With fine white sand and resorts, Boracay island in the central Philippines has been popular among tourists from all over the world. But due to the degrading state of its environment, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the island’s closure. Boracay is now under a six-month rehabilitation program upon the recommendation of the country’s environment, tourism, and interior and local government departments. Duterte described the island as a “cesspool” due to the poor sewage management of businesses there. While tourists will not be able to visit the popular Travel spot for the next few months, the country has plenty of other beautiful beaches to choose from.

Reports by Traveling Up and The Poor Traveler provided information used in this article. Below are three travel destinations you should include on your list.

Puerto Princesa in Palawan

Puerto Princesa in the western part of the Philippines is the cleanest and greenest city in the country. The coastal city is home to several resorts and beaches such as Nagtabon and Talaudyong in the mainland. You can also go on an island hopping and visit several white-sand beaches along Honda Bay. There is Starfish Island, aptly named for having a large population of starfishes; Luli Island, which disappears during high tide and reappears at low tide; and Cowrie Island, which has pavilions, cabanas, and spa huts.

Other than enjoying a relaxing swim at the beach, there are plenty of activities to do in Puerto Princesa. You can take a boat trip to the Underground River, one of the Seven Wonders of the World and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s an eight-kilometer-long subterranean river with massive limestone caves. You can also enjoy water sports activities such as diving, snorkeling, kitesurfing, jet skiing, parasailing and more.

Zambales

Located in the central region in Luzon, Zambales also boasts of several beaches. One of which is the Anawangin Cove. Its beach is strewn with volcanic ash from Mt. Pinatubo, with sea pine trees along the shore. It has become a favorite camping site among tourists over the past years. Nagsasa Cove also has volcanic ash beach and a forest of sea pine trees.

It is less crowded than Anawangin, and it has a hill that provides visitors a natural viewpoint of the area. If you like surfing, Liwliwa Beach and Crystal Beach are the perfect spots. They don’t get too crowded and you can feel like you have the beach all for yourself.

Batangas

South of Metro Manila, the province of Batangas also has several beaches that attract tourists, both local and foreign. There’s Anilao, which is a popular diving site, Masasa, which is frequented for a day trip because there are no resorts there; and Nasugbu, where you can find the Fortune Island whose prominent features include Greek-like columns from a private rest house ruins. Aside from these mainstream beaches, one hidden gem in Batangas is the beach at Barangay Sampaguita in Bauan.

There are a few resorts there, such as the Batong Buhangin Beach Resort, which is budget-friendly. The beach has white sands and the water is very clear. It is also a perfect spot for those who just want a laidback vacation, as the place is quiet and rarely gets crowded.
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