We use cookies. Privacy Policy
7,000 islands, the world's most beautiful beaches, and island-hopping that never gets old.
7,107 islands and most of them haven't seen a tourist. The Philippines is the Southeast Asian country with the most untouched beaches, the friendliest people, and — because everything is more spread out — the most authentic encounters.
Each region has a completely different character. Here is what to expect.
The most beautiful island province in Southeast Asia — El Nido's limestone karst lagoons, the Bacuit Archipelago, and Coron's extraordinary wreck diving (12 Japanese WWII ships). Puerto Princesa's Subterranean River (UNESCO) is navigable by boat for 8km underground.
Whale shark swimming at Donsol (wild, unbaited — the ethical alternative to Oslob), Tumalog Falls, and Kawasan Canyon canyoneering. Siargao is the Philippines' surf capital — Cloud 9 is world-famous.
Often dismissed — but Intramuros (the Spanish colonial walled city), the street food of Binondo (the world's oldest Chinatown), and the Escolta district's art deco revival make it worth 2 days.
The 2,000-year-old rice terraces of Banaue and Batad — carved into the Cordillera mountains by the Ifugao people, UNESCO World Heritage. The Batad terraces (accessible only on foot) are the most spectacular.
The Philippines is affordable.
Hostel dorm £6-12.
Local restaurant (adobo, sinigang, lechon) £2-5.
Bangka island boat tour £8-20.
Inter-island flights (Cebu Pacific, AirAsia) are cheap if booked in advance — the island distances sometimes make flying necessary.
The Donsol whale shark encounters (wild, unbaited, in southern Luzon) are the ethical alternative to Oslob where sharks are fed to attract them. El Nido tour boats should not anchor on coral — choose operators who use permanent moorings. The Philippines has some of the world's most threatened marine biodiversity — be a conscious visitor.
Tell us where you want to go and your budget — we'll build a personalised quote with routes, hostels, and transport sorted.
SE Asia, South America, Europe, Africa, Central Asia and beyond.