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00:00:00Have you ever dreamed of exploring the Philippines, a country of emerald islands, volcanoes, and
00:00:07seas that shine like glass?
00:00:11Many travelers know Boracase beaches and Palawan's cliffs, but few realize the country also hides
00:00:18rice terraces carved into mountains, lagoons surrounded by jungle, and lakes high in the
00:00:25hills.
00:00:27The good news is you don't have to piece it all together yourself.
00:00:33Today we'll take you through the Philippines' most extraordinary places, from remote islands
00:00:39to landscapes that feel unreal.
00:00:47In the islands of Bucas Grande, east of Siargao, the sea opens into a hidden world of green
00:00:53lagoons and limestone walls.
00:00:59This is Sohoton, a place where water and forest flow together, where cliffs rise straight from
00:01:06the sea, and light filters through in shifting shades of blue.
00:01:12From above, the cove looks like a cluster of circles connected by narrow channels that fill
00:01:18and empty with the tide.
00:01:23The boats move slowly through the passages, their engines echoing between the cliffs.
00:01:29The water turns glassy and still, so clear that coral and rock are visible far below.
00:01:40These open in the limestone, some large enough to pass through, others hidden in shadow,
00:01:46where the light fades to green.
00:01:50The water turns into the sea.
00:01:53Inside the lagoons, jellyfish drift near the surface, their translucent forms pulsing gently
00:02:01with the current.
00:02:03The air is quiet, except for the sound of paddles and dripping water.
00:02:19High in the Cordillera Mountains of northern Luzon, slopes of green rise in steps that seem
00:02:25to climb into the clouds.
00:02:33These are the rice terraces of Bonawe and Bataad, carved by hand more than 2,000 years ago, cut
00:02:40into the mountains one stone wall at a time.
00:02:49Seen from above, they form vast amphitheaters of earth and water, reflecting the sky and
00:02:55in every pool.
00:03:02Footpaths wind along narrow ledges between terraces.
00:03:11Water flows down from mountain springs, spreading through channels that glisten under the sun.
00:03:22Water still tend the paddies as their ancestors did, guiding the water, planting by season,
00:03:28harvesting in rhythm with the rain.
00:03:35Bataad lies deeper in the valley, its terraces shaped in a perfect bowl, surrounded by ridges and forest.
00:03:43In the center of the Visayas lies Bohol, an island shaped by rivers, hills, and coral shores.
00:03:58Inland, the land folds into hundreds of rounded mounds, known as the Chocolate Hills, a landscape
00:04:05that turns green in the rain and brown in the dry season.
00:04:11From the ridges, the hills stretch in every direction, their shapes so precise, they seem almost sculpted.
00:04:24Rivers wind through the valleys, moving slow and wide beneath canopies of palm and bamboo.
00:04:38The villages rise along the banks, their houses built on stilts above the water.
00:04:51In the forest, tarsiers cling to branches no thicker than a finger, their eyes bright in the shadows.
00:04:57Along the coast, limestone cliffs break into white beaches and coves, where the sea glows turquoise above the reefs.
00:05:11Ferries cross the narrow channels toward Cebu, their wakes tracing white lines across the calm.
00:05:23Off the northern coast of Palawan lies Coron, a fortress of limestone cliffs rising straight from the sea.
00:05:37The rock faces are sheer and jagged, their surfaces streaked with grey, black, and gold, where water has run for centuries.
00:05:51Between them, hidden lagoons open suddenly, still blue water surrounded by walls of stone that rise hundreds of feet high.
00:06:06Beneath the surface, coral reefs cover the shallows, and deeper down, the seafloor holds the wrecks of ships from a long ago war.
00:06:22Divers descend through clear water, passing between rusted holes, now claimed by coral and fish.
00:06:34Above, the light breaks on the surface, turning everything into shifting patterns of blue.
00:06:40Wooden boats move through narrow channels, where the cliffs almost touch.
00:06:54The sound of their engines fades into the distance, leaving only wind, water, and the echo of waves against stone.
00:07:08In the mountains of Luzon, Mount Pinatubo rises from the scars of one of the most powerful eruptions in the 20th century.
00:07:25In 1991, the volcano exploded with force that darkened skies across the region, burying towns in ash and changing the landscape for miles around.
00:07:37In the mountains of Luzon, Mount Pinatubo, Mount Pinatubo.
