Philippines

• The Philippines is one of my favorite countries on the planet. With the clearest blue waters and some of the nicest people in the world, it is the ultimate travel destination whether you're looking for a relaxing vacation or adventure. Writing this guide made me want to book a flight back to the Philippines...
• Filipinos are probably the most laid-back and friendly people I've met. Outside of the capital, Manila, expect things to run on island time. Everyone speaks English so it is super easy to get around and connect with locals
• Safety — I felt extremely safe in the Philippines, despite its reputation for being a more dangerous location in Asia. Mindanao and some islands in the South are considered dangerous, but you're likely not planning to go there anyways. If you're sticking to major tourist hotspots, there is nothing to worry about
• Transport
• Manila airport connections — if you're connecting from an international to a domestic flight in Manila, budget at least 2–3 hours. The terminals are separate and require a bus or taxi transfer. Grab works well in Manila but make sure to agree on the price beforehand — airport taxi scams are common. A ride to the domestic terminal should be a few dollars max
• Tuk-Tuks — the primary way to get around on the islands. In El Nido the standard rate is 100 pesos (~$2) per ride in and out of town; you can negotiate for longer trips. Always a fixed rate, just confirm before you get in
• Buses / Vans between towns — shared vans are the standard for longer overland routes. They run pretty cheap (under $10 for a 5 hour ride). I used bookaway.com to book some buses or ask at your local accommodation and they'd be happy to book a ride for you. Bus stations are often poorly marked, check online or ask at your hostel exactly where to go and confirm which company runs your route
• How long to spend
• For a first time trip to the Philippines, I would suggest spending 2 - 3 weeks. Each island has a different personality and you'll be able to experience 2 to 3 of them within a couple weeks.
• Getting between islands is time-consuming so make sure to take that in account while planning
• Flights between islands always connect through Manila or Cebu City so plan for a full travel day when switching between islands. The flight prices increase a lot last minute so it is difficult to be spontaneous here
• Check the weather before you book — the Philippines is huge and weather varies significantly by island and season. Since it is an island nation, I would not recommend going during wet season, especially typhoon season. The infrastructure does not hold up very well (flights cancelled for days, roads flood, etc.). For example,
• Palawan (Western Philippines) dry season runs November to May
• Siargao (Eastern Philippines) dry season runs March to October
• Cash is used almost everywhere, except a few tourist destinations where credit card is suggested. ATMs are not available in more remote locations so make sure you stock up on cash. Many boat tours and bus companies are cash-only
• Tours — tours are significantly cheaper if you book in person. You can easily book through your accommodation or tour agencies located along the main road
• Food — I found Filipino food to be extremely underrated! The cuisine is extremely simple and the ingredients were extremely fresh. Here are some dishes that are worth trying:
• Chicken adobo — the iconic Filipino dish made of chicken braised in soy and vinegar, usually with a thick glaze. It is made in a different way by every restaurant
• Lechon — roast pork with cripsy edges, often served with rice
• Lumpia — fried spring rolls
• Pork Sisig — crispy pork bits with egg, served on a sizzling plate
• Tapsilog — sweet teriyaki beef with garlic rice and fried egg
• Halo-halo — shaved ice dessert with candied bananas
• Banana Ketchup — an interesting take on Ketchup

Coron is known to have some of the most beautiful beaches in the Philippines and a great place to start your trip to the Philippines. The town itself is a bit run down so focus your time on the boat tours that depart from here

