The National Geographic has chosen the Philippines as one of the “25 best new travel destinations in the world for 2010.”

In its November 2009 Adventure issue, the popular publication from the US described the Philippines as harboring “as many islands as the Caribbean and some of the most spectacular reefs on the planet”, adding that travel organizations have “finally gotten wise.” They also cited the country’s “ancient cultures, structures and biodiversity” as key reasons to visit the country.

Here is the list of 25 countries deemed by The National Geographic magazine as the world’s best travel destinations for 2010:

Bhutan || Outfitter: Bio Bio Expeditions
Bolivia || Outfitter: Nantahala Outdoor Center
Botswana || Outfitter: Explore Inc
Canada – B.C. || Outfitter: Monashee Adventure Tours
Canada – Manitoba || Outfitter: Earthwatch Institute
Chile + Argentina || Outfitter: Boojum Expeditions
Costa Rica || Outfitter: Wildland Adventures
France || Outfitter: Discover France
Iceland || Outfitter: Explorers’ Corner
Ireland || Outfitter: Country Walkers
Kenya || Outfitter: Geographic Expeditions
Laos || Outfitter: Asia Transpacific Journeys
Madagascar || Outfitter: Kumuka Worldwide
Montserrat || Outfitter: Green Monkey Dive Shop
Nepal || Outfitter: Journeys International
New Zealand || Outfitter: Active New Zealand
Peru || Outfitter: Adventure Life Journeys
Philippines || Outfitter: Wilderness Travel
Slovakia || Outfitter: Biosphere Expeditions
Sri Lanka || Outfitter: Access Trips
Tanzania + Kenya || Outfitter: Tropical Ice Limited
Tonga || Outfitter: Wilderness Travel
U.S. – California || Outfitter: Southern Yosemite Mountain Guides
U.S. – Colorado || Outfitter: Western Spirit Cycling
U.S. – Idaho + Montana || Outfitter: ROW Adventures

Last month, National Geographic-Traveler magazine named the Ifugao Rice Terraces as one of the “50 Places of a Lifetime: Greatest Destinations in the World.”

Other “destinations of distinction and character” on the list are the South Pacific island of Aitutaki, Switzerland’s Mt. Rigi, the Yap outer islands in Micronesia, the Balkan country of Montenegro, the Gobi desert in Mongolia, Bwindi forest in Uganda, and the little-known islands of Lord Howe in Australia and Fernando de Noronha in Brazil, among others.