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The Philippines has the same sun, white sand beaches and soul-calming sea as elsewhere in Southeast Asia, but less than half of the backpackers, resort hotels and beach hawkers you’d get elsewhere. Crowds are thinner, the tourism imprint softer, the local vibes louder — in short, the Philippines is Southeast Asia at its most unruffled.

Thanks to the country’s global diaspora, Filipino food and culture is found in every corner of the world. But it doesn’t take much time in the Philippines to realise every island is different and more culturally complex than many think. Its people are predominantly Catholic and there are massive swathes of Muslim and Malay settlers, deep-rooted indigenous, tribal and Spanish influences and rampant Chinese and American consumerism. Multiculturalism is prized and the country’s technicolour fiestas and traditions are intoxicating; prepare to expect astonishing variety and more than you could ever hope to understand in just one lifetime.

Main picture: Basilica Minore del Santo Nino Church, Cebu City

You’ll struggle to find somewhere blessed with world-class beaches and marine waters quite like the Visayas. For years it was the white sands of Boracay that topped the holiday wish list, but these days the Instagram-ready island is in a stratosphere of its own with infinity pools, luxury hotels, yachts, and, frankly, too many people. Much better are the beautiful islands of Panglao, Bohol, Malapascua, Bantayan, Siquijor and Sumilon. What’s more, the oceanfront across the board is reliably made for lifetime-best swims and calm contemplation.

As Filipinos know, there’s plenty more beach action in Palawan — aim for Puerto Princesa* to see the blissful islands and marine reserves of Coron, El Nido and the Bacuit archipelago. Explore further afield and it soon becomes evident there’s an island for every mood and shoreline activity; the sea kayaking and Second World War wreck-diving here is among the world’s best. Or for surfing to bookend your daily dose of beach time, take an internal flight south to Camiguin or Siargao* in the lesser-visited island group of Mindanao. The vibe is barefoot boutique, yet both are prime territory for old school scooter jaunts into the jungle and island-hopping tours by bangka (outrigger canoe).

What else? Certainly a deep dive with a whale shark off Donsol on Luzon and a run-through the Banaue Rice Terraces, which are carved into the mountainous landscape north of Manila. For a crater-lake with a textbook volcano plonked in the middle, make for Lake Taal and those of a more adventurous persuasion will want to hike Mount Halcon on Mindoro, Luzon’s Mount Mayon, or volcanic Mount Kanlaon on Negros — preferably at sunrise for Pantone paint-swiped skies.

Make time too for the much-touted Chocolate Hills* on Bohol. The jungle viewpoints are fabulous despite the tour bus clamour and you’ll get a glimpse of an ancient and erosion-scarred landscape amid the modern ferment.

From exclusive, gulp-it-all-in island resorts and skyscraper-topping hotels to boutique backpacker joints, the Philippines has more than enough bucket-list places to choose from. In Manila, your travel guide will recommend a stay in Intramuros*, the medieval Spanish-era walled city and historic focal point. But, if it’s the modern city you’re looking for, head south into the bowels of the shopping mall-jammed Makati and Bonifacio Global City.

The tropical southern metropolis of Cebu City* comes next, with a clutch of beachfront resorts on neighbouring Mactan Island from Shangri-La, Dusit Thani and Mövenpick — ideal for the fly-and-flop brigade on a pit-stop city layover. From there, it’s only a ferry or short flight to some of the Philippines most in-demand destinations. In particular, Alona Beach* and Boracay are home to the largest collection of resorts in the country. Finally, if you’ve just won the lottery, nowhere else matches the Kardashian-style excess of Amanpulo Beach Resort on castaway Pamalican Island.

Manila provides a head rush of Filipino cuisine and 24/7 consumer culture, though Cebu City is a better bet for visiting the Philippines’ beach-spangled coast. Scuba-wise, Moalboal, two hours to the south, is beside Pescador Island and kaleidoscopic reefs teeming with barracuda, snapper and sardine runs. Nearby Apo Island is another subaquatic affair; then there is Siquijor, a palm-fringed paradise, but one with a backstory of witches, sorcery and Harry Potter-style potions. Puerto Galera is also a Xanadu to sink below the ocean with an air tank, while for somewhere totally off the map, consider the forgotten islands of Samar or Leyte.

Elsewhere, the Chocolate Hills would be reason enough to make the trip to Bohol, but the Eastern Visayan island is also home to the bug-eyed tarsiers, the world’s smallest primate and the pin-up of the Philippines’ anti-deforestation crusade. The Philippine Tarsier and Wildlife Sanctuary in Corella is one of the last refuges of the species and to visit is to help support the good fight at grassroots level.

Travel in the Philippines takes time and ditching your travel plans is often the right thing to do. Here, less is always more — unless you’re talking about halo-halo, the country’s ubiquitous condensed milk and fruit dessert.

Which part of the Philippines is the best?
For a greatest hits of islands and inland cultural wonders, focus on jungle-clad Palawan and volcano-smoking Luzon; for subaquatic antics with a side of deserved beach time, stick to the Visayas. And — if you can squeeze it in — tag on a few days to explore the surf-washed islands of northern Mindanao.

What’s the best way to travel around?
The Philippines has two gateway international airports: Manila and Cebu City. If concentrating on one chunk of the archipelago — Palawan, Luzon or Mindoro — use buses, jeepneys (informal mini buses) and boats to get around. The scattered Visayas and the islands of Mindanao are a harder nut to crack and all manner of inter-island, bus-ferry-flight strategies are essential to help plan your trip properly.

Take me there

Inspired to visit the Philippines but yet to book your trip? Here are the best hotels from Expedia* and Kayak*.

• Discover holidays to Manila*
• Discover holidays to Boracay*
• Discover tours in the Philippines*