Classic Philippines: Manila, Palawan, Bohol
Duration : 12 days
Route : Manila (1 night) → Palawan El Nido flight (4 nights) → Coron flight (2 nights) → Bohol flight (3 nights) → return Manila flight (1 night)
Custom travel to the Philippines
The Philippines is one of the world's most beautiful archipelagos, 7,641 islands scattered over 300,000 km² between the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean. 115 million inhabitants, 90% Catholic, the only majority-Christian Asian country with Timor-Leste. Palawan (voted world's best island 5 times by Travel + Leisure), El Nido (turquoise lagoons, limestone cliffs), Coron (WWII shipwrecks), Puerto Princesa (UNESCO 8.2-km underground river). Bohol (Chocolate Hills, endemic tarsiers). Cebu (whale shark diving in Oslob). Siargao (surfing capital, Cloud 9). Banaue (UNESCO 1995, 2,000-year-old rice terraces, '8th wonder of the world'). Manila (Intramuros). 2nd largest coral reef after Australia. Fusion cuisine (adobo, lechon, halo-halo). A destination for 12-14 days.
Highlights
- Palawan: El Nido and Coron (turquoise lagoons)
- Bohol: Chocolate Hills and tarsiers
- Banaue: rice terraces (UNESCO)
- Diving at Tubbataha (UNESCO, world top 10)
- Siargao: world surfing capital (Cloud 9)
- Manila: Intramuros (Spanish colonial heritage)
Sample itineraries
Complete Philippines: add Banaue and Siargao
Duration : 16 days
Route : Manila (1) → Banaue rice terraces (2) → Manila (1) → Palawan flight (4) → Coron flight (2) → Bohol flight (3) → Siargao flight (3) → return Manila flight
Private island Amanpulo: ultimate luxury
Duration : 8 days
Route : Manila (1 night) → private flight Amanpulo (5 nights) → Manila (1 night) → return flight
When to go
December-May is the best period (dry season, 25-32 °C, calm sea). Avoid June-November (rainy season, frequent typhoons July-October, especially on Luzon). March-May very hot (35 °C+).
- Cool dry season (December – February), All sites, calm sea, end-of-year festivities
- Hot dry season (March – May), Tubbataha (March-June only), brown Chocolate Hills
- Rainy season (early) (June – August), Typhoon risk, some islands closed (Cebu, Visayas)
- Rainy season (late) (September – November), Surfing in Siargao (Cloud 9 World Surf League September)
Practical information
Generally safe in tourist zones. Vigilance in Manila (pickpockets, scams) and southwestern Mindanao (Sulu, Basilan not recommended). No visa for French citizens < 30 days. Cards accepted in upscale hotels and restaurants, cash elsewhere (peso or USD). Avoid tap water (bottled water). English spoken everywhere (convenient). 10% tipping appreciated. Typhoons (June-November), check weather before inter-island transfers. Significant pollution in Manila.
Frequently asked questions
When?
December to May is the best period, dry season with clear skies, calm seas, and temperatures of 25 to 32 °C. December-February is the most pleasant window (25-30 °C, ideal for every site). March-May gets hotter (32-37 °C, sometimes above 35 °C), it's also beach high season when El Nido fills up, and the March-June window is the only time Tubbataha diving is open. Avoid June to November, rainy season with frequent typhoons between July and October, especially on Luzon (Manila, Banaue); on the other hand, September marks the peak of Siargao surfing with the World Surf League at Cloud 9.
How long?
Allow 12 days for the classic itinerary: Manila (Intramuros), Palawan with El Nido and Coron (island hopping, dive wrecks), then Bohol (Chocolate Hills, tarsiers). For the complete 16-day itinerary, add Banaue and its UNESCO-listed thousand-year-old rice terraces in the north, and Siargao, the world's surf capital, in the south. For a shorter exclusive stay, the private island of Amanpulo is visited in 8 days from Manila.
Budget?
As a guideline, expect €2,800 to €4,000 per person for 12 days in the Comfort tier (4★ hotels such as H Resort in El Nido, Two Seasons Coron, Amorita in Bohol, domestic flights and island hopping included), excluding international flights. The Premium tier, €4,600 to €6,800, offers the El Nido Resorts (Pangulasian, Lagen, Miniloc) or Shangri-La Boracay. The Exclusive tier, from €9,500, allows a stay at Amanpulo, the private Aman island, or Nay Palad Hideaway in Siargao. Expect €800 to €1,200 for a Paris-Manila round-trip flight with one layover.
Visa?
No visa is needed for French, Belgian, and Swiss citizens, as well as the UK, US, and Canada, for stays under 30 days. If your trip exceeds this duration (for example to combine the Philippines with Hong Kong or Taiwan), a 59-day visa can be obtained on arrival for a fee, or extended locally at the Bureau of Immigration. The passport must be valid at least 6 months beyond the return date and have at least one blank page.
Family?
Yes, from age 8. Long flight but warm welcome, perfect beaches.
How to get around?
Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific domestic flights are essential between islands: Manila-Palawan, Manila-Cebu, and Manila-Bohol each take about 1 h 30, Cebu-Siargao 1 h. Traditional bangkas handle short inter-island transfers, such as Coron-El Nido on an 8-h fast ferry. A private car with driver is recommended in Luzon, notably to reach Banaue (9-h drive from Manila, or by long-distance bus). In Manila, Grab taxis are abundant and convenient. The country has no modern rail network.
Diving Tubbataha: possible?
Yes, March-June only (dry season). 6-7-night liveaboard from Puerto Princesa, Advanced+ level. World top 10.
Safety?
Generally safe in tourist zones. Basic vigilance is needed in Manila (pickpockets, small scams in busy areas), and particular caution is advised in southwestern Mindanao (Sulu, Basilan), officially discouraged, though Davao and Camiguin remain safe. Typhoon season (June-November) can disrupt inter-island transfers: it's best to check the weather before every bangka or flight transfer. Tap water should be avoided everywhere, prefer bottled water. Manila also suffers from significant air pollution.
Combine?
Yes: Philippines + Hong Kong (2 h 30 flight), Philippines + Taiwan, Philippines + Indonesia.
Tips?
10% in restaurants. Appreciated in hotels and with bangka guides.
Card or cash?
Bank cards are accepted in upscale hotels and restaurants in major cities and resorts, but cash (Philippine peso or US dollars) remains essential elsewhere: markets, bangkas, small shops, tips. Bring enough cash before heading to remote islands like Siargao or Palawan lodges, where ATMs are scarce.
Best region for a first trip?
For a first trip, the classic Manila + Palawan (El Nido and Coron) + Bohol itinerary concentrates the must-sees: Intramuros in Manila, El Nido's turquoise lagoons and island hopping, wreck diving in Coron, and Bohol's Chocolate Hills with tarsiers. It's the itinerary most chosen by my travelers, suited to couples and honeymoons alike. If you have 2 to 3 weeks, add Banaue in the north and Siargao in the south for a more complete view of the archipelago.