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When you're traveling, it's all about finding the perfect place, the perfect beach, and the perfect landscape, and well friends I think we have found it right here in the Philippines. The Philippines are an island paradise that makes you feel like you're stepping into a real life Disney scene. To paint you a picture think Moana or for my 90's babies, Lilo and Stitch, while of course not comparable to their native lands, Philippines has its own distinct beauty. Throughout this series, I'll dive into travel itineraries, getting around the islands, accommodation, activities, and top tips to make the most of your island escape. But first, let's take a look at some top tips we wish we knew before visiting the Philippines!
Number One - Travel Advisories
When we visit countries, travel advisories have become a significant part of our planning. If you're not familiar with travel advisories, that's okay. They're essentially like a website version of 'How to travel for dummies.' I have linked some of the most common ones to use below. You can simply type in the name of the country you're planning to visit, and it will provide easy-to-understand information tailored for travellers. It’s a really convenient way to access up-to-date information about your destination from trusted government sources. When it comes to visas, the advisories are great for finding out about entry regulations, safety levels, weather considerations, local events, and more.
Australia:
New Zealand:
United Kingdom:
Canada:
Number Two - Plan in Advance
When Aiden and I were planning our trip to the Philippines, we knew we needed a visa, so we applied for it about two months before our arrival. As Australian and New Zealand passport holders, we were granted a one-month visa. However, one thing we were blissfully unaware of is that you need to have proof of departure from the Philippines. For that reason alone, we highly recommend planning your whole itinerary in advance to ensure a smooth travel experience. Sorry backpackers, but this isn't a place where we would recommend winging it on the go.
A great first step would be to organise your internet needs as navigating the islands is sometimes impossible without it! For us we always purchase an eSim using Airalo which not only saves time but avoids the hassle of purchasing a physical one. If you purchase one using the box below we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you!
Number Three - Plan your Itinerary
To expand on the previous point about not winging it, I would highly recommend having your itinerary sorted. Choosing which islands you actually want to visit was one of our biggest challenges, and trust me the Philippines does not make it easy to decide. Each island offers something unique and beautiful, and you could truly spend a lifetime exploring all of them. Did you know that there are over 7640 islands in the Philippines, with approximately 2000 of them being inhabited? That's a huge number of islands to explore, and it can be quite overwhelming to decide which ones to visit. We decided to visit Coron, El Nido, Puerto Princesa, Cebu, Moalboal, and Bohol, but there are so many more to choose from. It's really important to do your research beforehand and figure out which islands interest you the most, as it will make the whole experience much smoother.
Number Four - Book in Advance
Moving on to tip number four, I would highly recommend that you book in advance.
Now Aiden and I are usually travellers who tend to plan on the road, but along comes that dreaded word that every traveller hates... hindsight. But thats why we are here to relay our do's and don'ts. Philippines taught us the hard way about the importance of planning ahead, not for everything but more the accomodation. We were lucky to find some affordable and nice places, but booking earlier can get you even better places for a very reasonable price. However, if you're curious about where we stayed, you can view the rooms below as well as a small breakdown of them :)
CORON
Positives:
Free Breakfast (Although it isn't clearly stated on the booking)
Super friendly staff, they helped us organise a tuk tuk to pick us up and take us to the ferry terminal
Excellent location, within walking distance from the beach, dock and many restaurants.
6 bed dorm rooms that are very clean
Negatives:
No private room options
Internet isn't the greatest unless you are in the common area
EL NIDO - *OUR FAVOURITE HOSTEL in the PHILIPPINES*
Positives:
Free Buffet Breakfast (Hands down one of the best free brekkies we had in all of Asia!)
Super friendly staff
Excellent location, within walking distance from the beach, dock and many restaurants.
4 bed dorm rooms with what is the most spacious beds ever! You basically have a size of a double bed which is such a luxury for a dorm room.
Private room options
Newly Renovated
Excellent communal area to meet people and there are board games there to play as well.
