Boracay
With its glorious, powdered-sugar sand, White Beach is the centre of the action in Boracay and the only sight most visitors ever see. Beach locations are…
Western Visayas
Western Visayas tends to attract three types of visitors. The most common is the holidaymaker drawn by Boracay's gorgeous White Beach and the fiesta hubbub that surrounds it: a collection of resorts, restaurants, bars, masseuses and tour touts lined up along one great stretch of sand. And as the latest tour group will attest, it's the perfect place for that selfie in the waves. Next comes the diver drawn to world-class undersea destinations, from Romblon Island in the north to Dauin and Apo Island in the south. Finally there's the off-the-beaten-track traveler braving endless miles of roadside shacks to discover the region's discrete rewards, including mountain trekking and cave exploration, pockets of vibrant nightlife in cities such as Iloilo, some fascinating architectural history, alluring beach resorts and oases of fine food. If you have the endurance to hit them all, pack your compass, snorkel, ear plugs and motion-sickness tablets.
Attractions
Must-see attractions
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Malumpati Spring & Bugang River
Panay
One of the most striking natural features in western Visayas, the astonishing Malumpati Spring and Bugang River emerges from nowhere in the midst of the…
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Iloilo
Built between 1787–97, this impressive church, with its striking pyramidal towers, served as a fortress against Muslim raiders. Damaged over the years by…
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Dumaguete
While Filipino cities aren't generally known for their beauty or charm, Dumaguete's waterfront promenade along Rizal Blvd is an exception to the rule…
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Iloilo
A massive banyan tree looms atmospherically over the entrance to this grand home built in 1803 by Philippines VP Fernando Lopez (Mariquit was his wife's…
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Iloilo
Iloilo's most famous historic home resembles the White House. You'll need to give three days' notice of your visit.
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Panay
Navalas has the only heritage church on the island – quaint Spanish-era Navales Church (1880) is made of coral blocks blackened by the years. The much…
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Dumaguete
About 20km northwest of Dumaguete, the twin crater lakes of Balinsasayao and Danao offer some wonderfully scenic hiking. The area is virgin forest and…
