Valerie Caulin

The Philippines is gifted with many white-sand beaches which made this country a favorite holiday destination among tourists. But even the locals patronize their own beaches with its cool and clear waters.

I have traveled many places and I am proud of what our beaches in the Philippines has to offer. My list is based on my personal judgment ( and I think most of you will agree) and I only include beaches that I personally have visited.

There are some beaches that I have been to that is not included in my list like Bohol ( sorry) since we went there on a very stormy day and I didn’t have a nice time. Likewise, there are some beautiful beaches that I’m still longing to visit like in Palawan and Dakak.

So, here are my top five favorite beaches.

1. Antulang Beach Resort

Never heard of this place? Frankly speaking, only few people have been here and this place speaks of luxury holidays. Room rates are way higher than other resorts and the location is quite far. And because of this, Antulang Beach Resort is the favorite place among Filipino celebrities.

On my case, I have been to this place thrice and I still long to visit the beach once again. It is located an hour from Dumaguete City in Negros Occidental, the best place to get there is to have your own car hire since the resort is far from the main road.

What I love about this beach is their location and privacy. The beach is very private and you can just soak up in the sun all-day. Plus, the staff are very friendly and they are really sincere in their service.

2. White Island Camiguin

Camiguin is an hour and a half ferry ride from Cagayan de Oro City in Mindanao. If you are based in Cebu City, you can take an overnight trip in a ship to Camiguin Island. This island is known as the island ” born from fire” referring to its volcanic origin.

Hence, the beaches in the main island is rocky with some small pebbles but the famous ones is Mantigue Island and White Island which are located off the shore of the main island.

The White Island is very small and you have to hire a small banca ( small fishing boat) to bring you to the island.  You will feel like a cast away once you are there, you are in the middle of the sea. But the island is pure white sand and the waters are very clear.

3. Guimaras Island

This small island is famous for producing the sweetest mango in the country and suffered an oil-spill many years ago. But this island has a very nice beach if you dont have the time to go to Boracay. The easiest way to get here is to take a boat from Iloilo City for about 45 minutes and hire a local jeepney or motorcycle to the nearest beach.

The most famous is Raymen’s Beach Resort which is 40 minutes from the port of Guimaras Island ( Jordan port). The beach is very small but it is not crowded given its white sand and clear waters. Plus, staying in this resort is very cheap and there are boat trips available if you want to visit other islets.

4. Boracay

Maybe you are already raising your eyebrow, why I placed this paradise island on the 4th place. Well, based on my personal criteria, I love beaches

that are less crowded and Boracay over the years became a “mass tourist spot”. There are many times that the place is too crowded and it is very noisy with all the bars and discotheques around.

Still, I cannot deny the beauty of this island. The sand are very soft like powder;I say, the best in the world. Also, this white sand stretches to more than a kilometer.

There you have it, my personal and most loved beaches in the country. These beaches doesn’t require a fortune for you to travel so go ahead and pack your bags and enjoy the sun and the sand in the Philippines!