Island Hopping Off The Grid: 5 Filipino Islands You’ve Never Heard Of

From unspoilt beaches and heritage sites to surfing hotspots and sunset views, there is plenty to choose from in the Philippines without running into massive crowds.

The Philippines has literally hundreds of picturesque islands for visitors to choose from. EdseastresD600. CC BY-SA 2.0

With a grand total of more than 7,600 islands, it should come as no surprise that there are many in the Philippines that remain obscure to travelers from abroad. Each one boasts the crystal clear turquoise waters that characterize the popular tourist destination of Cebu, but each also offers its own unique adventures to visitors looking to experience the archipelago’s diverse natural beauty. Many of these islands are surrounded by hundreds of smaller ones, and thus offer island hopping adventures for those who want to explore some of the more isolated atolls in the area. To help get you started, here are 5 incredible and lesser known islands in the Philippines to explore.

1. El Nido

El Nido boasts a large number of private and unspoilt beaches. Boris G. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Known amongst locals for its breathtaking natural scenery, El Nido is located at the northern tip of Palawan province and stands as the gateway to the smaller but stunning Bacuit Archipelago. For visitors who want to enjoy luscious tropical greenery and stunning white sand beaches without the crowds, El Nido is the perfect destination, with a number of boat rental services that allow you to discover your own private inlets and limestone cliffs around the island. Because of its relative isolation, the island is also home to a diverse range of animal wildlife including monkeys, deer, peacocks, and even the occasional dolphin; as such, all single use plastic has been banned to help preserve its unique ecosystem. If you tire of the beaches, plan a hike to the summit of Taraw Cliff, which is the highest point on the island at roughly 886 feet (270 meters) and which offers stunning views of the central town and coastline. Alternatively, Nacpan Beach in the northeast hosts a zipline that allows visitors to fly across the water to another island nearby, giving island hopping an entirely new meaning.

2. Mindoro

Reef diving in Mindoro provides an unparalleled opportunity to visit the second largest coral reef in the world. Asia Divers. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Mindoro island is the seventh largest in the Philippines and its eighth most populous, located in the west-central region of the country. It remains relatively undeveloped and is thus not the most common tourist destination, but still offers incredible scuba diving opportunities for those looking to explore the area’s variegated coral reef ecosystems. In fact, as the second largest coral reef system in the world, those off the coast of Mindoro are home to 75% of the world’s known coral species and a huge variety of marine life including scorpion fish, manta rays and various shark species. Many of these reefs are located around Puerto Galera, which is also well known for its sugar-sand beaches and which can become quite busy, with locals flocking to the area during national holidays. Climbing the island’s tallest peak, Mount Halcon, with a guide is also an excellent way to explore its massive expanse of rainforest, and the summit provides amazing views over both the oriental and occidental sides of the island. The hike is definitely not for beginners, however, with an elevation of roughly 8,582 feet (2,616 meters), although the smaller foothills are easily manageable and could also allow for a meeting with the Indigenous Mangyan people, who have lived apart from mainstream Filipino society since the sixteenth century.

3. Coron

There are at least 12 shipwrecks to explore off the coast of Coron. Karel Kosman. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Like El Nido, Coron is also located towards the northern end of Palawan province and is known for its picturesque freshwater lakes. While there are a whole range of lagoons throughout the island, each with their own beach area and tropical foliage, the most popular of these is definitely Kayangan Lake which is one of the cleanest bodies of water in the country. Additionally, while Mindoro specializes in reef diving, Coron is one of the best spots in the world to go on incredible guided shipwreck diving adventures. A squadron of Japanese supply vessels were sunk by American bombers World War II just off the coast of Coron, and now lie at recreational diving depths suitable for divers of all levels to explore safely. Snorkeling is another great water sport option, especially at Siete Pecados, which boasts some of the healthiest coral reefs in the world and allows for a stunning and up-close view of the marine life in the area. Alternatively, visitors can also experience one of the only saltwater hot springs in the world at Maquinit surrounded by mangrove trees, where the water remains between 98º and 104º Fahrenheit (37º to 40º Celsius) year round. 

