What to do in The Philippines | Guide with map

By Roberto (Updated Dec 2022)

⏱8 min

Untamed nature, pristine waters, kind people, chaos, great food…the Philippines is this and much, much more. I will always remember my first SOLO trip there in 2017, and my second one a year later. Also, the Philippines marked a turning point in my life because I discovered how important both traveling and photography are to me.

I invite you to discover in this post, what to do in The Philippines. I hope you get some inspiration and ideas to plan your trip to the Philippines 🇵🇭.

When to go	The Philippines has 4 distinct climate zones. It’s better to check and plan carefully. Overall the seasons are as follows:  December – April (high and dry season) May – November (shoulder season) June – September (low and wet season)  Note: I went in August twice, the same as one good friend, and we both had really good weather. In contrast, I know people who had bad experiences in these months.
How to get there	The flight connections are normally with Manila, the capital and coastal city. From there, you can always take buses or flights to Palawan or Cebu.
Don’t forget	Local cash, swimming clothes, mineral water, patience
Cost	Besides the north of Palawan, the rest of the country is quite affordable.

Before you go to The Philippines

Plan your trip!

When you look at the Philippines in a map, you realize that it is not a big country yet planning a trip becomes difficult due to the number of islands (more than 7100!).  Check and plan for 3-4 places that you want to visit to allow enough time at each spot, instead of planning a complex itinerary. Keep in mind that the roads, connections, and transportations are not like in Europe, and can be chaotic.

Chaos

Not only the transportation but the life itself, may seem disorderly and chaotic to foreigners. This is something you can love for some days (like me) or it could be something that turns you mad. If you are looking for a quiet resort with everything under control, perhaps the Philippines is not your best destination. However, if you’re good with this, welcome to one of the most original destinations in the world 🤙🏽.

People’s personality

I am a fan of filipinos’ personality. I had 0 problems there and I met wonderful people. They are pleasant, easy-going, and kind. They talk a lot (something I love) and are almost always able to help you. Efficiency is not their best trait, but if there is a problem, they will tackle it always with a smile.

Luzon

Manila

Manila is a big city and the capital of the Philippines. It offers everything you need to buy, good food, or energetic nightlife (like the disco XYLO at The Palace: Valkyrie). I have to agree with other blogs that say to skip Manila if possible. I think that every place in the world has something to offer, but it’s true that The Phils can offer much better options than this city. If you have to stay there, I would suggest you to try some good local restaurants in the Makati area, or to spend some time inside Intramuros learning about the Filipinos’ history.

History of Philippines in five lines: natives were colonized by Spain after several expeditions during XVI. In fact, the name the Philipines (Filipinas) comes to honor Felipe II, the then king of Spain. The Spanish brought modernization, language, diseases, religion, food, and problems… After three centuries there, Spaniards surrendered and ceased the Phils to the US, who brought more modernization, more food, and changed the Spanish language for English. In WWII, Japan invaded the country and after the war, the US declared the independence of the Philippines.

Taal Lake – Tagaytay

Relatively close to Manila, there is a huge lake with a volcano in the middle, and this volcano has a lake in the crater. I know, it sounds weird. This is the Taal Volcano with the Taal Lake. The place combines a short trip by boat, a short hike, plus amazing views throughout the hike. I absolutely recommend to go at sunset. This is a full 1-day plan.

How to get there is a bit tricky if you’re not a local, so you can always check an organized tour or just follow these directions:

• From Manila, get a bus to Tagaytay. The fastest leave from Coastal Mall or Buendia and the trip usually takes about 90 minutes and costs about ₱80. 
• Get off at Tagaytay Rotunda and Olivarez Plaza. 
• From Tagaytay, you will need to get a tricycle / jeepney to Talisay (another 30 minutes). 
• From Talisay, the next step will be to take a boat across the lake to the volcano. You will find plenty of people offering tours and ready to bargain (expect ₱2000 approx.) for a return boat trip.

Once on the island, I suggest to avoid riding the famished horses and do the 1h hike by yourself. I chose not to ride a horse, leaving only the local guide to ride beside me. You’ll sweat, so contribute to the locals by buying some drinks at the top, while enjoying the views.

Vigan

Going North-West in Luzon, there is Vigan. If you are wondering what to do in The Philippines, this city has an interesting atmosphere. This small and cute city transports you back in time with its Hispanic colonial architecture. Perhaps if you’ve been to Central or Latin America, the style does not impress you, but if not, the well-maintained streets and buildings may surprise you. As you can imagine, after more than 300 years, the Spanish culture really mixed with the Filipino culture. Here there is a long list of Tagalog-Spanish derivations and more from other languages.

To get to the city there is a long way from Manila by bus (they don’t have train infrastructure). The best plan is to travel by night and try to sleep in the bus (this is not easy with the aircon at 5ºC). 

Try the Vigan llonganisa or other local food, in one of the many restaurants around there.  Soups and rice are also spectacular. 

Once in Vigan, you can visit the stores at Calle Crisologo, the museums, go to Bantay Church Bell Tower, or learn ceramics at Pagburnayan Jar Factory. At night, the fountain at Plaza Salcedo uses water, lights and music to put on a performance. The restaurants are sublime and so are the hotels, built in colonial houses. I stayed at Hotel Veneto de Vigan.

Pugadpud

Another place to not miss in the The Philippines, would be Pugadpug. This beach place, relatively close to Vigan, offers remarkable resorts with private beaches, pools and other services to enjoy and relax. Since it doesn’t have so many attractions to visit, a good resort makes a difference here. It is a peaceful place to disconnect and recharge (and refill tummies).