• Coron town — I would dedicate a half day to explore the town. It is an authentic Filipino island town and wasn't too touristy as you get off the main strip.
• Mount Tapyas viewpoint — hike up to the sign at the top of the hill (721 steps to the top). At the summit there's a Hollywood-style "Coron" sign and a large illuminated cross. Good place to watch the sunset, even on cloudy days the light breaking through the clouds is impressive
• Explore the Town — follow the main road all the way to the port. You'll pass the town's main Catholic church (with a small shrine to the Virgin Mary), a traditional local market with super low ceilings and stands selling fruits and meats and a basketball court. The port area gets rough (don't wander too far into the slum near the water)
• Boat tours
• This is an absolute must while in Coron, you'll see some of the most beautiful spots in the world. Boat tours are sometimes available online, but are up to 50% cheaper to book in person. They are easy to book at your hostel or on the street the night before. They run about $20–30 for a full day trip including lunch
• Boat tour pickups are chaotic. Expect a van from your hostel followed by 45–90 minutes of waiting at the dock while guides sort out groups. They'll always make sure you're on the right tour, but be patient
• I'd recommend the Super Ultimate Tour which includes a lot of interesting sites:
• Skeleton Wreck — a Japanese WWII warship sunk during the war. The water is insanely clear with a beautiful green tint. Snorkel over the bow covered in coral; divers can go deeper down the hull
• Coral Garden (Las Isla De Coral) — the best snorkeling spot on the tour and probably the best I've been to anywhere. Very shallow so you can see everything: giant clams, rainbow parrotfish, massive walls of yellow fish, vibrant coral. For me, it was even more beautiful than snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef
• CYC Beach — small beach with super white sand and turquoise water
• Twin Lagoon — One of the most beautiful places I've ever swam 70% fresh water, 30% saltwater, giving it a distinctive bright green tint. You can swim through two connected lagoons with towering jagged grey limestone cliffs covered in trees
• Kayangan Lake — a large salt/freshwater lake surrounded on all sides by towering grey stone cliffs. It has a darker blue tint than Twin Lagoon
• Barracuda Lake — not always included in standard packages. One of the most famous lakes in the area, but I felt that the other lagoons are worth prioritizing over this one

• Island Brasserie Restaurant — a nice cafe off the main road. The chicken adobo was excellent and even better when paired with a fresh mango smoothie
• Umamikusina — order the pork sisig. It arrives on a huge sizzling fajita-style plate — bits of crunchy fried pork with an egg in the middle. Incredible if you've never had it before
• Island Boy Grill — near the water with neon lights and a live band performing covers of American pop songs (they take requests). Great for a group dinner — order family style: chicken adobo, deep fried pork, tuna ceviche, garlic rice and calamari. Wash it down with buckets of Red Horse Strongs

• MyGuide Traveller Hostel — bare bones, but cheap at ~$12/night. Free breakfast if you preorder the night before (pancakes are actually good). Conveniently books boat tours and can organize airport pickups

This boat tour was the highlight of my trip to the Philippines. It is a 3-day, 2-night excursion on a small boat with 20–30 other backpackers stopping at remote beaches and snorkeling spots with no one else around. The beaches here are unmatched and untouched by mass tourism.

We stayed on remote islands in beach huts which were surprisingly nice. There was no feeling like falling asleep to the sound of the waves and waking up to the sunrise at your feet.

There are many variations of this tour (the opposite direction and different amount of days), but the two main providers are Keelooma and Tao Expeditions. Make sure you book 2 - 3 weeks in advance to secure a spot.

• Keelooma — this is the company I went with. The experience was incredible. The boat guides were extremely friendly, the food was incredible and the accomodation was great. It is the cheaper option at 17,100 Philippine Pesos or ~$275
• Tao Expeditions — the more famous tour company with their own private island. I heard their tour is much more luxurious, but more than twice the price at ~$585

• Day 1 — snorkeling stops and a sandbar dive spot, then a 2.5 - hour sail to your first overnight camp. Keelooma's camp (Patoyo Island) is a remote island between Coron and El Nido. The beach camp looks like a scene straight off Survivor (don't worry you'll have a comfortable hut to spend the night). There is a pure jungle palm treeline, huts with palm roofs, volleyball and basketball courts, hammocks and beanbags
• Day 2 — This highlight was a cliff dive at Linacapan. The crew helps you up via rope, one of the best things I did on the whole trip. Outstanding snorkeling with plankton that look like mini jellyfish, huge sardine schools making shapes in the water, clownfish in purple anemone, flatfish that looked like seaweed and vibrant purple/yellow/blue coral. Overnight at beachfront huts with the front wall open so you wake up looking directly at the beach
• Day 3 — Little Maosanon Island was one of the most photogenic spots on the tour and has a 700m sandbar extending into crystal green water. We also snorkeled by Darocotan Island (Tao's private island) with stunning water that shifts from light green near shore to deep blue further out and it's own shipwreck. The tour ended with a bus ride back to El Nido which was an adventure in itself. The tour conveniently ends in El Nido, a great location for continuing your journey
• Food — all meals were included and I was amazed by the quality of the food that they were able to cook on the back of the boat. It was served in family-style spreads: chicken adobo, crab, garlic rice, pancit and fresh fish caught earlier in the day. Night 3 often features a Boodle fight: a traditional Filipino communal feast arranged on a huge banana leaf

