Philippines

The Philippines is 7,641 islands of white-sand beaches, warm turquoise water, and a population whose hospitality borders on legendary. Palawan — voted the world's best island multiple times — delivers the underground river of Puerto Princesa, the limestone lagoons of El Nido, and the WWII shipwrecks of Coron. Boracay's powdery White Beach has bounced back from its rehabilitation closure as one of Asia's top beach destinations.

The Visayas region anchors the country's adventure scene: swim with whale sharks in Oslob, dive the sardine run at Moalboal, chase waterfalls in Cebu's jungle interior, and island-hop through the turquoise channels around Bohol — home to the Chocolate Hills and the tiny, wide-eyed tarsier. Siargao, the surfing capital, has grown from a secret surf spot into a full-blown island scene with cloud-nine barrels, mangrove lagoons, and coconut-everything menus.

Luzon, the largest island, delivers the 2,000-year-old Banaue Rice Terraces carved into the Cordillera mountains by Ifugao hands — a stairway to heaven that remains one of Southeast Asia's most awe-inspiring sights. Manila surprises with Intramuros' Spanish-era walls, a booming food scene, and some of the best nightlife in the region. Vigan preserves cobblestone streets and colonial architecture, while the Batanes islands at the country's northern tip feel more like Ireland than the tropics.