The Philippines has the most beautiful islands I have ever seen. Low on tourism compared to other countries in South East Asia it gives you a really feeling of being able to explore. This is a country I would absolutely love to go back to as I've only scratched the surface.
For these locations you will need 3 weeks but there is so much more to do in the Philippines, I would suggest taking a month and spending extra time enjoying the beaches.
Minimum spend £250 per week
This is the order I travelled, Boracay is out of the way and so is Major Volcano. Palawan is ordered and I recommend following them in order if you are pushed for time go straight to El Nido and Coron.
Manila | Boracay | Palawan | Puerto Princesa & Sabang | Port Barton | El Nido | Coron | Mayon Volcano
Entry: 1 month entry on arrival but make sure you have an outward flight booked.
Accommodation: Dorms are less common but accommodation is still cheap and easy to find. If your booking accommodation check out our accommodation page.
Getting round: Planes, boats and buses the Philippines is not the easiest place to get around. In Manila pay for taxis on the meter otherwise they will overcharge you.
Food: Lot's of fish & rice or you can usually find a fast food restaurant selling western food.
TOP TIP: Transport doesn't always run as it should, give yourself time to work around potential unexpected delays!
Manila
There is so much more to the Philippines than I have written and I will get back when I can to give more information on this amazing country. If you have any questions about the Philippines feel free to contact me.
Boracay
Boracay has an amazing white sand beach and a good place to relax for few days. This place is becoming more popular all the time and is starting to get a reputation as a bit of a party place. Personally I think there is much nicer places to explore in the Philippines but you can become as popular a Boracay without having a lot going for you. I went diving in Boracay which was ok but there are much better and cheaper places in the Philippines to dive.
Top things: Beach | Nightlife
Palawan
Palawan is a large area of the Philippines and where I spent most my time. Flying into Puerto Princesa and working your way up to El Nido at the top these spots are a fantastic travelling experience.
Puerto Princesa & Sabang
Puerto Princesa a good place to fly into, known for its subterranean river. Sabang is located within Puerto Princesa the underground river is very intesting place and Puerto Princesa is a nice place to walk round but if like me you feel short of time while in the Philippines it's not the end of the world if you don't make it here.
Top things: City walk | Underground river
Port Barton
Port Barton is a tiny little place on the west coast of Palawan. I loved this place are it was so quiet and chilled out. There is not much to do here but you can trip out to some small islands and do a bit of snorkelling and diving. There is a small wreck dive which is quite cool.
Top things: Beach | Island Hopping | Snorkelling/Scuba Diving
El Nido
El Nido is rapidly becoming the place to go for anyone who visits the Philippines. My stay here was very short but it's obvious why it's so popular. Enjoy your days doing Island hopping adventures and snorkelling trips this is the place to do it. They all throw little parties on the islands in the evening on occasion, these are very chilled out and a nice way to spend the evening. If you have time and a bit of money look into doing a El Nido to Coron boat tour.
Top things: Island hopping | Snorkelling | Beach
Coron
One of the best places I've been to, Coron is amazing. You can tour the island and visit the waterfalls or potter about the town. One absolutely unmissable thing here is island hopping, visit places like Kayangan Lake, twin lagoon and more. You can also do some wreck diving here, I didn't do this but it supposed to be incredible. Just be careful if you rent bikes to get round the island the roads are not the easy. (Injured friend pictured)
Top things: Island hopping | Boat trips | Waterfalls
Mayon Volcano
Mayon Volcano is probably the most picturesque volcano in the work and an absolutely amazing thing to see. Although it is well out the way, a full days drive from Manila and not much else to do there but see the volcano. You can take a quad bike tour up which looked cool but by mate had full off a motorbike a few days before so we decided against it.
Manila is not a place I recommend spending any time in. Probably just use this as a place to stay the days you fly in and out. If you have extra time to kill waiting you can visit the Mall of Asia, it's a massive shopping centre with plenty of options. When getting round pay for taxis on the meter otherwise they will overcharge you!
(Photos from Google)
Top things: Book tickets out | Mall of Asia