Wanderworld

Being a beach bum that I am, the beach is my #1 go-to place for a vacation. Fortunately for me, my country (that’s right, the Philippines) is blessed with numerous beautiful white sand beaches which make perfect places for a holiday.

Over the years, I’ve explored various famous Philippine beach destinations and I’ve come across a number of extraordinarily beautiful ones. Here are some of them. Please note though that I consider a beach “beautiful” based on its color (read: striking and vivid; I hate pale seas), the quality of the sand, and the clarity of the water. The marine life is just a bonus for me 😉

Top 7: Patar Beach, Bolinao, Pangasinan

This is where I celebrated my birthday back in 2010. Though this is a typical public beach where beachgoers are mostly from the town itself and where videoke (or loud karaoke) while drinking is a popular activity, the beach’s beauty is not typical at all.

I loved its soft, fine sand (though not powder fine compared to others), the kind where your feet sink as you walk along. The beach’s color was also vivid enough for me, though the water has a lot of seaweeds which is sort of a hassle when swimming.

The backdrop of the Bolinao light house is a nice bonus too as well as the huge beach area. Of course, the fact that it’s cheap to go to is the best part; you only have to rent a cottage for a minimal fee and you can already enjoy the beach. It’s a waaay better alternative to the popular (and expensive!) resort in town, Puerto del Sol, which has more of a black sand than white.

Top 6: Anguib Beach, Palaui Island, Sta, Ana, Cagayan

Finally got to visit this place last year in April, after I’ve been meaning to for so long. Perfect timing too because we got there just a few days before the place was closed for the shooting of US Survivor. That said, this beach is becoming more and more popular as it was named CNN’s #10 Best Beach in the World.

What’s special about this place? It’s basically untouched, with just one resort in the area, which probably didn’t even exist until two years ago. The beach is huge too, though it’s divided into 2 areas: the not-so-pretty one with only Php20 entrance fee and the beautiful one, with an entrance fee of Php500 per person, including a meal.

I loved the serenity of the place; only few people were there during our visit, probably because it’s not as popular as the other beaches in the country. The color of the beach is very relaxing too — soft turquoise with hints of dark blue, matched with cream, fine sand.

The only catch here: If you refuse to shell out Php500 per person, you’re only allowed to stay in the not-so-pretty part with mossy green water. If you attempt to swim or even take pictures in the beautiful part, someone from the resort would approach you and ask you to transfer to the other side. 😦

Top 5: Nacpan Beach, El Nido

El Nido is a very popular Philippine tourist destination because of its extraordinary white sand beaches. And indeed, Nacpan beach is one of them. This was the saving grace for me in my El Nido trip just last November 2013, mainly because I wasn’t impressed much with the islands we visited during the island hopping (Note: this was probably due to the unpredictable weather, limited time and high expectations & comparison w/ Coron islands :D).

I was in awe when I saw the beach that I couldn’t stop taking pictures even while I was still inside the van. The beach seemed to go on forever — it was a loooong stretch of cream sand glistening under the sun and striking deep blue waters, with lighter shades in the shallow part. The best part about it? It’s pristine; with only few people there, it’s as if we owned the place.

The catch: Not all people would want to swim here because it’s not as calm compared to others. The tolerable, mild waves during the morning got stronger in the late afternoon, which somehow made it exhausting to swim :p

The deal breaker: There are sea lice in the water late in the day, so you really can’t take a dip without suffering stinging sensations every now and then. It’s probably best to get there early in the morning until noon and then transfer to other beaches like Marimegmeg.

Top 4: Calaguas Island, Camarines Norte

Another virgin beach that’s quickly becoming popular among tourists, Calaguas Island is often compared to Boracay because of its beauty and fine white sand. In fact, I know a number of people who actually think it’s more beautiful than the ever-famous Boracay.

True enough, its fine white sand is just like Boracay’s, except that it’s actually softer. Even from afar, while you’re still in the boat, you’d see the beautiful and clear turquoise waters of the beach. At the farther side of the beach, there’s an area filled with huge rocks which you can climb for a dose of adventure as well as amazing views. Right next to the rock formations is a “hidden beach” which is also ideal for photo ops.

