Philippines Best Photo Locations

Born and raised in Manila till I was 15 years old. It’s a bit of a homecoming each year I come back to the Philippines on one of my photo tours. A fresh look at an old country. Where there is absolute chaos, calm can be found. It’s all about perception and attitude being here in the tropical heat.

When you land in Manila you just have to go with the flow. You can’t fight the mayhem that seems to be waiting around every corner. Having a sense of humour will allow you to relax and embrace this beautiful country for all it’s flaws.

Join me on this visual roller coaster of gorgeous light. What other places in the Philippines do you think are as equally beautiful

Bohol Island

Finally a new airport has been built on Panglao Island. Floor-to-ceiling glass windows and a wave-shaped ceiling outfitted with solar panels welcome visitors to the country's newest airport.

The 13,337-square meter gateway to Bohol province's Chocolate Hills, white sand beaches and tarsier sanctuaries is also a showcase of sustainability. First Stop is White Beach on Panglao Island and the Bohol Bee Farm.

Loboc River

About an hour and half drive from Panglao Island you will find the emerald green waters of Loboc River. Acres of nipa palm line all along the river bank.

The Loboc river passes through the town center of the Municipality of Loboc, offering a riverside view of the Loboc church across the highway.

Various activities on the river, including the river cruise and standup paddle boarding typically feature a scenic trip upriver to Busay falls, or to various points in the river where visitors can enjoy buffets, cultural presentations, firefly watching, birding, and even paddle board yoga at the Fox & Firefly Cottages.

https://theculturetrip.com/…/chasing-the-dying-light-of-bo…/

Watching golden pteroptyx macdermotti fireflies float in the mangrove forests of Bohol, Philippines is one of nature’s most bewitching spectacles. Yet it may not be long before the lights go out.

These image is a composite of ten images each photographed with a minutes long exposure.

Tarsier

About a 30 minute drive from Loboc River we visited the Tarsier Sanctuary just after opening to beat the crowds of tourists. The protected primates are a mere handful size and can only live for 24 years.

Called the “world’s smallest monkey” for its physical similarities to that primate, the tarsier, along with the lemur, tree shrew and loris, in fact belong to a more primitive suborder Prosimii or prosimian.

All I can think of when I see these peculiarly cute creatures is YODA from star wars.

More info here: http://www.tarsierfoundation.org/the-philippine-tarsier

Chocolate Hills

The nearest town of Carmen is only 15 minutes away. You can stay the night at Villa Del Carmen for some home cooking. A short stroll away is the town of Carmen.

We stayed the night to capture a sunset and sunrise but unluckily both days were a bit over cast. Nevertheless it’s still worth a look at these amazing hills. About 50 years ago a National Geographic Photographer visited the hills and thought they looked like Hershey’s Kisses Chocolate. Hence the name has stayed since.

There are at least 1,260 hills but there may be as many as 1,776 hills spread over an area of more than 50 square kilometres. They are covered in green grass that turns chocolate brown during the dry season.

These conical hills are geomorphological features called cockpit karst, which were created by a combination of the dissolution of limestone by rainfall, surface water, and groundwater, and their subaerial erosion by rivers and streams after they had been uplifted above sea level and fractured by tectonic processes.

Siquijor Island

After a 2 hour ferry ride with Ocean Jet from Tagbilaran in Bohol we were eager to explore Siquijor. With about 95,000 inhabitants the perimeter of the oval shaped island can be tackled in about 3 hours.

Highlights on the island include white sandy beaches, Mangrove swamps, crystal clear water, waterfalls and faith healers.

A couple of nights stay is sufficient to relax and go on a full day expedition. I would recommend a driver to take you around. for the whole day to really enjoy all the island has to offer.

Sunrise & Sunset

At 6am our sunrise began at the sleepy village of Talingtin to capture the mangrove trees along the shoreline. We happen to photograph them at low tide which gave us access to get closer on foot.

For sunset we hit two locations both in the area of San Juan. On our first night we kicked some sand at Paliton Beach and on our second night we had some San Miguel Beer at Ocean Bar and Grill on the beach.

Both locations also delivered some low tides and calm waters.

Aloha Bar & Grill Sunset of San Juan Beach

Long Exposures with a 6 stop filter - Paliton Beach

Our staff member at Island View Cottages.

Other Highlights on the island include Cambugahay Falls, Salagdoong Beach and a fish spa. The falls require a 220 step hike down so I would suggest you have some bottled water for your trip back up.

Once down at the falls you will have a choice of 3 falls to swim or swing. Swinging requires a small payment for any Tarzan or Jane action. The fish spa tickles and causes a few laughs for a 5 minute sitting on your way home.

Negros Island

After a 1 hour boat ride to Dumaguete City we drove out of town to stay at the Wuthering Heights Bed & Breakfast. A large concrete building sitting a top a hill overlooking the island of Cebu. The perfect spot for a cup of brewed coffee on the rooftop patio at sunrise.

Other points of interest nearby are the Sunday Market in San Jose and Balinsasayao Twin Lakes. The Twin Lakes operated by the government with a strong conservation program to preserve all wildlife and pristine waters.

Most people go on a short boat ride across the lake, hike a 10 minute steep path and finally view the adjoining lake from an observation deck.

The whole journey will take about 45 minutes to an hour. It’s worth a look simply to breath in the clean mountain air.

Balinsasayao Pond before Twin Lakes. — **Balinsasayao Pond before Twin Lakes**.

Sunday Market in Poblacion, San Jose if you can time your schedule is a community affair. Many local farmers come into town and fill the basket ball court (Community Center) with fruit, vegetables, meat and fish.

After morning mass locals pour out of the church into the market. It s a visual feast of local faces.

Oslob, Cebu Island

At 3am we were woken with a hot cup of coffee for our 1 hour journey to Cebu Island on a car ferry. Also known as a RORO (Roll on Roll Off) we cruised silently in perfectly calm waters.

By 5:30am I was lining up for an hour to get some tickets (1,500 PHP) for our Whale Shark Experience.

By 8:30am we finally made the front of the line with our life jackets on ready to board the small bangkas (outrigger boat) Swimming with a Whale Shark in Oslob is a controversial experience.

Some say it’s not natural behaviour for the fish to be fed and surrounded by hundreds of people. Others say it is much easier than going to Donsol in Leyte to look for them with no guarantee at all of spotting them in the wild let alone swimming with them this close.

Batanes Islands

Located closer to Taiwan than the Philippines. An hour and a half flight from Manila. The Mayor is really into agri-tourism. Imagine being able to shoot alongside a farmer at sunset on a rolling hill.

You can drop into a fishing village and catch a fisherman mending his nets. I like to describe the landscapes as being the Ireland of Asia. Its lush green, lots of rainy days and rustic.

There are two main islands, Batan and Sabtang. When you fly into Basco you will be on Batan. Sabtang is an hour boat ride away. The best time of year to go is between November and February. You can take a chance between March and October but the typhoons and strong winds will make it difficult to travel.

My Travel Photography Kit

Camera: Fujifilm XT3 | Lenses: 35mm (F1.4) & 14mm (F2.8) | Tripod: Sirui T024SX | 13 Inch MacBook Pro | Total Weight: 5 Kg.