Best Things to Do in the Philippines

Ayala Museum in the Greenbelt district of Makati is one of the Philippines' most sophisticated cultural institutions, presenting Philippine history, art, and archaeology across elegant gallery spaces that combine world-class museum design with genuine scholarly depth. The museum's permanent collection spans pre-colonial gold artefacts, Spanish colonial-era religious art, fine furniture, traditional textiles, and an acclaimed series of 60 diorama scenes depicting the major events of Philippine history from early Austronesian settlement to the present day. The gold collection alone justifies a visit — hundreds of exquisite pre-colonial jewellery pieces, ritual objects, and decorative items attest to a sophisticated metallurgical culture that flourished in the Philippine archipelago long before European contact. The Paulino and Hetty Que Gallery houses a rotating selection of paintings by celebrated Filipino masters including Juan Luna, Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo, and Fernando Amorsolo. Temporary exhibitions address contemporary issues and introduce international perspectives on Philippine cultural identity. The museum also hosts regular lectures, film screenings, and educational programs for students and adults. Located within the upscale Greenbelt shopping complex, Ayala Museum provides a thoughtful cultural counterpoint to the surrounding commerce, and its café is a pleasant spot to reflect after an immersive few hours in Philippine history.

Baclayon Church is one of the oldest stone churches in the Philippines, a magnificent colonial-era structure that has stood on the southern coast of Bohol since 1595, making it a living monument to over four centuries of unbroken Catholic faith. Built by Jesuit missionaries using coral stone blocks cemented with a mixture of egg white and lime — a traditional technique that gives the walls their distinctive creamy texture — the church and its attached convent have withstood Spanish colonial rule, two world wars, and periodic earthquakes. The facade features baroque decorative elements blended with local craftsmanship, while the bell tower rising beside the church has served as a landmark for fishermen returning to Baclayon Bay for generations. The museum within the convent houses a remarkable collection of religious artefacts, including gold-threaded vestments, ivory santos, antique bibles printed in old Spanish, and liturgical objects brought from Spain in the 16th century — one of the most impressive ecclesiastical collections in the country. The church was badly damaged by the 2013 Bohol earthquake and has since been painstakingly restored. It remains an active parish, and the sound of the community at worship adds a profound sense of living continuity to its ancient stones.

Bamboo Hanging Bridge of Sevilla in Bohol is a beloved rural landmark that offers visitors an authentic encounter with traditional Philippine engineering and the lush agricultural landscape of the island's interior. Spanning the Wahig River in the municipality of Sevilla, the swaying bridge is constructed entirely from locally harvested bamboo — poles, railings, and slat flooring all woven and lashed together using techniques passed down through generations of local craftspeople. The bridge is long enough that crossing it produces a genuinely vertiginous wobble, particularly when other pedestrians are crossing simultaneously, making it simultaneously a practical river crossing and an inadvertent adventure attraction. Local farmers and schoolchildren use the bridge as an everyday route between communities, and watching daily life cross above the river below gives the site a vitality that purely tourist destinations often lack. The surrounding scenery is quintessentially Boholano — coconut palms, banana groves, and terraced fields visible from the bridge deck in both directions. The Wahig River itself is clear and shallow at this point, and the gentle sound of moving water adds to the tranquil, pastoral atmosphere. The Bamboo Hanging Bridge is commonly combined with visits to the Chocolate Hills and Baclayon Church in a single Bohol tour, and it provides a memorable, grounded counterpoint to those more grandiose landmarks.

