Day Trips from Philippines

Kick off on Tagaytay Ridge where the crater lake glints inside another lake, then ride a bangka across wind-chopped water and hike 30 minutes to Taal's steaming lip. Wrap up in Taal town, inhale candle wax inside Asia's largest Spanish church and listen to bronze bells cast in 1910. You'll beat Manila's rush hour home.

Water buffalo carts roll you across 800 hectares of palms to Labasin Falls where lunch arrives on bamboo tables IN the stream. Cool water rushes over your ankles while you crunch fried tilapia and bamboo musicians strum kundiman classics. Manila families bolt here every weekend. Now you'll know why.

Two boatmen paddle you upstream through limestone corridors that narrow overhead. Vines drip and crushed pandan scents the air as the gorge tightens. Suddenly the walls part and 300-ft falls thunder. The crew spins the canoe under the curtain, expect a soaking and unstoppable laughter.

A 40-ft catamaran glides past White Beach's narrowing chalk stripe while a DJ drops tropical house. Unlimited grilled pork skewers and mango rum hit the tongue, bass thumps through the hull, and the sky flames cantaloupe orange as paraw sails cut the horizon.

Rent a 125 cc Honda at Panglao sunrise, wind through mahogany forest that smells of cedar shavings, and hit the Chocolate Hills lookout before tourist vans wake up. Push inland to jade-colored Mag-Aso Falls and cliff-jump 25 ft into ice-cold water.

Step off Kontiki beach, drop three meters, and hover above a swirling silver ball of thousands of sardines. Sea turtles cruise past like slow aircraft. The reef sits 10 seconds from your towel, ideal when you have only a morning yet want to brag you dived the Philippines.