The Philippines archipelago consists of over 7,500 coral-fringed islands that lie in the Pacific Ocean to the north-east of Borneo and to the south of Taiwan. I was lucky enough to visit, with a view to putting together an action-packed itinerary to add to our Asian portfolio of tailor-made tours.
Our new Chocolate Hills & Tarsiers family holiday is based in a group of islands in the central Philippines known as the Visayas region and our suggested itinerary visits six islands within this group. The region’s most famous landmark is the Chocolate Hills – over 1,000 conical mounds of grass-covered limestone turn brown in the dry season, giving the appearance of chocolate-coated candy drops!
On Bohol Island you can enjoy a peaceful cruise along the Loboc River through stunning scenery into the heart of the jungle; alternatively, there’s an option for more adventurous families to explore the river by raft or stand-up paddle board. A guided walk around the island’s Philippine Tarsier Foundation gives you a chance to spot the world’s smallest primates in their natural habitat.
It’s hard to keep coming up with superlatives to describe the beauty of the Philippine islands, and Siquijor Island is no exception, boasting peaceful, idyllic-looking sandy beaches bordered by mangroves fringing the coast, while its hilly interior has lovely forest walks and a fabulous natural swimming pool at the Cambugahay Falls.
No visit to the Philippines is complete without a snorkelling tour, and our itinerary suggests a boat trip to Apo Island which offers world-class snorkelling in pristine waters over coral reefs. Look out for spinner dolphins (yes, they really do leap out of the water and spin) on the 30-minute boat ride out to the island. Visit Turtle Point marine sanctuary where - for those who wish - it is possible to swim and snorkel with turtles before spending the rest of day enjoying panoramic views of the island, swimming in the clear waters, strolling around the island’s scenic perimeter trail or lazing on the white pebble beach.
If you wish to extend your stay in the Philippines, we are also offering a trip to Palawan Island to experience a subterranean canoe ride down an eight-kilometre-long salt and freshwater river which flows inside a cave – one of the ‘New7Wonders of Nature’ (voted for by a global poll in 2011).
So, if you fancy strolling along white-sand beaches, swimming with turtles, seeing hills that look like chocolate drops, and snorkelling on some of the world’s most pristine reefs, why not contact us to discuss your own private (tailor-made) family holiday to the Philippines?
In the meantime, read all about our fantastic Philippines leader Hilda in her blog.
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