Philippines travel guide

El Nido

Palawan

Limestone lagoons and island-hopping tours A–D.

Coron

Palawan

Kayangan Lake and WWII shipwreck diving.

Boracay

Aklan

White Beach, sunsets and water sports.

Chocolate Hills & Panglao

Bohol

Unique hills, tarsiers and beaches.

Siargao

Surigao del Norte

Surfing (Cloud 9) and laid-back island life.

Puerto Princesa Underground River

Palawan

UNESCO site; book permits ahead.

Banaue Rice Terraces

Ifugao

Centuries-old terraces carved into the mountains.

Moalboal & Oslob

Cebu

Sardine run, snorkelling and Kawasan Falls canyoneering.

Manila

Capital and main gateway: Intramuros, Binondo (the world’s oldest Chinatown), malls and nightlife in Makati and BGC.

Guides in Manila →

Cebu City & Mactan

Second gateway airport; Spanish-era history, island hopping and diving nearby.

Guides in Cebu →

Baguio

Cool mountain city in the north, popular for its climate, markets and the Panagbenga flower festival.

Guides in Baguio →

Puerto Princesa

Gateway to Palawan and the Underground River.

Guides in Puerto →

Davao City

Clean, orderly city in Mindanao; Mt Apo and Philippine Eagle Center.

Guides in Davao →

Vigan

UNESCO-listed Spanish colonial town with cobblestone streets.

Guides in Vigan →

✈️ Manila — Ninoy Aquino Intl (MNL)

• Grab (ride-hailing app) — easiest and fixed upfront price
• Yellow airport taxis (metered) from the official queue
• P2P and UBE Express buses to Makati, BGC and other hubs
• Check which terminal your flight uses — terminals are far apart

✈️ Cebu — Mactan-Cebu Intl (CEB)

• Grab or official airport taxis
• MyBus to SM City Cebu

🚆 Getting around

• Domestic flights (Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines, AirAsia) are the fastest way between islands
• Ferries (2GO, OceanJet and others) for nearby islands — check weather advisories
• Grab for cars in cities; jeepneys and tricycles for short local rides (agree the fare first on tricycles)
• Traffic in Metro Manila is heavy — allow extra time to the airport

🙏 Culture & etiquette

• Use “po” and “opo” as a sign of respect when talking to elders
• Don’t lose your temper in public — calm, polite requests work much better
• Dress modestly when visiting churches (cover shoulders and knees)
• Don’t refuse food or hospitality bluntly; decline politely

📍 Places, scams & seasons

• Some areas of Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago carry government travel warnings — check advisories before going
• Typhoon season is roughly June–November; ferries and flights can be cancelled
• Avoid unlicensed taxis and “colorum” vans; use Grab or official queues

⚖️ Laws & restrictions

• Drug laws are extremely strict — never carry or buy illegal drugs
• Smoking and vaping are banned in many public places
• You must register a local SIM card with your passport (SIM Registration Act)

💬 Words & topics to avoid

• Avoid the slur “Flip” for Filipinos
• Avoid swearing in Tagalog (e.g. “putang ina”) even jokingly
• Don’t joke about the country being “poor” or “third world”

Manila

Makati, BGC (Taguig) or Ortigas

Safest and most walkable for first-timers

Cebu

Mactan (beach resorts) or IT Park (city)

Pick by beach vs city

El Nido

Town proper (budget) or Corong-Corong (sunsets)

Book early in dry season

Boracay

Station 2 (central) or Station 1 (quieter, upscale)

Station 3 is cheapest

Binondo

Manila

Chinese-Filipino food crawl: dumplings, hopia, fried siopao

Larsian

Cebu City

Late-night barbecue stalls

Mercato Centrale / BGC food parks

Taguig

Weekend night markets

Lechon spots of Talisay & Carcar

Cebu

Many call Cebu lechon the best in the country

Adobo

Meat braised in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic — the unofficial national dish

Sinigang

Sour tamarind soup with pork or shrimp

Lechon

Whole roast pig with crackling skin

Sisig

Sizzling chopped pork with chili and calamansi

Kare-kare

Oxtail and vegetables in peanut sauce with shrimp paste

Halo-halo

Shaved ice dessert with beans, fruit, leche flan and ube

Sinulog

Third Sunday of January

Cebu City

Ati-Atihan

January

Kalibo, Aklan

Dinagyang

January

Iloilo City

Panagbenga (Flower Festival)

February

Baguio

Pahiyas

15 May

Lucban, Quezon

MassKara

October

Bacolod

Christmas season

September to early January

Nationwide

📱 SIM & eSIM

• Globe, Smart and DITO are the main networks
• Airport SIM counters sell tourist SIMs; registration with your passport is required
• eSIMs from travel eSIM apps work well for short trips

📶 Coverage & Wi-Fi

• 4G/5G is good in cities; signal is weak on remote islands
• Many island resorts use Starlink now, but expect slower Wi-Fi in rural areas

🔌 Power plugs

220V, 60Hz — plug types A, B and C