Things to do in the Philippines: 10 must-see attractions

Manila is a city of sharp contrasts, to put it mildly. Some travelers suggest skipping the Philippine capital entirely, arguing it is not an easy place to visit. Others call it the "pearl of the Orient" and maintain its appeal is widely overlooked. Here are the top reasons to take the time to explore Manila if you are traveling around the Philippines.

Historic Churches and Insightful Museums

Manila often takes flak for its heavy traffic, political friction, and smog, yet certain neighborhoods reward exploration. The historic colonial district known as Intramuros holds the city's finest landmarks, including several churches. San Agustin Church, built in 1589, stands as the country's oldest religious building. Its earthquake-resistant baroque design, engineered to withstand the frequent seismic activity in the Philippines, earned it a spot on the UNESCO World Heritage list. For a deep dive into the nation's history, head to Fort Santiago, which houses a museum dedicated to José Rizal, the Philippine national hero. If you enjoy culture, you will likely make time for the National Museum of Fine Arts and Ethnography and the Ayala Museum covering pre-Hispanic Philippines. For something more eccentric, the Marikina Shoe Museum displays the 800 pairs of shoes once owned by the country's former First Lady.

A Cultural Melting Pot

The Philippine capital brings together diverse peoples and ethnic groups. Proof of this lies in the Chinese Cemetery, established in 1843 just outside Manila. You will find elaborate mausoleums, tombs, and sarcophagi built with a mix of Chinese and Western influences. Turtles, pagodas, three-story residential tombs, the variety and scale of the resting places are striking. Afterward, dive back into the frantic pace of Manila in Chinatown. Filipinos, Chinese, and Spanish populations have coexisted here for centuries. Founded in 1594, it is considered the oldest Chinatown in the world. Stop to sample delicious pancit (Chinese noodles), empanadas, or lumpia, a local cross between an egg roll and a spring roll.

Shopping and Cocktails

Manila is also a modern metropolis fully geared toward the twenty-first century. You can shop in trendy boutiques and check out the local arts scene at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Makati, a sleek commercial hub 5 kilometres from Manila, features some of the largest shopping malls on earth. Grabbing a drink at a chic bar in Makati is practically mandatory, as the area is packed with rooftop lounges and cocktail spots.

When to Go

You can visit Manila year-round, but the most comfortable weather runs from December to February. From March to May, the dry season continues, but the heat becomes intense. From June to October, the monsoon season and typhoons bring heavy downpours.

How to Get There

A flight from Paris to Manila starts at around $590*. Your flight will likely include at least one layover in the United Arab Emirates or Kuwait, bringing the total travel time to about 16 to 17 hours.

Tagaytay is a city in the province of Cavite, in the Philippines, located in the southern part of Luzon island, home to the capital, Manila. Sitting at an elevation of 2,000 feet, it enjoys cooler temperatures than the rest of the country, similar to the relief you might find in the Appalachian highlands. The name Tagaytay comes from the tagalog language, meaning "the ridge." The town sits on a high ridge overlooking Taal Lake and its iconic volcano, providing clear views of the surrounding landscape. The view from the rooftop of the Taal Vista hotel is widely considered one of the best in the area.

The city of Taal Volcano

Tagaytay is known primarily for its location, perched on a hillside that offers panoramas of the Caldera and the Taal volcano. This high-altitude placement was historically chosen to keep the town out of reach of the volcano's frequent eruptions, which have devastated lower-lying towns nearby.

The volcano of Taal is often called the smallest active volcano in the world, though it sits in a caldera tens of kilometers across: it is the central crater cone that is small. It erupted in 2020 and again in 2021 and 2022. It is a part of the Pacific Ring of Fire. From the nearby village of Talisay, you can arrange an excursion to the volcano: a short boat ride followed by a 40-minute hike brings you to the summit, its fumaroles, craters, and the lake inside the crater. Volcano Island has been a permanent danger zone since the 2020 eruption, so access depends on the orders in force.

