10 Best Sights in Philippines

Meaning literally "within the walls," Intramuros is Manila's historic heart and its oldest neighborhood. The Spanish began constructing the walls towards the end of the 16th century, and for the next 350 years this ½-square-km of real estate has remained a thriving center of government, culture, and trade. Time, tropical weather, wars, and earthquakes have combined to fade its glory somewhat, and it suffered particularly heavy damage during Manila's liberation from the Japanese in 1945, but restoration work in recent decades has halted the decline, and it continues as a priceless remnant of colonial architecture that drips history from every corner. There are numerous old houses with whitewashed facades and iron-rail balconies, as well as the city's former first line of defense, Fort Santiago. But the main highlights are the several churches, not least of all San Augustin on General Antonio Luna, and the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Immaculate Conception—more usually known simply as Manila Cathedral—on Plaza de Roma.

One of the most popular day trips from Boracay is an outing to Ariel's Point, a spectacular outcrop of rock around 3 miles away, or 30 minutes by outrigger, on the neighboring island of Panay. Excursions here include canoeing, kayaking, snorkeling, and simply enjoying the views. The more adventurous can also try their hand at cliff diving from one of five platforms, which range from 10 to around 45 feet above the turquoise sea. Packages include a barbecue lunch buffet, afternoon snacks, and unlimited drinks. Boats depart daily from Ariel's House, near Station 1 on White Beach, at 11:30 am, returning shortly before sunset. Buy tickets in advance from the Boracay Beach Club Hotel, located just behind Ariel's House.

While White Beach on the west coast seems aimed at the massage, snorkel, and sunbathing set, this counterpart on the east side of the island is relatively undeveloped and has largely been adopted by a sportier crowd. The bulk of visitors here come armed with kiteboards and windsurfing boards (both can be rented on the island) and spend their days skidding over the wavelets. Given that most visitors spend all their time on the water, your reward for making the short hop across the island (it's less than one mile wide at its midpoint) is the good chance that you'll have a large stretch of fine white sand all to yourself. During White Beach's rainy off-season (in the northern summer months), Bulabog also offers shelter from the sea breezes that can blow stiffly onto the western shore.

One look at a map will convince you of Corregidor's strategic importance. Some 48 km (30 miles) southwest of the city, it stands guard over the entrance to Manila Bay, and any marauding invader wishing to take the city by sea must first pass by here. Under Spanish rule it was both a defensive fortress and a penal colony. During the American colonial period it was the site of Fort Mills and also Malinta Tunnel, the latter both a defensive bunker and a 1,000-bed military hospital. The tunnel was also the last stronghold of the American forces under General Douglas MacArthur in 1942, before they were forced to withdraw following the Japanese invasion of the Philippines. Today you can view an audiovisual presentation about the building's history inside of the tunnel. Most other war-damaged buildings have been left as they were, as a memorial to the many Filipino and American soldiers who died here. The highest section of Corregidor is also the location for the Pacific War Memorial, completed in 1968 by the U.S. Government to honor the soldiers who took part in World War II. Also on the island, a Japanese Garden of Peace serves as a reminder that it wasn't only allied soldiers who gave up their lives. Elsewhere, Corregidor Lighthouse, first built in 1853, reminds us that the island also has a navigational as well as strategic role. The best way to visit Corregidor is to book a day tour through one of Manila's many travel agents.

Just a few hundred yards north of the far busier White Beach and separated by a craggy headland, little sister Diniwid is almost a world away in atmosphere. Far smaller, some say even more beautiful, and much quieter, the beach sees fewer parties and has no discos. Even electricity only arrived relatively recently. Some stay away for those very reasons; others prefer the tranquility. Either way, you can still enjoy a fruit smoothie here, and the sunsets are just as spectacular. You can reach Diniwid via the busy inland road, or on foot from White Beach by following the rocky path around the headland.

Construction of this stone defensive fortress beside the Pasig River was begun in 1590 by conquistadors on the site of a palace once used by the last pre-Hispanic king. Over the centuries it has fallen into disrepair and ruin, and besides the impressively restored entrance gate on the south side, it mainly functions now as a museum and peaceful public park on the edge of the Intramuros district. Toward the end of colonial rule, the country's foremost national hero, Dr. José P. Rizal, was imprisoned here and then executed by firing squad in 1896. His former cell has been transformed into the Rizal Shrine and contains memorabilia about his life and work. The fort is also home to the Intramuros Visitors Center, which can advise about other attractions in the walled city.

In Boracay terminology, "island hopping" means not so much traveling from island to island, but rather more circumnavigating Boracay aboard a local "banka" motorized outrigger, making various stops for sightseeing and activities along the way. Half-day excursions usually head first for Crocodile Island, where you can snorkel in the crystal clear water and admire the marine life (don't worry, crocodiles are not included). Also normally visited is Crystal Cove—an island with two sea caves—and a secluded Boracay cove known as Puka Shell Beach. Island hopping trips can be arranged through most hotels and guesthouses, or through one of the travel agencies in the area around D-Mall (near White Beach Station 2). Prices start from around 1,500 PHP per person, depending on how many people join you.

This 130-acre park in the heart of downtown Manila traces back to 1820 and the peak of Spanish rule, yet today it is named after José Rizal, the national hero largely responsible for ending the colonial era. Bordering Manila Bay, Intramuros, and Ermita, it acts as the city's lungs, providing a respite from the traffic. As well as having lots of open space, it's home to numerous monuments and both a Japanese and Chinese ornamental garden. But the main reason to come is people-watching, especially on weekends when locals flock here to picnic, and young couples come to canoodle away from the disapproving gazes of their watchful parents.

If you make only one day-trip out of Manila, book a tour—or hire a taxi and driver—to visit Taal Lake and Volcano; you can get here on public buses heading for Tagaytay City, but a pre-arranged trip avoids the need to negotiate prices at every turn. This huge volcanic crater containing a lake and another smaller volcanic cone at its center is arguably the most spectacular site in central Luzon, and it's a world away from the hustle and noise of downtown Manila. For the grander view, enjoy the panoramic vistas from the crater rim in Tagaytay itself. To get more up close and personal, take the winding road down to the lakeside village of Talisay, from where small boats head out to the central island. There you can then either walk (a half-hour each way) or ride a horse up to another crater rim, from where you can gaze down at what it believed to be the world's only "island within a lake within an island within a lake within an island." Try saying that quickly.

Put simply, this is the reason you came to Boracay in the first place. One look at this 5-km (3-mile) unbroken stretch of beautiful fine white sand, gently lapped by tropical seas and fringed by coconut palms, and you quickly understand why it appears on so many "World's Best Beaches" lists. This is what most folk think of when they conjure up an image of paradise. Such beauty hasn't been a secret for years, and the strip of bars, restaurants, hotels, and souvenir shops just behind the palm trees that caters to the millions of tourists does shatter the illusion somewhat. But while planning laws (just about) keep paradise and purgatory apart from one another, you can still live the fantasy—in the daytime, before the discos start up, at any rate. The beach is divided into three sections from north to south: stations 1, 2 and 3. Station 1 has the widest stretch of sand and the priciest hotels, while Station 2 is where most of the shopping and eating takes place. Station 3 is the place to go if you are looking for quiet.