Banaue and Batad Rice Terraces

A list of what to do in the Philippines, MUST include this epic place: the amazing Banaue rice terraces. While there are other huge terraces around the world, these are the steepest, meaning that the views of the sculpted mountains are unique. It is convenient to hire a guide if you want to discover the location, otherwise you might get lost. The hikes can take several hours, but the panorama views are priceless (bring hiking boots).

The best time to visit Banaue and Batad is between April and May, and also between October and November, when terraces are in their greenest moment. From July to September it is rainy season, and rice fields have water, seeming like pools also offering spectacular sights. Avoid going between December and March, when harvest happens.

To get to the Banaue rice terraces, there are bus companies who go from Manila frequently. One of “the best” options is Ohayami. This journey takes around 9 hours (add 2h more if there is traffic) and it has to be done by night, so prepare your jacket or pillow! From Banaue there are also daily buses to Sagada or private group jeeps, in addition to other options.

IMPORTANT: Buses in The Philippines are not like trains with perfect schedules. You have to go with time and ask, ask and ask. I missed my bus to Banaue because the bus left ten minutes before the scheduled time, with no reason, something that forced me to rearrange my entire trip.

Palawan – El Nido

If you have googled the Philippines before, the images of idyllic beaches and breathtaking nature are with high probability, from Palawan. From a personal view, after visiting the Caribbean, Australia, the Mediterranean, and more, I admit that the majestic beauty of El Nido, is simply 10/10. 

El Nido and Coron, are SO EPIC, and are places to not miss in the Philippines. They are located at the north part of Palawan Island and are the top destination in the Philippines. They well deserve an individual post with more information, which I plan on writing soon.

To get to El Nido there are two options: the fast and expensive one (which I recommend) or the long and cheap (which I did). The former consists of flying from Manila to El Nido’s airport, whereas the long option comprises of flying from Manila to Puerto Princesa, and from there, taking a van for a “fun” 6-hour trip. 

El Nido is a small but frenzied town, with small resorts or wood beach houses, that welcomes tourists and sells tours and activities to do around the islands. The point there is to discover the islands and relax at the beaches, normally in organized and small groups. A superior option would be to rent a private boat for some days and discover secret beaches out of the itinerary while sleeping and having lunch on the boat.

Palawan – Coron

Really close to El Nido, at the north part of Palawan, there is this region called Coron, an absolute paradise for snorkeling and relaxing. Coron does not have as many tours and guided itineraries as El Nido, with the advantage of being less crowded and still private. 

Another reason why Coron is less visited than El Nido is because to get there, you have to go first to El Nido. From there, you can take a fast ferry (4h), a slow and cheap one (8h), or a fast but expensive flight from El Nido’s Airport. 

If you want to relax, to scuba dive or just need something additional to El Nido, Coron would satisfy your needs with its exclusivity, absolutely paradisiacal waters and colours. Again, a place to not miss in The Philippines!

Visayas

Cebu

Cebu is the biggest island of the Visayas region and Cebu city is the capital, which has an airport with a good connection to Manila. Starting at Cebu city, one can move to many interesting points in this region. I was fortunate to meet some locals and was able to travel with them for two days, visiting the following places.

Oslob 

Oslob is a small town that is famous in the Philippines for the whale-shark tours. This activity is questionable as an ethical business, but it is true that I saw 0 animal abuse and they represent a major income for the locals in this area. Basically they sell tours (₱1000) to watch the whale-sharks and swim (if you want) without touching them. The boats follow a moving line for 30 minutes and you can observe these huge animals. It is mandatory to go early in the morning, otherwise you might not gain entry.

Kawasan Falls

A really famous place to not miss in the Philippines, relatively close to Oslob, is Kawasan Falls. The waterfall and the area is marvelous, but the lively people and food stores break any possible feeling of a tranquil atmosphere. You’ll see magical blue waters and green vegetation, mixed with hot dog stores, families having a picnic, and noisy music. I would recommend visiting in the midweek, low season and early in the morning if you want to avoid the crowds.

Bohol

The last place I visited in the Philippines was Bohol Island, where I stayed two days. From Cebu city, there are frequent and affordable ferries to Bohol, and once you’re re on the island, there are many things to do. The best option to explore the island, is to rent a driver and guide. They normally work by word-of-mouth, so I can’t recommend any particular agency. The guides will show you the different things you can do on the island, from visiting decent beaches to typical tourist places or a monkey observatory. 

Bohol is famous for the Chocolate Mountains, a group of peculiar brown mounds. While there is not so much to see of them, I absolutely recommend doing a 4-wheeler tour to discover the area. Bohol also offers waterfalls, lagoons, local food and much more! Due to the amount of things to do in it, I’ll put it in this of what to do in the Philippines.

Mindanao

Unfortunately, we haven’t been to the south region of the Philippines, so we can’t give a real opinion or recommendation about what to do in the region. If some day we go back, we will try to visit Siargao island to do island hoping over there. The beaches are less touristic, sandy, and all the reviews we have seen about there have positive feedback. 

This is the end of our discovered places in the Philippines. As you can see, there are MANY different places to visit, or different itineraries. Let us know if we missed any region or place that you would suggest. I hope the post offered you good alternatives and you will consider the Philippines as your next destination. Paz!

And why not visiting the neighbours? Check these other plans and adventures in Indonesia!