Immortalised on countless Filipino postcards, the Chocolate Hills of Bohol are an unforgettable sight, at once charming and enthralling as they bump across the landscape.
In all there are 1,268 perfectly cone-shaped hills, green for most of the year but turning brown as they dry. An unusual resident is the Tarsier monkey, one of the most endangered and at 10cm in length certainly one of the smallest primates in the world. They can be seen in a couple of private reserves, or in their natural habitat on Panglao Island.
Panglao is also known for its fine beaches and excellent diving amongst black coral forests, shoals of hammerhead sharks and an occasional visiting dolphin.
The wet season runs from June to October and is enough to deter most travellers - it is best to visit from March to May, when festivals erupt in the small towns and villages.
The island can be reached by ferry from Cebu or a short flight from Manila.