36 Islands to Explore in Philippines

Agho Island is a small, mostly uninhabited island in northeastern Iloilo, Philippines. It is part of the municipality of Concepcion. The island doesn’t have a resort or electricity but it has its own source of freshwater. There are also some open-air cottages for rent on the island. Agho Island has a cream/beige sand beach. The quality of the sand in Agho island is much finer compared to its neighboring island, the Bulubadiangan island. There is also a sandbar in Agho.

Alibijaban Island is one of the best beach getaways near Manila. It is known for its white-sand shores surrounded by mangrove trees. At over 400 hectares in size, it’s home to a local community whose one of the main incomes is tourism. There are homestays and cottages open to tourists staying on the island.

A beautiful and tourist-friendly island which was located in the heart of Tawi Tawi which is famous for the beaches. it is one of the last islands in the Sulu archipelago.

Apo Island is in the province of Negros Oriental, in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines. Apo is a tiny island with a small beach. The small town uses gathered rainwater as tap water. There is electricity only 3 hours a day, and there is no wifi connectivity (except for liberty lodge, and it is strictly for hotel guests only—eating at their restaurant will not grant you access to the wifi).

The Apo Reef, also considered as the second largest atoll-like reef in the Philippines comprises of two isolated coral reefs that are disconnected by a 30-meter deep channel. The clear blue waters of the channel are teeming with 285 species of colorful marine life, including tropical aquarium fish, snappers, and the crevice-dwelling moray. It is one best dive spot in the world, attracting hordes of divers all year-round. The soft white sand and patches of fine corals, clearly visible through the

A destination of unmatched natural beauty located off the eastern coast of Luzon in the Philippines, Balesin Island is a 500-hectare tropical island paradise with 7.3 kilometers of pristine white-sand beaches. It is one of the best tourist places in this area.

Biri Island is the most interesting town in Northern Samar. It is known for its splendid rock formations carved thru time due to ferocious waves of the San Bernardino Strait that lap up the eastern portion of its shore. The picturesque Biri Rock Formation is composed of seven gigantic limestone rocks, showcasing itself as an awe-inspiring natural wonder with unique carved forms. It was now one of the great attractions in this area.

Caballo Island is a bluff, rocky island located at the entrance to Manila Bay in the Philippines. It is about 1.2 km long with the highest elevation at 381 feet high. Caballo, along with the larger Corregidor, divides the entrance to the bay into two broad and deep channels, known as the North and South Channel. The whole island was formerly occupied by Fort Hughes, a U.S. defense fortification before World War II. It was heavily bombed during the war.

It lies in the western portion of the main island in the middle of the vast Cebu Strait. One of the smaller Philippine Islands, it has an approximate 8 square kilometers, laid-back lifestyle and a peaceful community. It was one of the renowned tourist centers in this area and it has three known dive spots that put this island on the list of the possible Bohol tourist destinations. Scuba diving and snorkeling around this island is so much rewarding.

The Cabra Island Lighthouse is a historic lighthouse built on Cabra Island, the north-westernmost of the Lubang group of islands in Occidental Mindoro, Philippines. International vessels entering the Philippines from the South China Sea were welcomed by the Cabra Light and directed either towards Manila Bay or the center of the archipelago through Verde Island Passage, one of busiest sea routes of the Philippines. It was now one of the main attractions in this area.

Cagbalete Island is one of the jewels of Quezon Province. Located off the coast of the town of Mauban, it is a small island paradise in the province surrounded with cream sand that exposes significantly during low tide. The 1,640-hectare privately owned island is home to a diverse ecosystem. With a unique variety of birds, rich marine life, and the abundance of unique species of plants, the island is a complete paradise for adventurers and nature lovers.

Calaguas is a group of islands in the Pacific area under the jurisdiction of the Province of Camarines Norte, a merely two-hour boat ride from the mainland. It has a powdery white sand beach, crystal-clear waters, and unspoiled natural resources, a place where one can truly relax while enjoying the pristine beauty and the climate of this island. It is famous among tourists by its nature.

Canigao is an islet located in the Philippines, near the municipality of Matalom, Leyte. The area is known for abundant fishing grounds and scenic coral reef areas suitable for diving. It is uninhabited, featuring a lighthouse as its only significant man-made structure. The beaches have white sand, with tropical sea creatures and extensive coral reefs in the surrounding waters.

Capitancillo Islet is a small uninhabited island situated close to the City of Bogo in northern Cebu. The six-hectare islet features three recognized dive sites and is a part of a protected marine sanctuary. The island has a lighthouse that uses solar energy for power. It is located right beside the original lighthouse, which is among the oldest in the province of Cebu. It was also among the main lighthouses in the archipelago.

Capones Island or “Isla de Gran Capon” is four kilometers off Barangay Pundaquit of Zambales in the main island of Luzon. This island boasts of white-sand beaches conducive for overnight camping, day picnic and swimming; turquoise water, and rich marine life that is great for diving and snorkeling. The only structure there is an old Spanish lighthouse known as Faro de Punta Capones.

In the late 1800s, the Spaniards built a lighthouse on the island that marks the importance of Capul in the maritime navigation of their time. It served and still serving its purpose until now. Capul Island today is a quaint historic town, typically rural and generally out of the usual tourist path. But the island holds rewarding treasures for those who choose the offbeat path to Capul. The lighthouse is one of the centres of the attraction in this area.

The island consists of a small long rock formation that looks like a crocodile resting on the sand.

Great Santa Cruz Island is a small inhabited island in Zamboanga City in the southern region of the Philippines that is famous for its pink coralline sand. The island, located 4 kilometers south of downtown at the Santa Cruz Bank in the Basilan Strait, boasts the only pink sand beach in the Philippines. The color of the sand comes from the pulverized red organ pipe coral from eons of surf erosion mixed with the white sand.

A small island located in the Tawi Tawi, which was one of the beautiful places in the area. It is the third-largest of the Philippine Turtle Islands at 51 hectares with the highest elevation at 58 metres and it is also part of the Turtle Islands Wildlife Sanctuary.

Guyam Island is part of the group of islands you’ll visit which also include Naked and Daku. Guyam Island may be small, but its picturesque beachscape, shallow waters, and tropical paradise appeal more than makeup for it. Spend hours reading, lazing on the beach, or having a picnic on the island while taking a break from surfing.