What is the best tourist destination in the Philippines? If someone claims to know the definitive answer to the question, they’ve either never actually traveled across the entire country or have spent their vacation lounging by a hotel pool while Googling the rest.
The Philippines is, in many ways, a fantastic country for travelers. However, the reality of tourism here is one that polarizes opinions and expectations like a few other places— for some, it’s paradise; for others, a chaotic mess.
The country offers stunning beaches, breathtaking mountains, great weather, friendly people, world-class diving and golf, extreme sports, vibrant nightlife… And as a bonus, English is widely spoken everywhere.
Everything sounds great on paper, but as with many things in the Philippines, the execution is often creative and sometimes just a little off. Imagine a chair with three sturdy legs and one that’s always a little wobbly. When it gives way, your reaction determines your experience: do you fall to the ground cursing how everything is a disaster, or do you accept your fate and enjoy the adventure, balancing on three legs?
While the Philippines offers a full spectrum of emotions, it doesn’t boast the kind of globally iconic landmarks or mega-events that attract millions of visitors on their own. There’s no Eiffel Tower, no Angkor Wat, no Louvre, no Super Bowl or Oktoberfest – nothing that people fly in just to check off their bucket lists.
Travel Experience Generator
The charm of traveling in the Philippines lies in an old saying: It’s not about the destination; it’s about the journey. The way things unfold (or fall apart) along the way ultimately determines whether your trip becomes the best adventure of your life or a complete disaster.
Travel experiences here are a sum of many parts, calculated using an unusual formula that includes luck, improvisation, and possibly a dash of travel stress. This is not a country for travelers who crave precise schedules and meticulously planned itineraries. Here, timetables are an art form of improvisation, plans evolve in real-time – or get canceled just as you arrive at the airport.
Another key feature of traveling in the Philippines is that no one’s experience can be used as a reliable recommendation for others. One person’s paradise is another’s nightmare. There are simply too many unpredictable factors, and they can change overnight. Just because someone had the perfect week on a remote island doesn’t mean you won’t return from the same place with emotional scars. In the Philippines, things shift in the blink of an eye – sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse.
My Personal Top Three
I won’t give you a list of must-see tourist spots – you can find those in countless travel blogs and guidebooks. Instead, in this first part of my Philippine tourist destination series, I will focus on three places that have personal significance for me.
As with life in general, first loves in travel leave lasting impressions and shape our expectations for future destinations. That was certainly the case for me. From the moment I set foot in the Philippines, I felt at home. When that feeling blended with a love story and the endless possibilities of youth, life in Finland began to feel distant. My first experiences in the Philippines left an emotional mark on me that I can’t get rid of (and don’t want to).
No matter how much I try to rationalize it – and I’ve had three decades to do so – certain places simply feel more special than others. The reason? Intense emotions and unforgettable experiences that refuse to fade from memory.
Such an attachment to travel destinations usually isn’t about the places themselves but about the moments, situations, and emotions experienced there – and how they interact with personal expectations, dreams and local reality. That’s the magic potion that keeps rekindling the original enchantment, time and time again.
When I think of the most meaningful places I’ve visited in the Philippines, my top three align perfectly with where I’ve fallen in love and experienced on great adventures. While the locations themselves were just the backdrop to life’s defining moments, they have become deeply intertwined with my perception of the places themselves.
Palawan – The World’s Most Beautiful Island?
My love affair with the Philippines began on the island of Palawan. It was love at first sight, and for nearly the entire 1990s, it was my home. Back then, places like El Nido, Port Barton, Sabang, and Busuanga were accessible only by boat, and everyday life felt like a mash-up of Indiana Jones and a Tarzan movie.
Since then, I’ve maintained my relationship with Palawan by visiting at least once a month – until COVID briefly forced us apart. It has been a fascinating and eventful ride, witnessing Palawan’s transformation from a remote backpacker’s “Last Frontier” to one of the Philippines’ most promising tourism hotspots.
Because my connection to Palawan is so deeply personal, I’m probably the worst person to give unbiased travel recommendations. Every village and island evoke memories of adventures, stories and emotions, so any advice I give would be hopelessly subjective – at best overly romanticized and at worst would leave you stranded in the jungle with no supplies or knowledge of where you are.
Since 2013, the prestigious New York-based travel magazine Travel + Leisure has consistently ranked Palawan among the world’s most beautiful islands, based on visitor experiences. Meanwhile, Condé Nast Traveler readers have frequently voted it one of Asia’s top destinations in recent years.
Palawan is on its way to becoming a major tourist hub – though it’s not there yet – but I’m convinced that in the future, Bali will have to hand over the metaphorical keys of paradise to Palawan. With direct flights from China, Japan, and South Korea expected to increase, the tide of mass tourism in Asia will inevitably shift to Palawan, which is far closer than Bali.
With mass tourism, however, comes an inevitable paradox. Alongside its pleasant climate, Palawan’s greatest assets are its pristine nature and breathtaking landscapes. In overpopulated Asia, they are a hard currency whose value is not eroded by inflation but is nullified by excessive use.
