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The Philippines is composed of 7107 islands (7108 at low tide), with a total coastline longer than that of the USA. The warm tropical waters offer the attractions of sunbathing and swimming, while divers and snorkellers can explore coral gardens with beautiful marine life and dramatic drop-offs on the sea bed. Charter planes can be hired for reaching some of the more remote islands. Inland, the rich history and culture of the Filipino people, the dramatic landscapes and thriving cities will fascinate the visitor. For the purposes of this guide, this section has been divided into three areas, with the main tourist attractions listed under Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao and the South.

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Capital and hub of the nation, Manila is situated on the east coast of Luzon. Founded in 1571 on the ruins of a Muslim settlement, Manila has been a port for hundreds of years. The oldest part of the city, the Intramuros (Walled City), was protected by a massive wall, some of which still remains today despite savage fighting staged here in World War II. Places of interest include San Agustin Church and Manila Cathedral, from which there is an excellent view of the 2072 sq km (800 sq miles) of the harbour, and the ruins of Fort Santiago. Outside the Intramuros is Chinatown, a market in the district of Binondo, crowded with shops, stalls and restaurants. Luneta Park contains the Rizal Monument, a memorial to the execution of this great Filipino intellectual of the late 19th century. Other places of interest are the American Cemetery and Coconut Palace.

Manila is a good base from which to make excursions, for instance to Las Piñas, situated a little way outside the city, where the famous Bamboo Organ is located and the Sarao Jeepney factory, where people are allowed to wander around free of charge.
About one hour’s drive away from Manila through coconut plantations, Tagaytay Ridge in Cavite overlooks a lake that contains Taal Volcano, which itself holds another lake. Tagaytay is a popular destination in summer, when all kinds of festivities are celebrated and roadside stalls overflow with flowering plants and fruits in season.
The series of mineral springs of Hidden Valley lie secreted in a 90m- (300ft-) deep crater in Alaminos, enclosed by rich forests. The pools vary in temperature from warm to cold, and the lush trails end up at a gorge with a waterfall. Villa Escudero, an 800-hectare coconut plantation in Quezon Province, less than two hours by road from Manila, is part of a working plantation, yielding rare glimpses into rural life. Guests are taken on a tour of a typical village on a cart drawn by a carabao, or water buffalo.
Corregidor Island, ‘The Rock’, has a famous memorial to those who were killed during the Japanese invasion, and is accessible by hydrofoil. Day tours include refreshments and guide. A day trip to the town of Pagsanjan, 63km (39 miles) southeast of Manila, includes dug-out canoe rides down the jungle-bordered river to the Pagsanjan Falls. This was a location for the filming of Apocalypse Now, and is a popular excursion.
Laguna, a short distance from Manila, is a province famous for hot sulphur springs. The ‘Towns of Baths’, Cuyab, Los Baños and Pansol are situated here.

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Luzon is the largest and most northerly of the main islands. Its spectacular landscape is made up of mountainous regions in the north, the flat vistas of the central plain, lakes and volcanoes in the southern peninsula, and a coastline dotted with caves and sandy-beached islands. Manila, the capital of the Philippines, lies on the island’s east coast (see Manila & Area).

250km (150 miles) north of Manila is Baguio, 1525m (5000ft) above sea level, a cool haven from the summer heat. It is accessible both by air and land, though the drive up the zigzagging Kennon Road is more popular as it offers spectacular views of the countryside. Baguio has a good variety of restaurants, mountain views and walking excursions. Main attractions include The Mansion, summer residence of the Philippine president; Bell Church; Baguio Cathedral; and the Crystal Caves, composed of crystalline metamorphic rocks and once an ancient burial site.

Banaue is an eight hour bus ride north of Baguio. A remote mountain community lives here, and tourists can visit their settlements. The beautiful rice terraces are the main attraction of this area. A breathtaking sight, they rise majestically to an altitude of 1525m (5000ft), and encompass an area of 10,360 sq km (4000 sq miles). The terraces were hand-carved some 2000 years ago using crude tools cutting into once barren rock, each ledge completely encompassing the mountain. Now listed by UNESCO as World Heritage sites, they offer an unforgettable sight to tourists and trekkers in the area (see also Sport & Activities). Banaue has a tourist hotel and many good pensions.

Lying off the coast of Pangasinan, the Hundred Islands group is made up of 400 islets surrounded by coral gardens and white sand beaches. This area is ideal for swimming and fishing. Hundred Islands is the second-largest marine reservation in the world, teeming with over 2000 species of aquatic life. The caves and domes of Marcos Island and the Devil’s Kitchen are worth exploring.
The entire province of Palawan is a remarkable terrain for adventure and exploration, with its primeval rainforests, St Paul’s Underground River and Tubattaha Reef. Inter-island cruises around northern Palawan are now available.

Mindoro island, reached by ferry from Batangas pier and south of Manila, is a place where the stunning scenery includes Mount Halcon, 2695m (8841ft) high, Naujan Lake and Tamaraw Falls.
La Union, situated on the northwest coast of Luzon, has some of the best beach resort facilities on the island. There are regular buses to La Union from Baguio and Manila.
Bicol Region, situated in the east, is developing as a tourist destination and offers beaches, hotels and sights such as the Mayon Volcano, a nearly perfect cone, and the Kalayukay Beach Resort.

