10 Local Trips inspired by Hollywood Films

We have to admit; the latest blockbusters we see on the big screen create lasting impressions on us and may even inspire us. For us travellers, it can even motivate us to recreate those scenes enough to make us want to pack our bags and travel. Since not everyone has the resources to book flights and head out into the world, here are 10 local trips that inspire to explore our own backyards.

1. Harry Potter: Batanes

Batanes closely resembles Scotland with its wind-swept hills, boulder-hemmed shore, and limestone houses. Don't forget to bring your own magic wand! Read more ...

2. The Beach: El Nido/Coron

Find your own secret beach in El Nido in Palawan. The place is said to be the inspiration of Alex Garland's novel that was made into a film. Coron shares the same topography - secluded beach amidst an imposing limestone cliff. Read more ...

3. Eat, Pray, Love: Iloilo

Spend a week in Iloilo and leave a different person. Eat batchoy (noodle soup), pray in century old churches, and fall in love. After all, it is the City of Love. Disclaimer: You will not find Javier Bardem and James Franco there. Read more ...

4. River Runs Wild: Pagsanjan Falls

Enjoy the rapids on your way to Pagsanjan Falls. Unlike Meryl Streep, you won't need to do the paddling yourself because local professional paddlers are available to take you upstream and against the flow of the tide for a minimal fee. Read more ...

5. The Mummy: Mt. Pinatubo

Expect dry heat just like the desert. But unlike the desert, Mt. Pinatubo is not barren nor arid and desolate. And unlike Brendan Frasen in The Mummy, there are no mummies here. So, you can freely enjoy the 4x4 ride or hike all the way to the crater of the most destructive volcano eruption back in 1991. Read more ...

6. Cast Away: Concepcion

Choose from among Concepcion's 16 hidden gems and bask in the sun for hours end with no one in sight. Read more ...

7. Survivor: Caramoan

Caramoan's isolation and beauty made it a favorite location of the international franchises of the reality game show ”Survivor.” Create your own challenges à la Survivor and imagine yourself returning to the wild. Read more ...

  

8. Pearl Harbor: Corregidor

The ruins of Corregidor will make your imagination run wild. Go back in time during the Japanese invasion of Pearl Harbor. Explore this historic island turned tourist destination and touch the bullet holes in the walls of the ruins. Read more ...

9. Water World: Balicasag, Bohol 

Swim with colorful marine creatures at the Balicasag Marine Sanctuary. You may content yourself with just snorkelling or you may free-dive just like Kevin Costner towards the deep but beautiful abyss of a steep coral wall. Read more ...

10. The Proposal: Nagsasa Cove

Imagine yourself as Sandra Bullock while your boat approaches Nagsasa Cove. The mountain and the pine trees almost look like something from an Alaskan Architectural Digest, minus the natural stone house and the snow capping the tip of the mountain. Read more ...

With over 7,107 islands and with a uniquely varied topography, there is absolutely no need to go far because the Philippines has it all.  Summer is here, go outdoors and make your own blockbuster travel experience!