00:07:42Rivers turned to grey torrents, valleys filled with mud, and the mountain itself collapsed into a vast crater.
00:07:50Today, the volcano stands quiet.
00:07:56Inside its caldera lies a lake of pale turquoise water, surrounded by cliffs of grey and gold.
00:08:06The surface is still, but the walls around it tell of the violence that shaped them.
00:08:17Trails cut through canyons of ash and stone, leading toward the basin, where the air smells faintly of sulfur.
00:08:30The land remains fragile, grasses grow over the old ash fields, and rivers have carved new paths through the Lahar Plains.
00:08:45At the center of the archipelago lies Cebu, a long narrow island stretched between deep seas.
00:08:58Ridges run along its spine, rising sharply from plains that meet the coast and sudden drops of rock and coral.
00:09:11From the air, the island looks split in two by the mountain range that divides its east and west, both sides lined with fishing towns and white beaches.
00:09:31The land is never still.
00:09:39Roads twist through hills covered in palms and sugarcane.
00:09:49Rivers cut down toward the sea, forming small waterfalls and pools hidden in valleys.
00:10:00Offshore, the reefs are alive with color.
00:10:04Walls of coral that fall into deep blue, where whale sharks and sardines move in dense, shimmering clouds.
00:10:17Inland, the air turns cooler in the uplands, where old churches and stone crosses mark the routes of early trade and faith.
00:10:29The coastlines remain busy with ferries and fishing boats, their lights scattered across the channel at night.
00:10:38In the mountains of Davao Oriental, the Katil River descends through a long chain of waterfalls known as Aliwagwag.
00:10:53More than a hundred tiers of rock step down the valley, forming one of the tallest cascades in the Philippines.
00:11:02The water spreads and narrows again as it moves downhill, breaking into white foam before gathering in deep blue pools below.
00:11:16Each level is shaped differently.
00:11:25Some falls are only a few meters high.
00:11:28Others drop like walls of water between cliffs covered in ferns.
00:11:35There are many revelations of this river.
00:11:39The river's purgeting and sea is compressed through the coast, catching the sunlight in thin vales.
00:11:49The sound of the river echoes through the forest, constant and heavy even from far away.
00:12:01Bridges and trails cross parts of the Cascade, but much of it remains surrounded by untouched
00:12:07forest.
00:12:13Along the western edge of the Philippines stretches Palawan, a narrow island where mountains
00:12:19rise directly from the sea.
00:12:27Its limestone cliffs stand like walls of grey and white, split by coves and hidden lagoons.
00:12:40Around the air, the island appears as a spine of green ridges, surrounded by clear water
00:12:46that fades from turquoise to deep blue.
00:12:55Forests cover the slopes, thick with vines and palms.
00:12:59Caves open inside the cliffs, carved by rain and time.
00:13:10Beneath them, the sea runs through channels and underground rivers, winding for kilometers
00:13:15beneath stone before returning to the surface.
00:13:24Along the coast, villages sit between jungle and coral reefs.
00:13:29Boats cross quiet bays and narrow straits, their engines echoing between cliffs.
00:13:41Offshore, smaller islands and sandbars scatter across the horizon, some no larger than a stretch
00:13:48of white sand and a single tree.
00:13:57On the western side of Siargao lies Sugba Lagoon, a hidden stretch of emerald water enclosed by
00:14:04forested cliffs.
00:14:07From above, it looks like a mirror set deep within the limestone hills, its surface calm,
00:14:18shifting color with the light.
00:14:25Narrow channels connected to the open sea, where the tide moves in and out like breath.
00:14:37Islands glide over clear shallows before entering the lagoon, their wakes breaking the still
00:14:42surface for only a moment.
00:14:50The water turns from green to blue as it deepens, and beneath it, coral gardens cover the stone
00:14:57floor.
00:15:03Off the eastern coast of Cebu lies Olongo, a flat island surrounded by wide shallows and
00:15:10mangrove forests.
00:15:17The land seems to hover just above the tide, its shores stretching into long wetlands,
00:15:23where the sea and earth blend together.
00:15:32On the air, the island looks like a patch of green and silver water, bordered by coral reefs.
00:15:43When the tide recedes, vast sand flats emerge, streaked with channels and pools.
00:15:56Rocks of migratory birds gather here, herons, egrets, and plovers, resting along their route
00:16:03across Asia.
