More than 7000 islands comprise the Philippines, making it the second largest archipelago in the world. Scattered across the Pacific, the islands offer a wide variety of natural wonders to be discovered during your Philippines travel and cater to a diverse range of Philippines holidays.

Located on the east coast of Luzon, the capital Manila has been a port for hundreds of years. The oldest section, the Intramuros or Walled City, remains intact amidst the sprawling commercial glitz and slum areas that have grown up here. Elsewhere, Vigan is the best preserved Spanish colonial town; at dawn the light makes the city's old buildings especially enchanting.

The Banaue Rice Terraces in the Cordilleras region of Luzon have been in use for more than 2,000 years. Fed by an ancient irrigation system, they cover huge areas of mountainside giving the landscape a surreal stepped appearance; trek through them to appreciate the scale and ingenuity of what is considered one fo the wonders of the world.

The Visayas are a group of islands famed for their beach and marine life. Boracay is a tourist hot-spot on Panay, famous for the stunning White Beach and pulsating nightlife; Bohol is home to the bug-eyed tarsier, the smallest primate in the world, whilst Malapasuca Island is the place to dive with thresher sharks and manta rays.

Elsewhere, swim with whale sharks off Donsol for an awe-inspiring experience; these gentle giants grow up to 18m long but feed exclusively on krill, plankton and small fish.

Divers off Palawan, a rugged place of empty unspoilt beaches, will find a range of wrecks to explore.