Travel Destination: Philippine Beaches

The Philippines is an island archipelago in Southeast Asia with more than 7,100 islands. With a coastline twice the length of that of the United States and at least a beach on every island, the Philippines is Asia's beach capital. Just the mention of the Philippines brings images of warm crystal blue waters and long, white sandy beaches. Here is a list of the most popular Philippine beaches:

● Boracay Beach - the most popular beach located on the northwestern tip of Panay island, Western Visayas. Boracay has 4 kilometers of powder-white beach touted as the “finest beach in the world”. Today the island of Boracay has numerous restaurants, bars, cafes and has one of the most vibrant nightlife among Philippine beaches.

● Macatan Island, Cebu – located also in the Visayas, Cebu’s Mactan Island has hotels and resorts water sports facilities, bars and restaurants to guarantee every tourist an enjoyable stay during the day and a nightlife of music, food and drinks.

● Panglao Island, Bohol - Panglao is a small island on the southwest of the bigger island, Bohol. The island has several resorts along beach with accommodations, restaurants and bars. Panglao is famous for its splendid underwater corral reefs surrounding the island.

● Puerto Galera, Mindoro – A favorite vacation hideaway for local and foreign travelers due to its proximity to Manila. Puerto Galera is composed of several beaches in northern Mindoro where tourist can choose which beach to go. Puerto Galera has accommodations for all kind of travelers – from the classy to the basic. For the budget conscious, Puerto Galera is the beach to go. It also has one of the best dive spots in the archipelago – a favorite for diving enthusiast.

● Honda Bay, Palawan – North of the capital city of Palawan is Honda Bay. One can find islets dotting the bay with fine sand beaches. Take a boat ride and island hop to the different islands to swim, snorkel, dive or have a picnic on the beach and enjoy the view of clear blue waters. The bay is studded with patches of coral and sand. The rich marine life of the bay will surely make snorkeling and diving more pleasurable.

● El Nido, Palawan – Surrounded by towering marble cliffs that are homes to a number of tropical birds, El Nido is the source of one of the most scrumptious soups specially found in Chinese restaurants – the Nido Soup, made from the bird’s nest found on the cliffs that abound in the area. Palawan is known as the country’s last frontier; with its virgin forest, unspoiled beaches, corral reefs, caves and beautiful sceneries unmatched anywhere in the Philippines.

● Pearl Farm, Davao - located in the Philippine island of Samal, off the coast of Davao City, Mindanao. Pearl Farm is a world–class beach resort that was once a pearl farm where thousands of oysters were cultivated for their white, pink and gold pearls. The pristine island of Samal boasts of its beautiful white sand beaches, panoramic landscapes and seascapes. Pearl farm is a relaxing vacation retreat set in a tropical paradise.