life's a beach

so here comes summer and you just can't choose where to go and what to do. here to recommend you places in the Philippines based on the activity of your choice. Gay the PinayTravelJunkie and Chyng of No Spam, No Virus, No Kidding on recommending summer beach activities.

[1] Snorkeling. i grew up with this as one of my favorite water activity. in the Philippines, our underwater resources has been damaged for quite some time yet some areas had its locals support its preservation. Anilao in Batangas, which is part of Verde Passage, is a personal favorite because of accessibility from Manila. i highly recommend Dive n Trek.
Other recommended spots: Apo island in Negros, Apo reef in Mindoro, Coron in Palawan, El Nido in Palawan, Pamalican island in Palawan, Balicasag island in Bohol, Sombrero island in Batangas, Pambato reef in Palawan.
[2] Shell Picking. very few does this. except on spots where people would collect it for business. i remember Sibuyan island in Romblon where people would roll over stones to pick some of the shells. i was surprised as there were rocks with about a dozen shells stick to it. those were live ones, which i don't recommend. one can collect shells which are already dead or i should say there's nothing inside and has been dried up ashore. Malamawi island in Basilan and Gaspar island in Marinduque are great spots.
other highly recommended spots: Rock islands of Calaguas, Alibijaban in Quezon province, Balicasag island in Bohol.
[3] Making Sand Castle. kids favorite and are most of the time geared with a pail and shovel. sand castle making does not require very fine sand but the finer it is, the better the surface can be. but i won't be surprised to see adults still ding it. you can still see people doing it in Boracay. you might perfect a wall but it's still a challenge to make a good castle.
Other recommended spots: Anguib beach in Cagayan, Panglao in Bohol, Malamawi island in Basilan, Gumasa beach in Sarangani, Tondol in Pangasinan.
[4] Scuba Diving. Chyng says after I discovered scuba diving in Balicasag, Im in shocked and it left me breathless. It's the 1st time I actually thought Im inside that animated screen-saver in the desktop computer. It's surreal! (and you know very well that I hardly say that a place is "surreal") Chyng shares her first scuba diving experience.
other highly recommended spots: Malapascua and Moalboal in Cebu, Anilao in Batangas, Sarangani Bay, Tubattaha and Coron in Palawan, Apo Reef in Negros, and Apo island in Mindoro.
[5] Island Hopping. we have 7,107 islands but island hopping requires multiple islands in an area and the Hundred islands in Pangasinan is a top spot for this in terms of the number of islands in a specific area. but don't miss out awesome spots for this activity like the enchanting towering karst of El Nido and Coron in Palawan and the equally stunning islands of Caramoan in Camarines Sur.
other highly recommended spots: Higantes islands in Panay, Honda Bay in Palawan, Siargao islands in Surigao, Mactan in Cebu, Calaguas in Camarines Norte.
[6] Fish Feeding. when we were in Honda Bay, many got excited on the fish feeding part of the trip. asked myself, didn't they had enough? we just came from Pambato reef where we did snorkeling. but when i saw them all smile coming out of the water, it meant something. i ended doing it and it was indeed worth it.
other highly recommended spots: Sombrero island in Batangas, Dive n Trek in Batangas, Coron in Palawan, Sibuyan island in Romblon.
[7] Ball sports and Frisbee. whether it's beach volley or simply touch ball, it has always been a popular group activity. that's when you just love to stumble and jump without the fear of falling. international competitions are sometimes held at Boracay's extra wide beach line. Puerto Galera is also a top spot for this as you can join with other locals and even groups.
other highly recommended spots: Bantayan island in Cebu, Mactan island in Cebu, Samal island in Davao, Subic in Zambales, Gumasa in Sarangani.
[8] Landscape Photography. this is when the amazing modern camera flexibility and great scenic beaches jive to bring out the best of natural wonders. the hilly beach views of Palaui island in Cagayan province and the unusual rock forms of Kapurpurawan are stunning. i remember going to beaches taking photos and ends the day not even able to swim.
other highly recommended spots: Capones island in Zambales, Biri island in Samar, Mairaira/Blue Lagoon beach in Ilocos Norte, Anawangin, Nagsasa and Silanguin cove in Zambales.
[9] Luxury and Leisure. that's when you just look for a relaxing weekend spending long hours on a hammock by the mangrove beach of Microtel in Palawan or lying down in between the towering karsts of El Nido. matched with a massage by the bay under a cabana.
other highly recommended spots: Pamalican island in Palawan, Elephant island in Marinduque, Mactan island in Cebu, Boracay, Panglao in Bohol.
[10] Surfing. though summer may not be the best season for surfing, it's those opportunities when small waves and a little push from the experienced gives you the feel of being on top of the board. the coastal shorelines of Siargao in Surigao, Catanduanes and Baler in Quezon are great avenues for this.
other highly recommended spots: La Union in Pangasinan, Borongan in Samar and Bagasbas in Camarines Norte.
[11] Isolation. this would usually lead you to the idea of setting out of the busy daily activities and the usual crowd. the Philippines still has a great number of these islands. Calaguas islands has some of the best isolated beach shores apart from the famous Mahabang Buhangin beach which now attracts a good number of tourists on weekends.
other highly recommended spots: Palaui island in Cagayan, Higantes islands in Panay, Maniuaya island of Marinduque, San Vicente beach of Palawan.
[12] Parasailing. if there's an activity that i highly recommend when one is in Boracay it would be this. though can be costly to the usual budget traveler, i say that you should try it even once in your life. being hundreds of feet above the sea and a great view of the island will be memorable.
other highly recommended spots: Mactan island in Cebu and Subic in Zambales.[13] One with Nature. be one with the green surroundings of mangrove reserves while doing bird watching in the island of Olango in Cebu. you learn to value the importance of mangroves and shallow sandy shorelines to the eco-system.
other highly recommended spots: Puerto Princesa in Palawan, Kalibo in Panay, Malamawi island in Basilan, Alibijaban and Cagbalete island in Quezon.
[14] Food trip. after all the activities that you've done in the beach, you will feel like your tummy is empty. when on the islands, sea food will be at its best as you get to have the fresh catch cooked right infront of you. the Curacha, a deep sea crab, is highly recommended when you're in Sta Cruz island in Zamboanga. but Lechon Cebu while island hopping in Mactan is not even a bad idea.
other highly recommended spots: Dasol in Pangasinan, Calaguas in Camarines Norte.
[15] Cycling. don't be surprised if early morning you will find people cycling on the wide low tide area of the Boracay. look for the shop that offers bike rentals within D'Mall and an hour can bring you to the nearby beach of Bulabog. but if you are friendly enough, you can even borrow the bikes of the locals at zero cost.
other highly recommended spots: San Vicente beach and Sabang beach in Palawan, Sibuyan coast in Romblon, Malamawi island