00:16:10The air fills with their movement and calls, rising above the sound of the wind and sea.
00:16:22Suzan is the northern giant of the Philippines, a land of mountains, plains, and restless coasts.
00:16:34At its center stretch wide lowlands of rice and rivers, framed by ridges that rise abruptly
00:16:41toward the sky.
00:16:48The Sierra Madre runs along the eastern edge, its forests facing the Pacific.
00:16:54While on the west, the Zambales Mountains fall toward the South China Sea.
00:17:05Volcanoes mark the landscape.
00:17:12Mayan stands almost perfect in shape, its slopes smooth and symmetrical, until clouds gather
00:17:19around its rim.
00:17:27Farther north, Pinatubo's crater hides a turquoise lake, formed from fire and ash.
00:17:39Across the plains, rivers spread into deltas before meeting the sea, winding through fields
00:17:45that feed much of the country.
00:17:52Luzon's contrasts are constant.
00:18:01Highlands hold cool air and pine forests, while the lowlands burn in the tropical sun.
00:18:13In southern Luzon rises my own, a volcano so perfectly shaped, it seems drawn by hand.
00:18:25Its cone climbs more than 2,000 meters above the plains.
00:18:30Its slopes smooth and symmetrical from every direction.
00:18:39From the fields below, it appears serene, but the mountain is alive, breathing smoke and fire
00:18:46through its summit.
00:18:53Mayan has erupted more than 50 times, shaping the land and the lives around it.
00:19:00Villages lie at its base, where the soil is dark and fertile from ancient lava flows.
00:19:17When the volcano stirs, ash and rock sweep down its sides, leaving the air thick and gray
00:19:23before the winds cleared again.
00:19:31On the edge of Manila Bay, the capital spreads across plains and reclaimed land, a vast city
00:19:38built where rivers meet the sea.
00:19:45The skyline rises above the water in layers of concrete, glass and tangled streets that
00:19:51stretch endlessly inland.
00:19:59From above, the city looks like a living maze, blocks of houses, bridges and avenues glowing
00:20:06under the tropical haze.
00:20:13Manila moves without pause.
00:20:22Traffic crawls through the heat, horns echoing between high-rises.
00:20:32Floats spill onto sidewalks, and crowds flow through stations and intersections until long
00:20:38after dark.
00:20:45In the air, the scent of food, fuel and salt mixes with the humidity from the bay.
00:20:57Yet amid the noise, fragments of the past remain.
00:21:07Old stone walls stand beside modern towers.
00:21:11Churches face neon streets, and faded colonial buildings overlook the harbor.
00:21:18Sunset, the bay reflects the entire skyline in gold light.
00:21:27Before night turns it into a sea of moving lights and sound.
00:21:37In the forest of Sikwajor, a clear river tumbles through tiers of turquoise pools, known as Kumbugahai
00:21:48Falls.
00:21:51The water flows down from the island's interior, dropping in thin curtains over limestone ledges,
00:21:57before collecting in calm basins below.
00:22:05Each pool glows a different shade of blue, lit by sunlight filtering through the canopy.
00:22:17Certain steps lead through the jungle to the water's edge.
00:22:26Ropes hang from the trees, and swimmers swing out over the pools, before falling into the
00:22:31cold, clear depths.
00:22:39The sound of the cascades fills the valley, echoing between moss-covered stones.
00:22:50The river continues downhill through vines and bamboo, disappearing into the forest.
00:23:03Around it, the air stays cool, even under the tropical sun, and the water runs bright through
00:23:09the heart of the island.
00:23:16Off the southern coast of Negros, Apo Island rises from the sea like a dark green hill surrounded
00:23:23by blue water.
00:23:30The shore is narrow and rocky, lined with boats pulled high onto the beach.
00:23:40Beyond the shallows, the sea floor drops into coral gardens that stretch for hundreds of
00:23:45meters in every direction.
00:23:53Beneath the surface, turtles glide between massive coral heads, feeding in slow circles,
00:23:59before rising for air.
00:24:07Schools of fish shimmer in the light, and currents carry clouds of silver and blue across the
00:24:13reef walls.
00:24:20The water stays clear, revealing soft corals and sea fans waving in the motion of the tide.
00:24:26The water stays clear, and the water stays clear.
