Most provinces of the Philippines have a unique identity. The older, more established ones usually have a rich history, distinct cuisine and well-known tourist spots featured in postcards and calendars. Something immediately comes to mind when you mention certain places. For instance, most people think of Magellan’s Cross and when you mention Cebu. Iloilo brings images of La Paz Batchoy and Miagao Church to mind. You immediately associate Albay with Mayon Volcano and spicy Bicol Express. You get my drift.

Older destinations usually need no introduction. They all have direct airports and good road networks, so they’re relatively easy to visit and explore. Chances are, you’ve been there already.

But the newer / younger provinces of the country are a bit more mysterious. Most are relatively remote and more challenging to get to. Mention these places and chances are, will ask “Saan yan?” (Where is that?) I love these kinds of offbeat destinations because you don’t really know what to expect when you go there. Compared to more established places, they don’t get as many tourists, making them all the more interesting to explore.

Before more provinces get created again for political reasons, here are the ten youngest / newest of the 81 provinces (as of Feb 2019) of the Philippines arranged by the date they were founded, some of the interesting tourist spots you can visit, and how to get there for reference.

10. Basilan

The province of Basilan is an island province of the Philippines in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. It’s the largest island and northernmost of the major islands of the Sulu Archipelago. It lies just off the southern coast of the geographic Zamboanga Peninsula. It was converted into a province on December 27, 1973. It joined the ARMM in 2001 though its former capital Isabela City opted out and remains a part of the Zamboanga Peninsula Region. Its capital has been transferred to Lamitan City.

Architectural landmarks here include the Santa Isabel Cathedral, the Calvario Peak, on which the Chapel of Peace stands, and the Kaum Purnah Mosque. Top tourist destinations include Malamawi Island, Bulingan Falls in Lamitan, the lake in the Panigayan fishing village and Sumagdang Beach.

How to get there: There are no direct flights to Basilan. The nearest airport is located in Zamboanga City. From Manila, take a flight to Zamboanga City. From the airport, take a jeepney bound for Canelar and walk towards Zamboanga City Port. Ride a fast craft or a ferry boat to Isabela or Lamitan City in Basilan. Be aware of security issues when visiting the area.

9. Aurora

The province of Aurora is located in the eastern part of Luzon region, facing the Philippine Sea. Founded on August 13, 1979, Aurora was formerly a sub-province of Quezon. Interestingly, Aurora is named after Aurora Aragon, the wife of Pres. Manuel L. Quezon, the president of the Philippine Commonwealth after whom the mother province was named.

While its capital Baler has long been a destination for surfers, the province is becoming more popular with backpackers and tourists for weekend and summer trips of late. Beyond the fast developing surf town of Baler, areas like Dingalan and Casiguran offer scenic landscapes and raw adventures.

How to get there: There are no direct flights to Baler. From Manila, travel time to Baler is roughly 5 to 6 hours by land. The most direct way to get there is via the Joy Bus of Genesis Transport. You can also reach Baler via Victory Liner bus to Cabanatuan. From there, you’ll have to transfer to a van or another bus to bring you to Baler.

8. Sarangani

Sarangani is a province that lies at the southernmost tip of Mindanao island. Geographically, the province is divided into two sections, separated by the Sarangani Bay and General Santos City. It used to be part of South Cotabato until it was made an independent province in 1992. The province has a 230-km (140 mi) coastline along the Sarangani Bay and Sea with stunning and uncrowded beaches.

The province is part of the South Cotabato-Cotabato-Sultan Kudarat-Sarangani-General Santos City (SOCCSKSARGEN) development cluster linked by paved roads to the international airport and harbor of General Santos City. For beach bums, the best place to visit in the province would be Glan, the summer capital, where you can find Gumasa Beach, a six-kilometer powdery white sand beach stretches the length of a crescent-shaped cove.

How to get there: There are no direct flights to Sarangani. The nearest airport is General Santos City though you can also get here via land travel from Davao City. From GenSan, ride a taxi or van going to KCC Mall, which is right beside the terminal going to Gumasa. Taxis charge anywhere from P350 to P400 while shuttle vans cost about P150 per passenger. Travel time is about 30-40 minutes. Take a van bound to Glan and ask the driver to drop you off at Alegado Terminal at Glan. Van fare is P100 per person. Travel time is about 1 hour. From Alegado terminal, take a tricycle going to Gumasa Beach. Fare is P40 per passenger. Travel is about 15-20 minutes.

