Hidden Gem: Barracuda Lake, Philippines

Situated in a volcanic crater, this freshwater lake in the south of the Philippines is an eerie sensory experience from the moment you set foot on its rickety wooden walkway.

After weaving your way between a narrow and unforgiving granite trail, the path suddenly reveals the lake’s pristine waters and the craggy colossal walls that ring it.

If you trace the edges of the lake and glance below you as you swim, limestone karst formations delicate as church architecture and pale as bone carry on for metres below and fade into cloudy waters.

Snorkelers will be able to meet the numerous ghostly fish that call the lake their home and spot the crayfish skittering over the limestone.

Venture a little deeper past the surface freshwater layer however and you’ll be engulfed by warmer seawater, which can climb up to as high as thirty nine degrees Celsius the further down you go.

More adventurous scuba divers have the option to explore the caves at the bottom of the lake where the gigantic barracuda lives: maybe if you’re lucky you’ll spot his spectral figure stirring up volcanic dust scattered across the lake floor.