The basilica is also the oldest church in the Philippines.
I visited the Basilica, but it is very difficult to get close to the Sto. Nino since many tourists and devotees come to visit daily.
Taoist Temple
This is one of the places that I enjoy visiting in Cebu. I go there to light incense/joss sticks to say a little prayer with guidance from the monks there. I was born and raised a Catholic, but I love the peace in this temple whenever I come to visit.
Tops Lookout
Another one of my favorite spots to visit is Tops Lookout, which gives you a good view of Cebu City from the top of a hill. I went there at night and the skyline is beautiful from up there. It’s a great hangout spot if you enjoy views like that.
From what I’ve gathered Tops Lookout closed for renovations but it will reopen in 2024. I can’t wait to see what it will look like then!
Bohol
Out of all the places that I visited, Bohol is the place that I want to go back to most of all. I went there on a work trip and was on a rushed day tour, so I did not get to stay and enjoy the sights. Despite that, what I did see was enough for me to want to go back!
What It is Famous For
The province is most known for its Chocolate Hills. It is large mounds/land formations spread around the area that are often chocolate brown. They look like giant mounds of chocolate at certain times of the year.
Tourist Spots I Visited
Chocolate Hills
I could not visit Bohol without going to see the Chocolate Hills! I had to climb up a long flight of stairs to get to a vantage point where I could see most of them. The great view was worth the hike!
Loboc River
My group and I went to have lunch on the Loboc River cruise. They serve you lunch on a large boat while people are serenading you as you enjoy the view.
It was a long lunch, and the view was so peaceful that it made me wish there were more things like this in other places.
Hinagdanan Cave
This was my favorite part of the trip because I did not expect what I would see there. We went down a steep set of stairs into a cave under the ground. It was a bit slippery and scary for me, but the view of the cave and the clear pool in it was worth it.
They informed us that people can swim there. Too bad we were only on a day tour and rushing from one spot to another so we did not get that chance.
Tarsier Sanctuary
Being at the sanctuary was my first time seeing a tarsier in real life up close and personal. I also got in touch with one of them with the guidance of people handling the place. I heard that you are no longer allowed to do this, so I was lucky that I got the chance to do so back then.
Baclayon Church & Blood Compact Shrine
One of the oldest churches in the country, it was a beautiful structure when I last visited. An earthquake destroyed the original years later and has been rebuilt since. I’m happy I got to see it before the quake.
The church is also right across from the Blood Compact Shrine. This shrine represents the blood compact made in 1565 in the province. This was between Rajah Sikatuna and Miguel Lopez de Legaspi. This sculpture is a work by National Artist Napoleon Abueva.
Bilar Man Made Forest
Our tour guide made us stop to appreciate the man-made forest that we passed on our way to our next destination. I am happy that she did that. Seeing that path canopied by trees left and right was a beautiful sight to see. Getting out of the car you could also feel the difference in the air because of the large number of trees in the area.
Panglao Island
We were only there for less than an hour, but I fell in love with the island’s white sand beach and beautiful waters. I wish we had more time there because I did not get to appreciate or enjoy the place as much as I would have wanted. This is on my list of places to go back to!
Davao
Like Cebu, I have been to Davao several times for work. It has always been an enjoyable experience for me whenever I am in the area, usually in Davao City. I love that I have been there in Mindanao because that means I have been to the three main regions of the country!
What It is Famous For
Davao is home to the Philippine Eagle Center. This a sanctuary for the Philippine Eagle and other species. It is also known for being the best place to find and buy durian fruit.
Tourist Spots I Visited
Roxas Night Market
If you want to try food authentic to Davao, you have to try their famous durian. A visit to the night market would be a fun way to experience it. Our group went there for dinner, and we got to enjoy some durian after our meal.
Japanese Tunnel
We went to a restaurant and noticed this place nearby. It’s a tunnel used by the Japanese during the war and converted into a tourist spot. We went inside and they had statues of Japanese soldiers in various spots of the tunnel. They gave an authentic feel to the spot as you walked past them.
A bit of advice though: do not visit near closing hours. The guards closed the tunnel, and they locked us inside because they thought there was no one there! We were lucky they heard us calling for help and got us out of there!
Jack’s Ridge
It is an area with restaurants, KTVs, and a resort that provides a good view of Davao City from up a hill. We went to visit when it was getting dark, and we got a glimpse of the night sky from the area after our meal.
I have been to other parts of the country, but I don’t think I have many memorable moments to share about them. Most of my travels around the country have been work trips that did not leave time for sightseeing. I did not get to explore the tourist spots enough to share anything about them. There are several places that I wish I could have roamed around in more. Baguio, Iloilo, Cagayan de Oro, Boracay, and Leyte are some of those spots. One day if I get the chance to go back and immerse myself in these places I can share more in a future post!
If you have any questions about the places I mentioned in this post, please feel free to leave a comment below. I'm always happy to hear about new places to visit, so share your recommendations in the comments!
I’ll end this post with the Fandesals Podcast episode on travel around the Philippines. I hope you like it!
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