4. Bohol

The Chocolate Hills are a National Geological Monument of the Philippines. An diabhal glas. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Like the other islands on this list, Bohol is home to a number of beautiful and scenic beaches, but is also one of the best islands on which to engage in on-land activities as well. For one, it is home to the famous Chocolate Hills, a World Heritage Site and Global Geopark which features iconic cone-shaped limestone hills rising out of the jungle canopy at 400 feet (about 122 meters) that were formed from coral reef deposits over 2 million years ago. Travelers can also visit the Tarsier Sanctuary, a large forest dedicated to the protection of the smallest primate species in the world, which is currently under threat of extinction. This site is one of the only that is run by an officially recognized animal conservation organization, and all proceeds generated at the site contribute to the continued upkeep and preservation of the sanctuary. Alternatively, Bohol also offers incredible man-made wonders like the Mahogany Forest, also known as the Bilar Man-Made Forest which, as the name suggests, was the product of a reforestation project in the late 20th century. The towering mahogany trees stretch for roughly 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) along the border of the Bilar and Loboc towns and are so densely packed that the foliage almost entirely blocks out the sun.

5. Siargao

Siargao is a popular destination for the best surfers in the world. Miguel Navaza. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Easily identifiable by its teardrop shape, the southern Philippine island of Siargao is the ultimate destination for those looking for an island that has remained largely untouched by mass tourism. It is known among locals as the surfing capital of the country, hosting both the National and Cloud 9 Surfing Cups every year. The latter competition is named for the most popular surf spot on the island, which is located in the East coast municipality of General Luna. During the rainy season between September and November, experienced surfers can enjoy waves between 8 and 12 feet (roughly 2.4 and 3.6 meters), although there are plenty of less intimidating spots for beginners as well like Jacking Horse in the South. There are also a large number of resorts on the island that offer surfing instruction at a variety of levels, as well as independently held surfing camps that run up to a week. If surfing isn’t quite your thing, Siargao is also home to the beautiful freshwater cave pools, waterfalls and white sand beaches where you can swim with non-stinging jellyfish and enjoy other water sports.

Tanaya Vohra

Tanaya is an undergraduate student pursuing a major in Public Health at the University of Chicago. She's lived in Asia, Europe and North America and wants to share her love of travel and exploring new cultures through her writing.

7 Breathtaking Waterfalls Around The World

From the tropical jungles of the Philippines to the glacial mountains of Iceland, these seven waterfalls are some of the most beautiful out there.

The Cascadas de Agua Azul, located in southern Mexico, are a series of waterfalls on the Xanil River. Claudia Tavani. CC BY-NC 2.0.

Every year, countless travelers visit the world’s tallest waterfalls, with Niagara Falls receiving over 13 million visitors alone. However, it is only one of hundreds of waterfalls in North America, and one of thousands worldwide. Hidden away in corners of South America, Europe, Africa and Asia are a multitude of other falls that display nature’s power and beauty. Waterfalls are divided into ten categories depending on their geographic surroundings and how they descend through them.  These include punchbowl waterfalls like the Kawasan Falls at number three on our list, horsetail waterfalls, chutes, cataracts, cascades like the one found at Akchour at number seven on our list and block waterfalls formed by wide rivers falling in uninterrupted sheets, to name a few. Here are seven incredible highlights that may not be the tallest or widest in the world, but are absolutely unmissable simply for their sheer beauty.

1. Plitvice Waterfalls, Croatia

Croatia’s Plitvicka Jezera National Park is home to a beautiful network of lakes and waterfalls. Jack Brauer. CC BY-SA 2.0.

