11 Must-Try Experiences in the Philippines

Welcome to the Philippines, a surprising country of South East Asia made of three main island groups: Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao. Once you land in Manilla or Cebu, it’s impossible not to find fun things to do in the Philippines during your holidays. From the stunning Chocolate Hills of Bohol to pristine beaches to relax on in Malapascua, the hardest is to choose what to do! Considered one of the cheapest diving destinations in the world, the pearl of the Orient seas is one of the favourite places to go for ocean lovers who are into scuba diving. At world-class dives sites such as Tubbataha Reefs, Monad Shoal, or Coron, you will be able to see whale sharks, thresher sharks, turtles or experience wreck diving. There are so many other things to do besides diving in the Philippines. What about travelling in the backcountry aboard the colourful jeepney buses or even attend a karaoke party? Here are 11 of my favourites activities to do in the Philippines as a scuba diver for you to find some inspiration. Note all these activities include places below 600 m of altitude so you can mix scuba diving and sightseeing during your stay in the Philippines in total safety. The Philippines must be one of the best places in the world to swim with turtles. There are so many of them all around the country! But of all the places I visited in the Visayas Islands, the community-based marine protected area of Balicasag must be number 1. I first went diving in Panglao on the south shore of the island of Bohol attracted by all the macro critters I would see underwater: porcelain crabs and ornate ghost pipefish, or pygmy seahorses. Although Alona Reef is a beautiful dive site, the dive centres of Panglao go every day to the nearby islet of Balicasag.