• Make sure the boat doesn't leave without you... Believe it or not, this happened to my friend while we were snorkeling
• Bring a separate small dry bag for each island night since your main pack stays on the boat
• They provide snorkels. Many of them are old and leaky so test them before you hop off the boat. You can also bring your own if you have one
• Bring a good GoPro or underwater camera — the snorkeling spots are extraordinary
• A 50% deposit is paid online, but the final payment is cash only so make sure you bring enough pesos from Coron

Perhaps the most famous spot in the Philippines, El Nido is home to some of the most beautiful spots in the Philippines and it truly lives up to the hype. The town is much more modern than Coron and has a lot more fancy hotels, nightlife and western restaurants.

It is a great place to base yourself for 3 - 4 days to take more boat tours and relax on the beach.

• Boat tours — the main thing to do and I promise you won't get tired of spending time on boats. The scenery is gorgeous, but be prepared for many more tourists than Coron. Similar to Coron, Tours are standardized throughout each agency with fixed paths named Tour A, B, C, etc.
• Tour A — this is the most popular tour in El Nido which included some of following the highlights:
• Big Lagoon — you can kayak to the end of this beautiful lagoon area with stops at small coves
• Entalula Beach — brightest blue water I've seen anywhere, set against dark grey cliffs. It is a popular spot for filming Hollywood blockbusters including The Bourne Legacy, Avatar and part of the beach was closed for filming while I was there!
• Seven Commandos Beach — a wide coastline lined with palm trees, great for relaxing on the beach, volleyball and naps
• Frendz Hostel - this is the best tour company in El Nido. The tours are very fun with super lively tour guides and loud music. They take you to all the best spots in El Nido
• El Nido Zipline at Las Cabanas Beach — an amazing ziplining experience across the bay over the green and blue water and lands on a small island covered in trees. You walk back across the sandbar at low tide. The views from the top are incredible. It is an affordable experience (600 pesos or ~$12) that only takes half a day.
• El Nido town — a buzzing area with lots of restaurants, bars and souvenir shops. A good place to meet other backpackers and enjoy the nightlife. The beach here is mainly used as docking for boat tours so don't expect to relax here
• Nacpan Beach — a great spot if you're looking for a peaceful getaway from the buzzing town of El Nido. It is an enormous beach located 40 min from town by tuktuk. There are restaurants and a few accommodation options here
• Twin Beach / Celiteng Beach — a great place to watch the sunset in the area. Find a spot along the sand to watch the sunset like Phoenix Bar & Restaurant

• Inasal Eats Co — Filipino chain full of locals. For only 200 pesos or ~$4, comes with unlimited rice and a huge piece of BBQ chicken. The chicken is slightly sweet with a nice char and eat it with the vinegar and soy sauce provided
• Big Bad Thai — a popular dinner spot in the main town. It is usually busy so expect a wait
• Bars / Clubs
• Frendz Hostel rooftop bar — a great place to hangout and visit for drinks after the boat tour even if you're not staying there
• Sava Beach Bar — rooftop balcony overlooking the dance floor and beach
• Amigos — a club popular with Filipinos (they love their American pop music!). Super lively

• Frendz Hostel — a super modern hostel with a rooftop pool, bar and hosts a bunch of tours. This is the best place to stay to meet people. It often books out so book in advance
• Big Paul's (Corong Corong Beach) — located about a 10-min tuktuk from the main town (100 pesos each way). It was a solid and cheap option with unlimited free rum and coke from 7–11pm and pet parakeets
• Mad Monkey Nacpan Beach — located in Nacpan Beach (45 minutes away from El Nido town), a great place if you're looking for a more relaxing stay away from the madness of El Nido town

Port Barton is a popular backpacker town with a nice laidback vibe that feels like the real Philippines. Made up of mostly unpaved roads and only about 7 blocks along the beach, it is a really small town where everything is walkable. It is a nice place to spend 2 to 3 days to decompress from El Nido

You can reach Port Barton by bus from El Nido. It is a 5 hour ride costing about $9. There are a lot of stray dogs, but they are completely harmless. They might just follow you around for food.