Tagaytay began to grow in importance during the early 20th century. Located just a few hours south of Manila, it gradually became a popular retreat for residents of the capital seeking nature and quiet. In 1938, Philippine President Manuel L. Quezon visited Tagaytay to sign Commonwealth Act 338, which formally established the city.

A base for hiking

Tagaytay features several green spaces like Picnic Grove or the People's Park in the Sky, which has a unique history. These grounds were originally developed to house the residence of the former Philippine dictator, President Marcos. Following the 1986 People Power Revolution, the site was preserved and converted into a public park.

Tagaytay also serves as an ideal base for mountain hikes, including ascents of Mount Batulao, Mount Talamitam, or Mount Pico de Loro. The area is known for its flower fields and coconut plantations. Be sure to stop by the local market or try a bowl of bulalo, a beef shank soup that is the regional specialty.

When to go

The best time to visit the Philippines is between November and March, when temperatures are warm and rainfall is minimal.

How to get there

From the capital, Manila, take a bus from the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX). The trip takes about 2 hours. If you are driving, you can reach the city via the Santa Rosa - Tagaytay Road in about 90 minutes.

Puerto Galera is a beach town located on the island of Mindoro in the Philippines. It is a premier destination for scuba diving and snorkeling. Its bay has been a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 1973 and supports a massive array of marine life. Apo Reef, the 34-square-kilometer coral system often mentioned alongside it, actually lies at the far end of Mindoro, on the west coast. Puerto Galera is also known for its accessible beaches and a wide range of dining and entertainment options, attracting a significant community of international expats.

Beaches and coastal recreation

Puerto Galera features several well-known beaches, including White Beach. This is the resort's primary tourist hub, packed with nightlife, bars, restaurants, and tour operators. Other notable spots include Talipanan, which offers a smaller, quieter atmosphere, Sabang, a lively beach stretching along the former fishing village of the same name, and Aninuan.

The area is set up for a wide variety of water and land-based activities. Beyond diving, you can rent jet skis, kayaks, or windsurfing gear, go catamaran sailing, or book a deep-sea fishing trip. On land, the options are equally diverse, including paintball, mountain biking, go-karting, archery, and hiking.

The island of Mindoro, forests and biodiversity

The island of Mindoro is heavily forested and biologically diverse. Serious hikers often tackle the trail to Mount Halcon, one of the highest peaks in the Philippines, reaching an elevation of over 2,500 meters. For shorter excursions, the paths leading to the 31-meter-tall Tamaraw Falls or the Tukuran falls offer excellent opportunities to observe local flora and fauna. To reach the Tukuran falls, you even have the option of taking a ride on a cart pulled by oxen.

For those interested in local culture, the Mangyan village at Talipanan, west of Puerto Galera, is worth a visit. This community is supported by a philanthropic family to preserve the heritage of an indigenous people who have faced historical persecution. On the western side of the island, do not miss the Immaculate Conception Church, which houses an excavation museum filled with artifacts and relics that provide a window into local history.

When to go

The best time to visit Puerto Galera is between January and April, which coincides with several local festivals. Be aware that typhoon season typically runs through October and November.

How to get there

From Manila, take a bus to the Batangas pier, then transfer to a ferry bound for Puerto Galera. If you are arriving from the island of Tablas, a ferry will take you to Roxas, where you will need to continue by land to reach Puerto Galera. From Coron, ferries arrive at San Jose on the western side of the island, from which you can take a series of buses to Roxas, Calapan, and finally, Puerto Galera.

Boracay is an island in the Visayas archipelago in the central Philippines, located about 300 kilometres from the capital, Manila. This small island, measuring 6 kilometres long by one to two wide, is known for its white-sand beaches and lively nightlife. In recent years, it has welcomed up to 2 million tourists annually. Victim of its own success, it recorded over 33,000 residents in 2018 compared to barely 12,000 in 2000. In 2018, the Philippine president at the time, Rodrigo Duterte, decided to close all access to the island for a duration of six months for environmental reasons, initiating a rehabilitation period for Boracay.

