Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Fancy going somewhere fabulous and different for the holidays?
According to travel website TripAdvisor, you don’t even have to leave the Philippines to find it.
El Nido in Palawan was named the sixth Top Destination on the Rise worldwide in the TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards 2016.
“Why settle for a beachfront hotel when you can stay right over the ocean in a cottage on stilts?” the travel website said. “And why settle for any old dive site when you can snorkel in an orchid-walled lagoon? El Nido is known as the Philippines’ last frontier, and if you’re looking for magnificent beaches in an unspoiled setting, it’s a perfect place for you to vacation.”
In response to this, the Deparment of Tourism (DOT) said it is very happy with the recognition from TripAdvisor, especially since it is based on the unbiased reviews and opinions of TripAdvisor users all over the world.
“This is an affirmation of the Department of Tourism’s continuing efforts to enable quality destinations through enabling regulations and standards,” the DOT said in a statement. “The initiatives to enhance tourist experience is reinforced by recognitions like this. We hope to have more of them throughout the Philippines as we work together with the industry in making our destinations the best choices for the travellers.”
Here’s the complete list of the TripAdvisor’s 10 Top Destinations on the Rise worldwide:
San Jose del Cabo, Mexico
Whistler, British Columbia
Jericoacoara, Brazil
Kihei, Hawaii
Baku, Azerbaijan
El Nido, Philippines
Eilat, Israel
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
Tbilisi, Georgia
Jodhpur, India