• Port Barton Beach — this is the main beach in town and a great place to chill. There are some restaurants and bars on the beach and it is a great place to watch the sunset
• White Beach / Coconut Beach — these are considered some of the nicest beaches in the Philippines, that are reachable by boat from the main beach. White Beach is 300 pesos (~$6) by water taxi and is secluded, with few tourists, brilliant white sand and bright blue water with coconuts scattered on the ground. From there, Coconut Beach is walkable from White Beach via a dirt road through the forest. It is only about 1km away. However, the road isn't on Google Maps and no signs, just follow the road. It is a bit more developed, but very still quiet. You can walk back to town from there through the jungle
• Snorkeling with turtles — the most popular activity in Port Barton since the town has one of the largest population of sea turtles and there a lot of local organizations focused on protecting the local populations

• Barton Bistro — the main beach bar in town. A great place for drinks in the evening. They have bean bags along the sand where you can relax and watch the sunset
• Raquel's Canteen — a true local mom-and-pop spot where many locals eat. I came across this place since they were grilling chicken out front and wandered inside. I recommend the sweet grilled chicken served with rice and green beans
• MGM Food House — a solid restaurant serving Filipino food

• Dam Dam Hostel — a very basic hostel that fits vibe of the town perfectly. They have a huge open-air wooden deck out front with a small cafe and rooms in the back. The food is pretty good here

Siargao has recently risen in popularity as the "most beautiful island in Asia." Famous for its surf at Cloud 9, it has developed a lot in recent years and is home to a variety of different activities.

You'll need to fly here from Manila or Cebu and it is worth spending 4 to 5 days here. I would recommend visiting before it gets too popular. I mainly spent time on the more popular "General Luna" side of the island so most of my recommendations come from here. There are other spots to explore on the island, but they are much more secluded.

• Cloud 9 — this is a world famous surf spot. It is extremely rocky here and is not great for beginners. There is a long bamboo pier extends 800m out over the water, lined with colorful flags where you can go watch the surfers. If you're not planning to surf here, you can walk along the beachside and check out the restaurants and shops out front
• Surf lessons — by far the most popular activity in town. You can get cheap, private surf lessons for $10 - $15 per hour. Depending on your level, they'll take you to an appropriate spot
• Explore General Luna Downtown — this is the main downtown with tons of restaurants, bars and cool surf shops. The town is built around a local school and church with western restaurants along the main road. This is a good place to base yourself if you're looking for a more vibrant downtown or for nights out
• Sohoton Tour — this full day boat tour takes you to another island, right off the coast of Siargao. The main draw is the Jellyfish sanctuary which is one of the only places in the world where you can swim in a sea of clear, harmless Jellyfish. They also take you to a variety of nice coves, secret caves and cliff diving spots. It comes with a colorful Boodle flight lunch as well. Book through a travel agency in General Luna the day before and expect to spend ~$50
• Land Tour — Siargao is known for being covered in a sea of thousands of palm trees. I didn't personally take this tour due to the weather, but it takes you to the coconut grove, a famous hanging coconut tree swing and Magpupungko Rock Pools
• Siargao Wakepark — located roughly 30 minutes from General Luna, this is a great part to go wakeboarding. Wakeboarding is a water sport where you stand on a board and hold on to a handle of a rope system that pulls you around. As a pure beginner, the staff were super welcoming and helped explain exactly how to stand and hold. It is a great first-timer experience since it is much easier than ocean wakeboarding behind a boat. It was ~$20 and a great way to spend half a day
• Sunset Bridge — the best place to watch sunset from. During sunset, it is packed with locals and tourists shoulder to shoulder watching the sunset, food carts and skaters on the bridge. Roughly a 20-minute walk from Cloud 9