00:24:33At the northeastern tip of Luzon, Palaui Island faces the open Pacific, a wild stretch of green
00:24:39hills, cliffs, and white sand, where waves crash hard against the shore.
00:24:51The island lies just beyond the mainland, separated by a narrow channel crossed only by small boats.
00:25:04From a distance, its headlands rise steeply from the water, covered in grass and forest that
00:25:10glows under the sun.
00:25:18Trails cut through the island's interior, climbing from mangrove flats to ridges overlooking the
00:25:23sea.
00:25:30The wind moves constantly, carrying the sound of waves even to the highest slopes.
00:25:42Along the coast, the path leads to Cape Igaño, where an old lighthouse stands above the cliffs.
00:25:54Its walls are worn by salt and time, but the view stretches endlessly, sea in every direction,
00:26:01blue fading into white haze.
00:26:09Below, the coastline folds into coves and reefs, the water shifting between green and deep indigo.
00:26:21Along the western edge of Luzon, the Zambales mountains rise between the plains and the sea.
00:26:31The range is dry and rough, made of ancient volcanic rock that crumbles into red soil and
00:26:37grey cliffs.
00:26:41Along the lowlands, the slopes appear scorched under the sun, their ridges fading into the
00:26:46haze that drifts in from the coast.
00:26:53The terrain is carved by rivers that run only during the rains, cutting deep gorges through
00:26:59fields of lahar and ash.
00:27:04Scattered forests cling to the higher elevations, where wind shapes the grass and clouds gather
00:27:10against the peaks.
00:27:13From the ridge lines, the view stretches to the sea.
00:27:17Long beaches and coves, hidden between the headlands.
00:27:22At dawn, the mountains glow in muted gold, and by noon, the air shimmers with heat.
00:27:32On the western coast of Palawan, the sea around Port Barton spreads into a maze of small islands
00:27:39and coral reefs.
00:27:46The water glows in layers of blue and green, broken only by white beaches and clusters of
00:27:56palms.
00:27:59From the shore, the islands seem close enough to touch, small silhouettes scattered across
00:28:05the calm expanse of the bay.
00:28:13Flames travel between them, through waters so clear, the seabed is visible even at depth.
00:28:25Sandbars appear with the tide, vanishing again beneath the shifting light.
00:28:35Beneath the surface, corals form bright ridges, where fish move in slow, flickering waves.
00:28:46Some islands hold only a few trees and a hut facing the sea.
00:28:51Others have coves hidden by cliffs, where the water stays completely still.
00:29:00At the northernmost edge of the Philippines, the Batanes Islands rise from rough seas and
00:29:05open sky.
00:29:12Rolling hills meet cliffs that drop straight into deep blue water, and waves crash against
00:29:18the Blackstone shore.
00:29:25The land feels carved by wind, grass bending in every direction.
00:29:30Clouds racing low over the ridges.
00:29:39Villages of stone houses stand close to the ground.
00:29:42Their thick walls built to survive the storms that sweep across the islands.
00:29:53Narrow roads wind between the slopes, leading to lighthouses that watch over the channel.
00:30:04On their towers, the horizon stretches wide, sea, sky, and scattered islands fading into mist.
00:30:18In the heart of the Cebuyan Sea lies Romblon, an island of marble mountains and quiet coves.
00:30:31Its ridges rise steeply from the coast, their slopes covered in palms and bamboo that reach
00:30:37down to the water's edge.
00:30:45From the sea, the island appears solid and pale, cliffs and stone gleaming in the sun.
00:30:58The land is rich with marble, veins of white and gray running through the hills.
00:31:09Quarries cut into the slopes above the town, where the sound of tools echoes across the valley.
00:31:17Below, narrow streets wind between old stone houses, their walls built from coral and rock, pulled
00:31:28from the island itself.
00:31:36North of Mindanao lies Cumigan, a small island shaped entirely by volcanoes.
00:31:48Peaks rise from the sea in every direction.
00:31:51Their slopes covered in forest that climbs toward steaming craters.
00:32:02From the air, the island looks circular and self-contained, its ridges forming a ring around valleys
00:32:08filled with rivers and hot springs.
00:32:16The land carries the memory of eruptions.
00:32:25Centuries ago, entire villages were buried under ash and lava.
00:32:30Their remains still visible beneath the waves along the coast.
00:32:39Black sand beaches stretch at the island's edge, and offshore a white sandbar appears at low
00:32:45tide, a thin line of pure sand surrounded by deep blue water.
