Things to do in Philippines

25 things to do in Philippines

Listed in full below. The running order is set by votes and loads with the page.

• Explore the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park

  Glide through a spectacular underground river system winding past dramatic limestone karst formations, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site and New7Wonders of Nature.

  Puerto Princesa, Palawan

• Island hop through the lagoons of El Nido

  Paddle into the secret turquoise lagoons of Miniloc Island, surrounded by towering limestone cliffs and powdery white sand beaches in the Bacuit archipelago.

  El Nido, Palawan

• Swim in Kayangan Lake on Coron Island

  Descend into a crystal-clear, brackish water lake framed by jagged limestone peaks, often called the cleanest lake in the Philippines, with stunning underwater rock formations.

  Coron, Palawan

• Watch the sunset at White Beach, Boracay

  Sink your toes into the powdery white sand as the sky erupts in fiery oranges and pinks behind luxury resorts and paraw sailboats off one of Asia's most iconic beaches.

  Boracay, Aklan

• Dive at Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park

  Descend into a pristine underwater wilderness where manta rays, hammerhead sharks, and sea turtles glide over sheer coral walls in the heart of the Sulu Sea, accessible only by liveaboard.

  Sulu Sea (access via Puerto Princesa)

• See the Chocolate Hills in Bohol

  Hike up to a viewing deck overlooking 1,200 perfectly conical hills that turn chocolate-brown during the dry season, a surreal geological wonder that is a protected natural monument.

  Carmen, Bohol

• Spot the Philippine tarsier in Bohol

  Observe the world's smallest primate—with its enormous unblinking eyes—clinging to low branches in a purpose-built sanctuary where these nocturnal creatures are protected.

  Corella, Bohol

• Trek the Banaue Rice Terraces viewpoint

  Ascend to a panoramic viewpoint where the 2,000-year-old hand-carved terraces ripple across the Cordillera mountains, a feat of indigenous engineering often called the 'Eighth Wonder of the World'.

  Banaue, Ifugao

• Visit the historic town of Vigan

  Stroll along Calle Crisologo at dusk, where Spanish-era cobblestone streets lined with ancestral houses and horse-drawn carriages transport you back to the 19th century.

  Vigan, Ilocos Sur

• Walk through Intramuros, Manila's Walled City

  Explore the remnants of the Spanish colonial empire within thick stone walls: roam Fort Santiago, San Agustin Church, and hidden gardens that whisper stories of Manila's past.

  Manila

• See Magellan's Cross in Cebu

  Stand inside a small octagonal chapel at the very spot where Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan planted a Christian cross in 1521, marking the beginning of Spanish rule.

  Cebu City

• Admire Mayon Volcano's perfect cone from Cagsawa Ruins

  Photograph the world's most perfectly conical volcano rising dramatically behind the belfry of a 16th-century church buried by an 1814 eruption.

  Legazpi, Albay

• Hike to the crater of Taal Volcano

  Ride a boat to Volcano Island and trek up to the rim of an active volcano sitting inside a lake, with its own turquoise crater lake steaming within the landscape of Tagatay.

  Tagaytay, Batangas

• Canyoneering at Kawasan Falls in Badian

  Jump off cliffs and swim through a series of turquoise cascades and narrow gorges in Badian's thrilling canyoneering trail, ending at the iconic multi-tiered Kawasan Falls.

  Badian, Cebu

• Surf Cloud 9 in Siargao

  Ride the famous thick, fast barreling right-hand reef break named Cloud 9, which put the Philippines on the international surfing map and draws wave-chasers from around the globe.

  General Luna, Siargao

• Join the Sinulog Festival grand parade in Cebu City

  Dance alongside a million revelers in a vibrant, loud street parade featuring colorful costumes, rhythmic drumming, and the iconic two-steps-forward-one-step-backward Sinulog dance in honor of Santo Niño.

  Cebu City

• Feast on Cebu lechon at a local roast house

  Savor the crackling, herb-stuffed skin and succulent meat of a whole spit-roasted pig—Cebu's iconic version of lechon—dished out at a busy carinderia like CnT Lechon.

  Cebu City

• Eat a warm balut from a Quiapo street vendor

  Crack open a fertilized duck egg in its shell, sip the savory broth, and bite into the yolk and partially formed embryo—a quintessential high-protein Filipino street snack sold after dark.

  Quiapo, Manila

• Explore the amphitheater-shaped Batad Rice Terraces

  Hike down into the remote, UNESCO-listed Batad rice terraces in Ifugao, where layered paddies form a perfect natural amphitheater carved by hand over millennia, far from the main tourist hubs.

  Batad, Ifugao

• Visit the National Museum of the Philippines

  Stand in awe before Juan Luna's monumental Spoliarium and wander galleries spanning Filipino art, archeology, and natural history housed in a majestic neoclassical building in Rizal Park.

  Manila

• Explore Apo Reef Natural Park off Mindoro

  Snorkel or dive in the second-largest contiguous coral reef system in the world, teeming with schools of jacks, sea turtles, and reef sharks around a remote atoll.

  Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro

• Dive with thresher sharks at Malapascua Island

  Wake before dawn to descend to Monad Shoal, a sunken island where elusive thresher sharks rise from the deep to visit cleaning stations—packing an early morning thrill unique to this Cebu dive spot.

  Malapascua, Cebu

• Party in the Poblacion district of Makati

  Hop between speakeasies, rooftop bars, and hole-in-the-wall clubs in this gritty-chic neighborhood that has become Manila's premier nightlife playground, with a come-as-you-are vibe.

  Makati, Metro Manila

• Stroll along Manila's Baywalk

  Join locals for a waterside promenade along a landscaped stretch of Roxas Boulevard, watching the neon-lit fountains and the famous Manila Bay sunset over the South China Sea.

  Manila

• Discover the Calbiga Cave System in Samar

  Venture into one of the largest and most complex cave systems in Asia, where spelunkers crawl, climb, and swim past towering stalactites, underground rivers, and vast cathedral-like chambers.

  Calbiga, Samar