Enjoy Philippines your online tourist destinations and attraction guide.

Puerto Galera, the northernmost town of Oriental Mindoro province, is a tropical beach destination unlike no other in the Philippines.  Its white-sand beaches shimmer against the background of green coconut trees and blue waters.

Movenpick Hotels and Resorts is set to open the Huma island resort in Palawan by the fourth quarter of 2012. The resort will be the second Philippine resort for the upscale hotel company. Huma island is world famous among divers who visit to experience the area’s exceptional corals and abundant marine life as well as to explore 12 of the most iconic shipwrecks of the mid-20th century.

On the highway to Pagudpud from Laoag City, a left detour somewhere in Burgos, Ilocos Norte is a rustic, dirt road that leads to the South China Sea.  On a slope where vehicles cannot pass anymore, tourists get a glimpse of what is about to amaze them.  Most would feel the urge to brave the heat of the sun and carefully hop from one rock to another during low tide towards a hill that seems to get brighter every step of the way.

The adventure is a part of the foot trail to the Kapurpurawan rock formation, a hill of white limestone rocks in Burgos, Ilocos Norte.  Otherwise known as the Ilocos white rock formation, Kapurpurawn captures the fancy of both old and young alike, thanks to its white marble-like rock surface that shines under the sun.

As the capital city of Ilocos Sur province, Vigan is a beautiful Hispanic city most known for its cobblestone street called Calle Crisologo.  Spanish houses dating back to the 18th century still stand on the site, which is frequented by both foreign and domestic tourists. Of course, there are other streets in Vigan that are also lined with old houses bearing the influence of European architecture.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has listed Vigan as a world heritage site for maintaining its buildings the way they were built centuries ago.  The old houses in Vigan share the same features as those of Hispanic houses built in other towns in the Philippines with strong middle and upper class during the Spanish regime.  Intramuros in Manila, of course, was the center of Spanish government in the Philippines at that time.

Tourists looking for a great beach destination need not take the trouble of going to the airport to fly out of Metro Manila.  They are in for a treat at the Laiya-Aplaya in San Juan, Batangas, which can be reached by land transport.  Laiya-Aplaya has a six-kilometer beach embraced by Sigayan Bay on the southeastern side of Batangas.

While the white sand on Laiya is not as fine as in Boracay or Panglao, Laiya has fine pebbles and shells that mix with the sand of Sigayan Bay that provide that shining white color.  Laiya-Aplaya can be reached from Metro Manila in just three to four hours by car.

About two hours from Manila is a national park, rich with historical and ecological significance, located in several villages of San Miguel and Doña Remedios Trinidad towns in the northern part of Bulacan.  The 2,100-hectare Biak na Bato national park has various ecological attractions, connected by hanging bridges and concrete trail that lead to a river, caves, falls, large boulders, ancient trees, and other exploration sites surrounded by a green forest.  Biak na Bato is also a good site for bird watching. There are about 30 species of birds endemic to the area.

While the park is a part of the Sierra Madre montain range and stretches for more than seven kilometers, guests would already have ample adventure in visiting major sites located within the first kilometer that has concrete stairways leading up and downhill.

Pagudpud, the northermost coastal town in Ilocos Norte, lies majestically fronting the South China Sea and protected by beautiful green mountains.  Pagudpud is most known for a two-kilometer white beach in Saud, one of the town's barangays.  A row of coconut trees along Saud Beach adds a tropical theme to the already beautiful resort destination that is Pagudpud.

Several resorts are located at the Saud white beach, which attracts both foreign and local tourists.  The fine, white cream sand in Saud beach can be compared to those of popular resort islands such as Boracay, Panglao, and Puerto Galera.  The water, however, is not as calm as in Boracay and can be suddenly deep during high tide.

Luzon has many island destinations, and among those that can be easily reached from Metro Manila are the idyllic white sand islands in Zambales province.

With the connection of the North Luzon Expressway and the Subic-Clark Tarlac Expressway or SCTEX, Zambales is just two hours away from Manila by car.

