Fun Tourist Spots in the Philippines

Pack your bags and fly over to the Philippines! These five tourist destinations could make sure your trip is fun.

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Courtesy of Meghan Preckl

My brother and I posing at the I <3 Manila sign in Manila, Philippines.

A tour guide takes you through Fort Santiago. This is a photo of my family and I taking a photo with our lovely tour guide.

Buy your ticket and take a trip to the Philippines! There is so much to do in there. Five fun tourist locations to visit include, Fort Santiago, Enchanted River, Yapak Beach, Mt. Tapyas, and the Manila Cathedral. Five of the most popular places to see.

Fort Santiago is one of the most important historical locations in Manila, Philippines. It was built by the Spanish conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legazpi in 1571. Multiple lives were lost in its prisons during the World War II and the Spanish Colonial Period. The Philippine national hero, Jose Rizal, was imprisoned in the prison before his execution in 1896. In the Rizal shrine museum, his footsteps are embedded in the ground to represent his final walk from his cell to his execution location. If you are a history junky and love history, this tourist location is the spot for you.

The Manila Cathedral is gorgeous. The arches are made out of beautiful stone and stain glass windows scatter throughout the cathedral.

In 1521, Ferdinand Magellan arrived in the Philippines which also marked the arrival for Catholicism. The Spanish Colonization paved the way for spread of Christianity and the era of western church architecture. During the three centuries of the colonization, the production of grandly church designs started. One of these church designs is the Manila Cathedral. The Manila Cathedral is a Neo-Romanesque-Byzantine cathedral and has long been the seat of archbishop in the Philippines. It continues to be one of the most admired churches in the country and the architecture is stunning. This tourist location is another taste of history.

The Enchanted River, which is also called the Hinatuan River, has been said to have mermaids swim in the water and fairies cavort. The water is so clear it looks as if it could come from a fantasy themed postcard. Some even say, it makes swimmers look like they are floating. The water maintains a clear beautiful blue appearance in the deepest parts of the river (80 feet down). Many folklore stories were written about the mystical backstory. It is said to have various spirits, faeries, pixies, and other mystical creatures clean it and make sure the water is clear. They also act as guardians of the river, and are in some traditions even said to have created it. Something which is extra cool is that in 0ne of the river’s lagoons you can see passages that lead to a subterranean cave system. This tourist destination is one of the popular locations.

This is a statue of a religious figure. It sits on a pedestal of marble and behind it is a detailed carving of someone.

Next on the list is the Yapak Beach. Also known as the Puka Shell Beach, it is the second largest beach throughout the Islands of the Philippines. It gets it’s name because of the widespread amount of white Puka shells. Palm trees surround parts of the beach and the water is a gorgeous light blue color. The beach is isolated from cities or busy crowds. Although, close by there are market stands and cheap restaurants. Don’t forget to bring a few dollars with you.

The last tourist destination to visit in Mt. Tapyas. It is one of the most popular and visited destination in the Palawan Island. The mountain has a height of 210 meters high about sea level. There is a easy hike up the mountain. The mountain has a total of 718 steps to get up to the summit. The stairs are safe, railed, and well paved. Once you reach the top, there is a spacious dock with cemented benches. This makes it perfect to observed and admire Coron Bay and other islands nearby. You can relax and enjoy the amazing view of nature.