00:32:56Waterfalls pour from the hills, dropping into clear pools hidden by trees.
00:33:07Paths wind through banana groves and fumaroles that vent thin smoke from the earth.
00:33:18Hidden in the mountains of Lanao del Norte, Lumun-Sudan Falls drops through dense rainforest in
00:33:24two massive tiers.
00:33:32The upper cascade falls in a thin white column from the cliffs above, while the lower plunge
00:33:38crashes into a deep basin surrounded by mist.
00:33:43Together, the drops measure more than 800 feet, one of the highest waterfalls in the country.
00:33:59The approach is long and difficult.
00:34:07Trails cut through thick jungle, crossing rivers and ridges before the sound of falling water
00:34:12begins to fill the air.
00:34:20When the trees finally open, the cliffs appear suddenly, walls of rock covered in moss and
00:34:27vines, shining under constant spray.
00:34:36Each year in Dumaget, the streets burst into color for the Sandurot Festival, a celebration
00:34:43of friendship, migration and shared roots.
00:34:50Dancers in bright costumes fill the avenues, moving to the beat of drums and gongs that echo
00:34:56through the city.
00:35:02The air carries the scent of flowers, roasted food, and sea breeze drifting in from the bay.
00:35:13Sandurot means fellowship in a local dialect, and the festival retells how people from distant
00:35:20islands once came together to build the city.
00:35:28Parades reenact arrivals by sea, blending traditional Visayan music with modern rhythms.
00:35:39Parades stretch from Rizal Boulevard to the town center, where crowds cheer under banners
00:35:44and confetti.
00:35:49In the province of Sorsogon, Mount Bulusan rises above a circle of forest and lakes.
00:35:59Its slopes are steep and dark with trees, and from time to time, thin smoke drifts from
00:36:05vents near the summit.
00:36:13Beneath the canopy, the ground stays damp with heat, a reminder that fire still moves under
00:36:19the mountain.
00:36:25The volcano is part of a chain that runs along the Bicol Peninsula, where the earth folds
00:36:31and breaks along deep faults.
00:36:39Behind its base lies Bulusan Lake and the smaller Lake Aguangay, both formed by old eruptions
00:36:46and cradled by forested ridges.
00:36:54The air there is heavy with mist and the scent of rain.
00:37:03Birds wind through bamboo and fern, climbing towards sulfur fields and old lava flows.
00:37:14Birds move through the fog, their calls echoing between the trees.
00:37:24North of Cebu, across a narrow strait, lies Mala Pascua, a small island surrounded by pale
00:37:31blue water and white sand that glows under the sun.
00:37:41Boats line the shore, their hulls painted in bright colors, and palm trees lean toward
00:37:46the sea.
00:37:53From above, the island looks like a thin strip of sand, floating between coral shallows and
00:37:59deep water.
00:38:05Underneath the surface, the sea floor drops into steep walls, where thresher sharks rise
00:38:11from the depths at dawn.
00:38:19Divers descend before sunrise, waiting in the blue haze as the silhouettes of the sharks appear,
00:38:25long tails cutting through the light.
00:38:33Around them, smaller fish circle in a current, and the sea hums with quiet movement.
00:38:45In the mountains of Cebu, the Matutinau River spills through a series of turquoise pools known
00:38:51as Kawasan Falls.
00:38:57The water begins high in the hills, running cold and clear through limestone gorges, before
00:39:03dropping into deep basins hidden by trees.
00:39:10Each tier is a curtain of blue-green water that glows against the white rock beneath it.
00:39:20The air stays cool even in the heat.
00:39:23Mist drifts through the jungle, and sunlight flickers on the surface as swimmers move through
00:39:29the pools.
00:39:35The river's sound never stops, a low, constant rush echoing between the cliffs.
00:39:47East of Siargao, beyond the surf breaks and coral reefs, lies Daku Island, a wide crescent of
00:39:54white sand surrounded by shallow turquoise water.
00:40:02The name means big in the local dialect, but the island feels intimate, wrapped in calm seas and
00:40:09rows of tall coconut trees that sway with the wind.
00:40:16Boats pull up along the shore, their hulls resting on clear water that barely reaches the ankles.
00:40:24The sand is fine and pale, soft beneath the heat.