7. Biliran

Biliran is an island province located in the Eastern Visayas Region. Formerly a sub-province of Leyte, it only became an independent province in 1992. It’s one of the country’s smallest provinces, located less than a kilometer north of the island of Leyte connected by a bridge causeway fixed link.

Biliran is to beautiful islets with pristine beaches and sandbars. Inland, there are natural attractions like waterfalls and mountains to hike. Locals are friendly and accommodations are generally affordable for backpackers. I spent 3 days canyoneering, island-hopping and motorcycling around Biliran and left awed by the province’s natural beauty and laid-back vibe. I wouldn’t mind going back here to explore more.

How to get there: There are no direct flights to Biliran. For those coming from Manila, the nearest airport is Tacloban in Leyte. From the Tacloban airport, ride a jeep to the downtown area, then ride a Grand Tours Van (P130) to Naval town proper. Travel time is about 2.5 hrs.

6. Guimaras

Guimaras is an island province located in the Western Visayas region.
Formerly known as Himal-us, it used to be a sub-province of Iloilo until it became independent on May 22, 1992. Guimaras is among the smallest provinces in the country, consisting primarily of Guimaras Island, Inampulugan, Guiwanon, Panobolon, Natunga, Nadulao, and many surrounding islets.

Despite being relatively young, Guimaras is one of the more developed islands for tourism since it’s easily accessible by a short boat ride from Iloilo City, one of the country’s top tourist destinations. Guimaras is known as the Mango Capital of the Country and is home to the sweetest variant of mango. Visitors usually come on day trips, but it’s worth spending a couple of days to visit the various tourist spots including Guisi Beach, Guisi Lighthouse, Taklong Island National Marine Reserve, Trappist Monastery and the San Lorenzo Windmills.

How to get there: There no direct flights to Guimaras. If you’re coming from Manila, fly to Iloilo. From Iloilo, take a jeepney or taxi going to Iloilo City harbor (Ortiz Wharf). Then take a 15-minute pump boat ride going to Jordan Wharf, Guimaras which is the main port of entry.

5. Apayao

For the longest time, the twin provinces of Kalinga and Apayao were conjoined as Kalinga-Apayao until their separation in 1995. Apayao makes up the northernmost chunk of the cool and mountainous Cordillera region. The province of Apayao is considered “Cordillera’s Last Nature Frontier” because its people still maintain their peaceful coexistence with the natural environment.

In the local language, Apayao means “land of rivers” and the province is home to various bodies of freshwater as well as well-preserved natural attractions such as underground caves and rock formations. Highlights of my trip here included spelunking at the underground rivers of and in the town of Luna and hiking and camping overnight at the remote Agora Wildlife Sanctuary in Pudtol. For nature-lovers, Apayao is a hidden gem just waiting to be discovered.

How to get there: There are no direct flights to Apayao but you can get there by land travel on buses traveling to North Luzon. The closest airports are located in Laoag, Ilocos Norte Tuguegarao, Cagayan. From Manila, ride a GV Florida or Victory Liner bus to Jct. Luna in Apayao from bus terminals in Cubao, Sampaloc or Pasay. The regular fare costs P1,190 while the sleeper bus costs P1390 per person. Travel time is roughly 12-14 hours. Getting around Apayao can be tricky because of limited public transportation. You’ll need to charter a tricycle or – to visit the different sites.

4. Compostela Valley

Compostela Valley is one of the provinces in the Davao Region of Mindanao. The province, called ComVal for short, used to be part of Davao del Norte until it was made independent in 1998. It is the fourth newest province of the Philippines and is known for possessing one of the largest gold deposits in the country, with 10 out of its 11 towns having one or more gold mines.
The town of Nabunturan, the provincial capital, is also home to the biggest gold ring in the Philippines, “The Solidarity Ring.”

In terms of tourism, Compostela Valley is still raw and rugged, with beautiful landscapes of rolling hills and mountains with peaks ideal for trekking. The mountains hide amazing waterfalls as well as hot springs. During my visit here, I went to Awao Falls, one of the province’s prized eco-tourism destinations. The 20-meter falls cascades down a rough irregular boulder that creates a beautiful curtain of waters that drops on a rocky shallow basin below. Other tourist spots you can visit include Mainit Sulfuric Hotspring in Maco, caves in Nabunturan and Haven’s Peak  Highland Resort.