Located in central Croatia between the country’s capital of Zagreb and the coastal city of Zadar, Plitvice Lakes National Park has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1979. Its protected area spans 300 square kilometers (roughly 115 square miles) and comprises a network of lakes and caves, which are connected by a series of breathtaking waterfalls. These can be viewed from the various footpaths and wooden bridges that traverse the park, or visitors can also enjoy a boat ride included in the price of the entrance ticket. Because of its protected status, the park is also home to bears, wolves and eagles among a whole host of wild animals.

2. Iguazu Falls, Argentinian-Brazilian Border

A birds eye view of one of the many waterfalls in Iguazu National Park, Argentina. Tomfriedel. CC BY 2.0.

The Iguazu Falls stretch for 2.7 kilometers (around 1.7 miles) along the border between the Misiones province in Western Argentina and the state of Paraná in Eastern Brazil. Altogether, the network makes up the largest system of waterfalls in the world, and was accordingly named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1984. Thanks to a longstanding preservation effort in the two national parks on either side of the border that share custody of the falls, a network of walkways and viewing platforms can bring visitors very close to the falls, including near the bottom in an area called “Devil’s Throat”. You can travel to the falls by car from both the Brazilian and Argentinian sides, as well as from the Ciudad del Este in Paraguay. 

3. Kawasan Falls, Cebu Island, Philippines

Kawasan Falls is hidden away in the jungles of Cebu Island, Philippines. Vicky Flip Flop. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

The Instagram famous turquoise waters of Kawasan Falls are reachable by a three-hour bus ride southwest of Cebu City in the Philippines. The tropical waterfall is accompanied by limestone canyons and a dense jungle, all of which surround the pools often referred to as the “Gatorade Factory” due to their incredible color. Located in the coastal municipality of Badian, visitors can hike the kilometer and a half (just under a mile) long route uphill to reach the first and largest of many waterfalls that make up the series. Those interested in spending more time in the area can even book cottages available for overnight stays, though most opt to simply rent bamboo rafts to explore the pools.

 4. Gullfoss, Iceland

Iceland is home to numerous waterfalls with the Gullfoss Waterfall being a favorite among locals. O Palsson. CC BY 2.0.

The Icelandic name Gullfoss translates into “golden falls” in English, a reference to the sediment in the Hvita River from the nearby glacier that causes this spectacular waterfall to glow gold in the Nordic sunlight. Located a 90-minute drive west of the capital of Reykjavik, the two cascades that form Gullfoss are not actually that tall, falling for a total of only 31 meters (roughly 102 feet). However, seeing the waterfall up close can still be a deafening experience with floods of water going over the edge at a rate of around 109 cubic meters (just under 50,000 cubic feet) per second. There aren’t any railings or barriers either, so it is up to visitors to keep a safe distance from the cliff’s edge.

5. Weeping Wall, Hawai’i, USA

Travelers can visit Hawai’i’s Weeping Wall located in the heart of Kauai Island. Ahonui Bowman. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

Hawai’i is well-known for its incredible natural beauty, and the Weeping Wall is one of many spectacular sites on the island of Kauai. The network consists of a series of extremely narrow waterfalls winding across the centrally located Mount Waialeale, which stands 1,569 meters (about 5,066 feet) tall. The mountain’s name translates from Hawaiian to “overflowing water”, given that this location is in fact the second wettest area on the planet, and receives just under 11.5 meters (just under 37.5 feet) of rain every year. Given the mountain’s height, visitors rarely get a view of the upper part of the falls as it is often hidden in the clouds, but watching the water tumble down through the tropical greenery is still an incredible sight to see.

6. Ban Gioc Waterfall, Vietnam

A view of the Ban Gioc Waterfalls from Cao Bang, Vietnam. Applejuice. CC BY-SA 2.0.

