There are more than 7,600 islands in the Philippines, but only about 2,000 are inhabited all the time. Many of these islands aren’t much more than idyllic atolls that are great for a day trip, but some are fighting to be the largest on Earth. Here are the largest islands in the Philippines, from the smallest to the biggest in terms of total land area.
Top 10 Biggest Islands in The Philippines
1. Bohol
The oval-shaped Bohol Island is in the same-named province. It is a beautiful island with beautiful coral reefs, cute stone churches, native (and mischievous) tarsier monkeys, and thousands of brown-colored limestone formations called the Chocolate Hills.
On the main island itself, there are more than 162 miles of coastline with waterfalls and natural caves. As if all that beauty wasn’t enough, there are also more than 70 satellite islands that are easy to get to.
2. Luzon
Luzon is the Philippines’ biggest island. It is in the northern part of the archipelago and is the name of one of the country’s three main island groups. As a group of islands, Luzon is made up of Luzon itself, the Batanes and Babuyan islands to the north, and Catanduanes, Marinduque, Masbate, Romblon, and Mindoro, which are further away.
The Philippines’ capital city, Manila, and about half of the country’s people live on the island of Luzon, which is the economic and political of the Philippines. It is one of the most populated islands in the world. Only Java, Honshu, and Great Britain have more people living in them. It has about as many people as Sumatra, but much less land.
3. Boracay
Nightlife in many parts of the Philippines is known for being pretty cheap. There’s no better place than the party island of Boracay to see this than anywhere else. People from all over the world party all night on White Beach after the sun goes down. Besides being a place to party, it has one of the whitest beaches and clearest water.
It is one of the most popular tourist spots, but the beach is long enough that you can find places to be alone. We recommend going to the site of Yapak if you want to dive here. But it is hard on the body and not good for people who are just starting out.
The Bulabog and Puka Shell Beaches are much quieter, and the water there is a beautiful light blue. Boracay can be reached by boat from either the town of Caticlan or the town of Kalibo (which are accessible by air from Manila, Cebu, etc).
4. Mindanao
Mindanao is an island that is about 37,657 square miles in size. Most of the island is made up of mountains, and Mount Apo, which is 9,692 feet above sea level, is the tallest mountain in the country. Mindanao is in the Philippines. It is north of the Mindanao Sea, east of the Philippine Sea, west of the Sulu Sea, and south of the Celebes Sea.
Some of the islands that make up the larger group of Mindanao islands are Sulu, Samal, Basilan, and Dinagat. Mindanao is home to about 21,968,174 people, and Davao City is where most of them live. Mindanao makes up 14% of the country’s GDP, and its main economic sectors are farming, fishing, manufacturing, service, and forestry.
5. Coron
Coron is technically part of Palawan, but it is a separate island that deserves to be on our list of the 10 best islands in the Philippines. There are some great places to dive, and exploring the mysterious rock formations underwater in Barracuda Lake is an adventure in and of itself. Island hopping from Coron to the Bulog and Banana Islands is a beautiful thing to do, but it can also get pricey.
Divers who know what they’re doing should definitely check out the reefs in Coral Garden. Coron Bay is the only place where you can relax in the water while looking at tall limestone cliffs that look like they belong in a movie. Don’t miss the Maquinit Hot Springs if you do go to Coron. Between November and June is the best time to visit Coron. And it’s easy to get here. From Manila, you can take direct flights or ferries that take all night.
6. Samar
Samar is an island in the central Philippines. It is in the Visayas. The island is split into three provinces: Samar, which is the main part of the island, Northern Samar, and Eastern Samar. Part of the Eastern Visayas region is these three provinces and the provinces on the nearby islands of Leyte and Biliran. It is the Philippines’ third largest island, after Mindanao and Luzon.
Samar is the Visayas’ most eastern island. The San Juanico Strait separates the island from Leyte. At its narrowest point, the strait is only about two kilometers wide. The San Juanico Bridge goes over this strait. Samar is on the island of Luzon, southeast of the Bicol Peninsula. The San Bernardino Strait separates the two.
The Battle of Leyte Gulf took place in the Leyte Gulf, which is south of Samar. It was one of the most important naval battles of the Second World War. The gulf opens up into the Philippine Sea, which is east of Samar and is part of the Pacific Ocean.
7. Negros
The island of Negros is part of the Philippines. It is in the Visayas. It has a land area of 13,328 square kilometers, making it the third-largest island in the country (5,146 sq mi). Negrenses are the people who live on the island.