00:40:33Farther out, the water deepens to a pure blue that glows under the afternoon sun.
00:40:45Fishermen mend their nets under the palms while children run through the shallows.
00:40:51The air smells of salt and coconut smoke, and the sea stretches in every direction, bright,
00:40:59calm and endless.
00:41:04In the southern reaches of the Philippines lies Mindanao, a vast island of mountains, rivers,
00:41:10and deep rainforest.
00:41:18Volcanoes rise from its interior, their peaks hidden by clouds, while broad plains stretch
00:41:23toward coasts lined with mangroves and coral reefs.
00:41:32From the air, the island looks alive with movement, rivers twisting through valleys, smoke drifting
00:41:38from hidden craters, waves breaking along endless shores.
00:41:48The land is marked by water and fire.
00:41:52Ice fills the basins of old volcanoes, and rivers carve gorges through limestone hills.
00:42:04In the east, waterfalls plunge from forested cliffs into green basins.
00:42:10In the west, high plateaus meet the sea in sudden drops of stone.
00:42:21Across its center, ridges form a spine of rainforest, where mist rises from the canopy every morning.
00:42:32In the center of the Visayas, Boracay stretches only a few kilometers long, a thin line of sand
00:42:41between shallow seas.
00:42:48Its western shore, White Beach, glows under the sun like powdered glass.
00:42:59The water shifts in color through the day, from pale turquoise to a deep clear blue that mirrors
00:43:05the sky.
00:43:11Winds move across the island constantly.
00:43:14On one side, the sea stays calm.
00:43:17On the other, kites rise an arc above waves that crash against coral shallows.
00:43:27The sand stays cool even under the heat, and footsteps vanish almost instantly as the tide
00:43:33rolls in.
00:43:38At dusk, the light turns gold and then fades into violet.
00:43:43Winds drift close to shore, their sails catching the last wind of the day.
00:43:53Off the coast of Pangasinan, the sea breaks into a field of green and limestone.
00:43:58More than a hundred small islands rising from blue water.
00:44:07Each islet is shaped differently, some steep and forested, others flat with narrow strips
00:44:13of white sand.
00:44:18From above, they look like fragments of land scattered across the gulf, floating in calm,
00:44:24clear water that deepens to indigo at the edge.
00:44:31Winds weave through the channels between the islands, their wakes tracing lines through
00:44:37the still surface.
00:44:43Some islets hide small caves carved by the tide, their entrances half-submerged in shadow.
00:44:56Others hold lagoons where the water turns still and glass-like, reflecting the cliffs above.
00:45:08At the southern edge of Mindanao, Sarangani Bay opens between green headlands and mountain
00:45:14ridges that fall steeply into the sea.
00:45:22The water here runs deep and dark, turning from turquoise near the shore to blue so rich
00:45:29it almost looks black.
00:45:37From the coast, the horizon feels endless, a straight line of sea and light that stretches
00:45:43toward the Celebes.
00:45:49Fishing boats move through the bay at dawn, their engines low and steady, nets glimmering
00:45:56behind them.
00:46:03The air smells of salt and smoke from the villages along the coast.
00:46:08Hills rise immediately behind the beaches, covered in grass that glows gold under the sun.
00:46:20From the slopes, the view reaches far across the bay, ships moving slowly below, the water
00:46:26bright as glass.
00:46:33Beneath the surface, coral reefs line the coast, alive with movement.
00:46:45The mountains and whale sharks cross the deep channel during the season, following currents
00:46:50that sweep through the mouth of the bay.
00:46:58Off the coast of Leyte lies Kalangaman, a long sand bar that stretches like a white ribbon
00:47:05across the sea.
00:47:11The island is narrow and flat, only a line of palms and sand surrounded by water that fades
00:47:17from turquoise to deep cobalt.
00:47:24From above, it looks unreal.
00:47:26A single curve of white cutting through the endless blue.
00:47:36The sand bar changes with the tide.
00:47:39In the morning, it widens, revealing ridges of fine sand beneath shallow waves.
00:47:50By afternoon, the sea begins to cover its edges again, until only a thin strip remains.
00:48:03Its anchor just offshore, their hulls swaying in the clear shallows.
00:48:14There are no roads, no permanent houses, only wind, water and light shifting across the sea.
00:48:22Every direction leads to the horizon.
00:48:30Off the coast of Bohol lies Balikasag, a small circle of land surrounded by some of the clearest
00:48:37water in the Philippines.