On a few days they have organised events such as BBQ night and Karaoke.
Stay here and you will not regret it :)
Negatives:
No real negatives, this was the place I got really sick at due to the water but you would find that at any accommodation in El Nido
Puerto Princesa
Positives:
Free Buffet Breakfast
Super friendly staff
Decent location, there are probably closer ones to town but for our itinerary this wasn't needed and this spot was still good in terms of nearby restaurants and transport options.
Very spacious private rooms
Swimming Pool which is great as Puerto Princesa doesn't have many great beaches
Negatives:
Depending which room you get, one side of the property backs onto a home with loud roosters. We asked to swap rooms due to this and the staff were very kind and were able to do so!
No dorm rooms but for fairly cheap private rooms why wouldn't you stay in one of them!
Definitely not a backpacker scene so if your wanting to meet people, this isn’t the place
Cebu (we actually stayed at 2 different ones at 2 different times)
1st Accommodation:
Positives:
Option to upgrade for included breakfast
Staff are on hand to help carry your luggage to your room
Decent location, close to the bus depot and airport.
Private rooms
Negatives:
Definitely not a backpacker scene so if your wanting to meet people, this isn’t the place
Room was a little run down but nothing major
2nd Accommodation:
Positives:
Security staff at entrance
7/11 on the ground floor
Close to airport
Clean and spacious private rooms
Small communal space with microwave and water station
Negatives:
Definitely not a backpacker scene so if your wanting to meet people, this isn’t the place
Isn't the greatest location in terms of things to do nearby
Moalboal
Positives:
Optional upgrade for included breakfast
Super friendly staff that help organise tours
Pickle ball court, a bit random but if you ever wanted to play it that may be your chance!
Really good location, close to the beach, restaurants and activities
Very spacious private room
Negatives:
No real communal area if you are looking to meet people
We found the curtains in the room the be useless so the morning light would beam into the room
Bohol
Positives
Optional upgrade for included brekkie
Very friendly and helpful staff
Private and dorm room options
Decent location, close to the beach, restaurants, pubs
Option to rent motorbikes
Dorm and private room options
Looks to have a pool (wasn't there when we stayed in 2023!)
Unique barn styled rooms
Negatives
If you stay in a private like we did the air conditioner is so loud which made it hard to sleep, although we hope they have fixed that issue by now
Internet is very spotty in the rooms
Number Five - Take cash out
Take cash out! Philippines is a country that still heavily relies on cash as their main form of currency, especially because many small businesses prefer not to pay card fees. Cash is widely used for visiting local markets, buying street food, paying for a tuk tuk and even optional tipping. ATMs are available in many places, particularly in developed cities, malls, and banks. However, in smaller regions it may be difficult to find ATMs, so it's a good idea to withdraw cash when you're near one. While we are slowly seeing the islands moving towards a cashless society, around 87% of Filipinos still use cash which is a decrease from 96% in 2022. So, it's always a good idea to carry cash with you to be on the safe side.
Number Six - Environmental Fees
One thing we hadn't heard of before travelling to the Philippines was the environmental fees. These fees can range from marine park fees, sanctuary fees, cameras fees, dive fees, you name it. Our first experience with an environmental fee was when we flew from Manila to Coron airport. When leaving Coron airport we were asked to pay 200 pesos per person, roughly equivalent to AUD $5.20 for the environmental fee. Initially we felt a little hard done by having to pay for something we weren't even sure was going to what it states, but the truth is whether you love it or hate it, you have to pay it. It's worth noting that tourists and locals have different fee rates, but looking back, we appreciate the concept of these fees going towards maintaining the beauty of the Philippines. The fees vary for each island and activity, so there's no set amount to expect, but it's always good to have extra money on you for the 'just in case scenario'.