8. Mindoro
The island of Mindoro is the seventh largest in the Philippines. It is between the islands of Luzon and Palawan. The island has a total land area of 10,572 km2. It is split into two provinces: Occidental Mindoro and Oriental Mindoro
White Beach is in the town of Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro. Many Filipinos from Metro Manila like to go there on the weekends because it is close to Luzon. Mindoro is also known for the tamaraw, a water buffalo-like animal that only lives on the island. It is now thought to be on the verge of extinction.
9. Apo Reef Islands
You’ll never forget diving here and seeing all the different kinds of life on Apo Reef. You have to go to Apo Reef Island if you’re in the country to dive. There’s a reason why it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the best places to dive in the country.
You can’t really stay on the island, but you can choose to live on board, which means sleeping on the boat and then jumping off to explore the reef. People often choose to live on the coast of Sablayan, which is on Mindoro Island, which is one of the largest islands closest to the Apo Reef. You can take a boat from either Coron or Sablayan to get here.
10. Cebu
Cebu Island is the largest island in the Visayas region and is called the “Queen of the South.” It is also the 126th largest island on Earth. From top to bottom, this sunny island is more than 120 miles long and has a lot to offer: dramatic coastlines, beautiful beaches, limestone hills, and beautiful coral atolls just off the coast.
The tropical island of Cebu is home to more than 3.5 million people. It has large areas of development, especially in and around Cebu City, which has an interesting mix of Spanish colonial and modern history. The rest of the island is mostly undeveloped. Cebu island and hundreds of smaller islands make up the province of Cebu, which was once the country’s capital in the 17th century.
Top 11-20 Largest Islands of the Philippines
11. Masbate Island
12. Catanduanes Island
13. Basilan Island
14. Marinduque Island
15. Busuanga Island
16.Island of Jolo
17. Dinagat Island
18.Polilio Island
19. Tawi-Tawi Island
20. Guimaras Island
Tourism In The Philippine Islands
The country’s many islands have a lot of different kinds of plants and animals. 4.27 million tourists came to the country in 2012. The islands have beaches, mountains, rainforests, and some of the most popular diving spots in the world. The many islands of the Philippine archipelago are also home to a lot of history and culture.
Conclusion
Pinas Muna is proud to say that after a weekend trip to Puerto Galera on January 5 and 6, 2013, it has finally been to all of the Top 10 Largest Islands in the Philippines. If you want to learn more about the Philippines, these ten islands are a good place to start.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the biggest and largest island in the Philippines?
Luzon, which is about 105,000 square kilometers, is the biggest of these islands (40,541 sq mi). Mindanao, which is about 95,000 square kilometers, is the next largest island (36,680 sq mi).
What is the 2nd largest island in the Philippines?
Mindanao is the second largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon. It is in the south of the archipelago, between the Bohol, Philippine, Celebes, and Sulu seas.
What is the 3rd largest island in the Philippines?
Samar is an island in the east-central part of the Philippines. It is the third largest island in the country, after Luzon and Mindanao. It is one of the Visayan Islands.
What’s the 4th largest island in the Philippines?
Negros is the fourth largest island in the Philippines and has the third most people living on it. It has a total land area of 13,309 km2 (5,139 sq mi). Negros is an island in the Visayas, which are in the middle of the country.
What is the 7th largest island in the Philippines?
The island of Mindoro is the seventh largest in the Philippines. It is between the islands of Luzon and Palawan. The island has a total land area of 10,572 km2. It is split into two provinces: Occidental Mindoro and Oriental Mindoro.
What is the 11th largest island in the Philippines?
Masbate is the 11th largest island in the country. It is at the tip of the Bicol Peninsula, which is the most southern point. Its three biggest islands are Masbate, Ticao, and Burias. There are 20 municipalities and the capital city, Masbate, on these three islands.
What is the fifth biggest island in the Philippines?
Palawan is the largest island in the province of Palawan in the Philippines. It is the fifth-largest island by area and the tenth-most populous island in the country, with a population of 994,101 as of the 2020 census.
Who discovered the Philippines?
Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese explorer who was sailing for Spain at the time, claimed the Philippines for Spain in 1521. He named them after Spain’s King Philip II. They were called Las Filipinas at that time.
What is the oldest city in the Philippines?
Cebu City, which is 365 miles south of Manila, is the capital of the province of Cebu Island. Cebu is the Philippines’ oldest city and first capital. It has a population of 2.5 million people.
What is the main island in the Philippines?
There are three main parts to the Philippines: Luzon, the largest and northernmost island, where Manila is located; the Visayas, a group of islands that includes Panay, Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, Samar, and Masbate; and Mindanao, the second-largest island in the Philippines, which is in the south.
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