00:48:45The island is barely half a kilometer across, its shore lined with white sand and coral shallows
00:48:52that drop suddenly into deep blue.
00:49:00Beneath the surface, steep walls fall away into the sea.
00:49:09Coral gardens spread along the slopes, alive with turtles, schools of jacks and bright reefs,
00:49:16shaped by the current.
00:49:23Divers descend along these walls, drifting beside fish that move in silver clouds through
00:49:29the light.
00:49:34On land, palms bend over the sand, and narrow paths lead to the water from small cottages
00:49:40and boats pulled onto the beach.
00:49:47In the forest of Surigao del Sur, the Bislig River drops in wide curtains of white water known
00:49:53as Tiyuan Falls.
00:50:01The Cascade spreads more than 90 meters across, descending in three great tears that thunder
00:50:07through the trees.
00:50:14Mist drifts over the valley, and sunlight breaks into rainbows above the pools below.
00:50:25The falls flow year-round, but after the rains they become immense, a wall of rushing water
00:50:32that fills the air with sound.
00:50:40Wooden rafts float near the base, where the current turns smooth and cold.
00:50:47Above, smaller streams spill from hidden ledges, tracing thin silver lines down the cliffs.
00:51:03The surrounding forest stays thick and wet.
00:51:06Ferns grow from the rocks, and vines hang over the trails that lead to the upper levels.
00:51:17At the base of Mayan Volcano lies Lake Albay, a calm mirror of water surrounded by low hills
00:51:24and farmland.
00:51:29On clear mornings, the perfect cone of the volcano reflects across the surface, its image
00:51:36rippling with every breeze.
00:51:43The lake rests in a broad basin, formed by ancient eruptions, where volcanic soil keeps
00:51:49the fields green year-round.
00:51:57Fishermen move silently across the water in narrow boats, their reflections stretching under
00:52:03the light.
00:52:10Birds cross above the lake, their wings flashing in the distance.
00:52:14Along the shore, grasses and palms lean over the edge, stirring in the wind from the mountain.
00:52:26When clouds gather around Mayan's peak, its reflection fades from the water, leaving only the slow
00:52:33movement of ripples and the quiet sound of paddles against the lake.
00:52:43In the highlands of South Cotabato, Mount Matutum rises alone above the plains, a perfect volcanic
00:52:52cone covered in dense forest.
00:53:00Its slopes are steep and green, wrapped in clouds that cling to the ridges.
00:53:11From a distance, the mountain looks almost symmetrical, its peak catching the first light
00:53:16of morning before the valleys below begin to wake.
00:53:26The forests around it are thick with ferns, ratan, and towering trees that hide waterfalls
00:53:32and streams.
00:53:39Trails climb through bamboo and moss, the air cooling as the path narrows toward the summit.
00:53:51From above, the plains stretch wide and open, dotted with fields that follow the curves of old
00:53:57lava flows.
00:54:04To the surrounding communities, Matutum is more than a mountain.
00:54:09It is a living presence, watched and respected.
00:54:18Smoke still drifts from vents near its peak, a quiet reminder of the fire beneath the forest.
00:54:31At the northern edge of Luzon, the mountains of Pagudpud drop steeply into the sea, leaving
00:54:37only a narrow strip of land between rock and water.
00:54:46Along this edge runs the Patapat Viaduct, a ribbon of concrete suspended above the waves.
00:54:57The road curves with the mountain's shape, clinging to its side as it winds through mist and salt
00:55:03spray.
00:55:10From the highway, the sea stretches wide and blue, breaking against the cliffs below.
00:55:22Water drips from the ridges, forming thin waterfalls that cross beneath the bridge before falling
00:55:27into the rocks.
00:55:34When clouds move in from the north, the entire coast disappears into shifting gray.
00:55:46In the plains of Ilocos Norte lies Lake Pauai, a broad stretch of still water bordered by sand
00:55:53and low hills.
00:56:00The lake changes color with the light.
00:56:02Deep blue at noon, bronze at sunset, silver under the moon.
00:56:13From its banks, the surface seems endless, a calm mirror framed by fields and scattered trees.
00:56:26These linger around the lake, of an old town said to have sunk beneath its waters long ago.
00:56:38On quiet days, the sound of birds carries across the surface, and fishermen paddle small boats
00:56:45through the shallows, their reflections bending in the ripples.
