Whale Sharks in Donsol We ticked another item off our bucket list in the Philippines: Swimming with the whale sharks. Donsol is the only eco-friendly way to see and interact with these gentle giants. Their ecotourism conservation program is set up and monitored by the WWF. While you cannot be guaranteed of seeing the world’s biggest fish, we got lucky! Every minute we spent in the water with these whale sharks was a gift.
Chocolate Hills and Tarsiers on Bohol Island There are two reasons to visit Bohol Island: See the unique, mound-dotted landscape of the Chocolate Hills and meet the world’s smallest primate at the Tarsier Conservation Center — you can even do both in one day by renting a motorbike or taking a tour.
Taal Volcano near Manila You can see all the sights of Manila — churches, forts, parks, seaside — in a day or two. The real reason you need to visit is to trek to the smallest active volcano in the world, Taal. It is truly spectacular because it’s not just a simple volcano — it is on an island in a lake, and on that island, there is another lake with an island topped by the volcano. Wow! Kids love the trip because it involves a bit of hiking or horseback riding to get up the mountain.