2013 : A Year Full of Travels Around the Philippines

Overall, this year was a great year for me. A lot of travels around the Philippines were realized. I’ve been to a lot of interesting places and I met a lot of great people along the road. This year alone, I visited 45 out of 81 provinces.


Top 15 Destinations in the Philippines

I have decided to come up with a list of top 15 places that I visited in 2013. These places are definitely worth revisiting for. These places stand out among the many places that I have been to. 

1. El Nido, Palawan
El Nido tops the list of my favorite destinations in the Philippines. It’s definitely a must-visit place for both local and foreign tourists. It offers a scenic and magnificent view of lagoons, rock formations and white sand beaches. More of Palawan here.

2. Bud Bongao, Tawi-Tawi

I almost missed visiting this place this year. When I landed in Tawi-Tawi, I felt so lost that I want the day to be over and just go home. Good thing my friends were able to convinced me to climb Bud Bongao. It feels so great when I finally reached the peak which has an overlooking view of the town and the nearby islands. I will be revisiting this place hopefully next year. More of Tawi-Tawi here.

3. Asik-Asik Falls, Alamada, Cotabato
The road going to Asik-Asik Falls was rough but once you arrive at the jump-off point, you’ll be amazed by the landscape. It was awesome that I would like to just stay there and stare at the mountains. The falls was enchanting and the clear and cold water was very inviting.

4. Enchanted River, Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur
Yes, the name speaks for itself. The river was indeed enchanting. The deep blue water was so inviting that you’d want to jump immediately once you see it. The river is also a great place for free diving. More of Surigao del Sur here.


5. Tiamban Beach, Romblon, Romblon
It’s one of my favorite beach in the country. The fine and white sand was very ideal for beach bumming. More od Romblon here.


6. Islas de Gigantes, Carles, Iloilo
Fate brought me to this place.  I celebrated my birthday in this wonderful group of islands. The beached, lagoons, sand bar and rock formations were superb! More of Iloilo here.


7. Biri Rock Formation, Northern Samar
The rock formations were definitely awe-mazing. I definitely wanna go back to this place very soon. More of Northern Sama here.


8. Lake Sebu, South Cotabato
One of this year’s emerging tourist destinations in the Philippines. I love the relaxing view of the lake. The zipline in Lake Sebu Seven Falls is my favorite in the Philippines. More of South Cotabato here.


9. Kapurpurawan Rock Formation, Burgos, Ilocos Norte
It’s not as grand as the one in Biri but it has its own charm. The shape of the rock formation was very distinct and attractive. Read more about what other things to do in Ilocos Norte here.


10. Tinago Falls, Iligan City, Lanao del Norte
One of my favorite waterfalls in the country. A great place for swimming as the basin is huge and the water is deep. More of Lanao del Norte here.


11. One Tree Hill, Malaybalay, Bukidnon
It’s also called the Bukidnon Provincial Tree Park. Once you are at the top of the hill, you will have a great view of the city. More of Bukidnon here.


12. Dahican Beach, Mati, Davao Oriental
A good place for people who wants to learn surfing or skim boarding. More of Davao Oriental here.


13. San Juanico Bridge, Tacloban, Leyte
Since I was a kid, I always wanted to visit this place. This year, it was like a dream-come-true to have finally cross the bridge. More of Leyte here.


14. Vigan, Ilocos Sur
I’ve to Vigan twice already but the place never fails to amaze me. This year, i was able to witness the grand display of light and fountain show. It’s one if not the best in the country. More of Ilocos Sur here.


15. Malabsay Falls, Naga, Camarines Sur
I love the freezing cold water in here. Well aside from the falls, one thing that I can’t forget from my experience in Naga was the ATV ride. It was my first time and it felt so great. More of Camarines Sur here.

Highlights of 2013
There were lots of interesting things that happened this year but the most memorable would be  PHL50 : Backpacking the Philippines in 50 Days, Davao Food Appreciation Tour, Baguio Food Tour, #TravelMindanao and my weekend trip to Basilan and Tawi-Tawi. It was indeed an amazing journey to see places and meet people.

Here’s a video I made to summarize the highlights of my 2013 adventures.




2014 : TravelMore!
Next year will hopefully be as good if not better than this year. A planned trip to Batanes in February, Jakarta in March, India in May, and Myanmar in June will be the highlights for next year. Also included in the list would be the bigger and bolder #TravelMindanao 2014.

Live. Learn. Love. Travel More!


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This Post Has 7 Comments

  1. Edmar Guquib December 25, 2013 Reply

    Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Glen! I love the list especially those in Mindanao 🙂

  2. Ching aka Joiner.me December 25, 2013 Reply

    Wow glen! 🙂 amazing kaayo imong gipang-adtuan this year! hope tuloy2x jud sa 2014 and the years to come… Merry Christmas! 😉

  4. Glen Santillan December 26, 2013 Reply

    Onga Francis 🙂 Merry Christmas. More travels next year!

  5. Glen Santillan December 26, 2013 Reply

    Thanks Ching. It was really nice to meet you! I hope to travel with you again soon. TravelMore!

  6. Glen Santillan December 26, 2013 Reply

    Thanks Edmar! Merry Christmas and Happy New year. It was nice to meet you in person. see you again soon 🙂

  7. Christeen Cereno December 26, 2013 Reply

    Must visit places talaga lahat ng listed – got 4 of them and must really work hard for the others. Cheers for the 2014.

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