One of the most exotic destinations in the world is the Philippines. I say exotic because the mixture of cultures here is phenomenal and results from the combination of properly Spanish and European elements in general with Asian elements. Everything is weird.
The Republic of the Philippines is an island country that is in Southeast Asia, in Pacific waters, near Vietnam, China and Taiwan. It is one of the most biodiverse places on the planet, a humid destination, with green vegetation, a tropical climate, where there are typhoons, humid forests and beautiful beaches. And today we will talk precisely about the best beaches in the Philippines.
Brief history of the Philippines
There are many theories about the arrival of the first human beings to the islands, whether they arrived by following trade routes, whether they came from Sunda, Malaysia, Polynesia or the nearby island of Taiwan. By the year 1000 there were several tribes and in the following centuries commercial and cultural exchanges were the order of the day.
The Spanish arrived in the XNUMXth century at the hands of Fernando de Magallanes and they founded the capital, Manila, in 1571. With the colony came political unification. The Philippines became a Captaincy General dependent on the Viceroyalty of New Spain based in Mexico and was for a long time a Spanish possession as were other Pacific islands at that time.
The revolution and subsequent independence would take place at the end of the XNUMXth century. The Philippines escaped from Spanish control but fell to that of the United States, and during the Second War the island was bloody occupied by the Japanese. Finally, in 1946 the Philippines achieved its independence.
The beaches of the Philippines
The Philippines can be thought of as a small natural paradise in the world. The archipelago is made up of 7.107 islands of which there are only 2000 inhabited.
Each one is a pearl of biodiversity with mangroves, rain forests, coral reefs, mountains and beaches of international quality. Let's see some of the best beaches in the PhilippinesThere is more, but I believe that knowing these you will not be able to get the Philippines out of your head.
Beaches in Boracay
The island of Boracay is small and is about 315 kilometers from Manila, in the province of Aklan. It has soft white sand beaches, crystal clear waters and some 350 resorts of all tastes and prices. It is one of the most popular destinations in the Philippines.
You can do water sports to enjoy the water and the underwater flora and fauna (snorkeling, diving, jet skis, kayaking) and enjoy bars and restaurants day and night. You can even pay to dive with a special glass helmet that allows you to walk on the seabed.
It has Playa Blanca, one of the best in the world, on the east coast of the island, and east side is the beach of Bulabog, with more wind. It is advisable to visit between November and May because there are monsoons between June and October.
El Nido, in Palawan
The island of Palawan has at least 50 paradisiacal white sand beaches and a multitude of species of birds and marine fauna with dolphins, corals and various types of fish. So much so that El Nido beach and its seabed are the largest marine life reserve in the Philippines.
It also has a secret lagoon which is great for swimming and snorkelling. It is advisable to visit between December and May, it does not rain and there are few people. Between April and May there are more people and much higher prices. You can reach this island by plane or by boat.
Beaches on Apo Island
From the capital of Negros Oriental one reaches an island called Apo which is an hour away. It is a good place for backpackers and its remote beaches are a paradise.
Sugar Beach, Tambobo Bay or Siquijor Island beaches are a beauty.
Beaches of Puerto Galera
This destination is in the province of Oriental Mindoro and It is since 1973 a place protected by UNESCO. It is only 130 kilometers from Manila and there are many white sand beaches that are great for relaxing and doing water sports.
From Manila you can get there by car, in three hours of travel, or by bus. It is better to go between April and June, high season, because in low season it is colder and one does not visit these places so as not to be able to enjoy the sun and the sea, right?
Samal Island Beaches
The island of Samal is a real garden, the garden of the Philippines, as many say. It is very far from Manila, 1400 kilometers, but it is a wonderful natural refuge, far from the madding crowd.
Despite its distance from Manila it is a very popular tourist destination with many world class resorts who know how to take advantage of their white beaches. There are a total of 70 hotels.
Panglào beaches
It is an island similar to Boracay with crystal clear waters and white sands, ideal for diving and snorkelling because there is abundant marine life: 250 species of fish and crustaceans and 2500 species of mollusks! It is estimated to be more biodiverse than the Mediterranean and Japan combined.
Among its beaches, the Alona beach stands out, a somewhat expensive but beautiful beach. They are also Doljo and Dumaluan beaches. Of course, it is advisable to go between December and March, which is colder, but between April and July it rains a lot.
Coron Island Beaches
This island saves one of the ten best places in the world to dive. It is a divine sanctuary, with stupendous rock formations, secret turquoise lagoons and white shores.
It is not easy to get there but it is worth it to jump off its cliffs or swim in marine tunnels.
Mactan Island Beaches
It is one of the islands with the largest number of inhabitants in the Philippines and is a very tourist destination also because it has a lot of bio-diversity and is great for diving and snorkelling. Around it there are many islets.
The rainless season is from January to May but the rest of the year rain is quite common. There are resorts to choose from, restaurants, and many excursions.
As I told you, The Philippines has many islands with beautiful beaches and in general it enjoys a truly enviable biodiversity. It is one of those destinations that lovers of this type of landscape should not miss.