World wide, you could find landmarks and vacationer spots which have that distinction of being referred to as UNESCO World Heritage Websites. These spots are chosen by the United Nations Instructional, Scientific and Cultural Group (UNESCO) as having excessive cultural, historic, scientific or different types of significance, and grow to be legally protected by worldwide treaties.
As of January 2023, there are a complete of 1,157 World Heritage Websites (900 cultural, 218 pure, and 39 combined properties) scattered round 167 nations. I do know it’s a objective for some vacationers to have the ability to go to as many of those traditionally vital spots world wide. Consider it as a long-term journey quest. Hey, in case you have the money and time to perform that difficult feat, why not, proper?
Within the Philippines, there are 6 designated UNESCO World Heritage Websites together with 3 cultural websites and three pure websites. Nonetheless, two of the cultural websites are grouped as a collective (4 church buildings and 5 rice terraces) and one of many pure websites is extremely laborious to get and solely accessible to divers due to its remoted location. Right here’s a clickable map and I’m itemizing the websites under so as of their accessibility from the capital Manila for reference.
The Baroque Church buildings of the Philippines refers to 4 baroque church buildings all constructed throughout the Spanish colonial period which had been all inscribed to the UNESCO World Heritage Web site record in 1993. These church buildings are all thought-about as nationwide treasures for his or her historic and cultural significance. These church buildings will be discovered within the capital Metro Manila, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur and Iloilo.
San Agustin Church in Manila
For these based mostly in Manila, one of many best to go to is the Church of the Immaculate Conception of San Agustin, merely often called the San Agustin Church in Intramuros.
The San Agustin Church has stood the take a look at of time and warfare because it’s the one church inside Intramuros that remained standing after World Struggle II, which closely broken the walled metropolis. Its intricately carved doorways are a well-liked function.
Paoay Church in Ilocos Norte
In case you’re heading to Ilocos Norte, you’ll be able to go to the Saint Augustine Church or Paoay Church, one of many oldest church buildings within the nation. Development of this church started in 1694. Made up largely of coral stones and bricks, the Paoay Church was closely broken by two earthquakes however was finally restored.
Probably the most putting function of this church are the 24 enormous buttresses that measure 1.67 meters (5.5 ft) thick on the sides and again of the church constructing. Extending from the outside partitions, this design was conceived to forestall the constructing’s destruction as a result of earthquakes.
Santa Maria Church in Ilocos Sur
You will discover one other UNESCO church within the neighboring province of Ilocos Sur. The Church of Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion is often known as the Santa Maria Church. In line with locals, the picture of the Virgin Mary that was initially enshrined in a unique church stored disappearing, just for individuals to seek out it perched on a Guava tree that stood the place the Santa Maria Church is presently situated.
Miagao Church in Iloilo
Named after the patron saint of the parish, the Church of Santo Tomas de Villanueva in Miagao, Iloilo is without doubt one of the most lovely Baroque church buildings within the nation.
Accomplished in 1797, this church served as a defensive fort for the city of Miag-ao throughout the Spanish period. Try these extremely detailed carvings.
The city of Vigan in Ilocos Sur is without doubt one of the finest preserved colonial cities in Asia. The structure and planning within the city is preserved from the time of the Spanish colonization within the nation throughout the sixteenth century.
Except for the structure, the cobblestone streets of Vigan is one other instance of a colonial affect that is still intact till at this time. It was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Web site in 1999. Vigan is a well-liked vacationer city and fairly simple to get to by bus from Manila and discover when you get there.
The Banaue Rice Terraces, one other title for the Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras, was named a UNESCO World Heritage Web site in 1995 for its cultural significance. Whereas you may get a glimpse of some terraces from the primary viewpoint in Banaue situated alongside the freeway, there are particularly 5 designated websites included within the UNESCO inscription, all of which will be discovered within the province of Ifugao.
These are the Nagacadan rice terraces in Kiangan, Hungduan rice terraces, Mayoyao rice terraces, in addition to two situated in Banaue, the rice terraces of Batad and Bangaan.
The rice terraces are a showcase of the advanced methodology of farming employed by the native Ifugao who lived within the space. It’s believed that the rice terraces took about 2,000 years to finish because the rice terraces carved out the slopes of the mountains. It additionally took a complete neighborhood to take care of these dwelling rice terraces.