Banana Island in Coron, Palawan, takes its name from the elongated, curved shape that gives it a passing resemblance to its namesake fruit when viewed from the air. In reality, the island is a lush, forested outcrop fringed by powder-white beaches and surrounded by remarkably clear water of the kind that makes Coron one of the most celebrated dive and snorkel destinations in Southeast Asia. The island is popular with day-trippers from Coron town, arriving by outrigger banca as part of the area's renowned island-hopping circuit. Simple cottages and picnic facilities make it suitable for a leisurely half-day stop, with swimming and snorkelling in the calm lagoon on the sheltered western side. The reefs around Banana Island support healthy coral communities and a wide variety of reef fish, sea turtles, and, in deeper water beyond the fringing reef, the occasional blacktip reef shark. The island sits within the broader Calamian Islands group, a protected marine area of extraordinary biodiversity. Nearby reefs are also accessible to divers seeking a different perspective on the underwater landscape. Like most of Coron's island-hopping stops, Banana Island is at its best in the morning hours before the sun climbs high and the crowds build, rewarding early starters with the beach virtually to themselves.

Banul Beach on Coron Island in Palawan is a pristine, secluded stretch of powdery white sand that ranks among the most beautiful beaches in a province already celebrated for its extraordinary coastlines. Accessible by a short hike through dense jungle from the main island-hopping boat route, or directly by smaller outrigger, the beach is sheltered by dramatic limestone karst cliffs on both sides, creating an enclosed, almost private feel even during peak season. The water in front of Banul is shallow and brilliantly clear, shifting from pale turquoise near the shore to a deep sapphire beyond the reef edge, and snorkelling reveals coral gardens populated by colourful reef fish and the occasional sea turtle. The white sand here is exceptionally fine — almost talcum-like — a quality that makes the beach glow even in overcast conditions. Banul is less visited than some of Coron's more famous beaches, giving it a tranquillity that is increasingly rare in the busy Palawan tourist circuit. Most visitors arrive as part of organised island-hopping tours from Coron town, typically combined with a visit to Barracuda Lake and Twin Lagoon in a single day. Simple food stalls operate on the beach during daylight hours, but the experience is fundamentally about natural beauty and peaceful immersion in it.

Barracuda Lake on Coron Island in Palawan is one of the Philippines' most extraordinary and scientifically fascinating dive sites — a hidden, landlocked lake accessible only via a steep limestone scramble through dense jungle that gives no hint of the wonders waiting below. The lake's defining characteristic is its remarkable thermocline: the upper layer of water is a clear, comfortable 28 degrees Celsius, but at around 15 metres depth, divers suddenly pass into a warmer layer of saline water reaching 38 degrees — a thermocline so distinct it creates a shimmering, lens-like visual distortion at the boundary. The lake is named for the large barracuda that patrol its depths, though encounters are typically non-threatening. Visibility in the upper layer is exceptional, often exceeding 20 metres, and ancient limestone formations draped with corals create an otherworldly underwater landscape. The steep karst walls surrounding the lake descend vertically into the water, and the combination of geological drama and thermal strangeness makes Barracuda Lake unlike any other dive site in Asia. Local guides lead both snorkelling and diving excursions, and the short jungle approach adds a genuine sense of adventure to the experience. It is a must for any diver visiting Coron.

Bicol, the southeastern peninsula of Luzon, is one of the Philippines' most dramatically beautiful and culturally distinctive regions — a landscape of volcanic peaks, wild Pacific coastline, pristine marine sanctuaries, and fiery cuisine that sets it apart from every other part of the archipelago. The region's dominant feature is Mayon Volcano, whose near-perfect conical silhouette rising 2,462 metres above Albay Province is widely considered the world's most symmetrical stratovolcano, and one of the most active in Asia. Ticao Island and the waters around Donsol are among the best places in the world for swimming alongside whale sharks — the largest fish on Earth — in a genuinely wild and respectful encounter. Bicol's cuisine is legendary for its fearless use of chilli and coconut milk, culminating in dishes like Bicol Express that have become part of the national culinary canon. The Caramoan Peninsula shelters a series of dramatic limestone formations, secret lagoons, and white-sand coves that served as the location for multiple international editions of the television show Survivor. Naga City, the regional capital, pulses with university culture and hosts the massive Penafrancia Festival each September, one of the largest Marian pilgrimages in Asia. Bicol rewards adventurous travellers generously.

