Trifter

 
The Philippines is an archipelago of about 7,107 islands. Each island features nature’s majestic and intricate work. Learn about some of nature’s gift to the Philippines.
Here are some of nature’s wonders found in the Philippines:

Chocolate Hills

The Chocolate Hills are probably Bohol’s most famous tourist attraction. The Philippines’ 3rd National Geological Monument, they look like giant mole hills. Most people who first see pictures of this landscape can hardly believe that these hills are not a man-made artifact. It is composed of not less than 1268 hills. Aesthetically extensive, they are scattered throughout the towns of Carmen, Batuan and Sagbayan in Bohol. They are very uniform in shape and mostly between 30 and 50 meters high. They are covered with grass, which, at the end of the dry season, turns chocolate brown. From this color, the hills derive their name. At other times, the hills are green, and the association may be a bit difficult to make.

Mayon Volcano

The Mayon Volcano is an active stratovolcano in the province of Albay in Bicol Region. It is situated 15 kilometres northwest of Legazpi City.

Mayon is classified by volcanologists as a stratovolcano, or composite volcano. Its symmetric cone was formed through alternate pyroclastic and lava flows. It was known and famous as a “Perfect Cone” volcano because of it’s almost perfectly shaped cone. Truly, nature is a great architect.

Tubbataha Reef

Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park is home to some of the most beautiful coral reefs in the world. Rising from the volcanic depths of the Sulu Sea in the western Philippines, these magnificent atolls encompass an astonishing diversity of marine life. The reef is composed of two atolls, North and South Reefs. Each reef has a single small islet that protrudes from the water. The atolls are separated by a deep channel 8 km (5 miles) wide.

Over one thousand species can be found in the reef; many are already endangered species. Animal species found include manta rays, lionfish, pawikan or tortoise, clownfish, and sharks.

The park is the Philippines’ only National Marine Park and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site being preserved for generations to come.

From majestic whale sharks to elusive seahorses – Tubbataha supports an unparalleled variety of marine creatures. Colourful reef fish crowd corals growing in the shallows while sharks and manta rays haunt the steep drop offs to the open sea.

Puerto Prinsesa Subterranean River

The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is located about 50 kilometers north of the city of Puerto Princesa, Palawan. It is located in the Saint Paul Mountain Range on the northern coast of the island. It is also known as St. Paul’s Subterranean River National Park. The entrance to the Subterranean River is located a short hike from little town of Sabang.

The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park features a spectacular limestone karst landscape with its underground river. A distinguishing feature of the river is that it flows directly into the sea, and the lower portion of the river is subject to tidal influences. The area also represents a significant habitat for biodiversity conservation. The site contains a full mountain to the sea ecosystem and protects forests. The underground river is reputed to be the world’s longest.

It was inscribed by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site on December 4, 1999.

Danjugan Island      

Lying in the Sulu Sea, 3km west of Negros Occidental, Danjugan Island rises steeply to 80m and is covered in rainforest – home to a nesting pair of sea eagles, rare pigeons and doves, threatened Tabon scrubfowls and coconut crabs, fruit and insect bats and many other wildlife species that struggle to exist in the mainland.

Danjugan has five lagoons, two of which are open to the sea and four of which have surrounding mangrove stands. The island has a broken shoreline with numerous inlets of coral rubble and coarse sandy beaches. One of the sandy beaches is a confirmed nesting site for green turtles (Chelonia mydas). There is no permanent freshwater on the island.

Danjugan is rich in vegetation including plants like Pandanus spp. (screw pines), Veitchia merrilii (previously only known to occur in Palawan) and the threatened Pemphis acidula. The sub-tropical rainforest is an important bird nesting and feeding site for at least 55 resident and migrant avifauna species. The small limestone caves throughout the island act as important refuges of at least six bat species.

The island is completely encircled by fringing coral reef descending to a depth of approximately 30m. Seagrass beds occur along the western and eastern margin of the island.