2022
When planning beach trips to Southeast Asia, the Philippines is usually overlooked by travelers who opt for more popular destinations like Krabi in Thailand, Bali in Indonesia, or Langkawi in Malaysia. And then there’s the Philippines with 7,107 islands.
Growing up in the Philippines, I was never inclined to do outdoorsy activities, and I wasn’t particularly excited about being in the water. Shocking, I know! I mean, who doesn’t like hanging out by the waves or swimming in the beach? It was when I moved away that I really started to appreciate it. Whenever I go back to the Philippines, I make sure to visit a new place to where I can spend a lot of time by the water.
Here are some places I’ve been to, which I hope you consider visiting:
In Coron, you can swim in the clear waters of Kayangan Lake, snorkel or dive Barracuda Lake with its amazing, visible thermocline, Twin Lagoon surrounded by dramatic, sharp limestone walls and lots of little fish to see by snorkeling. You can also go kayaking and go an on island tour via a small boat, or what we call bangka.
Coron is also known for diving to see World War II Japanese ship wrecks.
One of the nice places I visited in El Nido is Entalula Island, with the photos below.
Enough said. 🙂
If you need something to get your adrenalin pumping, try some rock climbing routes. Some climbers have done some Deep Water Soloing from the cliffs in El Nido (and also in Coron).
You can also kayak around the Big & Small Lagoon, and walk on Snake Island, an amazingly, long sandbar. If you’re looking for some trekking, you could hire a guide in El Nido Town and climb up Taraw Peak to see spectacular views of Bacuit Bay.
For scuba divers, one of the most pristine sites in the world is the Tubbataha, a protected reef in Sulu sea, in the western part of the country. Here, you'll get a chance to encounter see manta rays, whale sharks, tiger sharks, grey tips, hawksbill turtles, schools of jacks and some of the healthiest reefs in the world.
Malapascua is one of the few places in the world to see thresher sharks on a regular basis. They come up to a spot called Monad Shoal to get cleaned by fish called wrasse. Think of it as a shark spa. 🙂 And no, they’re not aggressive.
And you may have heard of Boracay, known for its fine, white sand and amazing sunsets.
In addition to these beautiful, unspoiled beaches, lakes and lagoons, there’s so much more to the Philippines. I've barely scratched the surface.Traveling around the country is generally cheap and affordable. People are warm, friendly, and almost everyone can speak English, so there are no language barriers.
Has anyone been? Share your experiences! For those who haven't visited...if you’re thinking of pristine beaches, a diverse list of activities and affordable travel in Southeast Asia, and why not come to the Philippines?
