10 Best Islands to Visit in the Philippines on your Vacay

The Philippines is a wonderful tropic destination in Southeast Asia which is popular for its bright sandy beaches and gorgeous bays in the Indian Ocean, its compelling ethno-catholic heritage and exotic cuisine. The country has so much to offer besides the mainland, there are approximately 7100 Philippines islands that form the Philippines archipelago. Given the number of islands, hopping the best Philippines islands is something that you must do on your Philippines vacation! Find out the list of the best islands to visit in the Philippines below.

Most Suitable Time To Visit Philippines Islands

The perfect time to visit the best Philippines islands is during the dry period between November and April. The weather is comfortable and it’s a good time for sightseeing and revelling in different activities here like scuba diving, boating, snorkelling, trekking, fishing, surfing, and much more.

Best Philippines Islands That You Must Visit

Cebu Island
Palawan
Bohol
El Nido
Siargao
Moalboal
Bantayan
Coron
Luzon
Siquijor

1. Cebu Island

Cebu island, Philippines has so much to offer that it is essentially unfair. The island’s biggest advantage is that it has an international airport, so it is more accessible to reach in comparison to some of the other Philippines islands. The island receives an abundance of visitors every day, so the main city has all the prominent places to stay along with restaurants and nightlife hubs, making Cebu one of the best islands to visit in the Philippines. However, the greatest part here are the wild Whale Sharks that you can locate off the coast of Oslob Beach.

2. Palawan

Palawan Island, Philippines has been giving a classic Philippine Islands’ experience to tourists for a great amount of time. It is famously recognised for El Nido which was named the greatest beach and island spots in the entire Filipino archipelago by Conde Nast Traveler. Also, the capital of Palawan Island Philippines, Puerto Princesa, is presently a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The lagoon shores, cliffs, and the waterfalls that appear from within make the place enchanting as one of the best Philippines islands.

3. Bohol

There are too many unknown jewels on Bohol, one of the best Philippines islands to tour. The island is highly underrated and offers activities such as hiking through rich forests, discovering rivers that are only used by local fishermen, Exploring small known waterfalls and suddenly discovering yourself in secret piers where local citizens sell handicrafts and the most uncommon seafood. However, the top thing to do here is the motorcycle tours, and you will be shocked to find how swiftly you become friends with the locals running them.

4. El Nido

It’s among the most famous island on the listing of best Philippines islands. Even then, this majestic stretch of the island has maintained to keep its true beauty pure and intact. El Nido is deemed to have its own biosphere as well as some of the most impressive natural landscapes and sceneries in the Philippines, and perhaps even in the entire world! You can explore this island on a traditional catamaran to see its pure beauty.

5. Siargao

This island is acknowledged for a lot of stuff, but the shallow waters and the excellent sandy white beaches are what draws surfers from all across the world to create a beeline for the island. There are fewer places to stay on the island, but General Luna Beach is possibly the most suitable one because of its great pubs and restaurants and closeness to the surfers’ beaches. Make sure you explore out this island while planning for one of the greatest holidays on one of the best Philippines islands.

6. Moalboal

Moalboal Philippines — Credits: Unsplash

This tropic island is definitely one of the best Philippines islands. Why do you ask? The Badian Canyon here is an unforgettably stunning place where you will find deep canyons, hidden waterfalls, and rock compositions that will blow the mind. Hiking here is a dream-come-true for tourists who love nature and it takes you to the impressive Kawasan Falls! This one certainly exceeds the list of islands in the Philippines.

7. Bantayan

Bantayan Philippines — Credits: Unsplash

Bantayan is loaded with resorts, nightclubs, and lovely people. However, for nature enthusiasts, this is presumably the final untouched Philippines islands. The volcanic island is most famous with visitors for cliff jumping and adventure-seekers must surely visit. There are also some superb mountain trails here that go right through the lush forests. This island adds to the thrill during your Philippines vacation. This is definitely the most adventurous and best Philippines islands.

8. Coron

Coron Island is a palette on which nature seems to have casually sprinkled all the grand colours, presenting it a nearly unbelievable vibe. Coron is one of the most difficult islands to visit in the Philippines – you can either catch the ferry from the town of El Nido which will take five hours, or you can catch the more costly flight from the capital Manila. The paddy fields, rolling hills, golden dry and rich green vegetation, white sandy beaches, and turquoise waters make Coron one of the best Islands to visit in the Philippines during a honeymoon trip.

9. Luzon

Luzon is one of the best islands to visit in the Philippines as the capital city of Manila is located. A sad side-effect of that is that visitors skip the island altogether, thinking of Manila as another congested Asian capital. People don’t realise that some of the country’s most appealing hiking trails are located here. If you catch the bus to Pico de Loro, you can camp out and scale the Mt Palay, which is 664 metres over the sea level. Tourists visiting Manila have the Mt Batulao (811 metres) accessible from the capital itself.

10. Siquijor

You will need to hire a motorbike to explore the complete outline of this island, which is one of the best islands to visit in the Philippines and that too will take you around a couple of days. This island is filled with waterfalls, swimming holes, and white sandy beaches. You can revel in cliff jumping, go trekking in the forests, and eat lots of fresh seafood when you’re here. You can also hit multiple Spanish-influenced landmarks like St Francis de Assisi Church and the St. Isidore de Labrador Church.

There is no denying the beauty that the Philippines holds. And with this list of the best islands to visit in the Philippines, it gives you a great opportunity to go island hopping and get the best of experiences in each island. Pick and choose islands and tailor-make your itinerary with Pickyourtrail for an amazing Philippines Vacation package. Book your Philippines travel package soon and get ready to create memories that will last a lifetime.