GET BACK TO NATURE

5 pristine islands in the Philippines

Pinnacle mountains carpeted in forests that trill with the sound of parrots; caves cut by clear-water rivers and coconut coves covered with peppery sands. The Philippines is quintessential Southeast Asia and it comes with a burgeoning commitment to conservation, minimal crowds and a warm welcome. Plus, there are more than 7,000 islands to visit, so you're spoilt for choice. Here's a pick of some of the best and what to expect...

1 PALAWAN

El Nido, on northern Palawan island, is a place of pristine limestone jungle mountains rising from a turquoise sea. Explore them for yourself by kayaking over coral gardens and into lagoons as still as can be. For a bird's eye view of the ocean and its sprinkling of islets, hike to Taraw peak. Next, head south to Puerto Princesa for rainforest hikes on Mount Sakalot where you can cool off with waterfall swims. Beneath the mountains here, you can even drift on an underground river through the stalactite-studded Natuturingan cave.

For the ultimate adventure, explore one of Southeast Asia's most jaw-droppingly beautiful wilds on a five-day trek up Mantalingajan mountain, which sits within a wilderness so large that it's home to Indigenous communities and one of Asia's greatest concentrations of rare and endemic plants and animals.

2 CEBU