Philippines Activities
Aerial Sports
If you've ever dreamed of flying, the Philippines is a great place
to realize your dream. Skydiving, ultralight aircraft, and hot-air
balloons are ready and waiting for you a few hours outside Manila.
The quality of instruction is high, and the safety records are good.
From the air, the green land and blue seas of the islands make a
spectacular sight. So stop dreaming, head for the Philippines, and
take to the sky!
PHILIPPINE AERIAL SPORTS DESTINATIONS
• Angeles City, Pampanga
• Tanauan, Batangas
Board Sailing
The tropical seas and consistent winds of the Philippines make the
country a paradise for boardsailors. The two main wind patterns
in the Philippines are the habagat, or southwest monsoon, which
blows from June to September, and the amihan, or northeast monsoon,
which prevails from October to April. The amihan draws sailors from
all over Asia: the steady 12-30 knot winds and warm weather create
ideal sailing conditions.
PHILIPPINE BOARD SAILING DESTINATIONS
• Caliraya
• Boracay
• Anilao
• Subic Bay
• Pagudpod
Caving
Some of the most spectacular sceneries in the Philippines lie deep
underground. Almost every island has cave sytems, some accessible
to the casual tourist, others challenging the skilled spelunker.
Beneath the earth lie rivers and waterfalls, narrow passages, and
vaulted chambers filled with a surreal array of limestone and crystal
formations. Many caves are totally unexplored, presenting the ultimate
thrill in adventure travel: the chance to walk where no human has
ever been.
PHILIPPINE CAVING DESTINATIONS
• Peñablanca, Cagayan
• Sagada
• Bukidnon
Mountain Biking 
From the mountains of Baguio to the beaches of Boracay, the Philippines
is a perfect place for two-wheeled travel. The fat-tyred bike is
a great way to explore remote areas where few vehicles go. There
are endless routes available, on roads and on trails, from easy
day rides to grueling week-long mountain adventures. Biking is a
rapidly growing sport here: clubs of dedicated mountain bikers are
springing up in many popular areas, and competitions are common.
The local bikers are friendly and accommodating, and always willing
to share information and rides along their favorite routes.
PHILIPPINE MOUNTAIN BIKING DESTINATIONS
• Baguio
• Boracay
• Davao
• Iloilo
• Sagada
• The Cordillera
• Banaue
• Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental
• Guimaras
• Mt. Apo
• Samal Island
Rockclimbing
Rock climbing is a relatively new sport to the Philippines, but
it's spreading fast. There are already active climbing scenes in
Manila and other major cities. Quality equipment are available in
many outdoor shops, and there are excellent climbing sites only
hours from the city of Manila itself.
Manila has three gyms with indoor actificial climbing walls: Power
Up Gym in Quezon City, Planet Rock in Makati, and Gravity Gym in
Parañaque. All are excellent places to meet the friendly
and helpful local climbers, who are your best guides to the outdoor
climbing sites. Because the sport is so new, only a few major climbing
areas have been developed, and most of these are close to the cities.
This leaves enormous potential for exploration, and there are hundreds
of sites and thousands of routes waiting for the brave and intrepid
climber.
PHILIPPINE ROCKCLIMBING DESTINATIONS
• Atimonan, Quezon
• Apo Island
• El Nido, Palawan
• Puting Bato (White Rock), Cogeo
• Wawa Gorge, Montalban
Sea Kayaking
Sea kayaking is a new sport in the Philippines, but with 7,107 islands
offering every conceivable variety of tropical seascape, it is one
that is sure to expand quickly. The islands offer thousands of kilometers
of superb paddling on crystal-clear water, taking in exotic villages,
pristine beaches, coral reefs, and mangrove swamps along the way.
The kayak, silent and unobtrusive, is the perfect way to explore
these delicate ecosystems without disturbing wildlife or the peace
of nature. For those seeking more extreme hills, the rugged east
coast provides monster waves and fine rough-water kayaking.
PHILIPPINE SEA KAYAKING DESTINATIONS
• Caramoan
• Palawan
• Samar
• Siargao
Surfing
The Philippines offers surf for all levels. La Union on the northwest
coast of Luzon, four hours north of Manila, is easy to get to, has
good accommodation and food, and offers gentle beach breaks perfect
for beginners. Baler and Infanta in Quezon, and Daet in Camarines
Norte offer a more adventurous experience, with longer travel and
bigger waves. For surfers seeking the extreme edge, the wild east
coast is the place to be.
PHILIPPINE SURFING DESTINATIONS
• Baler, Quezon
• Infanta, Quezon
• Daet, Camarines Norte
• Catanduanes
• Siargao
• Tandag, Surigao del Sur
Trekking 
The best treasures in the Philippines are reserved for those who
go beyond the end of the road. It is only by trekking that you can
reach places where crystal rivers plunge over dizzying falls and
tattooed tribesmen live as they have for centuries. You will also
see cliffs that tower above crashing surfs, virgin forests, clear
rivers, mossy jungles, and cool mountain ridges. Only trekkers experience
the exhilaration of conquering the heights of Mt. Apo or passing
through the eerie moonscape of Mt. Pinatubo. These experiences,
and many others, await those who leave the road behind, heft their
packs, and trek the Philippines.
PHILIPPINE TREKKING DESTINATIONS
• Laguna
• Batangas
• Bulacan
• Pampanga
• Olongapo
• Batanes
• Baguio
• Mt. Province
• Abra
• Kalinga
• Romblon
• Marinduque
• Naga
• Iriga
• Albay
• Sorsogon
• Oriental Mindoro
• Occidental Mindoro
• Cebu
• Bohol
• Samar
• Leyte
White Water Action
White water rafting and kayaking are the newest action sports in
the Philippines. For decades, while adventure-hungry travelers flocked
to the rivers of Nepal and Borneo, the superb rapids of the Philippines
lay undiscovered. But that's changing fast: white water action is
now available on half a dozen rivers in the Visayas and Mindanao,
and more are being explored.
PHILIPPINE WHITE WATER ACTION DESTINATIONS
• Bubunawan/Cagayan River, Mindanao
• Tibiao River, Panay
• Calbiga River, Samar
• Tacloban
|