Big Lagoon in El Nido, Palawan, is a breathtaking enclosed seascape that ranks among the most photographed destinations in the Philippine archipelago. Accessible only by kayak or outrigger banca boat through a narrow rocky passage, the lagoon reveals itself as a vast, sheltered pool of impossibly turquoise water ringed by towering karst limestone cliffs draped in tropical vegetation. The enclosed nature of the space creates an atmosphere of profound stillness — the noise of the open ocean disappears, replaced by birdsong and the gentle lap of water against ancient stone. Snorkelling within the lagoon rewards visitors with glimpses of reef fish, sea turtles, and intricate coral formations in water so clear that the seabed is visible at depths of several metres. Big Lagoon is typically included in El Nido's Tour A itinerary, which combines several of the area's most spectacular lagoons, beaches, and caves into a single day. The best time to visit is early morning, before the midday crowds arrive and the light turns harsh. Kayak rentals are available at the entrance for those wishing to explore at their own pace. Big Lagoon exemplifies the raw, unspoiled beauty that has made El Nido a must-visit destination for travellers in Southeast Asia.

Binondo in Manila is the oldest Chinatown in the world, established in 1594 as a designated settlement for Chinese traders and converts to Christianity under Spanish colonial administration. More than four centuries later, this dense, chaotic, endlessly fascinating neighbourhood on the north bank of the Pasig River remains the vibrant beating heart of Manila's Chinese-Filipino community, known locally as Tsinoys. The streets of Binondo overflow with gold jewellery shops, herbal medicine halls, incense-filled temples, traditional bakeries, and some of the most celebrated Chinese-Filipino restaurants in the country. Food is the primary draw for most visitors — tikoy (sticky rice cake), hopia (bean-filled pastry), dimsum, pancit Canton, and bowls of steaming congee can be found on virtually every corner, often from vendors who have been operating from the same spot for generations. The 18th-century Minor Basilica of San Lorenzo Ruiz anchors the neighbourhood's main plaza, its twin towers a reminder of the Catholic faith that overlaid but never erased Chinese cultural traditions. Binondo rewards travellers who walk slowly, eat often, and pay attention — its greatest treasures are hidden in doorways, basement kitchens, and the faces of people who carry centuries of history in their everyday lives.

Blanco Family Museum in Angono, Rizal, is the Philippines' most celebrated privately owned art museum — a sprawling, colourful institution built around the extraordinary legacy of the late Jose V. Blanco and his equally talented family of artists, widely known as the First Family of Philippine Art. The patriarch Jose Blanco was a self-taught painter whose lush, sensuous depictions of Philippine women — rendered in vivid oils with a signature style that blends realism with romantic idealism — earned him international recognition and inclusion in prestigious collections worldwide. The museum's collection spans hundreds of original paintings by Jose and his children, who have each developed distinctive artistic voices while working within a shared aesthetic tradition rooted in Filipino cultural identity. The museum building itself is a work of art — a rambling Spanish colonial structure set in lush tropical gardens in the heart of Angono town, with canvases covering virtually every wall in dense salon-style hanging. Angono is known as the art capital of the Philippines, a designation cemented by the presence of the Blanco Family Museum and the extraordinary concentration of artists who have made their home in the town over the generations. Regular studio visits, art sales, and cultural events ensure the museum remains a living creative centre rather than a static archive.

