The Taj Mahal is Filipinos’ #1 Bucket List Destination

The most sought-after bucket list destinations for people living in the Philippines have been revealed – with the Taj Mahal taking the top spot.

Remitly, who specializes in helping people send money to the Philippines, has researched and revealed Filipinos’ top bucket list destinations, according to Google Search trend data.

Taking first place is India’s Taj Mahal. Likely the most famous mausoleum in the world, the Taj Mahal receives an impressive 8 million visitors a year, but it’s still clearly at the top of many Filipinos’ bucket lists in 2022 as it receives an average 40,000 Google searches each month.

The Taj Mahal is closely followed by The Statue of Liberty, which receives around 33,000 Google searches each month from the Philippines. Gifted from the people of France in 1886, the Statue of Liberty stands in New York City’s famous harbor, and is usually one of the must-see attractions by visitors to the Big Apple.

In third place is Italy’s famous Colosseum. Built between the years 72-80 AD, the Colosseum is the largest standing amphitheater in the world today. As such, over 6 million people visit it every year and from The Philippines, it gets around 22,000 searches on average each month.

A spokesperson for Remitly said: “The first thing that people tend to do when planning their next trip – or dream vacation – is take to Google to research the destination and find out everything they might need to know.

“As a result, it’s safe to assume that the more that a particular place is searched for, the more people want or even plan to visit someday.

“So, we looked at 50 destinations and attractions that often appear on people’s bucket lists to see which ones are most Googled by the people of the Philippines.”

Here are the Philippines’ top bucket list destinations:

#1 – Taj Mahal, India

Likely the most famous mausoleum in the world, the Taj Mahal receives an impressive 8 million visitors a year. Built between 1631 and 1648 by the Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, in memory of his favorite wife, the Taj Mahal is regarded as one of the world’s most beautiful and impressive pieces of architecture.

#2 – Statue of Liberty, USA

Gifted from the people of France in 1886, the Statue of Liberty stands as a great representation of the friendship between the two countries. Located in New York City’s famous harbor, the neoclassical sculpture is a liberty goddess, holding a torch above her head, and has become a symbol of freedom. In her left hand, she carries a tabula ansata inscribed with the date of American Independence.

#3 – The Colosseum, Italy

The Colosseum is an oval amphitheater in the center of Rome. It is thought to be the largest ancient amphitheater ever built, and is still the largest standing amphitheater in the world today. During the Roman Empire the Colosseumexhibited exotic animals, executions of prisoners, recreations of battles and gladiator fights to keep the Roman people entertained. Over 6 million people visit it every year.

#4 – Stonehenge, England

As one of Britain’s most iconic and well known sites, Stonehenge is an outer ring of vertical sarsen standing stones, known to be the most architecturally sophisticated prehistoric stone circle on the planet. Thought to be constructed around 2500 BC, the site is speculated to have been a place of religious significance, serving as a location for ceremonial and mortuary practices during the Neolithic and Bronze Ages.

#5 – Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Sitting as one of the world’s cultural wonders, Angkor is a complex of more than a thousand buildings, built in the 12th century by King Suryavarman II. Angkor Wat is the largest religious building in the world, making it top of the historic hit list for many travelers to Southeast Asia.

#6 – Okavango Delta, Botswana

The Okavango Delta is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and is unique in that it is one of very few major delta systems that do not flow into the sea or an ocean. The annual flooding from the River Okavango occurs during the dry season, resulting in native plants and animals that have synchronized their biological cycleswith these seasonal rains and floods. It is an exceptional example of the interaction between climatic, hydrological and biological processes, and is home to some of the world’s most endangered species of large mammal, such as the cheetah, white rhinoceros, black rhinoceros, African wild dog and lion.

#7 – Blue Lagoon, Iceland

The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal spa found on the Reykjanes Peninsula in southwest Iceland. Its water is considered to have such notable regenerative qualities because it is rich in silica and sulfur. It is one of the most popular attractions in Iceland, drawing people from all across the world.

#8 – Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

If you appreciate luxury, Marina Bay Sands is the place to be. MBS is an integrated resort fronting Marina Bay in Singapore and at its opening in 2010, it was deemed the world’s most expensive standalone casino property at S$8 billion (US$6.88 billion). An integrated resort notable for transforming Singapore’s city skyline, it comprises three 55-storey towers of extravagant hotel rooms and luxury suites.

#9 – Bora Bora, French Polynesia

A small island paradise just north of Tahiti, Bora Bora is famous for its turquoise water, luxury resorts, and stunning coral reef. With world-class scuba diving on offer, lush views of the valleys of Mount Otemanu, and some of the world’s most exclusive and famous hotels and resorts, a trip here is guaranteed to be unforgettable.

#10 – Machu Picchu, Peru

Named one of the New 7 Wonders of the world, Machu Picchu is a breathtaking sight to see. A 15th-century Inca citadel situated on a mountain ridge, Machu Picchu sits over 2400 meters above sea level. Believed to be the former estate of the Inca emperor Pachacuti, there is a wealth of history to explore and discover here.

The Philippines’ top 10 bucket list locations:

Methodology:

Remitly analyzed Google Search trend data to create a ranking of the ‘top bucket list destinations’ that the Philippines’ residents are interested in visiting and exploring. These attractions were selected based on Google’s top 50 bucket list attraction list.

Each attraction was then searched on Google Search trends, with the search location set to the Philippines, and the locations were then ranked based on the average monthly search volume level.