Take a trip to paradise
With many different tropical isles and stunning sights to choose from, Philippines has something to suit every taste
Banaue Rice Terraces — Ifugao Province, Cordillera
Because of its high altitude, Banaue is often described as “where land merges with the clouds to meet the heavens” with the rice terraces as “the stairway to the sky”. Banaue is a place for nature adventures and cultural immersion. Mornings are for indulging in activities such as strolling, biking, and trekking, while evenings are for campfire chats at a village or warm indoor cosseting at the lodges and inns. A leading tourism destination in Asia, the Banaue rice terraces start from the base of the Cordilleras and reach up to several thousand feet high. Its length, if stretched from end to end, could encircle half of the globe.
The rice paddies are fed by mountain springs and streams that are channelled into an irrigation canal that runs downhill through the terraces. In the village of Batad, the terraces take the shape of an amphitheatre and can be reached by a 12-kilometre ride from Banaue Hotel and a two-hour hike through mountain trails.
Chocolate Hills — Province of Bohol
Chocolate Hills is a series of 1,268 perfectly symmetrical, haycock-shaped hills that rise some 30 metres above the ground. A ‘National Geologic Monument’, these unique, rock formations were cast after million years of evolution.
Spread out in the towns of Carmen, Batuan and Sagbayan, the hills are so-called because they resemble chocolate bonbons when their grass cover turns to brown at the onset of summer. Two of the hills have been developed and provided with facilities, including a view deck, a youth hostel and a restaurant.
Other hills with a commanding view of the surrounding islands include Banat-I and Elly in the capital city of Tagbilaran, Himontagon in the town of Loay, Sampoangan in Calape and Ilihan in Jagna.
The gateway to a thousand journeys – Province of Cebu
Cebu is a traveller’s fantasy of a tropical island come true – balmy weather, pristine beaches, crystalline waters, and luxurious resorts all with the frills of modern living. The island-province of Cebu was where the Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan planted the cross of Christianity in the name of Spain in 1521. But even before Cebu became the occidental gateway to the Orient, it was already a popular entry point among Asian merchants.
Cebu has since blossomed into a choice tourist destination, with many leisure establishments taking full advantage of its sea-valley-andmountain location.
Metropolitan Cebu, the country’s second biggest metropolis, is the political, economic, educational and cultural centre of the Visayas. Hotels, shopping malls, entertainment halls, casinos and golf fairways are ever present in the metro to cater to every tourist’s whim. The rest of Cebu’s 166 islands and islets are fringed with sandy beaches and sapphire-clear waters teeming with marine life, perfect for divers.
Davao City — Province of Davao del Sur
Kadayawan sa Dabaw is Davao City’s premier festival and showcases the natural and cultural bounty of the land. A movable feast in August, the week-long merrymaking highlights the manifold tribal cultures of the region, which are vividly expressed in traditional songs, dances, games and crafts. It is also on this occasion when a lively trade fair, capped by a flower-and-fruit float parade, takes place. Street dancing and popular entertainment complete the celebration.