Cloud 9, Siargao

Siargao's surge to prominence as the best tourist hub in the Philippines has been remarkable. Once a peaceful island in Surigao del Norte, it has become one of the most popular travel destinations and playgrounds, owing to one activity: surfing. It is now considered as the Philippines' surfing center, even as Asia's surfing hotspot, and as the "Best Island in the World" (given by Condé Nast readers in 2018). Cloud 9, the country's most recognized surfing area and a must-see for any tourist to Siargao, attracts surfers. All is okay with Cloud 9's thick tubes from November to April, making it a great area to get pumped.

However, you don't have to go surfing in Siargao to enjoy the island; there are plenty of other Siargao tourist attractions to visit, whether rock pools, waterfalls, or the neighboring Sohoton Lagoon, where you can swim with hundreds of non-sting jellyfish. In Siargao, you also go island hopping to go and see Sugba Lagoon, Naked Island, Daku Island, and Guyam Island, among other natural wonders. There's a combination of "foreign" and "local" flavors here. It is secluded but accessible, and despite new developments in recent years, it is not overcrowded.