Beautiful Philippines

Touch down in Manila and start exploring this vibrant city. Start exploring at the old walled city of Intramuros (literally translating as between the walls), where you’ll find cobbled streets and historic houses, in sharp contrast to the glossy, cosmopolitan city outside. Discover the history of the city at Fort Santiago, consult with a fortune teller on Plaza Miranda, or try to Rizal Bay Park for a spectacular Manila Bay sunset. Finally, head to San Miguel to see where the eponymous beer originated.

Continue on to the island of Cebu, the most densely populated in the Philippines. Most come to Cebu for its gorgeous white sand beaches and bright turquoise seas, as well as the colourful coral reefs, home to vast shoals of tropical fish. But you’ve also come to Cebu for your Bohol Countryside tour, taking you across the waters to see if you can spot tarsiers in the forests and hills of this fascinating island. Later, you’ll get up close to the friendly whale shark, the world’s largest fish, in Oslob.

Hop across the water to Panglao, a small island famous for its world-class diving and snorkelling and numerous beach resorts. The most famous stretch of sand here is Alona Beach, known for its vibrant nightlife and local flavour. From Alona, you can reach many of the main diving sites, as well as try a spot of island hopping. Be sure to visit the lovely Hinagdanan cave, which has a lagoon inside it, great for a refreshing dip, or perhaps set off in search of the local cetaceans on a dolphin watching trip.

Boracay may be a small island, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in beaches. The best of the bunch is the rather appropriately named White Beach, a wonderful curve of bright white, soft powder sand that’s perfect for barefoot walking and dipping your toes in the sea. Don’t miss Puka beach either, as it is covered in shells. Like the other islands, there’s plenty of snorkelling and diving here, but if you fancy a change, why not have a go at kite boarding (November to April only).

Head on to your final stop, El Nido on the island of Palawan. Named after the many swift nests that are found here, El Nido, or ‘The Nest’ is one of the most beautiful spots in the Philippines. Here, towering karst peaks jut skywards, their sheer sides covered with emerald green forest, in stark contrast to the bright turquoise sea. This means of course that El Nido is the place to try rock climbing, but if that’s a bit too adventurous try sea kayaking among the rocks and sea caves.