I grew up in a town where the nearest beach is at least 3 hours away. Since my parents are not fond of out-of-town trips, it was not until I was in college that I got to see the ocean in person. It was love at first sight ❤ and our love affair has been ongoing since then.
Luckily, I live in a country 🇵🇭 where beautiful sandy beaches abound. Here are seven exquisite beaches I have visited in the Philippines. Enjoy!
Santa Cruz Island
Have you ever seen a pink sand beach? This island has it! You can get here via a chartered boat trip which you can arrange at the City Tourism Office in Paseo del Mar, Zamboanga. There are no restaurants on the island so make sure to bring your own food and drinks. Sadly, you cannot spend the night here as camping is not allowed and there are no accommodations available.
El Nido, Palawan
Dubbed as the Philippines last frontier, Palawan offers rich and diverse marine life, powdery white sand beaches (my favorite is the Seven Commandos shown in the photo below) and towering limestone rock formation. There are chartered flights directly to El Nido but the cheaper option is to fly to Puerto Princesa and then travel by land for 5-6 hours.
Coron, Palawan
Another part of Palawan worth exploring is Coron. You can fly to Busuanga and travel for 20 to 30 minutes to reach the town proper. If you want to stay in a secluded beach without sacrificing luxury, there are several island resorts to choose from in Coron. One of which is Club Paradise where I took this photo. This place is where I enjoyed snorkeling the most. Be careful though as some areas have really strong water current.
Siargao
While Siargao is famous for being a prime surfing destination, it has natural pools, lagoons, gorgeous beaches and crystal clear waters that non-surfers can enjoy. When I first went here, I had to go via Cebu as there were no direct flights from Manila. Now you can reach Siargao in less than 2 hours via direct flights from either Cebu Pacific or Skyjet. I highly recommend doing the island hopping tour and visiting the Naked Island where the photo below was taken.
Kalanggaman Island
It is not easy to reach this island but the long stretch of white sandbar makes the exhausting ride worth it. There is no electricity and freshwater in Kalanggaman so you may wish to charge your gadgets and do your hygienic rituals before going to the island.
Batanes
I do not know anyone who does not wish to visit this place. It is picturesque and is beautiful in every angle. Make sure to try the coconut crabs when you visit and brave the waves to go to the neighboring islands as you will be rewarded with breathtaking sceneries like this one which was taken in Sabtang Island.
Isla Gigantes
You can fly to Roxas City, Capiz instead of going here via Iloilo as this route is faster. You can spend the night in Carles and catch the earliest ferry going to Isla Gigantes the following day. Isla Gigantes is composed of two big islands and ten small ones. My favorite of which is the Antonia Beach. Scallops are dirt cheap here. You can have around 50 pieces for one dollar, yes 1$ for that much scallops!
For a more detailed account, you may wish to read 
