The Philippines is a nation of more than 7,000 tropical islands, a destination for trend-setting travellers from all around the world … but it seems New Zealand has missed the memo! Words & Photos Pip Goldsbury.

It was an appetite for getting off the beaten track that made the Philippines our latest destination; a magical month with teens in tow, we discovered a picture-perfect paradise. Travelling independently throughout this South East Asian archipelago, our plans were loose. Quickly escaping the metropolis of Manila and bolting to Cebu province, our adventures began in Moalboal.

If you’d asked before we left, a sardine run was not on my bucket list. But when this natural phenomenon is just 50 metres offshore in warm crystalline seas, an early morning swim with vast schools of swirling sardines suddenly seemed like a great idea! A couple of hours later, waterlogged and wrinkly like a prune, I flopped onto the beach, breathlessly happy. Our holiday had begun!

Our 16-year-old had already spent a month travelling through Asia with us before the arrival of the 18-year-old, and we’d established a pattern – two scooters between us, husband and daughter on one and me on my own. With the arrival of the 18-year-old, I was relegated to the back of the husband’s scooter and within a few heart-in-mouth moments we were watching our offspring haring down the wrong side of the road!

Colonised by the Portuguese in the 16th century and westernised by USA troops during WWII, Filipinos drive on the right-hand side of the road.

However, Moalboal is a chilled beach town, and any driving blunders were quickly righted without consequence. In contrast, I signed up for five hours of fear when the family decided I needed some adrenalin in my life and took me canyoneering at Kawasan Falls.

Arriving at the gorge, enveloped by impenetrable  jungle, I peeped over the edge of the first jump into the turquoise flow of the Matutinao River 16 metres below – and shook like a leaf!

Arriving at the gorge, enveloped by impenetrable jungle, I peeped over the edge of the first jump into the turquoise flow of the Matutinao River 16 metres below – and shook like a leaf! The guides proposed the six-metre chicken route but my legs wouldn’t work. Believing there was no other way out, I bravely settled for a two-metre plop and suddenly the fun began! Jumping and swimming down the canyon, a wide grin plastered on my face, I made increasingly higher and more spectacular leaps until, finally, we reached the finishing precipice – a 10-metre drop into an arrestingly azure pool. I watched my son backflip, my daughter leap like a gazelle and my husband didn’t hesitate. ‘You can do it, Mummy,’ cried our guides, and after a full minute of false starts, all embarrassingly captured on video, this mummy did do it!

Next stop was Siquijor, the mystical island of black magic, cliff jumping and spectacular sunsets. While we didn’t see any witches, we quickly acclimatised to drinking cocktails as the sun dipped from sight, the skies burning while gentle seas lapped the beaches and coconut trees swayed above. Days spent scuba diving and snorkelling the coral reefs mere metres from our beachside digs wasn’t enough for the teenagers, so off to the local cliff jump we went. And what a cliff it was. TikTok famous, Pitogo Cliff isn’t always open to thrill seekers and the height is debatable. Only our son was prepared to jump, a soaring silhouette over the Sulu Sea.

By now, I’d become quite the dab hand at snorkelling so I was excited to visit Apo Island’s marine reserve to swim with turtles. In awe of this beautiful country, we were able to connect with the locals and offer a meaningful financial contribution to the island economy.

The Philippines is desperately poor. One hour of work at minimum wage in New Zealand equates to a full day of pay for many Filipinos. However, we were always greeted with warmth and the locals would offer to share what they had. It’s a country with a reputation for corruption and crime, but we never saw any. In fact, when our daughter lost her Pandora bracelet, the goodness of the people was overwhelming. Loaded with charms, each worth approximately three days’ of wages to a Siquijor local, we thought the bracelet was gone, lost to the sea or pocketed by the finder. Instead, the receptionist at our hotel posted on the local Facebook page and within an hour we received a call from the local Tourist Police. The bracelet had been found!

Travelling by ferry and plane, we transferred to the province of Palawan, famous for its laid-back beach vibes. At Port Barton, we discovered a jaw-dropping paradise – rainforests enclosed a traditional village, opening onto a sugar-white sand beach. Colourful boats lined the shore and chilled bars and cafés provided the perfect start and finish to each day. Tourism is growing in Port Barton, but it still retains the charm of a bygone era.

Chartering a private boat for just an additional NZD 50, we dodged our fellow tourists and spent a day island hopping, lunching on our very own blissfully deserted beach and swinging from coconut trees.

Thinking life couldn’t get any better, it did – but not before a van ride to the city of El Nido. By this stage, we’d learnt a thing or two about Filipino transport: choose your seat fast! As it was, I rode in the front on this occasion, perched on the central jump seat without a seatbelt. Feeling slightly vulnerable, I counted my blessings. The air conditioning was working at the front of the van, unlike the back, and at least I wasn’t on top of the van holding onto the luggage like two passengers were!

Encased by soaring mountains, limestone cliffs plummeting into the harbour, breathtaking El Nido is the Philippines’ seascape answer to Milford Sound. However, it was the Big Dream Boatman we were there for, a three-night expedition to Coron. Travelling by boat, we explored islands unseen by the masses and slept in rustic huts on the beaches. We swam, played volleyball, explored villages, kayaked, drank cocktails and made friends with the 14 other tourists onboard as well as the incredible Filipino crew who cared for us like family. Experiencing true island life, this was a remarkable way to wind down our month in the Philippines.

Encased by soaring mountains, limestone cliffs plummeting into the harbour, breathtaking El Nido is the Philippines’ seascape answer to Milford Sound.

However, we had time for one last hurrah – diving the WWII shipwrecks of Coron. On 24 September 1944, the US Navy had launched a surprise attack on the Japanese supply fleet in Coron Bay. Ruthlessly successful, 12 boats were blown apart in less than 20 minutes and today, only scuba divers can access the watery graveyard. The first dive was relatively shallow, the iron skeleton of the wreck clearly visible from the surface and teeming with coral and fish. However, it was the second dive that sent the family into overdrive. Deep and foreboding, the wreck was nearly 100 metres long, the great hull menacingly dark and a lesson in history, a violent graveyard that’s now home to a diverse range of marine life.

Several months later, my Filipino island tan has faded but the memories remain. With the whole world to explore, I feel surprised. Normally excited and focused on our next adventure, the Philippines has captured my heart. I want to go back.