The Seven Natural Wonders of the

Philippines
by Red de Vera on September 22, 2014
Photo by Edgar Alan Zeta-Yap

An archipelago composed of 7, 107 islands, the Philippines offers unique

tourist destinations which includes the rice terraces of Ifugao, white sand
beaches of Boracay, diving sites of Palawan and the lush forests of Bohol.
Philippines is truly a country blessed with natural wonders and attractions.

Inspired by the New Seven Wonders of Nature which includes the Puerto
Princesa Underground River, Vigattin Tourism listed its Seven Natural
Wonders that is taken from a list of known tourist spots in the country.
So, here are the Seven Natural Wonders of the Philippines:
1. Banaue Rice Terraces
Photo by J. P. Leo Castillo of flickr.com

Commonly referred by the Filipinos as the Eight Wonder of the World, The
Banaue Rice Terraces are a 2,000-year-old terraces that were carved into the
mountains of Ifugao. It is largely believed that the terraces were built largely
by hand. Presently, locals still plant rice and vegetable on the terraces.
As a natural wonder, Banaue Rice Terraces is one of the UNESCO World
Heritage Site . UNESCO described it as; a memorial to the history and
labour of more than a thousand generations of small-scale farmers who,
working together as a community, have created a landscape based on a
delicate and sustainable use of natural resources.

It is definitely a natural wonder that combines the harmonious interaction

between people and its environment creating a breathtaking landscape of
great aesthetic beauty. Banaue Rice Terraces should be preserved because
it is vulnerable to social and economic changes.
2. The Chocolate Hills of Bohol
Photo from www.visitmyphilippines.com

This natural monument consists at least 1, 260 hills over an area of more
than 50 square kilometers. The Chocolate Hills is the most famous and
signature tourist attraction of Bohol, and even the national government of
the Philippines chose it as one of its flagship tourist destinations.
Currently, the Chocolate Hills is on the tentative lists of UNESCO World
Heritage Site which means that it still a subject for inclusion for the official
list of UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was also the Philippines nominee for
the New 7 Wonders Nature.

The Committee on Geological Sciences declared the Cholocate Hills as the

countrys 3 National Geological Monument on June 18, 1988 in recognition
of its special characteristics, scientific importance, uniqueness, and high
scenic value. As such, this included the Chocolate Hills among the country's
protected areas.
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3. Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park

Photo by ppborla of flickr.com

A protected area of the Philippines situated in the middle of the Sulu Sea,
Tubattaha Reefs Natural Park is a World Heritage Site which has a unique
example of an atoll reef with a very high density of marine species. Since
Tubbataha was discovered by the divers in the late 70s, it has become the
most remarkable coral reefs on the planet.
CNN travel website, CNNgo.com, considers it as one of the top eight dive
sites in the world for its extraordinary biodiversity and breathtaking

underwater sceneries. It is the first marine area that was recognized as a

national park, proclaimed by President Corazon Aquino on August 11, 1988.
The national park was also nominated as the New 7 Wonders of Nature in
2007. In 1999, it was listed by the Ramsar Convention as one of the
Wetlands of International Importance. It was declared a World Heritage Site
by UNESCO in December 1993 and falls under the protective management
of the Department of National Defense (DND) of the Philippines.
4. Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary
A mountain located in the province of Davao Oriental, Mount Hamiguitan is
the only protected forest noted for its unique bonsai field or 'pygmy' forest
of 100-year old trees in an ultramafic soil. Mount Hamiguitan has the most
diverse wildlife populations in the country where several species of
Nepenthes ad Philippine eagles can be found.
Last June 23, 2014, the delegates of the UNESO World Heritage Committee
voted to include Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary to the
prestigious UNESCO World Heritage List. It is one of the 26 new heritage
sites that were added to the list this year including the historic cave Grotte
Chauvet in France.
UNESCO World Heritage List page describes states, "The property
showcases terrestrial and aquatic habitats at different elevations, and
includes threatened and endemic flora and fauna species, 8 of which are
found only at Mount Hamiguitan."
5. Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park
Photo by highlights.photo of flickr.com

Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park (also called Puerto Princesa

Underground River) is a protected area in the country which features a
spectacular limestone karst landscape and an underground river. The site
represents a significant habitat for biodiversity conservation and boasts a full
mountain-to-sea ecosystem.
Because it represents a unique ecosystem and features the most important
forests in Asia, it was declared by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site on
December 4, 1999. On November 11, 2011, Puerto Princesa Underground
River was provisionally chosen as one of the New7Wonders of Nature and
was officially confirmed on January 28, 2012.
The cave inside the national park is one of the largest cave rooms in the
world while the river winds through it before flowing directly into the West
Philippine Sea. The forest formations represent eight of the thirteen forest
types found in Asia such as mountain forest, beach forest, and mangrove
forest.
6. Mayon Volcano Natural Park
Photo from www.visitmyphilippines.com

Also known as Mt. Mayon, Mayon Volcano is an active volcano situated in the
province of Albay. It is renowned for having an almost perfect cone
because of its almost symmetric conical shape. Mt. Mayon has been the
countrys answer to Japans Mt. Fuji, featuring fascinating scenery that
attracts tourists around the world.
Presently, Mayon Volcano was declared as national park in 1938 but was
reclassified as a Natural Park (natural monument) in the year 2000. The
Mayon Volcano Natural Parkcovers an area of 5, 775.7 hectares which
includes its adjacent surroundings.
Upon visiting the natural park, visitors will see a panoramic view of the
majestic volcano that stands 2, 462 meters with a base circumference of
62.8 kilometers or 40 miles. Aside from the breathtaking scenery, there are
tour operators that offer an All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) tour for those who want
to see the volcanos crater.
7. Hundred Islands National Park
Photo by J. P. Leo Castillo of flickr.com

The Hundred Islands National Park is composed of mainly of 124 islands

which features white-sand beaches and forested inland. The islands are
popularly known for its magnificent natural geological formations. This
protected area is situated in Alaminos City, Pangasinan.
The islands are scattered in Lingayen Gulf covering an area of 16.76 square
kilometers. It is believed that the hundred islands are about two million
years old and actually ancient corals that extend well inland, in an area
previously comprising the seabed of an ancient sea. The lowering of the sea
level has exposed them to the surface.
As a tourist destination, the Hundred Islands National Park is ideal for
swimming, diving and snorkeling. There are only three among the hundred
islands that are developed for tourism. Majority of the islands are not
commercialized and are still unspoiled. The islands are truly a natural
wonder because of the unique karst formations and forest.