Top 10 Tourist Spot in the Philippines

Banaue Rice Terraces -- Lone District, Ifugao, Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Luzon, Philippines

The Rice Terraces in Banaue, Ifugao are considered to be the Eighth Wonder of the World. The terraces are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Approximately during the ministry of Jesus Christ on earth (over 2000 years ago), the native people of Ifugao began carving the terraces of the mountains using merely their bare hands and sticks from the trees in the forests. The terraces were carved mainly to provide an area of land suitable for planting rice which is the staple food of most Filipinos whether breakfast, lunch or dinner, rice is always served and eaten with the main dish. The rainforests above the mountains act as a natural irrigation system used to water the rice plants. The terraces are 7 hours of travel by car (50 miles) from Baguio city, the summer capital of the Philippines. Travelling from Manila, the capital city of the Philippines, it would take a total of 12 hours to reach the terraces, a distance of about 205 miles.

Tubbataha Reefs -- Sulu Sea, southeast of Puerto Princesa City, Palawan Province

The Tubbataha Reefs National Marine Park is a sanctuary (government-protected conservation area) consisting of over 1000 species of marine creatures and birds. The Reef is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is the most popular Philippine diving site for tourists. The Tubbataha Reef has two coral reef atolls, the North and South Atoll. The Park can be reached via boat travel of 10 to 12 hours which is about 112 miles from Puerto Princesa city, the capital of Palawan province.

Subterranean River National Park -- Puerto Princesa, Palawan

The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River is one of the world's longest underground river and the previous record holder of the longest underground river in the whole world. The Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to diverse species of plants and animals (flora and fauna). The park has over 800 plant species and over 300 animal species. Being 30 miles north of the city of Puerto Princesa (Palawan province), it is about 3 to 4 hours of travel by boat.

Apo Reef National Park -- Occidental Mindoro

The Apo Reef Natural Park is the second largest coral reef system in the world after the Great Barrier Reef system in Queensland, Australia. The park is inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Various marine species live in the reef area including corals, fishes, seaweeds, algae and mangrove trees. The park can be reached by means of boat in about 2 hours from the island of Mindoro, a distance of 20 miles.

Paradise Island -- Samal Island, Davao

Paradise Island and Beach Resort is definitely one of the most famous and best tourist attractions in the Philippines. It has a gorgeous white sand beach and clear waters making it a perfect place for beach-walking, lying down the sand, swimming, snorkeling and scuba diving. It has also a zoo of lively animals and a garden of beautiful flowers and exotic plants. The beach resort is very close to Davao city, a 7-minute ride via ferry boat.

Chocolate Hills -- Bohol

The Chocolate Hills of Bohol are a spectacular natural wonder in the Philippines. It consists of nearly 1800 small cute little hills that are spread over an area of 20 square miles. The hills are located in 3 towns of Bohol namely Carmen, Batuan and Sagbayan. A viewing station is available in the government resort Chocolate Hills Complex in the town of Carmen, Bohol which is a distance of about 34 miles from Tagbilaran City. Sagbayan Peak Mountain Resort offers an alternative viewing station of the world-renowned and popular Chocalate Hills in the town of Sagbayan, a distance of 47 miles from Tagbilaran City. 

Mayon Volcano -- North of Legazpi city, Albay, Bicol

Mayon Volcano has a worldwide reputation as the most perfectly formed volcano in the world because of its near-perfect conical shape and form. Mayon Volcano is the champion among the best competitors for the world's most perfectly coned volcanoes like Osorno Volcano of Chile, Mount Fuji of Japan, Mount Taranaki of New Zealand, Mount Cotopaxi of Ecuador,  Volcan Arenal of Costa Rica and Shishaldin Volcano of Alaska, USA. Because of its natural elegance and beauty, it is listed on the World's Top 10 Wonders of Nature. Visitors traveling to Mayon Volcano from Manila would take an hour by plane getting to Legazpi City then 10 miles north of Legazpi city is the magnificent Mayon Volcano, the most popular landmark of the province of Albay, Philippines.  

La Union Botanical Garden -- La Union, Luzon

La Union Botanical Garden is a unique botanical garden of its kind in that it is a 20-hectare "Garden of gardens" in a tropical rainforest mountain located in Barangay Cadaclan, San Fernando City, Luzon Island, Philippines. It has plants which grow on tropical, sub-tropical, wet, arid and desert climates. Among the gardens are the Shade Garden, Sunken Garden, Fragrance Garden, Evergreen Garden, Medicinal Garden, Philippine Native Plant Garden, Chinese Garden, Japanese Garden, Palm Garden, Arid Paradise Garden, Orchid Garden and many more. What makes it more remarkable is that there exists a harmonious relationship between the various species of plants in the garden and the animal species around the garden and hill forest vicinity. Traveling to the Garden is an easy 5-mile distance from San Fernando City. 

Boracay Island -- Kalibo, Aklan

Without a shadow of a doubt, this tropical island paradise has one of the best and most beautiful beaches in the world. Boracay Island has been nominated several times as the NUMBER ONE Tropical Beach in the world. It has two major tourism beaches namely White Beach and Bulabog Beach. Regarded as a world-class tourist spot and among the Top 10 tourist attractions, travel destinations, vacation hotspots and most visited places in the Philippines, Boracay's two main beaches are venues to a host of leisure activities such as windsurfing, kiteboarding, kitesurfing, scuba diving, snorkeling, swimming, beach-side nature walking, sunbathing, beach volleyball, golf, and other recreational sports. Although Boracay Island is 200 miles south of Manila, there are two airports serving Boracay Island traveling by air and the option to travel by sea with ferries. Don't take my word for it, just go and experience the fun and the breath-taking scenery of this tourist-favorite place. Enjoy your trip!

Fort Santiago -- Intramuros, Manila, Philippines 

Fort Santiago is a famous historic Spanish fortress in which once stood the palace of the Muslim chieftain, Rajah Suleiman before the Spaniards ever set foot on Philippine soil. This fort is a very significant site in the history of the Philippine independence from Spain. Jose Rizal, the national hero of the Philippines was imprisoned here and spent his last night before being executed in 1896. The fort has a museum containing Spanish artifacts, wares, documents and other historic articles. Within the fort is Rizal Shrine which houses the utensils, garments, shoes, housewares, kitchen wares, books, manuscripts, drawings, artworks, artifacts and other objects used and worn throughout the life of the genius and multi-talented Philippine national hero.