25 Amazing Drone Photos of the Philippines

The Philippines is an island nation located in Southeast Asia. The country consists of over 7,000 islands, each offering its own unique culture, scenery, and vibe.

You could spend a lifetime trying to see the many faces this country has to offer, so each time we visit we travel slow, enjoy each place we come across and try to capture all the beauty of the Philippines along the way.

This collection of drone photos of the Philippines is our personal favorites. We made it our mission on our last visit to create great content so people would see the Philippines as more than a third world nation on a side of the globe they have not considered visiting.

We want to inspire you, show you something amazing and above all get you thinking out of the box when it comes to making travel plans.

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Pass Island, Calamianes

When we arrived in Coron Town, we started asking the locals where the best places in the area were to fly a drone. We wanted to capture epic content during our visit to an area we already know and love. As our inquiries grew, there was an overwhelming response that we couldn’t miss Pass Island.

Pass Islands is part of the Calamianes and is accessible by special request on a day trip from Coron Town. One might think it would be crowded due to its proximity to Coron, but it’s not.

Most people take trips to Coron Island and very few hire boats and venture off to the surrounding islands in this group. We’ve been very privileged to spend most of our 8 collective weeks in the Philippines exploring this part of the Philippines and we absolutely love it.

We used the exceptional Funny Lion Hotel for our base and hired a Banca boat for 3 days to explore the less-visited islands in the area. It was exceptionally rewarding and we hope you enjoy our drone photos from this island.

Lusong Gunboat Shipwreck

Northern Palawan is world-renowned for its abundance of WWII shipwrecks. Most of them are accessible for diving and some are even accessible to snorkelers.

This particular shipwreck was our favorite out of the sites we visited. It sunk in shallow water so the depth ranges from 0m to 20m, meaning you can get a really close look at the gunboat when you are in the water.

The gunboat is covered in a wide array of healthy coral and we even spotted a clownfish family living on the wreckage. It also meant it was very visible from the air, making a great opportunity to capture this unique aspect with the drone.

What equipment do we use? DJI 3 Phantom Professional Drone  &  Polar Pro Drone Filters

Busuanga Island

So many people book a flight to Coron, land at the airport and head straight to Coron Town. They spend a day in the town and make a day trip to Coron Island before leaving the area, never to return again. Let me tell you if you do this you are seriously missing out on one of the last frontiers in the Philippines.

Busuanga is rough, rustic and virtually untouched. The people that live here and have businesses there ‘get’ the island in a way most people can’t fathom. We discovered the gem of Busuanga on our last visit to the Philippines in 2014 and when we got the chance to return again, we jumped at it.

We based ourselves at the nature-inspired Palawan Sandcastles and enjoyed our day’s hiking, swimming, snorkeling and kayaking around the area. It’s a long trip from Coron Town on unpaved, washed-out roads accessible only by 4×4 and it’s a marvelous adventure.

These drone photos show the real beauty of the Philippines, away from the crowded tourist destinations. It’s real, rustic and raw.

Bulog Dos Islands

While this little group of islands is fairly popular with day-trippers from Coron Town and located right next to a posh resort property, they are stunning and worth a stop if you find yourself boating around the area.

We arrived here in the late afternoon light and even so, couldn’t capture a bad photo.

The reef shelves that plunge into dark blue waters made for dramatic drone captures and really superb snorkeling when we were in the water. Make sure to strap on some shoes and climb up to the top of one of the islands for a better view of the area, it’s a short hike and not very steep. 

Of course, it won’t look like it does from the drone, but it will be the next best thing.

What equipment do we use? DJI 3 Phantom Professional Drone  &  Polar Pro Drone Filters

Banana Island

We absolutely LOVED the drama of Banana Island from the air. We had docked at this island for a lunch break on our second day of boating through the area.

We knew the photos would be great when we saw white sand beaches and shades of water but had no idea just how great this island would look from the air.

We flew the drone, ate some lunch and then went snorkeling. It was the best snorkeling spot we stopped on that day and then moved onto the next island.

We had no idea how awesome the photos would turn out with the dramatic watercolors, reef texture, beach, palms, and traditional Banca boats. These photos scream the Philippines on so many levels.

Coron Island

Coron Island is the reason people travel to this part of the Philippines. It is the most visited island in the area and for good reason. Dramatic limestone cliffs, crystal clear water with varying shades of blue and a stunning interior or sacred lakes make this island a special place.

Last time we visited the area we kayaked to many areas of this island but spent no time exploring the interior. This time, we headed inland for some hiking and visits to the beautiful Kayangan and Barracuda Lakes.

These lakes are sacred though, so we had to leave the drone behind for those experiences. We did, however, send it up in the air at Kayangan Lagoon pictured above and the Twin Lagoons, pictured below.

Planning a visit to Palawan? Check out these top 10 things to do in Palawan Philippines.

Malcapuya Island

Of all the islands we visited, this is the one we heard the most hype about. Okay, we get it, the island is stunning and surprisingly empty, at least when we were there.

Malcapuya Island is a paradise with a long wide stretch of white sand, shallow water, and lush green interior. It’s the kind of place most people only dream of visiting in their lifetimes.

We spent our time filming, taking photos and flying the drone rather than snorkeling or sunbathing but we don’t regret it. The content we got from this island is stunning. It is the most calendar looking beach we have seen in the Philippines in our time spent there.

Amazing Drone Photos of the Philippines

If those photos don’t make you want to pack your bags and head to the Philippines, I don’t know what will! The Philippines is an incredible place and we are so happy we were given the opportunity to return again, this time with our drone.

We’ll be producing more content from our recent trip as well, so stay tuned. If you like videos, don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube Channel for videos from the Philippines and other exotic locations.

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More on the Philippines:

• 30 Must Visit Tourist Spots in the Philippines
• Coron Palawan: The Only Guide You Need
• 36 Philippines Photos To Inspire Your Next Vacation
• Crowning Glory Reef: World Class Snorkeling off Culion Island, Philippines
• Glimpses of Culion Island in the Philippines- Photo Essay
• Travel Recap: 4 Weeks in the Philippines
•  Philippines Trip of A Lifetime
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• Finding a Piece of Africa on Calauit Island, Philippines
• Scuba Diving in Puerto Galera, Philippines
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