Global travel magazine, Big 7 Travel, has named the Philippines the 2nd most “Instagrammable” country based on the number of times our hashtags have been used on the platform. Although we all know how beautiful our islands look, to be second best in the world puts our tourism sector in a whole new level. It also shows how successful the Department of Tourism’s #ItsMoreFunInThePhilippines campaign has been throughout the years.

Understandably so, as there are thousands of hidden nooks and crannies in our 7,000 plus islands that just screams the perfect social media photo op. Underground rivers, massive waterfalls, white sand beaches, dream-like sunset views, and so much more that make our country just effortlessly beautiful. It’s no wonder that so many foreigners choose to settle down in our islands to live a quiet life with nature. It’s also no surprise that so many of us are itching to see those sights for ourselves after months of being in the same place.

Fortunately, a lot of regions and provinces have been opening up their islands again after months of low or zero new COVID-19 cases. With added safety measures, Local Government Units (LGUs) are assuring would-be tourists that our most “Instagrammable” spots would be “New Normal”-friendly should they wish to visit in these uncertain times.

If you’re hoping to travel across the Philippines, these are some of the things you have to consider:

• Check out the safety protocols of your destination on the respective LGU’s social media accounts (most regional offices have their own Facebook accounts to share important announces on);
• Required documents for traveling (may vary between provinces): Government IDs, medical clearance, negative COVID-19 test results, travel pass, accommodation details, etc;
• Book your accommodations ahead of time in DOT-accredited establishments only;
• Get tested for Coronavirus days before, or on the designated checkpoints of your destination;
• and Make sure to have enough supply of face masks and face shields while traveling, along with other sanitation products such as hand sanitizers, and travel-sized alcohol bottles.

Other locations on the list that we’ve beaten in terms of Instagram-worthy sights are the likes of South Korea, The Netherlands, Singapore, London, New York City, and Paris, to name a few. All of which are stunning travel destinations that most of us could only dream of seeing in real life.

However, the fact that we’ve ranked higher than these impressive spots could essentially mean that natural wonders trump high-end establishments, and technologically-advanced innovations. If this is the case, then, the ranking—aside from being a massive badge of honor—should also be the much-needed indicator for our people to safeguard and secure our natural resources. Instead of sacrificing them for the sake of modernism, urbanism, and good old capitalism, it’s these natural wonders that we should be investing on and taking serious care of, because it is where the Philippines’ true wealth lies. Here’s to hoping we could all enjoy it again when all of this is over.