The Philippines is a stunning country that stretches over 298,000 square miles of ocean. Before your journey, take the time to pinpoint your preferred destinations and thoroughly research ferry times and flight schedules. Domestic air travel is not only affordable but also the fastest way to navigate the country, efficiently covering large distances.

Some Islands To Consider

In the Philippines, you can truly immerse yourself in your Robinson Crusoe fantasies on a secluded, pristine island or revel in the vibrant energy of the breathtaking Boracay beach. Delight in some of the world’s finest diving and snorkeling experiences, or embark on exhilarating adventures as you get lost in the enchanting caves and lush jungle trails.

Boracay: World famous white sand beach (courtesy of social media) with crystal clear waters, fun nightlife, and plenty of things to do. This is the most popular place for tourists in the Philippines.

Luzon: The largest island in the country and home to the country’s capital, Manila. Don’t miss the visiting the Old Town of Philippines colonial past.

Cebu: A popular island destination in the Philippines with beautiful beaches and a wide variety of activities. This is one of the best places for scuba diving and snorkeling.

Palawan: Regarded as one of the most beautiful islands in the world. Palawan is perfect for those who want to get away from it all. My favorite place on Palawan is El Nido.

Bohol: An underrated destination that offers wonders such as beaches, temples, and wildlife encounters. Bohol is best known for its Chocolate Hills (geological formations) and the Tarsier (small primate).

THE CITY: MANILA

It’s easy to dismiss Manila as a tourist destination. Most travellers see it only as a jump-off point to the country’s stunning islands. Manila is big, dense, and crazy. Just when you have started exploring you get lost in the crowds, choke on the pollution, or drown in the constant nagging from passers-by it’ll offer something surprising.

Places to see in Manila

Intramuros

The historic core of the capital, built in 1571, making it the oldest district in the city. Historic Intramuros is without a doubt the premier tourist attraction in Manila. Known as the ‘Walled City’ was the City of Manila during the Spanish Colonial Period.

It has survived waves of foreign invasions, a world war, and even booming, unrelenting threats of overdevelopment. But it continues to stand silently amidst the roaring metropolis outside its fortified walls. If Manila had a soul you’d find it hiding inside the ancient structures of this district.

Rizal Park

Take a stroll around Rizal Park which is a huge green belt within the city. It has some interesting history mostly related to Spanish executions. Rizal Park is named after a Filipino propagandist aiding the Filipino uprising. The park is also home to some lovely Japanese gardens.

China Town (Binondo)

Almost every major city in the world has a Chinatown. Binondo is the first Chinatown in the world. It was established in 1594 by Governor Luis Perez Dasmarinas for Chinese settlers who were converted into Catholicism. You’ll see Filipino-Chinese continue to live and work here with all the joys, the sounds, and the dirt of a typical developing district.

Go shopping at SM Mall of Asia

SM Mall of Asia is a massive shopping and entertainment area in Passey serving department stores, independent shopping, restaurants, cafes, a concert hall and fairground rides, all built on reclaimed land.

999 Shopping Mall

Now this is interesting. 999 Shopping Mall is a huge multi-level indoor market selling everything from clothes to trainers, hair products to baggage and suitcases. It can feel a little daunting walking amongst the narrow corridors whilst the local traders are persuading you to go inside, however, the are bargains to be had.

THE ISLANDS: BORACAY

Boracay is the most widely known and perhaps premier destination in the Philippines. Regularly ranked as one of the best beaches in the world, a coastline fringed with palm trees and the warm sea air wafting across the shores, Boracay is a beach bum’s dream.

Located 1.5 miles off the northwest tip of Panay Island in the Visayas, Boracay is a picture-postcard beach destination. It has some of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever witnessed.

What to do in Boracay

Boracay may be a small island but there are a surprising amount of things to do. A lot of the activities revolve around adrenaline. You can do parasailing and rock jumping if you wish. You can paddle board or kayak. Boracay is also the perfect destination to explore on foot and discover little coves and secluded cafes and beach bars.

The only advice I would give is to be mindful and research what time of year is best to visit Boracay. During certain times of the year the pristine white beach can be overcome by large amounts of green algae.

If perusing the shops and market stalls are your thing then take a stroll along the sandy promenade that runs parallel to the beach and navigate the numerous market stalls. Remember to barter over the price of goods. It’s all done with good taste.

Fire Performers

As you walk along the sandy promenade of an evening you maybe fortunate enough to see fire performers in one of the many hotels, usually were there is a crowd of people gathering. The act lasts for about 30 minutes and are extremely mesmerising. It’s the perfect time to grab a drink at the bar and be entertained.

Places to eat and drink

Boracay offers plenty of venues to take refuge. Here are some of the places for consideration.

Nonie’s – https://nonies.com.ph/

Located at the Hue Hotel at Station X, this is a Vegan restaurant that offers surprisingly good food with indoor or outdoor seating. The Bao Buns were beautiful!

Cha Cha’s Beach Cafe – www.facebook.com/RaintreeChaChas

Located at Station 2 on the beach front, near to Coast Hotel you’ll find Cha Cha’s. It’s a great little bar and grill offering typical bar food and cocktails. It’s a great place to watch both passers by but the sunsets from here are something else.

