Interesting Places to Visit in the Philippines

There are so many wonderful places to see in the Philippines. Tourists from all over the world visit the Philippines to see the best travel destinations the country has become famous the world over.

The Philippines is an archipelago of 7,100 islands scattered among its three major islands: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Each island has its own inherent attraction and beauty and boasts of its rich natural resources and unique geographical characteristics that continue to lure both local and international tourists and travellers.

This hub will show you around the wonderful places to visit in the Philippines. Hop to each and every major island and see and enjoy the newest attraction that will prove to you that it's truly more fun in the Philippines!

One of the best places to go in the Phiippines is the Puerto Princesa Underground River located in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan which is part of the Visayas islands. This is another popular tourist destination which was recently named one of the New7Wonders of Nature.

This recent development placed the Underground River on the global map of best travel destinations which has lured more tourists from all over the world to come and see this amazing wonder of nature.

How to go to the Underground River by public transportation

If you are coming from the airport and no hotel representative is picking you up, your best option is to take the public transportation which is always available.

From the airport, take a tricycle and instruct the driver to take you to Junction 1. Go to the San Jose Market Terminal. From there, take a cab going to the bus terminal and take the bus that will take you to Sabang where the Underground River is located.

You first need to get a permit to enter the Underground River National Park

Due to the remarkable increase in the number of tourists coming to see the Underground River, the local government of Puerto Princesa City has set a limit to allow only 900 people to enter the National Park to see and enjoy the beauty of the river daily. These 900 people need to obtain a permit to enter the river.

You can get a permit on a first-come-first-served basis at their office at: No. 350 Rizal Avenue, Bancao-Bancao, Puerto Princesa City, 5300 from 8:00 to 4:00 pm daily. You will be required to present an identification card to be able to get a permit. You may also call 63487230904 or visit their website at puerto-undergroundriver.com for inquiries.

Or your travel agent can do that for you. If you avail of the services of an accredited travel agency, you can request them to make the necessary arrangements for you prior to your visit to avoid the hassle and inconvenience when you get to the site.

Pagudpud is a coastal town located in the northernmost province of Ilocos Norte in the island of Luzon. It boasts of clear blue waters and beautiful white-sand beaches and other natural attractions luring both tourists and locals alike to this very tiny but pristine and unassuming Ilocos town.

It is accessible by bus from Manila with a travel time of 10 to 12 hours passing through rural towns and cities in good road condition with a 15 minute stop over in some restaurants.

Bangui town which Pagudpud was formerly a part of lies to the south of Pagudpud, Cagayan province, Adams town and the Cordillerra Mts. lie to the east and the West Philippine Sea to the west.

The Patapat viaduct is a long stretch of highway that connects the famous Maharlika Highway starting from the province of Laoag all the way to the Cagayan Valley Region. It has become the 4th longest bridge in the Philippines spanning 1.3 kilometers over the Ilocos Norte coastal towns where the Cordillera Mountain Range commences and spans all the way to the whole stretch of Northern Luzon.

Kabigan Falls is located 1.8 kilometers away from the main road in Barangay Balaoi, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte. Visitors to the falls have to walk 30 to 40 minutes to reach the place.

More formally known as the Bangui Wind Farm, the wind farm consists of 25 wind turbines capable of producing a maximum capacity of 33 MW. The turbines were built on 9 kilometers of the Bangui Bay shoreline facing the West Philippine Sea.

The turbines were built in one line and arranged 1,070 feet apart from each other. Each turbine measures 230 ft.(70m) with blades that measure 135 ft. (41m) long. It has a rotor diameter of 269 ft.(82m) and reaches a wind swept area of 56,840 sq.ft. (5,281 sq.m.).

The wind farm was established when the National Renewable Energy Laboratory conducted a Wind Resource Analysis and Mapping study in 1996 and concluded that there are places in the Philippines where sources of wind power and energy can be installed.

These places include Bangui and Burgos in Ilocos Norte, Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Mindoro, Panay Island, Palawan, Negros, Samar, Leyte, Cebu and Eastern Mindanao.

Tthe Paoay Sand Dunes is similar to the ones they have in Dubai and Morocco. It occupies an area of 52 square miles and passes through Pasuquin and Currimao towns in Ilocos Norte.

You need to hire a 4x4 vehicle. You need these rugged vehicle to be able to negotiate the hilly sand dunes. You can find these vehicles at the base camp in the area. A professional driver will be ssigned to you to serve as your guide as well in going around the sand dunes. The fee is P1,500 pesos per car for up to 5 people per car for a 30 minute tour of the whole sand dune area. You can rent the 4x4 for an hour which would include sand boarding.

After trying the sad dune rides, you can go sandboarding. This package will cost you P2,500 pesos.

How to get to Sohoton National Park where you can find the Sohoton Cove and the Stingless Jellyfish sanctuary.

SIARGAO, THE SURFING CAPITAL OF THE PHILIPPINES

Let me take you to Siargao island in Surigao del Norte province, off the eastern coast of Mindanao. Siargao has been known locally and internationally as the Surfing Capital of the Philippines because this is where one of the best surfing waves in the Philippines occur.

This most sought-after surfing wave, Cloud 9, has become famous both in the local and international scene. The area where the thick Cloud 9 waves appear has been designated the official site of the Siargao Cup, an annual surfing competition spearheaded by the Surigao del Norte Provincial Government.

All the surfers out there, pack your surfboards and don your board shorts and head south to Siargao island and enjoy the surf and sun in that island paradise!

Vigan is the capital of the province of Ilocos Sur located in the island of Luzon. It is a very popular tourist spot because the city showcases the kind of architecture that was left by the Spanish conquerors.

Most famous of these is Calle Crisologo where huge houses and buildings left by the Spaniards have remained standing for later generations like ours to witness and enjoy.

Calle Crisologo and Crisologo Museum

The famous Calle Crisologo is a famous street in Vigan where calesa-riding tourists should not miss to have their pictures taken. This is where the Crisologo Museum is located.

This famous landmark is officially called the Bantay Belfry because it is located in the town of Bantay, Ilocos Sur. It was built in 1591 to serve as a watch tower to help in warning the residents of potential enemies.

The belfry is popular among Filipinos because some scenes of the film Panday were shot by the belfry area.

"Pagburnayan" means a place where burnay jars are made. It comes from the word "burnay" which means unglazed earthern jars. The burnay industry in Vigan can be traced back to pre-colonization period when Chinese merchants migrated to the Philippines, settled in Vigan, and started the burnay industry. They started making jars primarily for domestic use such as for drinking water, tea, for storing rice, various grains, salt, sugar and local wine.

The Kapurpurawan Rock Formation is a natural arrangement of white limestone rocks sculpted with the help of various weather and tidal forces. It is located on the rocky shores of Burgos town in Ilocos Norte.