Philippines General Tourist Information

There are numerous enthralling tourist spots on the various islands of the Philippine archipelago, all 7,107 of them, scattered on 116,000 square miles of the territory, from Aparri in the north to Jolo in the south. When touring the Philippines tourists can never run out of excellent options.

Manila and Luzon

Manila, the capital of the Philippines, is considered by most as the gateway to the country, though there are also important airports and seaports in other parts of the country like those in Cebu and Davao. Manila is a favorite first stop by most visitors when touring the Philippines, especially when wanting to get an overview of what the country is like.

In Manila are found hotels and restaurants considered among the finest in the country. The historic 570-room Manila Hotel, for instance, has been around since 1909 and is among the excellent lodging places while in the city. Other 5-star hotels also in the Roxas Boulevard area like Manila Hotel are Diamond Hotel, Heritage Hotel, and Bayview Park Hotel, among many others. Touring the Philippines is always made much more pleasant with a stay in one of these hotels and their restaurants.

Touring the Philippines starting from Manila would lend tourists easier access to scenic spots on the 104, 688 square-kilometer Luzon island, the 15th largest in the world. Major airports and seaports are found in Manila, as well as provincial bus terminals. Luzon has northern, central, and southern regions. To visit places in the northern regions (La Union, Baguio, Abra, Cagayan, Ilocos Norte and Sur) where mountainous and hilly places abound, as well as picturesque beaches, tourists may opt to take air-conditioned buses or planes that land on Baguio City or Laoag in Ilocos.

Partially touring the Philippines, particularly the central plains of Luzon, is easy with tourist air-conditioned buses going to Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, and Tarlac where fields planted with various crops like rice and sugarcane are numerous, as well as historic places, and swimming pool and vacation resorts. The same when visiting provinces south of Luzon like laguna, Batangas, Cavite, and the Bicol Region where natural springs and swimming pool resorts flourish. Mindoro and Palawan are just a pump boat away from the Batangas Pier.

Cebu City and the Visayas

Cebu is easily accessed through its international airport in Cebu City. This 291.2 square-kilometer city also has seaports from which islands in the Visayan region, divided into the western and eastern parts, are easily reached through sea vessels like supercats, ferry boats, or large sea vessels. Cebu, considered by many as the Queen City south of the country, is quite cosmopolitan in nature and boasts of some of the finest hotels in the country, like Alta Cebu Village Garden Resort in Mactan, Badian Island Resort and Spa on Badian Island, and Maribago Blue Water BeachResort in Mactan. Neighboring provinces like Bohol, Samar, Leyte, Masbate, and the islands near Iloilo and Panay Islands (where Boracay is) are not to be left out. These are superb places to see when touring the Philippines and are world-famous for their pristine beaches and dive sites.

Davao City and Mindanao

Davao City, with its 2,444 square-kilometer land area, is the largest in the country and third most developed city. With its international airport and busy seaport it is accessible from Cebu and Manila. Hence, touring the Philippines, especially around Mindanao, is made easier from this progressive city. It is easy to reach General Santos, Cagayan de Oro, Butuan, Cotabato , and Zamboanga by land from Davao. These places, along with Davao, is famous for white sand beaches, spectacular world–class dive sites, and natural springs and waterfalls, among others.

Touring the Philippines is both an adventurous and educational task involving history, natural wonders, and remarkable experiences.