I’m going to be telling you things I wish I knew before visiting the Philippines. The Philippines is one of the most beautiful countries in the world, but it is not as easy to travel to compared to places like Thailand and Indonesia. But don’t worry, I’m here to help you out and make sure you have a super Pat field trip to the Philippines. If you don’t know me, I’m James, and I spent 2 months traveling in the Philippines. It is honestly one of my favorite countries; in my opinion, it’s got some of the best coral reefs and beaches in the entire world
When To Go
Let’s start with that is when to go. So, most of the Philippines’ dry season is from December to April. However, in Siargao, it’s a little bit different, from March to October. The dry seasons are often the most touristy time of the year, so that’s just something to keep in mind and know that there will be more tourists there but not as much rain. I prefer the wet season. This tip applies not only to the Philippines but also to every country because I am a budget traveler, and I guess you are too. So, in the Philippines, it’s July-August, which I prefer; not too much rain or not too much heat also. Also, it’s less touristy. And the most important thing is that the wet season is always budget-friendly.
Visa & Entry
visas and entry requirements to the Philippines. You actually don’t need to do anything beforehand for most countries; you get a free 30-day visa stamp on arrival. This is only for 30 days, but you can actually extend it if you want to at immigration offices. It was very easy for me to add one more month.
Transpotation
let’s talk about local transport and transportation and how to get around because it’s actually a little bit different from other Southeast Asian countries. So, number 1, you’ve actually got jeepneys, and these are like really cheap, big old American trucks where you can just jump in, and they take you down a road. The routes are often hard to navigate, but if you ask the driver, they can help you out. For getting around in the Philippines, you get tricycles, motorbike taxis which Filipinos call habal-habal. Then you also have tricycles, which are really good and cheap ways to get around your local town or village or to get to your hotel. Also, in major cities like Manila and Cebu, they may actually have the Grab app, so you can order taxis on your phone.
If you didn’t know, the Philippines has over 7,000 islands, which is partly what makes it so beautiful but also really hard to travel around. Obviously, taking a car to many places is not possible. We’re gonna have to rely on ferries or flights. On flights, it’s the most comfortable and the quickest way, but it does cost more money. The other way you can do it is to take ferries, and these are quite uncomfortable and can take quite a lot of time, but they are cheap.
Booking Transportation
I’m going to talk about booking transportation because it is not as easy as using a travel agency in Thailand. Entirely, it’s so easy; you can go anywhere, ask your hotel, and they’ll book it for you. However, in the Philippines, it’s more difficult. There are a couple of different ways it works. Sometimes you actually have to go to the port and book your ferry for tomorrow or that day. Another way you can do it is actually to use Bookaway.com. I’ve used this before; you can book online, use a card, it is so good, and then you don’t have to go anywhere to physically book it. Sometimes you actually have to go to the bus station and book the ticket just before you go, or sometimes like a day in advance for ferries, but it always changes. The best thing to do is ask your hotel, and hopefully, they can help you out.
Scooter
So, renting a scooter in the Philippines. Honestly, it’s usually the best way of getting around most places, and they normally cost $4.50 to $7 a day, depending on the time of year and availability and all that kind of stuff. Unlike in Thailand, they probably won’t make you deposit anything like your passport or cash, so you can just ride off. But please wear a helmet; you don’t want to crash.
One thing you should know is that they don’t have as many scooter options as Thailand. In Thailand, you will find scooters everywhere you go; you don’t have to ask the public where to find them, just look around, there are a lot of them. But here in the Philippines, it’s difficult to find, but eventually, you will find it; just ask some people, that’s it.
Language
So, how friendly and helpful the Filipino people are. They are so hospitable; they will help you out in any situation. Also, their English is incredibly good, the best English I think anywhere in Southeast Asia. Even the children can speak lots of English, and that’s because they actually learn it in school. So, you can have conversations with them, and they often like to practice their English too.
Accommodation
Let’s talk about accommodation. There are hotels, hostels, and guesthouses, but honestly, compared to somewhere like Thailand or Bali, you don’t get as good value for your money. For 25 USD a night in Thailand, you’ll probably get a really nice hotel room, but in the Philippines, you won’t get anywhere near that. The way to do this is to stay in hostels or guesthouses or pensions, as these are a lot cheaper stays, and I highly recommend that’s how we travel the Philippines cheaper. Two hostels I recommend are Outpost Hostel in Coron and then Friends Hostel in El Nido. These hostels are amazing and have swimming pools with amazing views. Just do it; they’re really good. Also, I always recommend Airbnb anywhere in the world this is best option.
1-Month Itinerary
Now, this is probably my favorite, to tell you all about, and that is where to go in the Philippines. I’m going to be giving you a 1-month action-packed itinerary for the Philippines. This will include all the best places. Let’s start with Palawan. Start in Coron in the North, and then head down to El Nido, Port Barton, and then go to Puerto Princesa. Fly over to Cebu from there.From Cebu, go down to Moalboal to see the epic Canyoneering, and then go down to Siargao Island, this magical end. Then head over to Bohol to see the Chocolate Hills, and then head back to Cebu to fly over to Siargao, the surf island. I’d spend a week there surfing. There are also lots of activities to do
Don’t spend too long in Manila and Cebu. These are big cities with quite a bit of traffic. The best stuff is on the islands, the beaches, the coral reefs. That’s where the good stuff is, and that’s where you should spend your time.
Island-Hopping
Now let’s talk about the island-hopping tours. These are honestly some of the best days in the Philippines. There’s so much fun! You basically get a boat and head out to the islands, whether you’re in Coron, El Nido, Puerto Princesa, or Siargao. These are the best days. You often get a big buffet, boodle fight lunch, and you just eat to your heart’s content and then carry on with your island-hopping day.
You can actually book these tours online, and I’ll leave a link in the description. But you can also book them at your hotel or hostel, wherever you’re staying. So yeah, do what you want, however you feel.
Don’t Swim With Whale Sharks
The whale shark tours in Oslob. A lot of people still do it, but honestly, it is really not good for the whale sharks. Whale sharks should be migrating all the way around Southeast Asia, but they are just staying in the small town of Oslob because they’re feeding them small fish every day. The whale sharks are becoming reliant, which makes it really bad because they’re just being fed fish with a morsel out of the water.
Honestly, if you want to swim with whale sharks, there are other beautiful places to visit in the Philippines like Donsol. Do it naturally, do it properly. Don’t just give in to mass tourism. There are so many people swimming with whale sharks, and it’s just not good for them.
Something You May Don’t Know
Something I didn’t know until very recently: in some places, service water is mandatory. So if you’re going into a restaurant or anywhere and you ask for service water, you don’t actually have to pay for it. Which is really good because it means you don’t have to waste plastic and buy plastic bottles of water. Lots of places in the Philippines are really up-to-date with ecotourism, no plastic, and honestly, they are so much better for the environment than other places like Thailand.
Is Philippines Safe?
So, last couple of really important things you may want to know, and I get asked about quite a bit. The first one is about safety in the Philippines. Honestly, we felt really safe most of the time, even in Manila. Personally, I never felt threatened, even though you hear stories of it being a more dangerous city. However, a friend of mine experienced it differently when she was by herself. She got a lot more attention from men when she was without me, and she just didn’t want that attention. But she never actually felt physically threatened, so that’s just something to take into account if you’re a woman traveling alone.
The other thing is, you need travel insurance. It’s a safety ring, and make sure you’re covered before you come to the Philippines or anywhere on your travels. Okay, that’s it. Thank you.
