Cebu and Visayas Island Named Top Islands in Asia By Condé Nast
The Philippine archipelago is indeed a wonder to behold. With its stunning lagoons, limestone rock formations, white-sand beaches, and crystal clear water, the country is without a doubt, home to some of the best islands around Asia.
El Nido, Palawan
Just recently, Cebu and the Visayas islands have been named as the Top Island in Asia, leading three other Philippine Islands, Palawan, Siargao, and Boracay in the Top 10 of the Condé Nast Traveler’s (CNT) 2020 Readers’ Choice Awards.
Moalboal, Cebu
Palawan, Siargao, and Boracay made it to the Top 10 in Asia list, ranking fourth, fifth, and sixth, respectively, giving the Philippines the most slots in the ranking of the prestigious international travel magazine.
Boracay
In its 33rd Readers’ Choice Awards, CNT invited 600,000 travelers to vote online for the Top Islands in six areas – Asia, Australia, and the South Pacific, the Caribbean and the Atlantic, Africa and the Indian Ocean, Europe, and North America.
Cebu and the Visayas were in one entry although Boracay, which is in Western Visayas, was a separate entry. In last year’s Condé Nast ranking, the Philippine islands took three places among the top islands in Asia. Boracay in number 1, Cebu and the Visayas in number 2, and Palawan in number 4.
“Located in the center of the Philippines, Cebu draws millions of travelers annually for its pristine beaches and diving off the island’s northern coast. Spanish and Roman Catholic influences permeate Cebu City; Basilica Minore del Santo Niño houses a small statue of Christ that was presented by Ferdinand Magellan,” the CNT wrote in its entry on Cebu in The Best Islands in the World: 2020 Readers’ Choice Awards.
With more island destinations in the Philippines gaining traction worldwide, the challenge for the Department of Tourism is to continue advocating sustainable and responsible tourism practices that would help preserve these destinations.
This is a press release. Minor edits were made prior to publishing.
Sources: Philippine News Agency, Department of Tourism