Best beaches in Philippines: it’s hard to know which beach in the Philippines is the best. There are so many islands that you could throw a dart at a map and be sure to hit one with white beaches and clear blue water.
People have been going to the Philippines for decades, eager to trade tall buildings for palm trees. Sunbathers love islands like Boracay, Bohol, Cebu, and Coron, which are only a short flight from Manila and have beautiful white beaches and great dive sites.
Some of the best beaches are only accessible by flying between islands, driving, and crossing several bodies of water. This is all part of the fun of travelling in the Philippines. If you are ready to go off the beaten path, you will find beaches that aren’t crowded, warm weather all year, and helpful people who live there.
Have you been to the Philippines before? If so, here are our picks for the best places for beach lovers.
Palawan
The most exciting beaches
You can’t go wrong with Palawan, which has many great sites neatly put together on tours. At El Nido, you can kayak into secret coves to find empty beaches backed by rough limestone rocks. You can then jump into the clear waters of Kayangan Lake or snorkel over shipwrecks in Coron.
Lots of beautiful beaches. You can visit Nacpan Beach on the island. It is a crescent-shaped stretch of 4 km (2.5 miles) golden sand surrounded by clear blue water. The country’s longest white-sand beach is in San Vicente, on the northwest coast. Walking the 14 km (9-mile) stretch of Long Beach would give you almost 20,000 steps, but you might be happy to relax in a hammock instead.
If you want to change your plans at the last minute, rent a motorcycle in Puerto Princesa for the trip to El Nido and back. At Port Barton, you can take a break from the trip and fish or swim with sea turtles on boat tours. From Puerto Princesa, go southwest until you reach Balabac, at the southern tip of Palawan. Onok Island’s white sands are calling to danger seekers with plenty of time and money.
Boracay
Best for a trip with a group
White Beach has been one of Boracay’s best tourist spots for a long time. Palm trees back it for 4 km (2.5 miles). The beach is only a few steps away from hotels with air conditioning, fast-food restaurants, and bars.
You can do many things, from diving to paddling in clear boats, or stay on the beach and enjoy a refreshing fruit shake or a relaxing massage. Visit the Hue Hotel for a poolside drink or Los Indios Bravos for a craft beer as the sun goes down. You can also tour on an outrigger boat called a paraw and see the sunset from the water.
If you want to get some sea legs, ride a mountain bike to Mount Luho, the highest point on the island. Boracay is only 7 km (4.3 miles) long, so you can visit the island once and see its beautiful beaches in less than three hours.
Cebu
Best for people who like to dive
The island of Cebu is easy to get to by air or sea, and it has a lot of beaches, places to stay, things to do, and great food. People who want to lay out in the sun head straight for the white sand beaches of Bantayan Island, Malapascua Island, and Mactan Island. Snorkelers and divers are drawn to the colourful coral reefs full of sea turtles and other sea life. Moalboal or Pescador Island are great places to go for something different. They have amazing sardine runs that happen right at the top all year long.
Bohol
Best for spending time with others
It’s also easy to choose Bohol because there are many places to stay and many fun things to do. There are resorts on Panglao Island that are good for families that line the beautiful Alona Beach. Dumaluan Beach is also close and has more beautiful white sand. Bangka boats are ready to take tourists out to sea. On the islands of Pamilacan and Balicasag, you can relax on the beautiful beaches and swim or look for dolphins.
Anda, on the eastern edge of Bohol, is a more peaceful place to relax. Its 3 km (1.9 miles) of beautiful sand is perfect for strolls. The Amun Ini Beach Resort & Spa is a romantic hideaway for couples.
For a change of scenery, go inland to see Bohol’s Chocolate Hills and Tarsier preserves. These places are always a hit with kids. Afterwards, go to Bohol Bee Farm on the coast for some fruity ice cream.
