This is more of a question to the members here. Where in the whole of the Philippines do you think it is best to visit?
Hmmm if in case your wife lives in the Metro most especially Metro Manila. Try to go to Subic since there are lots of things to do there like Tree Top Adventure, Zoobic Safari, Go KArt and Subic Ocean Park Adventure. You can also go to the historical places in Intramuros and visit the biggest malls in the mall which includes SM Mall of Asia, Trinoma, SM North Edsa. You can also go to Manila Ocean Park for underwater experience.
We usually stay in Panglao Beach in Bohol when we go to the Philippines and love the fact that as beautiful as it is it is never over crowded with Tourists and very good value for money! We usually stay @ Lost Horizon were we have always been looked after!!
It's overly commercial Rob and was even my first time there 7 years ago, although I got lucky and it was empty the first time I went, so I got to see some of it's former beauty that I missed back in the late 1990's when all my colleagues got to go and I didn't. By 2008 last time I was there it was starting to get expensive, just look at the hotel prices now, really beyond what I can afford these days. As an example we used to pay 2000 peso a night for a room when the exchange rate was 100 peso to the pound, same hotel today is 4000 peso a night per person, I guess someone is paying it. It's pretty and it has nice night life lots of good food places and nice live music, the beach is reasonably clean but not perfect any more, but I would much rather see some other islands now. Just to be clear I am talking about Boracay, I would love to see Leyte as Ana's mum was born and grew up there during the second world war.
Alona Beach, Panglao is well worth a visit, fairly clean and chic. It's like a mini Boracay but without the over commercialisation. Boracay is OK, but take plenty of money, White Beach and Puka Beach are superb. Pandan Island in Honda Bay, Palawan is my favorite beach/island, but it's very small and not suitable for an over night stay.........I'll add a few more when I can remember where I've been