A tropical island in the heart of the Philippines

Boracay brings together numerous features that earn it its reputation as an island paradise: turquoise waters, exceptional marine life, sunshine and warm sand, a tropical vibe, along with upscale hotels, restaurants, and bars. It is a recognized destination for partying, lounging on the beach, or trying out scuba diving. Numerous activities are available on site including paddleboarding, surfing, parasailing, and jet-skiing, alongside the island's traditional market with its fresh seafood, D'Talipapa.

The two best-known beaches on Boracay are White Beach, a 4-kilometre-long stretch ranked among the top ten beaches in Asia, and Bulabog Beach, located on the opposite side where weather conditions are more favorable for water sports. White Beach is divided into several sections called stations that reference the former boat landings and help visitors get their bearings on the island. Other quieter beaches are also accessible, particularly in the northern part of the island, a sector that is less urbanized. You can also take great walks through the surrounding nature.

The rehabilitation of Boracay Island

During the few months of isolation ordered by the president of the Philippines, the island was cleaned up and new behavioral rules were enacted, such as a ban on drinking or smoking on the beaches. Quotas were put in place so the island can now accommodate a maximum of only 19,200 tourists at any one time. Hotels that fail to meet certain environmental standards are closed and the island roads have been renovated to improve traffic flow. To prevent the development of illegal activities along the shoreline, a special 30-metre-wide zone from the water's edge was established where all types of installations are prohibited.

When to go?

The best way to enjoy the beach activities Boracay offers is to visit during the dry season between December and March. Avoid the months between June and October, which see more rainfall. Make sure to book your trip well in advance due to the visitor quotas established to regulate island tourism.

How to get there?

Boracay is accessible by ferry boat from Caticlan on the neighbouring island of Panay, where the airport is located just across the strait. It is also possible to get there from Kalibo International Airport.

Banaue is a village on the island of Luzon in the Philippines, sitting at an elevation of 1,200 meters (about 3,900 feet) in the Cordillera mountains, on the slopes below Mount Amuyao. It is known for extensive rice terraces carved over 2,000 years ago by the Ifugao people, a site recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage landmark since 1995. These terraces function as a sophisticated irrigation system, capturing and distributing water from the mountain forests to nourish the rice crops. Even today, local farmers maintain the fields using traditional, manual techniques.

Seeing the rice terraces, the eighth wonder of the world

Banaue is a small, rugged village and one of eleven settlements inhabited by the Ifugao tribe. Expect cooler temperatures here thanks to the high altitude and mountainous terrain. While the local economy has been anchored in rice farming for two millennia, tourism is now a significant part of daily life. The retaining walls that form the terraces were built by hand, using local materials like mud and stone. Locals often refer to the fields as "stairways to the sky," a fitting name given the steep climbs required to reach the various basins scattered throughout the valley.

You can easily walk through the rice paddies from the village to reach observation points like the Chango View Point or the Front Size View Point. If you are looking for more of a workout, multi-day treks through the valley are available, and hiring a local guide is highly recommended.

Starting point for trekking in the Philippine Cordillera

Most treks lead you through the rice fields to neighboring villages like Batad, which sits inside a natural green amphitheater, as well as Bangaan and Cambulo. Hiking routes often lead deep into the wilderness to spots like Tappia Falls, a 21-meter (69-foot) cascade where you can take a dip, or the Guihob natural pool, which was partially damaged by a typhoon in 2010. Those looking for a challenge can head to the Awa View Deck, a trail that provides a sweeping aerial view of the terraces below. You can also travel between villages by jeep, the primary local transport, or by renting a bicycle on-site.

When to go

The scenery shifts dramatically throughout the year. The landscape is lush and vibrant green during the rainy season in June and July, while the atmosphere turns dry and earthy between December and March, which coincides with the rice planting season. If your schedule allows, try to visit during the Ifugao indigenous culture festival in April to experience days of traditional costumes, songs, and dances.

How to get there

From Manila, the capital, you can take a bus to Banaue. The trip takes about 9 hours. Nonstop flights link Manila with Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Vancouver, and Toronto. Many travelers prefer the overnight bus to save on time, though the daytime route offers impressive mountain views.