Located on the border between the Cao Bang province in Northern Vietnam and the Guang Xi province in Western China, the Ban Gioc falls are the largest waterfall network in Asia. The waterfall stretches over 30 (about 98 feet) across on the Chinese side where it is known to locals as the De Tian Waterfall instead. Ban Gioc cascades down over three tiers of lush greenery, feeding directly into the Quay Son River, which in fact runs along the China-Vietnam border. Traveling to the falls from the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi normally takes visitors about two days to complete, with an overnight stop in Cao Bang City to split up the six and a half hour drive. 

7. Cascades D’akchour, Morocco

The higher of the two waterfalls that make up Cascades D’akchour near Chefchaouen, Morocco. Culture Trekking. CC BY-ND 2.0.

The Cascades D’akchour are tucked in amongst the Rif Mountains, the northernmost chain in Morocco. Reachable via a 45-minute drive from the famed “blue city” of Chefchaouen, visitors can enjoy a mountainous trek connecting several smaller waterfalls before arriving at the final cascade whose upper section tumbles down 100 meters of rock face (roughly 328 feet) into a collecting pool. The lower cascade, on the other hand, stands at a much smaller 20 meters tall (just under 66 feet) but also features a natural swimming pool just upstream of its descent over the cliff. For those interested in exploring even further, another hour and a half of hiking can bring you to the Pont de Dieu or Bridge of God, a naturally formed rock bridge carved out of the mountain by the Farda River.

Tanaya Vohra

Tanaya is an undergraduate student pursuing a major in Public Health at the University of Chicago. She's lived in Asia, Europe and North America and wants to share her love of travel and exploring new cultures through her writing.

Daring Divers: The Superhuman Bajau People of Southeast Asia 

Mastering the seas has long been a task attempted by many seafaring cultures around the world. The Bajau people, however, seem to command the ocean with an unmatched talent. 

Bajau people. johnjodeery. CC BY 2.0.

Wandering the Sulu Sea off the coast of the Philippines, the Bajau people spent the last 1,000 years accumulating an impressive track record for their seafaring ways. Often referred to as “sea nomads” or “sea gypsies,” the Bajau people live almost entirely on houseboats, and only return to land to bury their dead, trade, construct their houseboats, and wait out sea storms. This ethnic group sails the waters around Indonesia and Malaysia as well, which are highly congested with piracy; the Bajau people usually flee from attack instead of choosing combat. Because they live solely on the waters, the ethnic group does not have any official affiliation with neighboring countries. 

Houseboat of the Bajau people. Yanajin33. CC BY-SA 4.0.

The exact origins of the Bajau people are unknown, but it is presumed that they are of a Malay background. Most of their known background is contained in oral history, with much of it being unraveled through folklore. One story of their origin recounts the tale of a man named Bajau who was known to displace the water in rivers using his body mass. It is told that villagers then followed him to easily collect the fish that were left behind. Envy of his people’s large fish hauls raged among neighboring tribes, but all attempts to kill Bajau were unsuccessful. His people then thrived and became the rulers of the oceans that they are today. 

Bajau children. Education Projects for Children in Sabah. CC BY 2.0.

The Bajau people are famous for their incredible fishing expertise, with specific mastery of diving. Researchers have observed Bajau divers reaching depths of over 230 feet and remaining underwater for several minutes at a time. Yet, the most surprising aspect of their expertise is that it is completely unaided; the Bajau people do not use wetsuits or advanced diving technology. They rely solely on wooden goggles and makeshift spears, but display unparalleled precision in spearfishing. Master divers spend about five hours a day underwater and catch almost 20 pounds of fish and other elusive marine life. 

Although most of the Bajau people’s skill comes from endless hours of practice, scientists have found that their bodies adapted to their active lifestyle. The Bajau people are found to have spleens larger than the average human, which researchers conclude is due to their long diving hours. The spleen stores red blood cells needed in oxygen retention, so larger spleens correlate positively with intense diving. Other studies have found that they also possess different variants of genes that assist in long dives, such as that of BDKRB2 which is linked to the rate in which oxygen spreads throughout the body. 