[16] kayaking. this is my favorite water activity. i would even bring my camera inside a dry pack while paddling away from the shoreline. it would be great to start on lakes near the beaches like the inlet of Calayo in Batangas. but a highly recommended spot is Hundred islands in Pangasinan as you get to hop from one island to the other.
other recommended spots: Boracay, Bantayan island in Cebu, Panglao in Bohol, El Nido in Palawan.
[17] Night Out. some would love the sun but others fall in love with the moon. when in an island, you wanted to maximize the experience and ends up going out with friends like the busy night restos and coffee shops in Boracay and Puerto Galera. after hours of laughter and walking by the beach... you realized that sleeping at 2:00am in Boracay is still early.
other highly recommended spot: Bantayan island during long summer weekend.
[18] Skim boarding. yes i tried this in Calaguas but let's say the longest time i was on top of the board is five seconds. but is definitely something that i would love to do again. this usually requires long straight shore of fine sand. this is getting popular in Boracay.
other highly recommended spots: Bantayan island in Cebu, Siargao island in Surigao, Panglao island in Bohol, Camotes island in Cebu.
[19] no itinerary. i should say that sometimes it's just really fun doing everything and sometimes even nothing when you're in the beach. Gay Mitra Emami says "Our entire trip was enveloped with time constraints. Not to mention I was two months pregnant which forced me to move a bit sluggish and overly wary. Gay's full experience of Sta Fe beach in Bantayan island, Cebu.
other highly recommended spots: it's about just being there. every spot is a recommended spot for this activity.[20] Volunteerism/Immersion. we always enjoy great beach views and unending beach activities that we sometimes overlook the idea of actually being with the locals. last year, i had my first encounter with the Atis of Boracay whose ancestors first enjoyed its white sand beaches. interesting stories of them transferring from one side of the island to the other depending on the season led me to actually realize that this is their island. through the help of some missionaries, outreach activities are open to guests. small acts of help aren't really small when done with a big heart.
other highly recommended spots: Fishing Village Immersion in Alibijaban island in Quezon, Calaguas in Camarines Norte, Dasol in Pangasinan, Polillio island in Quezon.
definitely there a lot of things to do more than these lists and a lot more places to check out. share your summer experience or even plans in the coming months.