Bohol

The Bohol archipelago is a popular spot on the radar of world travellers, mainly due to the small but perfectly formed Panglao Island that juts out of the main chunk of Bohol Island on its south-western edge. This veritable diving mecca is famed for the shining sands of Alona Beach, not to mention some of the best underwater visibility this side of Boracay. That said, this cluster of majestic, jungle-clad islands and cays in the very heart of the Central Visayas have plenty more to offer. In its middle, the otherworldly contours of the Chocolate Hills bump up above the canopies (a curious geological phenomena that’s still not been deciphered), while in Corella, the wonderfully bug eyed Tarsiers that serve as brand ambassadors for the island (and were also the inspiration behind the look of ET!) can be spied out in their natural habitat. Adventure sports are available aplenty at the Danao Park, as are waterfalls and white pristine beaches dotting all corners of the islands. Meanwhile, Spanish watchtowers and the crumbling remnants of historic European churches pepper the countryside here too, and Bohol tour guides offer everything from sea kayaking and cave explorations to dolphin-spotting around the coast, making for a fascinating, well-rounded destination.