The January 2013 issue of the global magazine TRAVEL+LEISURE Southeast Asia has ranked Eskaya Beach Resort & Spa on the No. 2 top spot of the best places to go this year. The listing on the “On Our RADAR” section of the elite travel glossy magazine put the Philippines second to Nepal whose tourist attractions feature lush mountains and landscape atop the Himalayas. The Philippine travel citation, mention in particular Eskaya Beach Resort & Spa (slh.com; from US$448) on Panglao for its exotic thatched-roof villas facing the sea. A colored photo showing the villas was attached to the brief description. Eskaya bested El Nido Resorts in Pangulasian Island (elnidoresorts.com from P18,500), Palawan who came second in the citation, followed by Ariara for group tours (ariaraisland.com US$23,940 per week for six guests), a 50-hectare private isle resort.

These three destinations in the Philippines were cited on the preview RADAR “13 for 2013” on this month’s issue of the magazine. TRAVEL+LEISURE conducts an annual WORLD’S BEST AWARDS Survey, rated by reader of the magazine’s global edition. The recognition includes the best resorts, hotels, airlines, cruises and travel companies. The 2013 Top 13 Choice are listed in the following order: 1. Nepal, 2. Philippines, 3. Bahia Ballena, Costa Rica, 4. Puerto Rico, 5.Minneapolis, 6. Reunion, 7. Amsterdam, 8. Chartevoix, Quebec, 9. Uco Valley, Argentina, 10. Zambia, 11. Gold Coast, Australia, 12. Basilicata, Italy and 13. Marselilles, France. The recognition for Eskaya came in a row as the resort made it also in the latest prestigious Travelers Choice Awards in the Top 20 Small Hotels in the Philippines for 2013, as summed by TripAdvisor. The awards, gathered from raves and reviews for hotels and resorts by travelers across the globe is compiled by Tripadvisor, a travel authority that grants web-based reviews and advise on hotels, resorts, flights, holiday rentals, vacation packages and travel guides for destinations all over the globe. Tripadvisor ranked Eskaya Beach Resort No. 12th on the list but is rated 10th among the best of 37 resorts in Panglao Island.