Made up of over 7,000 tropical islands, you would be right in thinking that there is plenty to do in the Philippines. With unique wildlife and some of the most stunning beaches and landscapes Asia has to offer, outdoor adventure enthusiasts will struggle to whittle down their Philippines bucket list.

---

Submerge Yourself In The Great Sardine Run – Moalboal

The Philippines is famous for its incredible underwater experiences. One of the most popular activities for tourists is swimming with whale sharks in Oslob, although the ethics of doing so are questionable. The tours operators feed the sharks meaning that they stay in one place, interfering with their natural migration pattern.

For an equally awe-inspiring but totally natural and ethical experience, dive or snorkel with millions of shimmering sardines as they migrate through the ocean to nearby islands.

Meet The Endangered Tarsier – Bohol

The Tarsier is a small carnivorous primate with adorable goggling eyes. Although they were once found across mainland Asia, North America and Africa, they now only reside in densely vegetated forests in Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.

Their numbers in the wild are sadly still declining though and so they have been declared vulnerable to extinction. But there’s some good news: conservation projects are now the main reason for their successful breeding. Not only that, you can see a Tarsier during your trip to the Philippines!

One such conservation reserve can be found near the town of Corella on the island of Bohol. It’s a semi-wild enclosure that you can walk around and see the cute Tarsiers clinging to the trees only a few feet away from you.

Admire The Chocolate Hills (On An ATV) – Bohol

The Chocolate Hills are an intriguing geological formation of over 1,200 grassy mounds scattered near Carmen in the Bohol Province. During the dry season, grass on the cone-shaped hills becomes singed and consequently turns brown, giving the Chocolate Hills their rather unique name.

Although the most common way to see the hills is by climbing atop a viewing platform, in reality the site is completely overrun with tourists. Plus it only gives you one perspective of this amazing natural phenomenon.

Explore Limestone Towers – El Nido

Vine-clad limestone towers jutting out of aquamarine-coloured water are an iconic image of the Philippines. The images you see online aren’t edited – the scenery of El Nido is just as mesmerizingly beautiful in reality! There were many times on a boat tour of El Nido that I really had to pinch myself at this real-life natural beauty!

Agencies in Palawan offer many different island hopping tours (they are conveniently named A, B, C and D). Each tour has its own twist and takes you to different locations.

For example, Tour B is generally known for its caves and islands and Tour A for the lagoons and beaches. Although Tour A is often the most popular, it really is one of the best for exploring some really stunning spots.

Cruise A UNESCO Listed Underground River – Puerto Princesa

Awarded the title of the ‘7th wonder of the world’, the planet’s longest navigable underground river has to make an appearance on any Philippines bucket list!

The 8.2km long cave system is located in the protected Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, on the Western coast of Palawan. The limestone stalagmites and stalactites create one of the world’s most complex cave systems and you can explore it by boat with a head torch.


Source: https://travellingtam.com/philippines-bucket-list/