The state of the Philippines is spread over more than 7 thousand tropical islands washed by the waters of the Pacific Ocean. It is difficult to find the best place for rest and travel on our planet, and in a short article we will present the most beautiful sights of the Philippines, as well as visit the beautiful natural places of amazing tropical islands.
1
Jose Risal Park
We begin the list of attractions with the Philippine capital, where among the many beautiful places it is worth highlighting the magnificent José Risal Park, or, as it is also called, the Luneta National Park.
It was here, in Manila, on July 4, 1946, that the independence of the state was proclaimed. In memory of this memorable event, in the very center of the park, a monument was erected to the favorite national hero of the Filipino people, Jose Risal.
In 1955, the government assigned the park national status, and today it is a favorite vacation spot for residents and guests of the capital. In addition, the park hosts major state events, national holidays and festivals.
Separately, about the sights of Manila, we wrote an interesting article on the pages of our most-beauty.ru.
2
Fort Santiago, Intramuros
We will stay for a short time in Manila and get acquainted with the historical and architectural monument Fort Santiago, in the oldest district of Intramuros, which means “surrounded by walls”.
Originally, the Spanish immigrants erected a wooden fort here, and over time, at the end of the 16th century, it acquired stone defensive walls and towers.
The cultural and historical part of the Philippine capital, surrounded by the stone wall of the fort, is one of the most visited places by tourists, and there are many attractions on its territory, including the ruins of the temple erected in honor of Ignatius Loyola.
3
St. Augustine's Cathedral
The oldest Christian temple in the Philippines was erected as early as 1587, and one of the few Catholic shrines that survived after the bombing during the Second World War.
The medieval church in Manila, consecrated in honor of St. Augustine, is still operating. Ancient frescoes and unique carvings are preserved in the interior.
The facade of the cathedral is decorated with magnificent windows-sockets, and there is a luxurious park around. Not far from the cathedral is a museum where you can see rare antiques.
4
Kagban Beach
When visiting the most beautiful islands of the Philippines, you need to visit the amazingly beautiful Kagban beach, which is comfortably located in the eastern part of Boracay Island.
The best place for diving is simply not to be found. White sand, crystal clear water with multiple underwater cliffs is an ideal place for treasure hunting.
The coast of the beach is covered with unique tropical vegetation, and next to the beach there are unique rocky grottoes, in which, according to legends, the pirates hid their treasures.
5
Bat caves
On the map of the wonderful island of Boracay there is also a place where zoologists and nature lovers feel great. A unique nature reserve located away from tourist routes.
Not everyone dares to go to the caves, where huge bat colonies live, but locals for a small fee will show a unique object of nature.
In addition to the unusual inhabitants in the caves, you can enjoy the beauty of the underground lake, as well as the incredible form of stalactites hanging from the vaults of the caves.
6
Chocolate Hills
On the expanses of the island of Bohol, unusual geological formations are spread, which are popularly called Chocolate Hills. During the period of drought, the hills covered with greenery acquire a brownish color, which is why they got such a romantic and sweet name.
According to various estimates, on an area of almost 50 hectares, from 1,260 to 1,770 hills of various shapes and heights are located. One of the legends about the origin of the hills says that the giant fell in love with a mortal girl, and when she died, could not hold back her tears. The hills are the frozen tears of a giant.
The attraction is so popular that it hit the coat of arms and flag of the province of Bohol.
7
Rice terraces
Hardworking people created a magnificent natural monument on Luzon Island - rice terraces, comfortably located on the mountain slopes.
It is unique not only that the fields where rice is grown exactly follow the contours of the mountain slopes, but also that a unique irrigation system has been developed for irrigation.
Rice terraces in the Philippine Cordillera, as the mountain ranges of Ifugao province are called, have long been inscribed on the list of world heritage sites of mankind.
8
Sibalom Natural Park
Panay Island itself is a great natural attraction, but there are places here that leave a lot of positive emotions and memorable impressions.