Palawan is dwelling to 2 pure UNESCO World Heritage websites, probably the most simply accessible of which is the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River Nationwide Park, which was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Web site in 1999. That is generally referred to by vacationers because the Underground River.
The nationwide park is situated inside a cave that you will need to journey by boat. The cave dome measures at about 300 meters in size whereby it’s stuffed with river channels, rock formations, and a deep water gap. Except for being acknowledged as a UNESCO World Heritage Web site, it was additionally named as one of many New 7 Wonders of Nature in 2011. This is without doubt one of the hottest locations to go to from Puerto Princesa and hassle-free package deal excursions will be simply organized by lodges or booked on-line.
Positioned within the Japanese Mindanao Biodiversity Hall, the Mount Hamiguitan Vary Wildlife Sanctuary in Davao Oriental, Mindanao is without doubt one of the latest websites within the Philippines, having simply been enlisted into the UNESCO World Heritage Websites record in 2014.
Among the many mountains of Davao Oriental, Mount Hamiguitan is dubbed the province’s “crowning glory.” Towering at an elevation of 1,637 meters above sea stage, this mountain is dwelling to a various vary of wildlife species. There are additionally a number of endangered and endemic species discovered inside the sanctuary.
Mt. Hamiguitan is a significant climb that can require 3 days to summit. There’s a strict coverage limiting the variety of trekkers climbing and tenting within the protected space. All hikers must coordinate upfront with the DENR’s Protected Space Superintendent’s Workplace in San Isidro, Davao Oriental so that you can get a allow to climb.
Probably the most tough and costly to get to of all of the UNESCO World Heritage Websites is Tubbataha Reefs Pure Park, situated on the coronary heart of the Sulu Sea close to Palawan. It was acknowledged by UNESCO as a World Heritage Web site in 1993. This pure park is a protected space of 97,030 hectares.
The islands belonging to the Tubbataha Reefs Pure Park are uninhabited. It primarily serves as a nesting web site for marine turtles and numerous species of birds and is finest recognized for its pristine coral reef system.
Due to its remoted location, Tubbataha can solely be visited on a liveaboard boat. Divers can expertise the reefs’ wonderful underwater surroundings, beautiful biodiversity and encounter massive marine animals resembling sharks, turtles and manta rays.
All these assorted websites simply present how wonderful the Philippines is. I ultimately hope to hike up Mt. Hamiguitan in Davao Oriental and dive in Tubbataha Reef someday throughout my lifetime. However past these acknowledged and world-renowned websites, there’s much more to find within the Philippines.
Websites on the Tentative Record
Except for these main websites, there are a further 19 websites on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative Record within the Philippines as of January 2023. This consists of:
- Batanes Protected landscapes and seascapes, Batanes (1993)
- The Tabon Cave Complicated and of Lipuun, West Coast of Palawan (2006)
- Paleolithic Archaelogical Websites in Cagayan Valley (2006)
- Kabayan Mummy Burial Caves (2006)
- Butuan Archaeological Websites (2006)
- Baroque Church buildings of the Philippines (Extension) (2006): Loboc Church of Bohol, Boljoon Church of Cebu, Guian Church of Japanese Samar, Tumauini Church of Isabela, Lazi Church of Siquijor)
- Petroglyphs and Petrographs of the Philippines, Angono and Alab, Mountain Province (2006)
- Neolithic Shell Midden Websites in Lal-lo and Gattaran Municipalities, Cagayan (2006)
- Chocolate Hills Pure Monument, Bohol (2006)
- Mt. Malindang Vary Pure Park, Misamis Occidental (2006)
- Mt. Pulag Nationwide Park, Benguet, Ifugao, and Nueva Vizcaya provinces (2006)
- Apo Reef Pure Park, Occidental Mindoro (2006)
- El Nido-Taytay Managed Useful resource Protected Space, Palawan (2006)
- Coron Island Pure Biotic Space, Palawan (2006)
- Mt. Iglit-Baco Nationwide Park, Mindoro (2006)
- Northern Sierra Madre Pure Park and outlying areas inclusive of the buffer zone, Isabela and Aurora provinces (2006)
- Mt. Mantalingahan Protected Panorama, Palawan (2015)
- Mayon Volcano Pure Park, Albay (2015)
- Turtle Islands Wildlife Sanctuary, Sulu & Tawi-Tawi (2015)