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The Visayas is a group of islands between Luzon and Mindanao. The main islands are Cebu, Leyte, Negros, Panay and Samar, the latter famous as the island first sighted by the Spanish explorer Ferdinand Magellan in the 16th century and as the landing point for the American liberation forces in 1944. Samar and Leyte are linked by the San Juanico Bridge, the longest in the country.

Cebu City is the main resort of the Visayas. Cebu is the most densely populated island, a commercial centre with an international harbour, and the Philippines’ second city. Sights include Magellan’s Cross, a wooden cross planted by Magellan himself over 450 years ago to commemorate the baptism into the Christian faith of Rajah Humabon and his wife Juana with 800 followers, and Fort San Pedro, the oldest and smallest Spanish fort in the country, which was built on the orders of Spanish conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legazpi in 1565.
Carcar town, south of Cebu City, has many preserved Castillian houses, gardens and churches. The Chapel of the Last Supper in Mandaue City features hand-carved life-size statues of Christ and his apostles dating back to Spanish times. The Magellan Monument on Mactan Island was raised in 1886 to mark the spot where Magellan died, felled by the fierce chieftain, Datu Lapu-Lapu, who refused to submit to the Spanish conquerors. There is also a monument to Datu Lapu-Lapu honouring him as the first Filipino patriot. Maribago is the centre of the region’s guitar-making industry. As well as many historical sites there are popular hotels, beach clubs and resorts.

Iloilo on Panay is an agricultural province producing root crops, vegetables, cocoa, coffee and numerous tropical fruits. The attractions include beach resorts and, in Iloilo City (reached by air), the 18th-century Miagao Church, a unique piece of Baroque colonial architecture with a facade decorated with impressions of coconut and papaya trees. Sicogon Island is a haven for scuba divers, and has mountains and virgin forests to explore. Boracay Island is another such island paradise, accessible by air via Kalibo, followed by a bus or jeepney ride to Malay, and finally by ferry or pumpboat to Caticlan. A survey considered its powdery-fine white-sand beach to be amongst the best in the world.

Bohol Island, just across the straits from Cebu in Central Visayas, is the site of some of the country’s most fascinating natural wonders; hundreds of limestone hills, some 30m (100ft) high, that in summer look like oversized chocolate drops, earning them the name ‘Chocolate Hills’. Covered by thin grass that dries and turns brown in the summer sun, they are a strange spectacle with mounds rising up from the flatlands, and are situated about 55km (34 miles) northeast of Tagbilaran City, the island’s capital. Bohol also offers handsome white sand beaches and pretty secluded coves, accessible via good roads. The island is a coconut-growing area and its local handicrafts are mostly of woven materials: grass mats, hats and baskets. Baclayon Church merits a visit, as it is probably the oldest stone church in the Philippines, dating back to 1595. The island can be reached by plane or ferry. The air journey from Cebu to Tagbilaran takes 40 minutes. Ferries go from Cebu to Tagbilaran or Tubigon, another port north of the capital.

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Mindanao is the second-largest and the most southerly island, with a very different feel from the rest of the country. A variety of Muslim ethnic groups live here.

In the southwestern tip of Mindanao is Zamboanga City, considered by some as the most romantic place in the Philippines and a favourite resort amongst tourists. The city is noted for its seashells, unspoiled tropical scenery and magnificent flowers. Zamboanga was founded by the Spanish, and the 17th-century walls of Fort Pilar, built to protect the Spanish and Christian Filipinos from Muslim onslaughts, are still standing. The city has a number of hotels, cars for hire, good public transport and vintas (small boats), often with colourful sails, available to take visitors round the city bay.
The flea market sells Muslim pottery, clothes and brassware. About 2km (1.2 miles) from Fort Pilar are the houses of the Badjaos, which are stilted constructions on the water. Water gypsies live in boats in this area, moving to wherever the fishing is best. Plaza Pershing and Pasonanca Park are worth visiting. Nearby Santa Cruz Island has a sand beach which turns pink when the corals from the sea are washed ashore, and is ideal for bathing, snorkelling and scuba diving. There is also an old Muslim burial ground here.

Davao province is the industrial centre of Mindanao, renowned for its pearl and banana exports. Davao City is one of the most progressive industrial cities in the country. The province is the site of Mount Apo, the highest peak in the country, while the Apo Range has spectacular waterfalls, rapids, forests, springs and mountain lakes.
On the northern coast of Mindanao, Cagayan de Oro is the gateway to some of the most beautiful islands in the Philippines. By way of contrast, in Bukidnon there are huge cattle ranches and the famous Del Monte pineapple fields, and Iligan City is the site of the hydroelectric complex driven by the Maria Cristina Falls.
The province of Lanao del Sur is characterised by its Muslim community, which has settled along the shores of Lake Lanao. Besides the lake, other attractions include Signal Hill; Sacred Mountain; the native market, Torongan; homes of the Maranao royalty; the various Muslim mosques on the shores of the lake; and examples of the famous brassware industry centred in Tugaua.