• Sana Bowl — an amazing poke restaurant in general Luna
• Kurvada — cheap cafeteria-style Filipino restaurant on the main road, popular among locals. There are tons of pots with different foods lined up, you point at what you want, take a photo of your plate and pay at the end
• Backyard Steakhouse — the nicer option in General Luna if you're looking for Western food (steaks, burgers and pasta)
• Big Mama's Cafe & Laundry — a nice cafe in General Luna. They have a great brunch and you can also drop off your laundry here
• Felix Surf Club — a nice laidback bar near the Cloud 9 pier. A good place to have a drink and watch the surfers
• Nightlife
• Explorers' Bar — the main nightclub in Siargao with a huge venue with a DJ running pop mashup sets. It weirdly closes at 10pm, but there are other places open nearby
• Siargao Beach Club — a great open-air venue, sometimes has foam parties, beer pong and a stage. Good for a late-night spot after Explorer Bar closes

• Mad Monkey Siargao — a great social hostel to stay at in Siargao. It had a great atmosphere, a pool, a bar area, regular events (pub quiz, booze cruises) and the easiest place to meet people. I spent ~4 nights here and met some amazing people
• Kayan Siargao — a lowkey one-room hostel embedded in a resort. It was pretty nice and located right in General Luna, but there wasn't a single other tourist while I was there. I preferred the Mad Monkey in Siargao

Manila is the capital and largest city in the Philippines. The city was completely destroyed in WWII and completely rebuilt with modern buildings, but is some interesting historical sites. However, I would recommend spending only 1 day in Manila and prioritizing your time on the other islands. You're bound to fly through here (at least 1 time) so it is worth stopping by.

• Manila's neighborhoods are not very walkable. You can use ride sharing apps like Grab to get around the city
• The best neighborhoods to stay in are Intramuros (the historic center) or Bonifacio Global City (BGC). Manila is a large city with a lot of traffic so it is best to stay close to the main attractions

• Intramuros & Fort Santiago — the historic center of the city. Most was destroyed during WWII, but there's still a lot of interesting history and some museums. There's a strong Spanish Colonial influence in this area and it reminded me a lot of similar places in Latin America
  • Fort Santiago — large courtyard with Spanish forts repurposed as American barracks, cannons, a Jose Rizal monument and museum. The museum details the WWII history of Manila including the former Japanese prison dungeons and imprisonment of freedom fighters during the Battle of Manila
  • San Agustin Church — the best-preserved building in Intramuros. Characterized by a tall bell tower with incredibly intricate carved wooden doors on the exterior and elaborate golden centerpiece
  • Manila Cathedral — an old spanish colonial style church. It is active and very well maintained
  • Baluarte de San Diego — old Spanish city wall turret. Walk along the wall, see leftover Spanish and American-era cannons, admire the garden.
  • Casa Manila — a preserved Spanish colonial house showing what life looked like under colonial rule. An interesting visit with a lovely courtyard surrounded by cafes
• Manila 1945 Historical Marker and Memorial — a memorial for Filipinos who died under Japanese occupation
• National Museum of Anthropology — a 4-story museum that is a short walk from Intramuros. Standout exhibits include: prehistoric clay burial pots (found in a massive cave, Indiana Jones-style), displays on the Muslim minority of the southern Philippines and the Negrito indigenous people who have Polynesian rather than East Asian roots
• Rizal Park — large park with statues of Filipino heroes, a big reflecting pool, and an obelisk memorial at the end
• Mall of Asia — one of the largest malls in Asia that is very modern inside. You might just see the Jonas Brothers there (like I did)

• Mang Inasal — a popular Filipino fast food chain, 99 pesos (~$1.70) for chicken inasal and rice. The chicken is perfectly grilled and marinated with coconut vinegar, soy sauce and brown sugar. It includes a dessert called halo-halo which is shaved ice with candied bananas
• Patio de Conchita Restaurant — a self-serve style restaurant inside Intramuros. I had beef stew, chicken adobo and rice. Good and convenient for a lunch break mid-sightseeing

• Ola Hostel — a basic hostel located a 30–40 min walk from Intramuros. It wasn't the most walkable neighborhood

• Siquijor - a small island near Cebu with amazing caves, waterfalls and beaches
• Cebu - home to the second largest city in the Philippines. However, the highlights are Oslob (swimming with Whale Sharks) and Moalboal (famous for its year round Sardine Run)
• Bohol - an island near Cebu famous for the Chocolate Hills and the strange looking Tarsier (one of the world's smallest primates)