Little can be traced of the origins of the Bajau people, but they surely hold a steady future in being uncontested overlords of the oceans.

Ella Nguyen

is an undergraduate student at Vassar College pursuing a degree in Hispanic Studies. She wants to assist in the field of immigration law and hopes to utilize Spanish in her future projects. In her free time she enjoys cooking, writing poetry, and learning about cosmetics.

President Duterte Calls to Revive the Death Penalty

The president of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, requested to revive the death penalty a few days ago, solely for drug-related crimes.

HIgh level drug offenders could go from prison to the death penalty, if Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte’s call to revive it is sucessful. Jody Davis. CC0.

Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte asked Congress to revive the death penalty for drug-related crimes on July 22, during his State of the Nation Address (SONA).

Speaking before a joint session of Congress, he first brought up the revival as the first priority legislative measure in his fourth Address, according to Rappler. His party, PDP-Laban, currently has a supermajority in the House of Representatives. He mentioned the 5-month siege that evolved between the state and extremists after terrorists held onto drugs in Marawi in May 2017, citing it as a prime example as to why further action and harsher actions were and are necessary.

Duterte’s war on drugs has been ongoing since his candidacy in 2016. He has been calling for the reinstatement of the death penalty for the same length of time. He also requested capital punishment in his 2017 SONA.

Senator Ronald dela Rosa, a trusted aide to the president, won his senatorial election in 2019 on a single promise: to bring back the death penalty for drug-related crimes.

Duterte also effectively began a war on corruption in Filipino society. On July 19, three dozen of Duterte’s critics were charged with sedition and cyber libel after a series of anonymous videos that accuse the president and his family of having monetary links to the illegal drug trade, according to Newsweek. 

Amnesty International believes the call will only increase the country’s environment of exemption from punishment during the continuous war on drugs.

However, Senate President Vicente Sotto III believes that restricting the reinstatemnt of capital punishment to high-level offenders would be more likely to pass in the Senate. He also mentioned this bill would be among the first to be discussed. Two years ago, the House of Representatives passed a measure for the death penalty for crimes related to drugs.

“The state of our nation is a state of mourning. We should not be burying our children amid deadly and ill-conceived police raids,” said Butch Olano, Section Director for Amnesty International Philippines, according to Amnesty International.

There has been one conviction of police officers, for the killing of a 17-year-old boy. During a police operation in late June 2019, a three-year-old girl and a police officer were killed. The girl’s mother and the government both have different stories about the operation. Overall, so far the Philippine government has noted at least 6,000 killings at the hands of police officers. Amnesty International has found that there are many more unlawful killings, likely done by armed people with ties to the police.

Olano says that, despite being told to file cases before the courts if they feel there has been an unlawful death or that the police have acted illegally, many families are too afraid to speak up. There are also the problems of costs or being unable to secure evidence or the police reports.

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights is meant to deliver a report in June 2020 on the state of human rights in the Philippines. President Duterte’s remarks didn’t commit to assisting with this report, which was requested last month in a resolution by the UN Human Rights Council, particularly since Duterte has been accused of human rights abuses. 

Duterte has been battling against drugs since before he was elected in 2016. Requesting the revival of the death penalty for drug-related crimes may be extreme, but it isn’t terribly unexpected from this president. If this request passes, Duterte’s war on society’s corruption will most likely increase, as he will have already have gained one victory. Amnesty International’s prediction also seems likely of coming true. However, if this request isn’t passed, it’ll be a blow to Duterte’s war on drugs. The war itself will continue, but this particular battle won’t. The human rights report will be written throughout this year and next, regardless of what happens with the death penalty. President Duterte is already under investigation, though the Philippines will become an even more dangerous place if the death penalty is passed in any form.






NOEMI ARELLANO-SUMMER is a journalist and writer living in Boston, MA. She is a voracious reader and has a fondness for history and art. She is currently at work on her first novel and wants to eventually take a trip across Europe.