Number Seven - Bring your own Gear
Now for my personal favourite top tip, buy your own snorkel, wet shoes and waterproof phone case! Again that beautiful word hindsight comes into play again. Chances are if you're visiting the Philippines you'll want to enjoy its famous crystal-clear blue waters and amazing snorkeling opportunities. With that in mind have you thought of taking your own gear? Because we sure didn't and we quickly realised that maybe we should have. We of course did a few boat tours during our visit and when arriving at the port we were greeted by many locals trying to sell us all the necessities as mentioned above. Which quickly became overwhelming with so many people vying for our attention. Personally I am someone who can become flustered rather quickly (how I survived Asia I will never know) so to get myself out of the situation I would politely say no. But saying no to the sellers didn't magically land me a snorkel, as we then had to pay rental fees for gear on the boat, which unfortunately cost us more. In the end, we found that buying gear at a market in town was cheaper than at the port. So here is my hindsight wisdom, either bring your own packed gear or buy some at the markets and support local Filipinos. Either way make sure you have something before going on the boat tours to avoid those nasty rental fees.
Number Eight - Weather
It's important to check the weather before booking boat tours which may seem like common knowledge, but the weather in the Philippines can change quickly, kinda like Melbourne (My Australian readers will know). So it's best to stay on top of it as much as possible. We had a hard time getting a refund for our cancelled tour, so it's better to avoid this hassle if you can.
Number Nine - Tuk Tuk Guide
One of the main ways to travel around the Philippines is the beloved tuk tuk! While a tuk tuk is always a ride on the wild side, what's more wild is how much they love to barter with their customers. It's important to keep in mind that as tourists, they may try to charge us more compared to locals. While of course we understand, no one likes to feel like they are being cheated. A local once advised us that an average rate of 5 pesos per kilometre was typical (2023) but prices can fluctuate. It's essential to remember that we are fortunate to be able to travel, and when negotiating, it's crucial to be mindful and respectful of the fact that this is their livelihood. Whenever possible, it's always a great gesture to be kind and leave a tip, it's only one less Chicken Adobo for lunch, don't be greedy!
Number Ten - Don't drink the water
We were advised not to drink the water on the islands, but we weren't fully aware of the specific precautions to take. Should we avoid drinking tap water, cover our mouths while showering, or refrain from using water for brushing teeth? It was unclear where to draw the line. The extent of water safety precautions varied from one island to another. Palawan, particularly El Nido, was the island where we were most cautious about water safety. Unfortunately, I got extremely sick in El Nido and spent two days with my head in a toilet bowl (but I just tell myself I got the authentic experience). Despite being very careful throughout the trip, sometimes it's simply not enough. To help with the effects of the sickness I'd advise to bring medicine from home that your body is accustomed to.
Number Eleven - Learn some common phrases
One of the beautiful things about travelling is that it offers opportunity to immerse yourself in different cultures. To truly embrace a new culture, it's important to make an effort to learn and speak the native language. This advice applies not only to the Philippines, but to all destinations, learning a few common phrases shows respect and opens the door to new experiences. Who cares if you don't don't pronounce everything perfectly, the effort you put in is what truly matters. It's all about trying, and people will definitely appreciate your effort, just maybe not the French - just kidding, I love France! Some common phrases to learn for the Philippines are:
Kumusta (kum-u-sta) - Hello/How are you?
Paalam (pa-a-lam) - Goodbye
Salamat (sa-la-mat) - Thank you
Magkano? (mag-ka-no) - How much?
Number Twelve - Talk with the locals
My Final tip for the Philippines is to make an effort to interact with the locals. It's true that they are incredibly kind and friendly, probably some of the nicest people you'll ever meet. We had some wonderful conversations with locals and ended up making a lot of friends. Remember they know their island the best and if you're lucky they might end up sharing some local insider knowledge to the best spots around. So don't be shy, try your best to start a conversation, because you never know where it might take you!
One last top tip, if you enjoyed reading why not subscribe to our mailing list, I promise no annoying marketing emails just amazing content to help you on your next adventure. Hopefully some of these tips will save you from the travellers curse... hindsight and I will see you on the next blog.
Bree and Aiden
Bree, I really enjoyed your blog. Very informative.