The Seven Wonders Of The Philippines

Rice Terraces of Banaue

The Rice Terraces of Banaue are perhaps the most well know attraction in the Philippines,
and no list of the Seven Wonders of the Philippines would be complete without them.
Located in central Luzon, they have been carved by local Ifugao people over the last 3,000
thousand years. When you visit, you can see terraces still being built today. The locals often
describe the terraces as the largest man made structure created without forced labor. If
each terrace were laid end to end, they would stretch almost 14,000 miles. They were
declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1995 and placed on the endangered list in 2001.

Tubbataha Reef
Located in the middle of the Sulu Sea, Tubbataha Reef is one of the largest and best
preserved reef systems in the world. Actually composed to two atolls, Tubbataha is far
removed from any human settlement, it is a 92 mile boat trip from the city of Puerto
Princessa. The marine park covers over 968 km and is home to over 300 coral species and
400 fish species, rivaling the diversity of the Great Barrier Reef. The few pieces of atoll which

are above water are also home to a large number of seabirds. It was inscribed on
the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites in 1993.

Chocolate Hills
The Chocolate Hills are located on the Island of Bohol. They are over 1,200 hills, covering
over 50 km and get their name because the grass which covers the hills turns brown during
the dry season. The hills are almost all conical in shape and made of limestone. Many people
have believed that they were human creations. Geologists are not entirely sure how they
were created. Theories include erosion of limestone, volcanic uplift, and accretion of
limestone around basalt fragments from a volcanic eruption. The government of the
Philippines has declared it one of their flagship tourist destinations. The Chocolate Hills are
so central to the people of Bohol, they appear on the flag of the province.

Taal Volcano
Taal volcano has a unique distinction in the world. It contains the largest island, inside of a
lake, which is on an island, which is inside a lake, which is on an island. Taal is a very active
volcano which has killed over 5,000 people in recorded history. It has been named one of

16 decade volcanoes in the world worthy of special study. Inside the Taal caldera is Lake Tall,
which is a 25km across. The lake is know for its high sulfur content and is also home to
many endemic species of freshwater fish. Taal is only 50km from the city of Manila.

Mayon Volcano
Mayon volcano is perhaps the most perfectly shaped conic volcano in the world. It has been
called by some the Filipino Mount Fuji. Located in south east Luzon, it is one of the most
active volcanoes in the world. It has erupted close to 50 times since the year 1600, with the
most recent eruption occurring in 2006. 77 people were killed in an eruption in 1993 and
75,000 people had to be evacuated from their homes during an eruption in 1984. It rises
2462 m over Legazpi City in the province of Albay.

Underground River of Puerto Princessa

The Underground River is not only a UNESCO World Heritage site, but was named as one of
the Earths New7Wonders of Nature. The Underground River is the longest subterranean
river in the world, extending 8.2km underground. Over 2km is accessible to the public. The
surrounding National Park includes many species including monitor lizards, the blue-naped

parrot and macaque monkeys. The park is located 50km north of the city of Puerto Princessa
on the island of Palawan.

Boracay
Boracay is a small island approximately 200 miles south of Manila and is very close
to the major island of Panay. Its white sand beaches and direct flights from all over
Asia, have made it one of the Philippines most popular tourist destinations. White
Beach is the longest beach on Boracay and extends 4 km on west side of the
islands.

Submitted By: Miguel Pacat

: Grade 9 Biology