Every new year brings us renewed hope and fresh spirits, and for us travelers, this means more cities to explore, new destinations to go to, and novel food to try! To start of the year, we bring you some travel resolutions that might fuel your travel bug further: 

Chase a Natural Wonder

It is no secret that the Philippines is home to a number of UNESCO Heritage Sites, so why not choose one and discover its wonder? As pictured above, the Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras is one of these wonders, with 5 clusters of these terraces inscribed in the UNESCO Heritage list. Further down the south of Luzon, chase another Philippine wonder: the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, which is a marine park committed to preserving the marine life biodiversity within the park. Going to Tubbataha is seasonal every March to mid-June for the diving season as the sea is calmer during this time and skies are clearer, providing avid divers excellent underwater visibility.

Eat a Local Cuisine

Sure, you have watched the Philippine feature of Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown, but have you actually tried eating some? Satiate that hunger! While Jollibee is unofficially one of the Philippines’ national food and something that should not be missed, try the likes of Sisig, which is a dish essentially made of chopped pig face, pork belly, chicken liver, onion, calamansi, and/or chili, all served in a sizzling platter. Sinigang is also not to be missed, which is a sour soup dish or stew. The dish is usually made with pork or fish, with tamarind as its souring agent. To top all of those savory dishes, try Leche Flan for dessert! Basically the Filipino version of creme caramel, Leche Flan has very simple ingredients such as egg yolks, sugar, evaporated milk, and condensed milk.

Try a New Outdoor Activity

Hiking? Surfing? Scuba Diving? Try one of these when you visit the Philippines! The archipelagic state of the country enabled it to be blessed with landscapes and seas where activities surely abound. Should one fancy hiking, the Metro Manila nearby provinces of Batangas and Rizal offer once-in-a-lifetime climbs ranging from beginner to experienced mountaineers. If hiking is tedious, trekking sites are also available. Surfing in the Philippines on the other hand has diverse offerings with long breaks such as the one in Baler, Aurora, consistent waves for all levels such as the ones in La Union, or swells galore in Siargao. Lastly, discover why the Philippines is the center of marine biodiversity in the world! With dive destinations such as Anilao in Mabini, Batangas that’s great for macro photography, Moalboal in Cebu that has a sardine run all-year round, and Apo Reef in Occidental Mindoro that’s scuba diving off-the-grid, scuba diving will surely be an activity that will make you come back to the Philippines again.

Plan One Trip Purely for Rest, Not Sightseeing

While Slow Travel allows one a deeper immersion when travelling, why not travel purely to rest? Wellness retreats in the Philippines are increasingly becoming well-known, with people wanting to be more mindful travelers and wanting to go to re-confirm their “Why” of traveling. Beach destinations are also best get-aways for rest as studies show that the sea can provide healing or therapeutic effects, seeing that the mind tends to relax with these kinds of environments. We recommend the island destinations of Dimakya Island in Coron, Palawan or the famous Boracay Island in Malay, Aklan.

Leave Every Place Better than You Found It

They say that when one travels, leave nothing but footprints; and we surely hope that when we travel we are wary of our carbon footprints. Why not try local transportation in a destination? Not only will you be able to promote sustainable transportation, you also get to enjoy the local way of commuting. Or why not visit an organization that helps marine conservation or that promotes better education? A number of communities in the Philippines have established such organizations that aid for the betterment of livelihoods and ensure that future generations still have a future. Or, if you are up for it, why not volunteer to plant trees or to join a coastal clean-up? Not only will this leave the place much better, it will also leave one feeling better.