Key Tourist Destinations

The Philippines is a diverse country with a high level of species endemism, with prized fauna like the Philippine eagle, tarsier, and a handful of marine life.

Its key destinations are protected areas and national parks, such as Palawan's Subterranean River National Park, Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, and Mount Apo National Park, which showcase the country’s natural topography and flora.

Marine and coastal ecosystems and wildlife sanctuaries are popular destinations, with tourists visiting Apo Island, Tubbataha Reefs, and the Philippine Eagle Center.

Community-based ecotourism is another popular travel theme, with tourists taking guided tours, participating in community activities, and bunking with homestays.

Current Tourism Trends & Challenges

Unfortunately, overdevelopment and commercialization are a top concern within the Philippines’ tourism industry. Balancing the need for infrastructure and visitor facilities with environmental conservation has led to habitat loss and harm to delicate ecosystems.

Further environmental degradation and increased waste result from over-tourism, particularly in places with limited carrying capacity. With a lack of regulation and enforcement, local communities often fall victim to these consequences and struggle to recover.

Cultural insensitivities are also not uncommon, harming heritage sites and indigenous communities.

Sustainability and Conservation

The Philippines is rife with marine ecosystems and endangered species. Tour operators in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) provide visitors with information and educational programs regarding preservation efforts and volunteer opportunities.

Snorkeling and diving tours are becoming increasingly sustainable, with instructors being more meticulous about interacting with the wildlife.

Community Engagement and Empowerment

Cultural immersions are familiar to backpackers. They often share meals with locals or participate in local activities in tourism hotspots like Buscalan, Sagada, and Banaue.

Many of these cultural immersion tours expose tourists to experiences like traditional dances, rituals, and storytelling to provide context for a specific region’s history.

Choose Responsible Tour Operators

Ensure your tour operators are DOT-accredited. When shortlisting tour operators, don’t hesitate to ask questions—a reliable and responsible group should be able to provide information regarding their sustainability practices, licenses, and certifications.

Support Local Businesses

Patronize local businesses as much as possible. If you’re on a culinary expedition, eat at locally-owned restaurants. For visitors with adventurous palettes, try street food stalls—the Philippines has some of the best street food in Asia.

Skip the luxuries and purchase handicrafts made by local artisans. Chances are your luggage will be full of beautiful and authentic pieces.

Respect Local Customs and Traditions

The Philippines is a cultural melting pot rife with nuances. It’ll pay to research Filipino customs and traditions, especially if you opt for a homestay.

Should you plan to document your immersion, ask for permission before taking photographs and videos.

When visiting religious sites, dress modestly, covering your shoulders and knees and removing your shoes whenever necessary.

Leave No Trace

Filipinos are no strangers to CLAYGO (clean as you go), which should apply to natural tourist destinations. Some locations, such as the Pink Beach in Zamboanga, enforce fines and even jail time for travelers who litter.

Choose Eco-Friendly Transportation

The occasional flight or road trip is unavoidable when traveling in the Philippines. However, walking or biking can reduce your carbon footprint within your destination. Intramuros, Cebu, and Boracay are just a few Philippine biking hotspots that offer scenic routes.

Use Environmentally Friendly Travel Products

You never know how much of an impact sustainable products can be on your country tour. Chemicals in sunblock and insect repellent can harm sea and forest life. Something as simple as shopping for all-natural products means you’re fulfilling your role as a responsible tourist.

Consider using shampoo bars to avoid plastic waste. Use water-repellent towels to prevent sand from sticking to your beach bag on the way home.

Green Fins Philippines

Green Fins aims to regulate tourist activities like marine tourism and is a proven conservation management approach. It promotes sustainable diving and snorkeling to protect the country’s most valued coral reefs, providing the only internationally recognized environmental standards for marine tourism.

World Wildlife Fund for Nature PH (WWF PH)

The Philippine faction of WWF functions upon four focuses: food, climate, wildlife, and water. It aims to counter ecological deficits by safeguarding natural resources. Its climate change initiatives promote low-carbon and climate-smart development, responding to extreme weather events and inspiring volunteer-led activities like Earth Hour.

Save the Philippine Seas (SPS)

SPS is a movement advocating for the Philippine seas and its species, including the beloved Cebu thresher shark. It helped develop the country’s first shark and ray sanctuary on Gato Island, installing mooring buoys to demarcate marine protected areas. SPS also hosts Sea Camp, an intensive environmental education program for youths.

Harbion Foundation

Haribon is a non-governmental organization that focuses on biodiversity conservation. It engages in various forest and marine conservation projects, working towards sustainable ecosystems that support responsible tourism. As its title suggests, Haribon protects Philippine birds, hosting birdwatching sessions to impart an appreciation for national species like the Philippine Eagle.

Puerto Princesa Underground River Tour

Palawan is a natural haven with a mountain-to-sea ecosystem added to UNESCO’s New 7 Wonders of Nature list. The Puerto Princesa Underground River Tour is one of the top activities in Puerto Princesa, taking guests through limestone formations and caves filled with bats. Guests will also come face-to-face with 15 endemic bird species, one of which is the famed Palawan hornbill.

Masungi Georeserve Hike

Not only is the Masungi Georeserve Hike a popular destination near Manila, but it is also among the top eco parks in the country. It’s lush with rainforest and houses over 400 species of animals. Some animals are exclusive to the georeserve, such as a subspecies of micro snail.

Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park Diving

Should you find yourself visiting the Sulu Sea, the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park is one of the best places to visit. It spans over 97,000 hectares and is home to 360 coral species and 700 fish species.

Batad Rice Terraces

Located in Banaue, the Batad Rice Terraces has a history of over 2,000 years. Here, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of how tribes in the Philippine highlands plant and harvest rice and develop an immense appreciation for the country’s food ecosystem.

Danjugan Island Sanctuary Sustainability Camp

The Danjugan Island Sanctuary Sustainability Camp is located in Negros Occidental and is home to seven ecosystems rife with fish, butterflies, bats, and birds. Visitors booking tours in this area can enjoy various activities, such as snorkeling, trekking, kayaking, skin diving, and birdwatching.

Forest and Folklore Subic Bay Freeport Eco Tour

Just a hop and skip away from Metro Manila is the Subic Bay Freeport, an area hosting the last 3% of rainforests in the entire country. During the 45 to 60-minute eco hike, guests will see natural pools, waterfalls, and small farms. Depending on when you visit, you can experience drinking water from the vines and even tasting insects.

Las Pinas Paranaque Wetland Park Eco Tour

If you’re looking for an accessible eco-friendly experience within the city, the Las Pinas Paranaque Wetland Park Eco Tour belongs on your list of to-dos. This park is lush with mangroves, lagoons, ponds, and mixed beach forests that will make it hard to believe you’re not out of Metro Manila. It’s also a temporary home to about 41 migratory bird species from Japan and Siberia—you never know what you’ll see!

Iloilo City Carbon Offset Tour

Iloilo City is among one of the most sustainable in the country, and the Carbon Offset Tour will explain why. On this tour, guests will visit the Calle Real while counterbalancing their carbon emissions. Guides from Sustainable Travel International will explain the city’s carbon-reducing initiatives and guests will receive a carbon offset certificate to verify that proceeds from the tour tickets will be used to invest in sustainability projects.