My Favorite Holiday Destinations…in the Philippines

Holidays are always times for celebrations and the much – long awaited for vacations. It is the time for us to let go of ourselves, sit back, relax and enjoy ourselves. It is also the time for us to see the beautiful and wonderful places here on Earth.

The Philippines is full of wonderful places to see and to visit. There are over 7,000 islands to choose from. Some of these are untouched by the modern trappings of life, still showcasing their natural sites the way God made them. Others have been expressly developed to entice tourists, local or foreign alike. Still others combine the first two. It is safe to say that none will ever get tired from visiting the Philippines.

I am no exception to the conclusion above. I have only traveled once outside of my country but I have managed to visit quite a number of places in my country. Suffice it to say that I have seen quite a few places where I would love to go on a holiday over and over again. In this hub, I wrote about some of these places that are my favorite holiday destinations in the Philippines.

Davao City

Yes, you got it right. The whole city of Davao is my first preferred holiday destination. You won’t lack for any activity in this city. If you want to go nature – tripping, you can go to The Philippine Eagle Center in the Malagos Watershed. Here you will find our world – famous Philippine Eagle (formerly, monkey – eating eagle), as well as other birds of prey and other animals, too. There’s also the Eden Mountain Resort, a beautiful resort set on top of a mountain. You can even stay for one or a couple of nights in this cool mountain resort.

If you want to go to a place nearer the city proper, you can just go to the Crocodile Park, which features, what else, crocodiles of various ages and sizes. It also features different breeds of birds, tigers, ostriches, etc.

Don’t forget to indulge your huge appetite by eating in the various restaurants found within the city. If you want to cool yourself during a hot day, you can always head for the beach. Davao’s beaches may not feature white sands, but they exude a quiet charm of their own.

Guimaras Island

Philippines’ land of mangoes, Guimaras Island is located in the Visayas group of islands, about 30 minutes away from Iloilo City. The island showcases hectares upon hectares of mango trees. It features the sweetest mangoes that can be found in the country (and call me biased, in the rest of the world as well). The mango farms are also open to tourists who want to view them (you can even buy mango seedlings from these farms).

Other than the mangoes, it also features numerous resorts. More than 20 resorts can be found in this one single island. The sand is not as white as other resorts in the country, but there’s a quietness and peacefulness about them that will make you feel relax and really on a holiday mood.

What else? Guimaras Island also features caves and springs. And don’t worry about where to stay when you’re in this island. You will definitely find affordable hotels, inns, pension houses and cottages where you can stay in relative comfort.

Amanpulo Resort

The cream of the crop as far as Philippine resorts are concerned, Amanpulo Resort is the resort you will want to go to when you want to have a peaceful and relaxing holiday. Amanpulo Resort is one of the islands in the Palawan region. It showcases some of the whitest, finest beach sands in the country. It has its own landing field for its very own airplane plus it has its own port for big boats and the like.

What to do in Amanpulo? Plenty. You can swim in its blue, pristine waters. You can go scuba diving or snorkeling (the corals here are simply beautiful). Fishing is another activity you may want to engage in. Island hopping is a favorite past time in this place, you will get to see other pristine beaches and wonderful places. Or you can just swim in the resort’s very own swimming pool.

If you don’t want to go into the water, you can stay in the island itself. Try their spa services or play tennis in their tennis court. Or lounge in their library or buy souvenirs in their souvenir shop. Or eat their delicious food prepared by the resort's world - class chef.

Or if you are just feeling lazy for the day, just relax on the beach or in your own casita (small house). The casita itself is something, with its queen (or is it king) size bed, a comfortable sofa, a Jacuzzi and your very own walk – in closet.

Camiguin Island

Camiguin Island was acclaimed as one of the top 25 tourist destinations in the country. The trip there is not as easy as going to other tourist attractions but it’s definitely an interesting experience. Camiguin Island is two to two and a half hours (plus a ferry boat ride) away from Cagayan de Oro City or Butuan City. Once you get there, don’t forget to relax, breathe in or even rest before starting your visits, you will definitely not stop until you see each one of them.

Camiguin Island has a lot of tourist attractions to choose from. You can go and view its famous volcanoes, or even climb some of them. You can visit its beautiful waterfalls, where you will take scenic hikes before you can actually see them. Or you can swim in its hot or cold springs. Don’t swim too long in hot springs though or you will get burned! Or you can visit its various ruins, which include churches, cemeteries (there’s a sunken one!) and other edifices damaged by volcanic eruptions in previous years. Want to be adventurous? Then go for the various dive spots found around the island. When’s the best time to visit? During its famous Lanzones Festival, which is held on the 3^rd week of October.

And those are my favorite holiday destinations in my country. I know there are only four of them but these are enough to satisfy my need for vacation and relaxation. Thank you very much for reading my hub and I hope you will have a wonderful holiday!