Siargao
Best for surfers
Surfers come from around the world to visit Siargao Island, home to the famous Cloud 9 break. The vibe is lively but chill, and people new to surfing can take lessons near General Luna, which is full of cool bars, social hubs, and cheap hostels. Some shops rent out handmade motorbikes with racks so surfers can take their boards to secret breaks along the coast, lined with coconut trees and including the picture-postcard-perfect Pacifico Beach.
Boat tours to islets, rocky tide pools, and the beautiful Sugba Lagoon can be booked online. Aside from the surf, digital nomads and friendly solo travellers are drawn to Siargao by the slow island life, and many stay longer than planned.
A new sea route opened in April 2024 makes it easier to get to the beautiful beaches of the Dinagat Islands. Even locals don’t go here very often; you can get there from the town of Del Carmen on the west coast of Siargao.
Romblon
Best for brave hikers
Romblon is a great place to visit if you like the sound of waves crashing on the shore over people talking. You could spend hours or even days going from beach to beach on this laid-back island. Easy-going Bonbon Beach is just a short bike ride from Romblon’s main town. It has soft sand and calm water. You can walk along the beach to a nearby islet or watch kids play in the waves when the tide is low. Romblon’s coast is full of beautiful rocks, and the water is so clear you’d think AI made it.
Take a diversion to the nearby islands of Tablas and Sibuyan, which have even better beaches. You can see how much you like being alone by going to Cresta de Gallo, a long, winding beach off the coast of Sibuyan. There you can enjoy the peace of the sea. Visit Sibuyan again to hike up Mount Guiting Guiting, which has some of the steepest hills in the country.
Batanes Islands
Excellent for photographers
In Batanes province, in the very north of the Philippines, the islands of Batan, Sabtang, and Itbayat hide some beautiful shorelines.
You might spend more time taking pictures on these faraway islands than swimming. It doesn’t matter how small an island is; exploring it takes longer and memory cards get full faster because there is so much beautiful scenery to capture.
On the Batanes islands, there are rough beaches with volcanic rocks covering the ground and rising hills with lighthouses on top of them. Jump over the rocks at Valugan Boulder Beach on Batan for dramatic pictures. Then, go to White Beach, south of Mahatao, for a safe swim on a strip of sand with pebbles on it.
Take a wooden faluwa boat from Batan at Basco and make the rough trip to Sabtang Island. After taking pictures of the island’s famous stone houses, go to Morong Beach, dominated by a natural rock arch.
You can swim at this beautiful beach stop, and it’s also the best place on the island to try local dishes like turmeric rice, uvud (banana heart meatballs), and dibang (flying fish).
Santa Cruz Island
The best place for an eco-retreat
With pink sand, Santa Cruz Island is one of the few places in the world. It is off the coast of Zamboanga on the island of Mindanao. Walking along the beach, you’ll immediately notice a pinkish tint. This is because broken-up red organ pipe coral is mixed with white sand.
It’s a great place to get away from travellers who care about the environment. Yellow-painted fishing boats take you into thick mangrove forests, where you can find stingless jellyfish and eat seagrapes. In the middle of the island is a calm, shallow bay where you can see vintage and traditional Zamboanga fishing boats with rainbow-striped sails. This is a beautiful place to go paddling.
Side trip: The Onse Islas are a group of eleven small islands with fine sand beaches northeast of Zamboanga City along the coast. The best things to do on these community-run islands, which are still free of commercial growth, are swimming, kayaking, and nature walks.
Plan your trip to the beach in the Philippines now
You should put the Philippines on your bucket list to feel the soft sand between your toes, enjoy the gentle sea breeze, and relax on endless stretches of pure white sand.
Besides its beautiful beaches, this tropical paradise has some of the world’s best islands, which are great for excitement and relaxation. And if you love scuba diving, the Philippines has many beautiful coral reefs and different kinds of sea life ready to be discovered.
Best beaches in Philippines book a tour of the Philippines, including visits to these famous beaches and more, to get the most out of your Philippines beach holiday. A carefully planned tour package will ensure you see the Philippines’ beauty, whether you want to go from island to island, dive, or relax on the best beaches.