Another catch: While most people who come here do so to enjoy the serenity of the place (like me), some people are quickly transforming it to be just like Boracay, a party beach. There’s actually a travel group that sets up a mobile bar here so instead of enjoying the sound of waves during the night, you’ll hear blasting club music and drunk party people as you try to sleep. In some parts of the beach you’ll find acoustic performers too.

Top 3: Club Paradise beach, Coron, Palawan

One of the top (and somehow expensive) resorts in Coron, Club Paradise boasts a stunning beachfront, also with clear turquoise waters. The beach may be actually just at par with Calaguas Island, but I chose it as my top 3 mainly because of convenience. This resort is in an exclusive spot in Coron, which means that you only share the beach with fellow tourists who are booked in the resort.

The beach faces a line of mountains, so it’s somehow cold in the area and there are hardly waves. Just like in Calaguas and Bolinao, the fine white sand here is soft, so your feet sink as you walk along. As you swim, you might encounter little fishes too. Of course, matching the striking beach are the exceptional amenities of the resort including a swimming pool, delicious buffet dinners, the bar, and huge rooms with humongous bathrooms. (no, I’m not exaggerating) 😀

The catch: Since it’s in a different area in Coron, it’s far from the town’s tourist attractions, which means expensive rates for tours as well as food. Also, during our stay we encountered sea lice at a certain area of the beach, though we were warned by the staff about it.

Top 2: Banana Island, Coron, Palawan

Though small, Banana Island will easily captivate you with its stunning colors and rich marine life. This is one of the few beaches that I’ve seen that has the perfect color that I want — it flaunts pale blue waters from the shore, turquoise in the middle, and deep blue in the farthest section of the beach. Its sand may not be as fine though, since most of it are peppered with little seashells.

What’s so amazing here though is the school of colorful fishes you’ll find even near the shore. They’re so many and they’re basically just floating there for you to see and feed; you won’t even need to wear goggles or a snorkel mask to see them. If you hand out a piece of bread above the water, they’ll all come for it, and you can easily take pictures of so many of them even just by standing in the water. 😀

The catch: Besides its small size, there are also no resorts here, so you can just reach it through an island hopping tour. Otherwise, it’s perfect. ❤

Top 1: Boracay Island, Aklan

Known practically everywhere as one of the most beautiful beaches in the Philippines, Boracay Island is still at the top of my list. Though I’ve seen a lot of beaches that can compare to its beauty, I can never fully explain why I’m so mesmerized with this island.

I fell in love with the beach the first time I saw it, in spite of my many negative perceptions on it before I actually set foot on the island. Boracay’s waters is simply enigmatic. It was the first beach I saw that had three colors which become even more mesmerizing when the sun is at its brightest. Its sand is one of the finest I’ve seen; too fine in fact that they stick together like white cement, which is probably why it’s not soft like those in other beaches.

Though I’m not a fan of party beaches, Boracay is that one exception I’d make simply because of its beauty.  Of course, the fun and exciting activities here such as helmet diving/reef walking and parasailing are nice bonuses too.

The catch: Because it’s extremely popular, it’s packed almost throughout the year, which means you’d have to share the beach as well as the sand with a lot of other tourists. I believe it’s best to avoid it during summer.

Besides the thick crowd, rates are more expensive during summer and the beach is not that pretty too; the water tends to be mossy during the season. I especially enjoy going there on the first to second week of December when there’s less crowd and parties. (A little trivia for you: since I’ve been to Boracay and fell in love with it, I’ve been going there in December every year. I only failed to do so two times. That’s how addictive this beach is.)

For your reference, other beaches I’ve been to that did not make this list but are worth mentioning are Malcapuya Island in Coron, Blue Lagoon Beach in Pagudpud, Matukad and Honongan Islands in Caramoan, and Bohol Beach Club in Bohol.

How about you? What are your top Philippine beaches?