The Philippines is the land of powerful volcanoes and beautiful islands in Southeast Asia. To say that it is the land of something is rather misleading, as the country is more like an archipelago with over 7,000 islands in total, and around 2,000 islands are inhabited.
With so many islands, the Philippines has a countless number of beautiful places waiting for you to visit. From the all-powerful volcano of Mt. Pinatubo to the beautiful pristine water and white sand beaches of El Nido, here are the 8 most beautiful places in the Philippines that you definitely should not miss.
Most Beautiful Places to Visit in Philippines Map
1. Mt. Pinatubo
Mount Pinatubo, located only around 87 km northwest of Manila, is a powerful volcano that has shaped the land around the Philippines for centuries. In 1991, Mt. Pinatubo's last eruption literally created Lake Pinatubo, which was formed from its caldera and then filled up with monsoon rain.
Now, Mount Pinatubo and Lake Pinatubo are some of the most popular tourist attractions and a great day trip for people in Manila. To get there, you will have to ride a jeep through this barren land until you arrive at Lake Pinatubo, where you can enjoy a stunning view of the massive crater and its blue water.
Unfortunately, due to the nature of an active thermal area like this, the water is not great for swimming, as the acidity level varies depending on the seismic activities happening around this area, and it does happen a lot at Mt. Pinatubo.
In fact, since January 2021, there have been over 1,722 volcanic earthquakes recorded around this area, making it almost uninhabitable. That said, visiting the powerful Mt. Pinatubo and seeing it with your own eyes is not an opportunity you should pass up, so I would recommend you check it out when you are in Manila.
2. Ta'al Lake
Another beautiful volcanic lake near Manila that you should definitely visit is Ta'al Lake, a beautiful 234.2 square km volcanic caldera, the third largest in the country, filled with fresh water that was formed by several very large eruptions over 100,000 years ago.
Since the lake was created, people have settled around the lake with fishing boats, fisherman villages, and offers many opportunities for us travelers to hike around and explore the beautiful features of Taal Lake on foot.
You can take the boat out onto the island called Volcano Island, which is the ground zero of the eruptions responsible for the lake you see around you. On the island, you will be hiking in a remote area up to a viewpoint where you will be able to witness just how massive the crater is.
You can also enjoy the view of Ta'al Lake from one of the many restaurants located on the top of the surrounding mountains, where you will be able to truly see the scale of Taal Lake and Volcano Island.
It is one of the most beautiful sights you can see in the Philippines, and given how close it is to Manila, it would be a shame if you came all the way to the Philippines and missed out on this beautiful place.
3. Mount Mayon, Legazpi
Legazpi is home to Mount Mayon, one of the most symmetrical cone-shaped stratovolcanoes you will see in the Philippines, and it is considered to be one of the most sacred mountains in the country.
Standing at around 2,463 m (8,081 ft) above sea level, Mount Mayon's perfect cone-shaped body towers over Legazpi and the surrounding area like a god. I could imagine if the climate were colder in Legazpi and it snowed up on Mount Mayon, it could easily be the Mount Fuji of the Philippines.
There are many activities you can participate in around Mount Mayon, from going hiking to taking the ATV out and riding up the dirt track to see Mount Mayon up close.
Unfortunately, due to the mountain's recent eruption in 2018, which has made it quite active, you will need to contact a government body to help you plan a summit journey if you wish to climb to the top.
Even if you don't climb the mountain, being in Legazpi and seeing this cone-shaped mountain looming over you as you fly into the Legazpi airport is already worth the trip. So, if you have the time, be sure to drop by Legazpi and check out Mount Mayon.
4. Donsol
It is not what is on land in Donsol, but what is underwater that makes it one of the most beautiful places in the Philippines that you should visit. Donsol is a small fishing village by the coast with around 40,000 people living in the area, and it is home to the mighty beasts of the sea, the whale sharks.
In Donsol, you have the chance to go for a swim with these beautiful animals as they glide through the ocean with their bus-sized and beautifully patterned bodies in a responsible way, unlike the ones in Oslob, Cebu.
In Oslob and many other places in the Philippines, they will often lure the whale sharks with baits, disrupting the whale sharks' migration patterns, and causing severe sunburn for the sharks, just so the tourists can take photos with them.
In Donsol, the locals and an international organization decided to take it in another direction by creating a more responsible and sustainable tourism business. Fishermen offer boat services to track down whale sharks in their natural habitats, allowing visitors to swim with them naturally without baiting or luring them in.
This way, you are not affecting their migration patterns by luring them in with food like Oslob, and you really get to see these beautiful animals in their habitats.
What they practice here in Donsol, with the way they treat whale sharks and how they share the profit with the local community, is extremely respectable. I would wholeheartedly suggest you visit Donsol over Oslob if you want to swim with a whale shark responsibly.
5. Cebu
Cebu City itself may not be the most beautiful place to visit in the Philippines, but there is no denying that the surrounding areas have some of the most beautiful nature that makes Cebu a great base to launch yourself and explore these hidden gems. And one of these beautiful places is Kawasan Falls.
Kawasan Falls is considered to be one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the Philippines. With its stunning blue water surrounded by lush green forest and hiking trails that will take you further and deeper into the wilderness, the moment you see it with your own eyes, you will know why it is one of the most beautiful places in the country.