Blood Compact Monument in Tagbilaran City commemorates one of the most significant events in Philippine history — the blood compact, or sandugo, performed in 1565 between Spanish explorer Miguel Lopez de Legazpi and Bohol chieftain Datu Sikatuna. This solemn ritual, in which both men made small cuts and mixed their blood into wine before drinking together, represented a formal bond of friendship between the Spanish crown and the people of Bohol — the first international treaty of friendship on Philippine soil. The bronze monument, created by celebrated Filipino sculptor Napoleon Abueva in 1994, depicts the two figures leaning towards each other in the moment of compact, their expressions conveying equal gravity and trust. Set in a small public plaza near the waterfront in Tagbilaran, the sculpture has become one of the most iconic images in Bohol tourism and a source of deep local pride. The sandugo is celebrated every July during the Sandugo Festival, a week-long cultural event featuring street dancing, historical re-enactments, and artistic competitions that draw visitors from across the Philippines. The monument serves as both a tourist landmark and a powerful symbol of the complex, layered history of Filipino-Spanish relations that shaped the nation.

Casa Gorordo Museum in Cebu City offers a remarkably well-preserved window into 19th-century upper-class Filipino life under Spanish colonial rule. The ancestral home was built in the mid-1800s and later acquired by Juan Isidro Gorordo, who became the first Filipino bishop of the Diocese of Cebu — lending the house both architectural and ecclesiastical historical significance. Expertly restored and opened as a heritage museum, the two-storey structure blends Spanish colonial and vernacular Visayan design, featuring hardwood capiz-shell windows, antique furnishings, family portraits, period clothing, and everyday household objects arranged to replicate the home's appearance during its heyday. Guided tours lead visitors through the receiving room, dining area, bedrooms, and kitchen, explaining the social customs and material culture of Cebu's ilustrado (educated elite) class in vivid detail. The museum also hosts rotating temporary exhibitions on local history and culture. Located on Eduardo Aboitiz Street in the heritage zone of Cebu City, it sits within easy walking distance of the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral and the Archbishop's Palace. For travelers interested in Philippine social history rather than just church architecture, Casa Gorordo provides a rare and intimate portrait of colonial domestic life — one of the finest house museums in the entire Visayas region and a must-visit on any Cebu City heritage itinerary.

Casa Manila in Intramuros is a meticulously reconstructed colonial-era mansion that transports visitors back to the privileged world of Manila's Spanish aristocracy during the 18th and 19th centuries. The museum occupies a sprawling complex of interconnected buildings around a central courtyard, their thick stone walls, capiz shell windows, and carved wooden balustrades faithfully recreating the architecture of the illustrado class that defined Philippine high society under Spanish rule. Room after room is furnished with period antiques — four-poster beds, heavy European furniture, porcelain dinner services, silver candelabra, and religious icons — creating a vivid impression of domestic life among Manila's elite. The ground floor recreates a typical calesa carriage house and servants' quarters, while upper floors are given over to formal reception rooms, private bedrooms, and a chapel. Informative signage contextualises each space within the broader social and political history of the colonial Philippines. Casa Manila is operated by the Intramuros Administration and forms an essential companion to a broader exploration of the walled city. Guided tours are available, and knowledgeable docents bring the collection to life with stories of the families who inhabited such homes. It is one of Manila's finest historical museums.

Cathedral Cave on Pinasil Island in El Nido, Palawan, is one of the most magical natural spaces in the Philippine archipelago — a sea cave of extraordinary proportions whose soaring vaulted ceiling and shimmering emerald water immediately evoke the grandeur of a Gothic cathedral, earning it its poetic name. The cave is accessible only by small banka boat at certain tide levels, adding an element of timing and adventure to the visit. Once inside, eyes adjust to reveal walls and ceilings encrusted with stalactites, swallows nesting in the upper reaches, and water of such clarity that the sandy bottom appears close enough to touch even at considerable depth. Natural light filters through openings in the rock above and from the cave mouth, creating shifting patterns of illumination that transform the interior throughout the day. At midday, a shaft of sunlight penetrates directly into the cave's heart, briefly turning the water a luminous jade-green. Cathedral Cave is typically included in El Nido's Tour B island-hopping itinerary, combined with visits to Snake Island, the Cudugman Caves, and Entalula Beach. The journey by outrigger boat through El Nido's dramatic karst seascape is itself spectacular. Cathedral Cave is a place that stays with visitors long after they leave.

Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, officially the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Holy Name of Jesus, stands at the spiritual heart of Cebu City as one of the oldest Roman Catholic churches in the Philippines. Originally constructed by Spanish Augustinian missionaries in the 16th century, the cathedral has been rebuilt several times following earthquakes and fires, resulting in its current neoclassical facade that blends colonial heritage with Filipino craftsmanship. Situated on Mabini Street just steps from Plaza Sugbo and facing the centuries-old Cebu City Hall, the cathedral occupies a prime position along the city's historic religious corridor. Inside, the vaulted nave features ornate altarpieces, devotional statues, and stained glass windows that cast warm light across rows of polished wooden pews. Mass is celebrated daily, and the cathedral draws both devout pilgrims and heritage-minded travelers exploring Cebu's colonial past. The nearby Cebu Archbishop's Palace and the famous Basilica Minore del Santo Nino are within easy walking distance, making this an ideal starting point for a heritage walk through the old downtown. Whether you arrive for a quiet moment of reflection or to admire the architecture, the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral remains an enduring symbol of faith and colonial history in the Visayas region.

Chinese Cemetery in Santa Cruz, Manila, is one of the most extraordinary burial grounds in the world — a vast, city-like necropolis where generations of Manila's Chinese-Filipino community have been interred in mausoleums that range from modest family chapels to palatial structures complete with air conditioning, running water, chandeliers, and in some cases, working kitchens and servant's quarters. Established in the late 19th century on land granted by Spanish colonial authorities, the cemetery covers approximately 54 hectares and contains the remains of prominent figures in Philippine business, politics, and culture alongside generations of ordinary Tsinoy families. The mausoleums vary wildly in scale and ambition — some resemble European neoclassical villas, others draw on Chinese architectural traditions with sweeping tiled roofs and moon gates, while the most extravagant are essentially fully furnished houses maintained year-round by caretakers. During Undas — the Filipino equivalent of All Souls' Day — the cemetery transforms into a raucous family gathering ground where entire extended families spend the night beside their ancestors' tombs, bringing food, music, and mahjong sets. Guided tours of the cemetery are available daily and provide fascinating insights into Chinese-Filipino beliefs about death, afterlife, and ancestor veneration that blend Taoist, Buddhist, and Catholic traditions in uniquely Philippine ways.

Chocolate Hills in Bohol is one of the Philippines' most surreal and celebrated natural wonders — a geological phenomenon consisting of at least 1,268 remarkably uniform conical hills spread across an area of more than 50 square kilometres in the heart of the island. The hills, which range from 30 to 120 metres in height, are composed of marine limestone overlaid with grass that turns a rich chocolate brown during the dry season from February to May, giving the formation its delicious name. The precise geological origin of the Chocolate Hills remains a subject of scientific debate, with theories ranging from uplift and erosion of a coral limestone seabed to karst topography formed by the dissolution of rock over millennia. The main viewing platform at Carmen in central Bohol offers a sweeping panorama across row upon row of identical rounded peaks — a landscape that feels genuinely unlike anywhere else on Earth. Local legend attributes the hills to the tears of a brokenhearted giant, adding romantic folklore to scientific mystery. Declared a National Geological Monument in 1988, the Chocolate Hills are included in the Bohol Island UNESCO tentative list. A visit at sunrise or late afternoon, when warm light accentuates the hills' curves and colours, is highly recommended.

