With 7,100 islands, the Philippines is grouped into three island-groups - Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. The Philippine mountains are volcanic in origin and, in general, have moderate elevation. Situated in the tropical latitude, these mountains have tropical vegetation. There are no alpine summits in the country like the 13,455-foot Mt Kinabalu in Malaysia. (A tropical mountain must reach an elevation of at least 11,500 ft to be able to acquire alpine conditions. Significantly, the equatorial 16,503-foot Puncak Jaya (or Carstensz Pyramid) in Indonesia is an alpine mountain.)
Luzon Mountains and Peaks
Luzon, the second largest island in the Philippine Archipelago, has the greatest concentration of the country's highest peaks (above 8,000 ft.) like Mt Pulag, particularly in its Cordillera Range. A member-island, Mindoro, is one among four islands in the country with at least an 8,000-footer.
Visayas Mountains and Peaks
Mt Kanla-on, the highest in the Visayas, is only the 9th highest peak in the country. Compensating for their not-so-high elevations, several Visayan peaks have great forest and spectacular vistas. Mt Madja-as (Panay Is) and Mt Cuernos de Negros (Negros Is) are among the popular peaks in the Visayas.
Mindanao Mountains and Peaks
Aptly as the biggest island in the country, Mindanao Is has Mt Apo - the highest peak in the country. Moreover, Mindanao claims four of only six mountains with an elevation above 9,000 ft. - Mt. Dulang-Dulang, Mt Kitanglad, Mt Piapayungan and, of course, Mt Apo.
Top-5 Important National Mountaineering Destination (INMD)
- Mt Apo - the highest in Mindanao and the Philippines
- Mt Pulag - the highest in Luzon
- Mt Kanla-on - the highest in the Visayas
- Mt Halcon - regarded as the most hazardous
- Mt Guiting-Guiting - regarded as the most difficult to climb
