The long vertical finger of Palawan at the eastern extremity of the archipelago, is a delightful area for nature, flora, fauna, dives and even a subterranean river that winds through limestone caves and magroves providing an interesting tourist draw.

The El Nido area (with an air strip) is a popular jump-off point with upscale resorts on Lagen and Miniloc.The capital Puerto Princesa, in the south, is admirably laid-back, with numerous beach-and-dive islands dotting adjacent Honda Bay.

Above all, The Philippines is renowned for its diving. El Nido is famous for its coral while Coron boasts a small fleet of sunken Japanese ships now home to assorted and colourful marine life. Anilao can be easily reached from Manila while Puerto Galera is a fun family option.

The Cebu area has numerous dive options from Mactan to the unspoiled Malapascua Island to its north. Malapascua is a nice beach destination too and so is Badian off the east coast of Cebu. Bohol and Negros offer year-round diving with much of the activity centred around Apo Island. The Tubbutaha Reef in the Sulu Sea, a protected marine area and a Unesco World Heritage site, offers spectacular sightings while other more easily-accessed options include hideaway Boracay and Leyte.

With so much choice, it's no wonder people say, It's more fun in the Philippines.

The long, green vertical finger of Palwan at the eastern extremity of the archipelago is a delightful area for nature lovers - there's flora, fauna, and even a rather unique subterranean river that winds through limestone caves and mangroves providing an interesting tourist draw