How to get there: There are no direct flights to Compostela Valley, though you can get there by land travel from various points in Mindanao. The nearest airports are located in Davao City and Butuan City. Ride any bus from Davao City going to Butuan or vice versa and get down in Compostela Valley. The jump-off point for Awao Falls is Monkayo. Travel time is about 3-4 hours.

3. Zamboanga Sibugay

Zamboanga Sibugay is the third youngest province in the Philippines. Founded in February 22, 2001, it’s the 79th province created in the country, with territories carved out from the third district of Zamboanga del Sur in 2001. Located in Region 9 or the Zamboanga Peninsula in Mindanao, this area lies in the middle of the road traversing Zamboanga City to Zamboanga del Sur.

Zamboanga Sibugay is rich in natural attractions including mountains, waterfalls, caves, hot springs, white sand beaches, as well as bird, fish and sea snake sanctuaries. As a new province, some spots are still being developed or may be a bit challenging to get to. One of the most popular sites is Buluan Island, which lies 7 km from the port of Ipil and is visible from the provincial . Birdwatchers may want to visit Mangrove Park, a newly developed site that aims to promote environmental conservation and awareness.

How to get there: There are no direct flights to Zamboanga Sibugay. The nearest airports are located in Zamboanga City (110 km away), Pagadian in Zamboanga del Sur (150 km away) and Dipolog in Zamboanga del Norte (180 km away). Ipil, the capital of Zamgoanga Sibugay is reachable by land (bus or van) travel roughly 3-4 hours from key cities in neighboring provinces of the Zamboanga Peninsula. All vehicles going to and from Zamboanga City heading to Dipolog, Pagadian, Ozamis and even Cagayan de Oro pass by Ipil.

2. Dinagat Islands

Dinagat Islands are a group of islands in the CARAGA region located on the south side of Leyte Gulf. Declared a province in 2006, the Dinagat Islands make up the second newest province and one of the smallest island provinces in the Philippines. The province is known as one of the archipelago’s holiest sites in the Pre-Christian native religion. Adding to the historical significance of the province is the foundation of the Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association by Ruben Ecleo, Sr.

Dinagat Islands is home to beautiful caves, resorts, and beaches and islets. I stayed here for 3 nights during a solo backpacking trip, where I got to go island-hopping around Libjo, visited Lake Bababu, traveled by motorcycle to a beach resort in Cagdianao. Other tourist spots include Mount Redondo Natural Bonsai Forest and Mount Kambinliw in Loreto. This is one of the most surprisingly beautiful provinces I’ve traveled to in the country and one of my personal favorites.

How to get there: There are no direct flights to Dinagat Islands. The nearest airport is located in Surigao City. From the Surigao City Port, ride a to the San Jose Port in Dinagat Island. Travel time is 45 minutes. Prepare to charter a boat for island-hopping tours.

1. Davao Occidental

Davao Occidental is the 81st and newest province of the Philippines. Located in the Davao Region in Mindanao, it used to be a part of Davao del Sur but became a separate province last October 28, 2013. The province’s capital is Malita, while other municipalities include Don Marcelino, Jose Abad Santos, Sta. Maria and the island of Sarangani. To the east lies the Davao Gulf. The province also shares a water border with the Indonesian province of North Sulawesi to the south.

As the country’s newest province, development is still in its infancy stage. Tourist spots are not yet that well-known. While it’s possible to visit on a day trip from Davao, if you want to spend more time there, you can stay overnight at Little Boracay Beach Resort in Sta. Maria, a beach destination popular with locals and families especially during weekends. Further south, Davao Occidental has three main islands worth exploring: Sarangani, Balut and Olanivan.

How to get there: The nearest airport is located in Davao City. From Davao City, ride a bus from the Ecoland Terminal or a van stationed right outside SM City Davao going to or . For Little Boracay Beach Resort, get down in Sta. Maria. is about P150 for the van and travel time is 3 hours. When you get to Sta. Maria, ride a motorcycle habal- or tricycle to take you to Little Boracay.

The tips on where to go in the 10 youngest / newest of the 81 provinces of the Philippines are based on my personal trips. I know that each destination has much more to offer beyond these, but these are the spots I can recommend to travelers given limited travel time and resources. If you’re a local who’d like to give suggestions on the best places to visit in each province, feel free to leave a comment below! Follow my quest to visit all 81 provinces here.