Colon Street in Cebu City holds the distinction of being the oldest street in the Philippines, named after Christopher Columbus (Cristobal Colon in Spanish) and established during the early Spanish colonial period in the 16th century. Stretching through the heart of downtown Cebu, this bustling thoroughfare has evolved from a quiet colonial lane into one of the city's most vibrant commercial corridors, lined with budget shops, street food vendors, pharmacies, and local eateries. Walking Colon Street today is an immersive urban experience — jeepneys jostle for space, vendors hawk fresh produce and knock-off goods, and the air carries the mingled scents of grilled meat and tropical fruit. History buffs will appreciate the weathered colonial-era buildings that survive among the modern shopfronts, hinting at the street's four-century legacy. The street is also a transit hub, making it easy to reach other historic landmarks such as Fort San Pedro and the Basilica Minore del Santo Nino. Budget travelers particularly appreciate Colon Street for its affordable street food — lechon, puso (hanging rice), and fresh tuba (coconut wine) are all available at stalls along the route. Despite its unglamorous modern appearance, Colon Street remains an essential stop for anyone serious about understanding Cebu's layered urban history.

Coron Bay in northern Palawan is one of Southeast Asia's premier wreck-diving destinations, a sheltered body of water where 12 Japanese warships sunk during a decisive American air attack on 24 September 1944 now lie scattered across the seabed at depths ranging from 10 to 40 metres. The attack — part of Operation Musketeer during World War II — sent supply vessels, tankers, and gunboats to the bottom within minutes, and the decades since have transformed their rusting hulls into spectacular artificial reefs teeming with life. Hard and soft corals now encrust every surface, while lionfish, grouper, sea turtles, and enormous schools of fusiliers move through the cavernous interiors of the wrecks in an eerie, beautiful reminder of nature's power to reclaim human destruction. The Akitsushima, a seaplane tender, is regarded as the most impressive dive for its sheer size and the intact state of its antiaircraft guns. The Olympia Maru and Kogyo Maru are popular for penetration diving. Above the water, Coron Bay is equally stunning — limestone karst islands rise dramatically from flat water, their reflections undisturbed on calm days. The town of Coron on nearby Busuanga Island serves as the base for both wreck diving expeditions and the island-hopping tours that explore the surrounding marine landscape.

Crocodile Island, despite its dramatic name, is a small limestone outcrop off the southeastern coast of Boracay in the Philippines whose shape — viewed from the right angle — resembles a crocodile resting at the water's surface. The island itself is uninhabited and largely inaccessible, but the surrounding waters are the main attraction: the site is considered one of Boracay's premier diving and snorkeling spots, offering a healthy and diverse reef system with excellent visibility. Divers encounter a wide variety of marine life including sea turtles, reef sharks, lionfish, moray eels, and vast schools of snapper and fusilier. Maximum depth at the main dive sites reaches around 25 metres, making it accessible for open-water certified divers while still offering plenty of interest in the shallower zones for snorkelers. Bangka boats from Boracay's eastern coast reach the site in about 15 minutes. All major dive operators on Boracay include Crocodile Island on their itineraries. The site is best dived in the morning before the afternoon winds disturb the surface. It can be combined with other eastern Boracay dive sites for a full day of underwater exploration in some of the Philippines' finest waters.

Crystal Cove Island lies just off the coast of Boracay in the Philippines and is one of the most enchanting small island day trips in the Visayas region. The island is privately managed and entrance is strictly controlled, which helps preserve its pristine natural environment — white sand coves, dramatic limestone rock formations, sea caves, and crystal-clear water that fully justifies the name. Two main beaches provide sunbathing and swimming spots, while a network of trails and ladders allows exploration of the island's rocky interior and viewpoints. The sea caves are particularly memorable — some can be entered by swimming through tunnels at low tide, emerging into cathedral-like chambers with openings to the sky. Snorkeling around the island reveals healthy coral and colorful reef fish. Accommodation in simple cottages is available for those wishing to stay overnight and experience the island without day-trippers. Bangka boats from White Beach's Boat Station 1 reach Crystal Cove in under 30 minutes. The island receives fewer visitors than Boracay's main beaches but offers arguably more memorable scenery. It is best visited on weekdays to enjoy the greatest sense of seclusion.