Philippines

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.

The tiny island of Pamilacan, adrift in the Bohol Sea about 23km east of Balicasag, is cetacean central, its rich waters supporting marine megafauna including whales and dolphins, manta rays and sharks. Islanders have always lived off the sea, hunting whales until the ban in 1992, then targeting sharks and rays. In 1993 Sulliman University recorded 30 whale sharks landing in Pamilacan in just 44 days. If you visited the island in the mid-1990s, lanes would be full of shark and manta meat drying in the sun. Finally, in 1998, whale shark and manta hunting were officially banned.

For most Filipinos, Siquijor is a mysterious other-world of witchcraft and the unknown. True, this tiny island province is famous for its mountain-dwelling mangkukulam (healers) who brew traditional ointments for modern ailments. But these days Siquijor's most popular healing practice involves a cocktail and a deck chair at any number of its laid-back and wonderfully affordable beach resorts. Attractions include great diving, waterfalls, caves and forest walks in the hilly interior. Just about everywhere on Siquijor is great for snorkelling – find the nearest beach and dive in. Like many beaches in the Visayas, swimming is only possible during high tide, and wearing thongs (flip-flops) is recommended as protection against sea urchins.

Just a few hours’ travel from Manila, this gorgeous collection of bays and islands is one of the country’s top dive destinations. Puerto Galera is Spanish for “port of the galleons”. Its deep natural harbor, sheltered on all sides, was a favored anchorage well before the Spanish arrived in 1572, and today it remains a favored anchorage for long-term yachties and short-term vacationers.

One of the oldest towns in the Philippines, Vigan is a Spanish Colonial fairy tale of dark-wood mansions, cobblestone streets and clattering kalesa (horse-drawn carriages). In fact, it is the finest surviving example of a Spanish Colonial town in Asia and a Unesco World Heritage site. But outside of well-restored Crisologo St (closed to vehicular traffic) and a few surrounding blocks, it’s also a noisy Filipino town like many others. In the places where history feels alive, you can smell the aroma of freshly baked empanadas wafting past antique shops, explore pottery collectives and watch sunlight flicker off capiz-shell windows.

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.

Panay's largest city is just right. It's big enough to offer a scaled-down version of the urban comforts you get in Manila, yet small enough to remain accessible and down-to-earth. Ilonggo, the people of Iloilo, are rightfully proud and connected to their city's past and invested in its future. Come here for fascinating history, buoyant nightlife and a side trip to rural Guimaras island.

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.

Those looking for the perfect beach destination will love Bantayan Island. Its blinding white-sand beaches are some of Cebu's very best and the island's mellow, easygoing vibe is highly seductive. With little traffic, it's a wonderful place to explore by scooter – circumnavigating the coastline makes a fine day out. Offshore there's a blissful tropical islet, deservedly popular as a day-trip destination. However, Bantayan does not have any rewarding dive sites and the snorkelling is pretty limited too.

Walking the crowded, student-laden downtown streets of Cagayan de Oro (the “Oro” refers to the gold discovered by the Spanish in the river here), not only do you move faster than traffic, but you also pick up on the energy of youth. Otherwise, it's a mostly ordinary expanding Filipino city with a strong culinary scene.