World Country Guide

Sport & Activities

Watersports
The Philippines’ clear waters, tropical climate, abundant coral reefs and varied marine life make them an excellent location for scuba diving and snorkelling, with options ranging from resort-based diving to extended trips to unexplored areas. White sandy beaches are ubiquitous. The islands of Batangas, Bohol, Mindoro (particularly Apo Reef Marine Park) and Palawan offer some of the country’s best dive sites. The detailed and informative pocket map A Diver’s Paradise is available from the Philippine Department of Tourism (see Contact Addresses section). Boating enthusiasts can rent traditional canoes (bancas) on most beaches. Surfing and windsurfing are also popular. Kayaking and some rafting are available in the wet season in the interiors of Luzon and Mindanao.

Fishing
The Philippines’ warm waters, incorporating almost 2,000,000 sq km (772,200 sq miles) of fishing grounds, rank 12th in worldwide fish production. These grounds are inhabited by some 2400 fish species, including many game fish such as giant tuna, tanguingue, king mackerel, great barracuda, swordfish and marlin. Local tour operators in Manila will help arrange trips. Game fishing is best from December to August.

Golf
There are approximately 70 courses, but only a handful of these conform to championship specifications. Unfortunately, good golf courses can be difficult to access: all private clubs have security guards with instructions to refuse entry to non-members. Courses that admit visitors tend to be expensive. Some of the best courses open to non-members include: El Club Intramuros (in central Manila); Forbes Park (in southeastern Manila, where two of three courses are open to visitors); Canlubang (one of many spectacular courses in southern Luzon and the only one open to non-members); and Camp John Hay (near the Baguio hill resort, in the mountains, where golfers can rent private bungalows). Further courses are on the islands of Mindanao and Visayas (at Bacolod, Cebu, Davao and Iloilo), which can be reached by ferry or on an internal flight. Non-members may sometimes be allowed to play at private clubs on a personal invitation; hotels can also make arrangements. For further information, or to request the brochure Golf in The Philippines, contact the Philippine Department of Tourism (see Contact Addresses section) or the Federation of Golf Clubs (Philippines) (website: www.federationgolf.com).

Ecotourism
Various commercial operators offer package adventure tours with an ecological slant, including activities such as canopy walking (participants are lifted by pulleys to the canopy on the Philippine rainforest near Cagayan de Oro). The best areas for trekking and mountaineering include the region around Matulid River, Mount Pulog and Mount Halcon as well as the famous UNESCO World Heritage-listed rice terraces in the Cordillera mountain range in northern Luzon (see also Resorts & Excursions). Whale and dolphin watching is popular in the Tanon Strait near Bohol Island.

Other
A traditional game is Sipa, played with a small wicker ball, which visitors can watch in Manila at the Rizal Court.