As a destination, Palawan is the most diverse in the Philippines. It caters to all kinds of travelers, from budget-conscious backpackers to luxury seekers indulging in the country’s finest resorts. It also boasts three world-class attractions: the Tubbataha Reefs in the Sulu Sea, the sunken Japanese warships off the coast of Busuanga, and the dramatic limestone lagoons and hidden coves of El Nido and Coron – arguably among the most stunning places on Earth.
The Cordillera Mountains – From the Tropics to the Fireplace
Sometimes, the urge strikes to escape the tropics and immerse oneself in a completely different environment. That escape can be found in the northern part of Luzon, where the Cordillera Mountains offer a stark contrast to the Philippines’ stereotypical image. No coconut trees, no sandy beaches, no heatwaves, no traffic, no pollution, and no suffocating crowds. Instead, travelers are greeted by breathtaking mountain landscapes, crisp pine–scented air, picturesque rice terraces, and refreshing waterfalls.
I first visited the region’s most famous villages – Sagada, Maligcong, and Bauko – back in 1993. Today, there are more guesthouses, more restaurants, and better-paved trails catering to tourists, yet these mountain villages have miraculously retained their charming, isolated atmosphere. It’s as if they have accepted progress, but only on their own terms.
Even after all these years, I still can’t fully explain why these villages captivate me the way they do. Perhaps it’s some deep, unspoken yearning for a simpler, more profound existence. This is a place where being in a rush feels unnatural and where every breath feels fresher than the last.
Reaching these mountain villages takes time, regardless of the mode of transport. But the journey itself is so scenic that being in a hurry would be a mistake. The rapidly shifting mountain weather is another factor to consider – sudden downpours, winding roads, and impatience do not mix well. Even in the best conditions, it’s wise to keep a respectable distance from the road’s edge.
Nestled among pine forests, these idyllic highland villages defy the typical image of the Philippines. Their mountain trails and panoramic views resemble the Alps more than a tropical archipelago. After a day of hiking, there’s nothing quite like settling by the fireplace with a glass of locally made bugnay wine, accompanied by a hearty homemade meal – perhaps a steaming bowl of miki abra noodle soup or pinalatan chicken with mashed potatoes.
Historically, the Ifugao tribes of the Cordilleras cultivated marijuana for personal use, a practice once tolerated as part of their indigenous culture. During the hippie era, this drew a wave of backpacking stoners, particularly to Sagada. Nowadays, however, tourists no longer need to go looking for an old-school Taking a magic carpet ride – this region is mind-altering enough in itself, because it is so starkly different from the rest of the country.
For Filipino travelers, Sagada is also famous as the filming location of the beloved romantic comedy That Thing Called Tadhana.
Manila – For the Love of Concrete and Chaos
They say Metro Manila is hard to love. Even Wikipedia tries to be diplomatic, calling it a ”highly urbanized city.” The truth? This megacity of over 20 million people is like a badly designed Tetris game – intense, chaotic, and constantly on the verge of running out of space.
Dan Brown’s novel Inferno famously described Manila as the ”gates of hell,” but one might question that assessment. After all, what did Dan Brown know about taking a jeepney during rush hour? For many travelers, Manila is the gateway to paradise, a necessary stopover in route to the Philippines’ pristine islands. But for me, Metro Manila is much more than just a transit hub – It is one of the country’s most fascinating tourist destinations.
When we talk about Manila, we’re actually referring to Metro Manila, a sprawling metropolitan area. Strictly speaking, Manila is just one of its 17 cities, but unless you’re scrutinizing a map, the entire metropolis tends to blend into a single, chaotic urban sprawl. It’s a messy collage of crumbling infrastructure, traffic-clogged streets, and islands of gleaming high-rises where the wealthy live in air-conditioned isolation from the rest of the city’s struggles.
Metro Manila is easy to hate, but it’s also possible to love – if you know where to look. Even though it’s home for my family, I also see it as a tourist destination simply because of its sheer size. Stepping outside my own neighborhood can feel like embarking on an adventure. The physical distance may only be a few kilometers, but mentally, I might as well be a tourist exploring foreign land.
My relationship with Metro Manila has swung between frustration and affection, but over time, the latter is winning. It’s not just because new residential areas and massive shopping malls have sprouted across the city – those can be found in any major Asian metropolis. What truly defines Manila is its ability to let you live multiple lives at once.
These different “lives” create a city experience that is never dull, always layered with contradictions, surprises, and new encounters – provided, of course, that you don’t get stuck in the same expat bar every night, surrounded by the same predictable crowd with the same tired opinions about the Philippines.
The longer you live, work, and navigate Metro Manila, the more you find yourself moving between distinct social and functional circles that rarely intersect. These circles cut across social classes – from the country’s influential elite to the street beggars in your neighborhood. You don’t just coexist with these extremes; you live in the complex realities that lie between them.
Metro Manila is an Asian megacity in every sense – both sleepy and electrifying, a chaotic whirlwind of inequality where every possible version of human existence is on display. Nothing is hidden. Nothing is dull. And something is always happening somewhere.
In the next part of this series, I will share some of my favorite destinations that, while not as prominent as these, still hold a special place in my travels. For other travelers, any of them may be the best destination in the country.
More on the topic:
The Philippines as a Tourist Destination (part 2)