00:56:54Beyond the shore, dunes rise toward the coast, and the wind moves steadily from the sea.
00:57:06The water remains calm beneath it, holding the sky in perfect stillness.
00:57:17South of Boracay, across a narrow stretch of sea, lies Carabao Island, an arc of limestone
00:57:24cliffs, palms, and quiet coves.
00:57:32The water around it is impossibly clear, turning from green to blue as it deepens.
00:57:44From a distance, the island looks untouched, its white beaches hidden between dark headlands
00:57:51that rise straight from the sea.
00:57:59Small boats approach through coral shallows, where the sand glows under the surface.
00:58:10The coastline curves in and out, forming coves where the waves break gently against rock.
00:58:22Above the cliffs, narrow paths wind through fields and coconut groves toward villages that overlook
00:58:28the water.
00:58:34At midday, the sea is bright enough to reflect on the cliffs.
00:58:38By evening, the horizon turns gold and violet.
00:58:47On the eastern coast of the Bicol Peninsula, Karamoan opens to the Pacific, a labyrinth of islands,
00:58:55cliffs, and white sand beaches hidden behind stone walls.
00:59:04The coastline twists around coves and headlands, where the sea glows pale green against the dark limestone.
00:59:17From above, the islands look scattered by hand, each one surrounded by shallow reefs that fade
00:59:24into deep blue.
00:59:30The land is sharp and restless.
00:59:33Cliffs rise from the water and sheer faces streaked with vegetation, their edges cut by wind and waves.
00:59:44Narrow beaches appear between them, small crescents of sand, reachable only by boat.
00:59:56In the coves, the air smells of salt and rain, and the sound of sea echoes off the rock.
01:00:07At low tide, paths of coral and sand connect some of the islands before vanishing again under
01:00:13the returning waves.
01:00:20In the mountains of South Cotabato lies Lake Cebu, a highland basin wrapped in mist and forest.
01:00:34The lake sits more than a thousand meters above sea level, its surface shifting from silver
01:00:39to blue as clouds move across the sky.
01:00:49Around it, ridges rise steeply, their slopes covered in ferns and bamboo that fade into the
01:00:55fog.
01:01:02Tall boats glide over the still water, leaving narrow ripples behind them.
01:01:12The sound of paddles carries through the air, mixed with the calls of birds hidden in the
01:01:18trees.
01:01:25Fishpens form quiet grids along the surface, their wooden posts reflected in the lake below.
01:01:37The Tabuli people have lived here for generations, weaving bright patterns from Ibaka fiber,
01:01:44and singing stories passed down through the years.
01:01:52Beyond the village, waterfalls drop from the cliffs, their spray drifting over the forest.
01:02:05In the cool mornings, the lake mirrors the mountains around it, still and pale beneath the moving
01:02:11clouds.
01:02:18Mahaba Island stretches long and narrow across the sea, a strip of white sand bordered by forest
01:02:25and coral shallows.
01:02:32The water is so clear that the shadows of boats move across the seabed like drifting clouds.
01:02:44From end to end, the island curves in a smooth arc, its beaches empty except for shells,
01:02:50griftwood, and the sound of wind on the palms.
01:03:00On one side, the sea stays calm and shallow.
01:03:03On the other, it deepens quickly into blue that darkens toward the horizon.
01:03:14The sand glows under the sun, and the reef begins just a few steps from shore.
01:03:20Flows of coral, where fish scatter and bursts of color.
01:03:29At the southern tip of Palawan, far from the mainland, lies Onuk Island, a white sandbar surrounded
01:03:36by a sea so clear it mirrors the sky.
01:03:45From the air, it looks like a perfect oval of light, floating in endless blue.
01:03:56The water shifts in color with the sun, from pale turquoise to deep sapphire, where the reef
01:04:02drops away.
01:04:09The island is small and silent.
01:04:12A few wooden huts stand on stilts above the shallows, their reflections rippling with the
01:04:18tide.
01:04:25Around them, the water stays calm and shallow, revealing coral gardens and schools of fish,
01:04:31moving in slow, bright waves.
01:04:39The Philippines is wild, diverse, and endlessly beautiful.
01:04:44Where volcanoes rise from misty plains, islands glow in turquoise seas, and ancient traditions
01:04:52live beside modern cities.
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