Philippines

Bohol offers independent travellers a wealth of options both on and off the beaten track. This island province is promoted almost exclusively through images of cute bug-eyed tarsiers and the majestic Chocolate Hills, but there's much more to experience. Offshore there's superb diving, and when you throw in jungle-fringed rivers perfect for kayaking and paddle-boarding and pristine white-sand beaches it's easy to understand the Bohol appeal.

The area around Davao is ripe for adventures, from climbing Mt Apo and hiking opportunities in the Compostela Valley to exploring the long coastline, both north and south of the city, plus several offshore islands. It sees few foreign travellers, but does get more than its fair share of weekending Davaoeños. Lake Sebu is an out-of-the-way spot to experience tribal cultures and savour the beauty of the countryside. Wherever you travel in the region, roadside stands are piled high with distinctive fruits such as marang, mangosteen, rhambutan, lanzones, doco (a variety of the latter) and, of course, durian (there are more than eight varieties available), not to mention more ordinary fruits (bananas, pineapples and papayas are farmed on an industrial scale).

Tiny Sabang has a beautiful, wind-lashed beach, huge tracts of pristine jungle and a famous underground river that draws van loads of day-tripping tourists from Puerto Princesa. While the underground river is certainly worth doing, Sabang's main appeal lies in its wild setting. The surrounding rainforest is part of the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park and offers world-class hiking and birdwatching.

For most visitors to the Philippines, Panay is the island they land on in order to get to the famous White Beach on Boracay. But what does Panay have to offer? Think of it as distinct provinces, as the locals do. In the northwest, Aklan Province (which includes Boracay) is best known for hosting the amazing Ati-Atihan Festival in its capital, Kalibo. Northeast, Capiz Province, has long been known for the fishponds dotting its capital, Roxas, and for the seafood on nearby Baybay Beach. Antique, on the west coast, is the least developed province, making exploration doubly interesting; ecotourism is taking hold among its lovely mountains and crystal-clear rivers. Iloilo Province, to the east, has the most sophisticated city on Panay, and also the nearby island of Guimaras, with aquamarine waters and mango farms. All this can be stitched together by circumnavigating Panay on its excellent road network.

This was Typhoon Yolanda's “ground zero”. Tacloban took a direct hit on 8 November 2013, when the mother-of-all tropical storms destroyed the city. Yet as you walk through Tacloban's streets today, it's impossible to imagine the apocalyptic scenes on that fateful morning. The center has been fixed up, hotels have been repaired and there's even a degree of cafe culture evident. Tacloban's bars are again filled with local drinkers instead of relief workers. Yes, the city has resumed its role as the commercial heart of both Leyte and Samar.

Surfers, look no further. Most travelers heading here are bound for barangay Urbiztondo in San Juan, a beach town 4mi (6km) north of San Fernando that gets the country’s most consistent waves from November to March. During the season a legion of bronzed instructors offer beginners some of the world’s cheapest surf lessons on perfect learners’ waves.

Southeast Luzon is one of the more overlooked parts of the Philippines, but those travelers who do make it here will find a wildly varied and unusual part of the country, where you're likely to encounter anything from creatures of the deep (in Donsol and Ticao) to Easter-time Romans and self-flagellation (Marinduque), cowboys rounding up both steers and crabs (Masbate), and Survivor locations (Caramoan peninsula).

Approaching Coron Town proper from the water, it’s not uncommon to wonder whether the long journey was worth it. There’s no beach and the waterfront is a mishmash of half-done buildings and ramshackle houses. But Busuanga's commercial center shouldn’t be judged by appearances alone, for it is but a gateway to other adventures in and around Coron Bay and the heavenly Calamian Islands.

This is the Philippine's upland, pine-clad retreat from the heat and dust of the lowlands, albeit not a very tranquil one. Baguio (bah-gee-oh) is a university town that boasts one of the Philippines’ largest student populations (250,000) and is also a crossroads between hill tribe culture and lowland settlers. For most travelers, Baguio serves as the primary gateway to backpacker bliss up north in Sagada, Banaue and Kalinga.

To many travellers, North Luzon is simply the Cordillera. These spiny mountains, which top out at around 2900m, are beloved, worshipped and feared in equal doses by those who witness them and those who live among them.