The Philippines

Exclusive guide to the best holiday destinations in The Philippines, independent reviews from award-winning travel writers

Whale Shark from above

Swimming With Whale Sharks In Bicol

Whale sharks are the largest fish in the sea and Donsol, in Bicol, is one of the few places in the world where sightings are guaranteed. Rupert Parker goes swimming with them.

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Walking Batad Rice Terraces

Banaue Rice Terraces

Now a UNESCO Heritage site, the Banaue Rice Terraces, in the mountains of Northern Luzon, are said to have been built around 2000 years ago by the ancestors of the Ifugao, the indigenous people, who still live here.  Rupert Parker sets out to take a look.

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Fairmont Hotel Makati Guest Room

Fairmont Hotel Makati

Andy Mossack reviews the Fairmont Hotel Makati in Manila

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Corregidor Island

Corregidor Island is a must see for anyone visiting Manila with at least a passing interest in WW2 history. Just a short ferry ride from The Philippines capital, Corregidor Island is essentially an outdoor museum to one of the most famous battlegrounds in the Pacific, a strategically important island because of its position at the mouth of Manila Bay, it was brutally fought over by the American and Filipino forces against the Japanese invaders from 1942 to 1945.

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Club Intramuros Golf Course

Considering Intramuros is a colonial Spanish city in the heart of Manila in The Philippines you could be forgiven for thinking Club Intramuros Golf Course is perhaps over 500 years old. After all it is built within the original moat of the huge fortified walls, which by the way, provide a colossal hazard if you end up needing to hit one around an ancient corner or two.

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