Subic Bay in Zambales is about 110 kilometers from Manila via the two expressways.  The trip to Subic via SCTEX provides a magnificent view of rolling hills and calm greeneries that are soothing to the eyes of motorists and passengers. 

A building that looks so old, yet so grand like Paoay Church in Ilocos Norte province easily captures the attention of both foreign and domestic visitors.  It is also helped by the fact that no less than the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization or UNESCO acknowledged Paoay Church as a world heritage site.

Ilocos Norte is famous for its old Baroque churches, most notably Paoay Church in the town of Paoay.  Originally known as the St. Augustine Church in Paoay, foundation of the building was laid in 1694, and it took nearly two centuries before the church took its final form, according to historical accounts.

Puerto Princesa Subterranean River in Palawan has successfully landed on the top 77 nominees on the New 7 Wonders of Nature (N7WN) international poll. Organizers of the N7WN reported that the top 77 were chosen out of the 261 contenders, after the second phase of the worldwide voting ended in July 7, 2009.

"The success of this campaign wouldn't have been possible without the Filipinos' worldwide support.  We are grateful to the people who voted and heeded our call to promote one of our national treasures," said Tourism Secretary Ace Durano.

According to the N7WN report, from the top 77 nominees, only 28 Official Finalists will be chosen by the N7WN's Panel of Experts.  The announcement of the 28 selected finalists will be made in Zurich at the New7Wonders Foundation headquarters on July 21, 2009 at 12.07 GMT.

Widely known as one of the finest swimming destinations in the world, Boracay is blessed with unsullied fine talcum powder-sand beaches. Its tranquil crystal clear waters are perfect for swimming, sailing, fishing and sunbathing. Boracay also boasts of sapphire seas and spectacular sunsets. Countless hidden coves dot the island and tall coconut trees line up along the beaches. Boracay lies at the northwest tip of Panay, in the west Visayas region, off the Sibuyan Sea. The island is made up of villages, namely: Yapak in the north, Balabag in the middle, and Manocmanoc in the south.

Originally designed to only produce clean electricity, the Northwind Bangui Wind Farm, otherwise known as the Ilocos wind mills, has also become a famous tourist attraction on its own in Ilocos Norte province. Some people call them giant electric fans, which are visible from the highway leading to the beach resort of Pagudpud.

With the addition of the Bangui wind mills in Bangui to its growing list of tourist attractions, Ilocos Norte has become a major tourist destination in Luzon, thanks to its white-sand beaches in Pagudpud, the beautiful Baroque churches including the Paoay Church, the hotel complex at Fort Ilocandia, the houses and other facilities owned by the late President Ferdinand Marcos in Batac, the Sand Dunes in Laoag, the Kapurpurawan white rock formation and Cape Bojeador Lighthouse in Burgos.

A recent visit to Batangas province has been a rewarding experience for our small group of trekkers looking for a unique weekend just outside Metro Manila.  The Philippine Insurers and Reinsurers Association (PIRA) made the trip possible.

The group headed south, about 80 kilometers from Manila, via the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) and Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR) Tollway until we reached the idyllic lakeshore town of Talisay, where flowers bloom all around.

Manila Ocean Park, the PhP1-billion marine park constructed by Singaporean and Malaysian investors at the back of Quirino Grandstand at Rizal Park, opened on 29th February 2008. "The park is set to be the city's major tourist destination. It is expected to draw millions of visitors on its first year, offering a unique tourist experience beyond the usual shopping activities," said park developer, China Oceanis Philippines, Inc., a joint venture between Singaporean and Malaysian investors.

A national cultural treasure, estimated to be more than 1,600 years old, is housed in an old dilapidated structure near the east bank of the Libertad river in this historic city and trade center of Agusan del Norte province. The Balanghai shrine, a one-storey building being maintained by the National Museum, houses two of the three ancient boats discovered and excavated from 1976 to 1986. A curator and restorer at the Balanghai Shrine said radiocarbon tests administered by Japanese experts on one of these boats suggested that the wooden boat could have existed as early as 320 AD. Another boat was carbon dated to be more than 1000 years old.