Things not to miss in Philippines

#01 Boracay Beach

Enchanting White Beach on picture-postcard Boracay Island is one of the country’s major tourist draws.

#02 Ati-Atihan Festival

At this lively festival in Kalibo, on Panay Island, held annually in honour of the Santo Niño (Infant Jesus), everyone wears indigenous dress and learns tribal dances.

#03 El Nido

The strikingly beautiful limestone islands around El Nido in Palawan offer exceptional exploring and adventure.

#04 Rice terraces

The mind-boggling rice terraces around Banaue stand as one of Asia’s greatest sights, and offer superb trekking.

#05 Halo-halo

Nothing beats a tall glass of this icy Filipino treat on a hot day, a concoction of syrups, beans, fruits and ice cream.

#06 Vigan

Wonderfully preserved slice of colonial Spain, with cobblestone streets, gorgeous Baroque architecture and horse-drawn carriages.

#07 Swimming with whale sharks

Swimming alongside a giant but gentle whale shark off the coast of Sorsogon, in southern Luzon, is an unforgettable experience.

#08 Coron Island by bangka

Tour the jagged, gasp-inducing coast of Coron Island by bangka, taking in hidden coves, secret beaches and two pristine mountain lakes fed by springs.

#09 Chocolate Hills

Soak up the bizarre landscape of Bohol’s iconic Chocolate Hills, conical brown-green mounds said to be the calcified tears of a broken-hearted giant.

#10 San Agustin Church

This elegantly weathered Spanish pile in the heart of old Manila is the oldest stone church in the archipelago and the resting place of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi.

#11 Apo Reef Marine Natural Park

The gin-clear waters of Apo Reef, off the west coast of Mindoro, are a scuba diver’s dream.

#12 Puerto Galera

Only a few hours from the bustle of Manila, scenic Puerto Galera is a great place to relax and be pampered, as well as learn to dive.

© Oksana Golubeva/Shutterstock

#13 Underground River

Accessible only by boat, one of the longest subterranean rivers in the world has eerie stalactites, vast caverns and hidden chambers.

#14 Mount Mayon

The almost perfectly symmetrical cone of volcanic Mount Mayon, near Legaspi, makes for a challenging but thrilling climb.

#15 Tarsiers

Admire these tiny primates with the enormous, sorrowful eyes at their protected sanctuary in Bohol.

#16 Mount Pinatubo

The lower slopes of Mount Pinatubo feature canyons formed after the massive 1991 eruption, while the crater is filled by a pristine mountain lake.