North Luzon
Laoag's main architectural attraction is the Sinking Bell Tower, with what is presently a hobbit-sized doorway. Built by Augustine friars to accommodate…
Must-see attractions in Philippines
Davao
Vibrant, chaotic, claustrophobic, smelly and resembling a sprawling shanty town, Bankerohan provides a taste of local flavour. Everything that appears in…
Bicol
The 19th-century Naga Cathedral, with its imposing Romanesque facade, is a major city landmark. It's fronted by the equally imposing Porta Mariae, a…
Around Manila
The centrepiece of this ridge-top amusement park is the 63m-high Sky Eye (P150) Ferris wheel, visible for miles when illuminated at night. There are…
Siquijor
This park is essentially a public garden with lots of flowers, walking paths and little pavilions for picnics. It's great for bird- and butterfly-watching…
Around Manila
About 25km south of the Freeport Zone just near Ocean Adventure marine theme park, is this lovely sweep of sand with plenty of water activities, a dive…
Bohol
The imposing San Pedro Church (c 1602) in the centre of Loboc, the oldest in Bohol, was devastated by the 2013 earthquake when its Baroque facade and…
Bohol
This small museum has a few anthropologically interesting items discovered around Bohol, including five artificially deformed skulls, a 500-year-old…
North Luzon
At the far end of Blue Lagoon, Dos Hermanos is a pair of easily accessible offshore islands with great snorkelling. Local legend claims the islands are…
Panglao Island
This broad sandy beach, with its dreamy south-facing horizon, has boomed in popularity in recent years and is now lined with resort hotels, bars and…
Iloilo
For the best view of the old city, climb to the roof above the 7th floor – ask the guard for permission. You'll be surprised how different it appears…
Vigan
In barangay Camanggaan, just a 10-minute tricycle ride southeast of Vigan, you can watch abel hand-weavers in action at Rowilda’s Weaving Factory, which…
Western Visayas
This beautiful waterfall and swimming hole is about 12km east of Magdiwang (4km past the turn-off for the natural park). Tricycles can take you here (P300…
Davao
A family-friendly expanse of more concrete than green space with larger-than-life-sized sculptures of native peoples of Mindanao, all designed by artist…
Davao
This museum, next to the Waterfront Insular Hotel northeast of downtown, has a good collection of tribal weaving and artefacts from most of the Mindanao…
Eastern Visayas
From barangay Upper Looc, 500m north of Almeria, a road takes you up to Caucab, where a sealed track gets you most of the way to pretty Bagongbong Falls.
Bohol
This dusty museum, set in a crumbling structure adjacent to the town's colonial church, contains a collection of poorly presented religious artefacts.
Siquijor
The nature centre has been largely neglected but does have walking trails and some impressive trees and other floral life. It's 2km east of Cantabon.
Malapascua Island
This 12m-high lookout, beyond the typhoon-destroyed Los Bambos resort on the island's northwestern tip, is used by some brave souls as a cliff jump.
Cebu City
This neoclassical cathedral was completed in 1909, replacing many earlier structures on the site. Only its facade and belfry survived WWII bombs.
Eastern Visayas
About 4km north of Naval is the turnoff to the Sampao rice terraces. They’re very photogenic with the peaks of Biliran as a backdrop.
Coron Town
Grunt your way up 700-plus steps to Mt Tapyas in Coron Town for astounding views of Coron Bay. It's a quintessential Coron experience.
St Joseph the Worker Cathedral
Bohol
In the heart of town, this elegant church was built in 1767, burned to the ground in 1798 and rebuilt and enlarged in 1855.
Western Visayas
For the best views of Romblon, walk up the stairs to the ruins of this crumbling 17th-century fort overlooking the centre.
Siquijor
The impressive and stylishly time-worn pink-coral-stone and timber San Isidro Labrador Church was built in 1884.
Leyte
This vast concrete structure dominates the promenade. It's a key venue for big basketball games and conferences.
North Luzon
The immense Italian Renaissance–style St William’s Cathedral was built in 1880.
Iloilo
This impressive cathedral is the seat of the Catholic diocese in western Visayas.
Manila
The Coconut Palace was one of Imelda Marcos' great white elephant projects in the 1970s. It was so named because of the extensive use of coconut building…
Mindoro
Run by the Tamaraw Conservation Program, the Gene Pool no longer pursues captive tamaraw breeding (all breeding is done in the wild nowadays), but there…
Manila
Housed in the superb American–era main building of the University of Santo Tomas, this museum lays claims to being the oldest in Asia (the university's…
Panay
Occupying a hilltop location about 1.5km from the bus terminal is this enormous nearly 132ft-tall statue of Jesus. Originally the hands were supposed to…
Manila
The long-moribund National Planetarium was reopened in early 2017. Major upgrades include a Japanese–built projector and new blue seats in its central…
Vigan
The Crisologos, Vigan’s most prominent political dynasty, have converted their ancestral home into this strangely compelling family shrine. In addition to…
Northern Mindanao
Towards the airport, at barangay Libertad, is the Balangay Shrine Museum, home to the remains of a balangay (seagoing outrigger boat) dating from 321, one…
Bicol
Located around 3km from Hoyop-Hoyopan Cave, the more challenging Calabidongan Cave (literally, Cave of the Bats) is for more adventurous, confident…
Manila
The Golden Mosque was constructed in 1976 as something of a welcoming gift for the late Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi, although his scheduled visit…
Manila
The vast Bahay Tsinoy museum showcases the important role played by the sangley, as the Spanish called the Chinese, in the growth of Manila (sangley means…
Camiguin
Between the hillside and Bonbon you’ll see an enormous white cross floating on a pontoon in the bay, marking the spot of the Sunken Cemetery, which…
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