Travelers from around the world surveyed by leading travel magazine Condé Nast Traveler (CNT) have again given the top 3 spots to Philippine islands.
“The Best Islands in the World: 2018 Readers’ Choice Awards” ranked Siargao, Boracay, and Palawan as the top 3 best islands in Asia.
In 2017 the CNT World’s Best Islands survey also gave the top ranking to the Philippine islands of Boracay, Cebu, and Palawan.
The 2018 edition of Condé Nast Traveler awards had over 400,000 readers preferring the Philippines’ tourist destinations in the annual survey for best destinations for travel comfort and attractions.
The Philippine islands were ranked among the 30 best islands in the world outside the United States with Siargao, Boracay, and Palawan taking the top 3 in the Asian islands category.
The 31st edition of the CNT awards categorized ranking by region: the best in Asia, Australia and the South Pacific, Caribbean and the Atlantic, Europe, North America, and best in the rest of the world.
Condé Nast Traveler readers recommend 3 Philippine islands for travelers on their tropical vacation during these winter season:
1. SIARGAO: Surf haven discovery
The island of Siargao in Mindanao entered the list for the first with a strong start as it topped the CNT Readers Choice Awards.
The tear-drop shaped island in Surigao del Norte previously only favored by celebrities such as Kelly Slater and Anthony Kedis, is now receiving widespread attention as the go-to place for surfing on 15 separate surf breaks including the legendary Cloud 9.
“Our readers, an adventurous sort, have caught on. There’s enough white sand to go around,” writes the CNT editors.
To keep its waters clean and serene, the island paradise of Siargao was the pilot area of Juan Effect, a solid waste management plan in communities amidst the peak tourist and surfing season in September. The project encourages travelers to bring their own eco-bags and bottles to reduce plastic waste, and to properly dispose of their trash.
2. BORACAY: Pristine powdery beach and waters for nature lovers
“This itty-bitty island (just under four square miles) in the Western Philippines is as close to a tropical idyll as you’ll find in Southeast Asia, with gentle coastlines and made-for-Instagram sunsets,” writes CNT.
Recognized is by international travelers for its white sandy beaches and famed tourist nightlife and has been picked as a CNT top winter escape destination.
Boracay had regained the title of CNT’s World’s Best Island in 2016 and repeated its feat in 2017 before the government ordered its closure in April 2018 and enforced a 6-month rehabilitation of the tourist destination’s waters and land use.
The world-famous Boracay Island is scheduled to reopen in late October as the new Boracay offering more natural sights and scenes after plans for keeping the island clean and protected have all been set in place.
3. PALAWAN: World heritage site
CNT credits Palawan as a regular on the Readers Choice Awards, bagging the World’s Best Island title two years in a row – in 2014 and 2015.
“Palawan is home to the otherworldly Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, a UNESCO World Heritage Site worth the trip alone,” says the CNT article.
The Puerto Princesa travel spot is home to the new Seven Wonders of the World, one of the longest underground rivers in the world. Five miles of travel through the cave system’s waterways and natural rock formations await the visitor.
Check out this Filipino Pride Video by GNP about the charms of Palawan:
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