The second-largest archipelago in the world, with over 7000 tropical islands, the Philippines is one of the great treasures of Southeast Asia. Often overlooked by travellers because of its location on the ‘wrong’ side of the South China Sea, the Philippines rewards those who go the extra distance to reach it. And, because it is off the beaten path, the Philippines is a great place to escape the hordes who descend on other parts of Southeast Asia. 

First and foremost, the Philippines is a place of natural wonders – a string of coral-fringed islands strewn across a vast expanse of the western Pacific. Below sea level, the Philippines boasts some of the world’s best diving and snorkelling. Above sea level, it has a fantastic landscape with wonders enough to stagger even the most jaded traveller: long underground rivers, soaring karsts (limestone tower formations), incredible caves, some pristine stands of virgin rainforest, and in the case of Palawan, islands that shoot out of the sea like jagged spearheads. And if you are looking for palm-fringed, white-sand beaches, the Philippines has too many to choose from.

Of course, any traveller who has been to the Philippines will tell you that it is the people and their culture that makes the Philippines unique. Long poised at the centre of Southeast Asian trade, colonised by a succession of world powers, the Philippines is a vivid tapestry that reflects its varied cultural inheritance and, despite the poverty that afflicts much of the nation, the Filipinos themselves are among the most ebullient and easygoing people anywhere.

The Philippines truly qualifies as one of the last great frontiers in Southeast Asian travel. Cross whichever ocean you need to and see for yourself.