6. Chocolate Hills, Bohol
Chocolate Hills is one of the most recognizable landmarks in the Philippines, and whenever you search for pictures of the Philippines, photos of these weird-looking rolling hills, as far as the eyes can see, often show up first.
These rolling hills are, in fact, a geological formation created by a combination of the dissolution of limestone due to rainfall, surface water, groundwater, and their subaerial erosion by rivers and streams after they were uplifted above sea level ages ago.
There are over 1,770 hills spread over an area of more than 50 square km (20 sq mi), and the hills are all covered in green grass that turns brown during the dry season, giving them their name, Chocolate Hills.
It is truly one of the most beautiful and bizarre sights you can see in the Philippines, and if you are able to make it to Bohol during your trip, be sure to visit the Chocolate Hills.
7. El Nido, Palawan
Palawan is a group of islands in the southern part of the Philippines. Due to its stunningly clear water and abundance of beaches, it is one of the most popular areas for travelers to visit in the Philippines.
El Nido is one of these beautiful islands that are considered to have one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Surrounded by limestone cliffs and beautiful beaches, it is easy to see why that is the case.
From El Nido, you can easily launch yourself and explore all the lagoons and beautiful islands surrounding the coastal town. You can go diving and explore the abundant marine ecosystem around El Nido, relax by one of the many isolated beaches, or grab a kayak and go off and explore on your own.
El Nido is the type of place that you would expect to see when you arrive in the Philippines, and it definitely delivers. It is a little difficult to get to by land, as with other places in the Philippines, due to it being an archipelago. But with a daily flight from Manila by AirSwift, traveling between the two places is easier than ever.
If you are looking for a nice place to relax by the beach and enjoy the abundant nature of the Philippines, then visiting El Nido in Palawan is a no-brainer.
8. Coron
Located just north of Palawan, Coron is also another beautiful place to visit in the Philippines that you shouldn't miss. This beautiful island is full of awesome activities you can do and will keep you occupied for at least 3 days.
In Coron, you can go hiking Mount Tapyas, hike the Kayangan Lake, go on a snorkeling tour, and if you are lucky enough, you might even be able to witness the Dugongs munching at the seagrass along the coast of Busuanga.
Coron Island is a great place to visit and has quite a lot of beautiful places waiting for you to explore. So, if you decide to visit Palawan when you are in the Philippines, do not forget to drop by Coron.
Now that we have all the information we need, it's time to start planning your trip! Here are some resources to help you get going:
Are you planning to travel independently? Be sure to check out my guide on How To Plan A Backpacking Trip here.
Further Reading for Backpacking in Southeast Asia
Looking for more information for your trip to Southeast Asia? Here are a selection of articles that might help you with your trip planning:
- Vietnam is a great place to start your journey to Southeast Asia. If you are looking for more detail about Vietnam, check out my complete Vietnam itinerary here: 2 Weeks Itinerary for Vietnam.
- Cambodia is home to one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World, the Angkor Wat, and if you are wondering what it's like there, here is my experience traveling around Angkor Wat and Siem Reap.
- Want to travel to Siem Reap and see the Angkor Wat with your own eyes? Here is a complete travel guide and 3-day itinerary for Siem Reap.
- Bagan is one of my favorite places in the world, with over 2000 pagodas waiting for you to explore. You will need a travel guide. Here's a complete travel guide to Bagan temples and more.
- Bangkok is a city that you will likely pass through quite often, and it might get a bit overwhelming to plan something. Here is my One Day in Bangkok Itinerary.
- Khao Sok National Park is, hands down, my favorite place in Thailand, and it would be a shame if you missed it on this trip. Here is a guide on how to travel to Khao Sok National Park.
- Looking to go snorkeling in Thailand? Koh Lipe is one of the best places out there, and I have a travel guide for you: The Snorkeling Guide To Koh Lipe.
- Malaysia is a country often overlooked by most travelers, and that is a mistake you shouldn't make. Here is a complete 10-day itinerary for Malaysia.
- The Philippines is an archipelago full of volcanoes and remote beaches waiting for you to explore. Here is a 3-week itinerary for the Philippines.
- Indonesia is not a country you can simply travel to once and say you've seen it all. It's a country so diverse that it requires at least one month to really get the feel of it. Here is a complete one-month itinerary for Indonesia.
- Borneo is another place in Malaysia that is often overlooked, which is the perfect place for us to visit and go off the main Southeast Asia path most backpackers take. If you are going that way, be sure to check out our 2-week itinerary for Borneo and Brunei.
- Not convinced by my words about Southeast Asia? Here are 64 photos that will inspire you to visit Southeast Asia now.
- You can also watch my travel video about Southeast Asia here: Watch the "Asia Alive" travel video.
- You can see all of my Southeast Asia-related articles on my Southeast Asia Travel Guide page.
- For more travel guides like this, visit my Destinations page.
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3 Comments
As a Filipino, El Nido is also on top of my favorites. Also check out the Northern part of the Philippines i.e. North Luzon. I would personally recommend Banaue (still amazed with it), Sagada and Batanes!
Hey Myco,
Thank you for the comments. I'll definitely have to revisit the Philippines and check the northern part out! Thank you for the recommendation!
One of the most beautiful city in the Philippines is the charming part of Manila's Intramuros, once a walled city during the colonial era