MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines made it again to the list of must-visit places in the world, this time ranking #17 in the New York Times' "46 places to go in 2013."
"Idyllic white sand beaches, secluded, little-known surf towns, and pristine reefs are among the natural draws of this country made up of over 7,000 tropical islands," wrote Ondine Cohane.
Cohane specifically cited the new Dedon Island resort in Siargao for being "a surf and beach destination (that) goes luxe" with its outdoor cinema, spa and paddle board classes and the private island resort of El Nido Pangulasian in Palawan that is "right by some of the world's most pristine diving spots."
The country is ranked ahead of Asia and the Pacific neighbors Australia (The Kimberley, #20), China (Ningxia, #19 and Changbaishan, #27), Thailand (Koh Phangan, #30 and Bangkok, #33), Sri Lanka (Kalpitiya, #31), New Zealand (Waiheke, #35), and Myanmar (Mergui Islands, #42).
Bhutan, meanwhile, ranked highest among the Asia and the Pacific countries at #5, followed by New Delhi (#9), Singapore (#11) and Mongolia (#15).
Rio De Janeiro was ranked number one in the entire list "because the whole world will be there in 2014" for the World Cup. View the full list here.
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