Undoubtedly, Sibalom Park belongs to such places, where you can still find centuries-old plants of the floodplain forest. The Mau It River flows through the territory, at the bottom of which you can find placers of opals, jade, onyx.
Untouched by human activities, a corner of wildlife spreads over an area of 5 thousand hectares, and only here rare species of animals that are threatened with extinction are found.
9
Gimbal Church
In 1774, by personal order of a Spanish priest, a majestic stone church was built on the island of Panay, which is the oldest in the region.
Unlike most religious buildings built in the neoclassical style, the Gimbal temple was erected in the Baroque style. However, builders applied elements of other architectural styles.
The bell tower fit perfectly into the architecture of the church. The longitudinal supports have an eastern appearance, but the dome was made under the influence of the Moorish style.
10
Volcano Mayon
The geological structure of the islands of the Philippine archipelago is peculiar and unique. Nearby, as a result of the collision of the earth plates, a deep-water Philippine trench was formed, and on the border of the Eurasian and Philippine plates there is the magnificent volcano Mayon.
The height of the mountain is 2,462 m, and it rises above the beautiful region of Bicol. Over the past 400 years, the volcano has disturbed the local population 50 times with its activity.
The last activity was recorded at the beginning of 2018, and the lava emission height reached a record 700 m.
11
Puerto River Princess
On the island of Palawan, near the eponymous city of Puerto Princess, a unique underground river flows.
The waters of the river are under the rock formations of the Saint Paul mountain range, which is located in the northern part of the island. A national park has been created around the river.
This river, with a total length of 24 km, is the largest in the world flowing among the rocky arches. The cave itself, along which the river flows, has several large halls with unusually beautiful mountain deposits.
12
Cebu Lake
The magnificent lake, in addition, the largest body of fresh water on the island of Cebu, will surprise with a variety of flora and fauna.
Orchids grow on the beautiful shores of the lake, and coconuts and corn are cultivated very close by. From herbs that gather along the shores, locals prepare exotic national dishes.
In addition, more than a hundred species of fish are found in the waters of the lake, and many tourists come here to enjoy not only natural beauties, but also great fishing.
13
Taosit Temple
The majestic Taoist temple was built on the sacred hill of one of the districts of Cebu city, and since its opening in 1972, has become a pilgrimage site for Buddhists living on the islands of the Philippine archipelago.
The temple, built in a classic oriental style, is magnificent, both outside and inside, and its roof is buried in greenery. 81 steps lead to the temple entrance.
Every Friday, tourists can witness a unique festival, during which fortune telling takes place. Everyone can look into their future.
14
Tubbatah Reef
An amazing marine park in the heart of the Sulu Sea, and is geographically owned by the Philippines. Marine and bird sanctuary
Rare species of birds nest on the atolls, and at a depth, among coral reefs, dolphins, whales, as well as more than 600 species of various fish live. In addition, reefs towering from ocean waters have chosen the habitat of green turtles.
The reserve is included in the World Heritage List, as well as a conservation area where they are trying to preserve the population of rare animals and birds.
15
Asik Asik Waterfall
In 2012, a chic and incredibly beautiful cascade of waterfalls was discovered on the island of Mindanao. Their exclusiveness is that water seeps through the cracks of the rock and flows down the green slopes.
Beauty is also given to the object by the fact that water flowing from a great height scatters into millions of splashes, forming a transparent water cloud. A small lake formed below.
It should be noted that the water in the lake is so clean that it can be drunk, and local residents claim that the water also has healing properties.
So we found out what you can visit and what to see while traveling through the magnificent country of Southeast Asia. Photos and descriptions will not convey the flavor of the islands where hardworking people live with their amazing national traditions and unusual cuisine.
In conclusion, we note that the Philippine Sea and other coastal waters of a mysterious country are the best diving sites that come to islands from around the world. It is impossible to show all the attractions of the Philippines within the framework of one article, therefore we will not put an end to it, but we suggest that you write in the comments about your favorite places in this beautiful country that are not on our list.
Article author: Valery Skiba