Looking for your next adventure? šš These breathtaking destinations are definitely worth bumping to the top of your travel bucket list.
There are so many amazing places around the globe to see, we couldnāt possibly include them all in just one list. But, our editorsā top picks will have you discovering new trails, tasting local foods, and spotting vibrant wildlife around the world.
2. PHILIPPINES
In every family, thereās always an odd one outāand in the clan of Asia-Pacific nations, that member would be theĀ Philippines. This nation ofĀ 7,107 islands (about 2,000 inhabited) began as a loose grouping of Indo-Malay tribes, which endured nearly 400 years of Spanish rule, then 48 years as a U.S. territory. Today the Philippines is a mix of tribal pride, Catholic fervor, American pop-culture savvy, and tropical affability.
Most visitors donāt linger in the muggy, traffic-clogged capital, Manila, but you should explore at least one of the Spanish churches in the old, walled center of Intramuros and stroll around Manila Bay at sunset.
Then head to some of the thousands of beaches, from the pink sands of Great Santa Cruz Island to the black sands of Albay. Divers off Palawan, Apo, and Siargao islands delight in hundreds of coral and fish species. On the southern isle of Mindanao, more than 1,300 land speciesāincluding the endangered Philippine eagleāreside in Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary, which recently joined northern Luzonās rice terraces as a World Heritage site.
If the Philippines is that quirky member of the family, it also is the one that always invites you over for dinner, a uniquely Filipino fusion experience that intermingles salty, sour, and savory flavors.
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