1. Quinale Beach
Brgy. Poblacion, Anda, Bohol
Beach-loving travelers gravitate to the south-western coast when visiting Bohol, but little do most people know that the municipality of Anda, on the eastern side, harbors one of the province's best-kept secrets. Fronting the town church and plaza, Quinale Beach is a 3km stretch of bone-white powder that melts into shallow turquoise waters, delighting even the most discerning of beach afficionados. Plus, nearby coral reefs offer spectacular diving with marine turtles, multicolored nudibranchs and pygmy seahorses.
2. Caluwayan Beach
Brgy. Caluwayan, Marabut, Samar
Despite being the third-largest island in the country, Samar still remains off the radar for most travelers. The town of Marabut in Samar province has recovered its rugged beauty three years after the wrath of Typhoon Haiyan. While its sand may not be as white as the country's premier beaches, Caluwayan Beach still wows visitors with its karst landscape and jagged offshore islands that are reminiscent of northern Palawan.3. Tayandak Beach
Brgy. Dumangas Nuevo, Kalamansig, Sultan Kudarat
Besides its geographical isolation, a history of ethnic unrest has prevented travelers from discovering the pristine coastline of Kalamansig in southern Mindanao. That's likely to change now that peace has recently been restored in the area. Of the series of mainland beach coves facing the Celebes Sea, Tayandak Beach is the most beautiful with its fine white sand and palm trees. This west-facing coast also has spectacular sunsets and serves as a jump-off point to even more stunning beaches and snorkeling sites on Balet Island.
4. Balinghai Beach
Brgy. Yapak, Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan
A "secret beach" in Boracay? Located just south of Shangri-La Boracay Resort & Spa is the small turquoise cove of Balinghai Beach Resort, sheltered from the rest of this touristy island by limestone rocks. Accessed by a steep path down a limestone wall, this hidden corner has pockets of white sand that offer that sought-after privacy and tranquility away from the crowded shores of the island's more popular beaches.
5. Hermit's Cove (Kantabogon Cove)
Brgy. Kantabogon, Aloguinsan, Cebu
Flanked by limestone headlands, Hermit's Cove is a hidden crescent of coralline beach in the little-known town of Aloguinsan along the mid-western coast of Cebu island. The beach was named after a hermit who had lived on this once-isolated beach. Now Hermit's Cove can be reached via a wooden stairway built along the southern cliff. With the tranquil atmosphere of a sleepy fishing village, it's a perfect place for pitching a tent, and the tidal flats that stretch away to the depths of the Tanon Strait offer great snorkeling along its coral walls.
6. Nagtabon Beach
Brgy. Bacungan, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan
Veer away from the droves of tourists that flock to Honda Bay and take a motorbike instead to Nagtabon Beach along the western cost of Puerto Princesa City. Set against lush mountain ranges, this broad stretch of cream-colored sand offers dramatic sunsets over the West Philippine Sea, skim-boarding along its shallows, and even surfing on moderate swells between the months of October and February.
7. Dicotcotan Beach
Brgy. San Isidro, Palanan, Isabela
Sandwiched by the Sierra Madre mountain range and the rough fringes of the Pacific Ocean, coastal Isabela is cut off from the rest of Luzon, making it one of the last frontiers of the archipelago. The Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park contains not only the country's largest rainforest but extends to virgin shorelines like the 3km Dicotcotan Beach, which rewards the intrepid travelers who make the long and arduous journey to get there.
8. Anguib Beach
Brgy. San Vicente, Santa Ana, Cagayan
Carved along a thumb-shaped peninsula on the north-eastern corner of Luzon island, Anguib Beach is a deserted crescent white sand with pine-like casuarina trees and glorious sunsets over the Babuyan Channel. After the long drive from Tuguegarao City, it's a perfect spot for making like a willing castaway, setting up camp on soft sands and falling asleep under the sparkling night sky. Palaui Island is a protected nature reserve nearby that offers a lot of great hiking and birdwatching.