Joe’s – www.instagram.com/boracay.joesrestaurant

Located at Casa Pilar Beach Resort Joe’s offers great food and drinks with comfy seating, often with a live band playing. It’s a great place to relax especially of an evening under the canopy of colourful lights.

Coco Loco Boracay – www.cocolocoboracay.com/en

Located at Station 3 lower down on the beach front you will discover Coco Loco Beach Bar. Part of the Coco Loco resort the bar is open to anyone that wishes to stop for a few drinks and bar snacks. It has to be one of the coolest bars I’ve been to. Happy hour(s) are great and the bar snacks are delicious… Can’t beat the views either.

D’Mall Boracay – info.myboracayguide.com/boracay-dmall

D’Mall is a small open air shopping paradise bustling with souvenir shops, boutiques, cafes and restaurants. It’s definitely a place to visit.

THE ISLANDS: EL NIDO, PALAWAN

El Nido, located in the Palawan province of the Philippines, is a true paradise. A postcard photographers dream location. With some of the clearest blue water, pristine white sand beaches lined with tall palm trees and towering limestone cliffs this place is exactly what you think of when you think of the Philippines!

What to do in El Nido

El Nido is a relaxed place to spend you time. There are multiple boat trips each morning to the neighbouring islands but as I had this already planned in my holiday I didn’t partake in these. El Nido also offers numerous scuba diving trips to the nearby coral reefs.

EL Nido Beach

A perfect location to just wind down and catch some sunshine. If you’ve had enough of the beach a short stroll down there are rock pools great for crabbing and snorkelling.

Taraw Canopy Walk

Taraw is the name given to the mountain at El Nido. There are full day mountaineering climbs but if you wish to just sample a far more relaxed way of climbing Taraw then take the canopy walk. It lasts just on an hour with incredible views from the top.

Their office is located within walking distance of El Nido town on Rizal Street near to the Supermarket, and bookings may be made in advance or you can just turn up on the day. Climbs are every 30 minutes and costs 400 Peso (GB£5.60). The climb is not tough at all and is more of a short walk up safe stairs and secure scaffolding. 

Places to eat and drink

There are a plethera of venues to eat and drink so finding somewhere will not be difficult. Why not try these?

Happiness Bar and Grill

This cafe is located on the lower level of the hostel in the downtown area. With swings for seats at the bar, and large booths and tables, this place is a great spot for breakfast or happy hour! I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this spot for dinner as it is mostly small plates and pitas, but they offer happy hour from 3-8 PM if you are looking for a place for drinks and a snack.

Baba Street Food – www.instagram.com/babaelnido

A two story restaurant and bar offering great cocktails and bar food. It becomes more impressive of an evening once the sun goes down and the colourful bar lights turn on.

Hot Gossip Beach House- thebeachhouse.ph

Located on the beach front it is a dive centre with its own cafe. The views across the water towards the mountains are breathtaking and a great place to stop for a coffee and a fruit bowl!

El Nido Street Food

Opposite the El Nido Municipal hall once the sun sets G. Del Pilar Street closes to traffic and the evening street food huts open offering chicken skewers, seafood, pork meat all cooked over a charcoal BBQ. The food is tasty, fresh, well cooked and cheap.

The Food Truck

Located on the main strip of El Nido you’ll find this quirky little eatery. It’s an old bus converted into a street food venue that offers all sorts of delicious meals and snacks. The Pad Thai is particularly good.

THE ISLANDS: CORON

Coron is an island north of El Nido and forms part of the Palawan region. If you are you looking for clean turquiose water and boat tours to some of the most spectacular sites then you will want to make sure Coron is on your bucket list.

What to do in Coron

Coron’s biggest attraction are the boat trips to the islands and lagoons a short boat ride away. These boats can be hired privately or as a group. Try and get out early if you hire a private excursion as the larger groups tend to arrive mid morning and suddenly becomes busy.

I hired a private boat tour through Coron tour Guide that offers private excursions. I was charge 5500 Peso (GB£77.80) each for the ‘Coron Super Ultimate Tour‘. Definitely worth the price!

The tour was a full day and included Kayangan Lake, Barracuda Lake, Twin lagoon, Siete Pecados, Skeleton Ship Wreck, Coral Reefs, CYC Beach and included lunch and soft drinks.

Places to eat and Drink

There are plenty of offerings in Coron but most are located off the main high street. Below are some venues I tried.

The Brewhouse –

facebook.com/thebrewhousecoron | instagram.com/thebrewhousecoron/?hl=en-gb

Located at Real St, Bgy 3, Coron. The Brewhouse only accepts cash but comes alive of an evening serving great meals and beers often with a live band playing.

Big Kahuna and Smokery –

Located at National Highway Barangay 3, offers cozy food and drinks at low prices. Although I didn’t eat here I did sit at the small outside bar located on the street front for a couple of beers.

Gavin’s Kitchen and Bar – instagram.com/explore/locations/101651255895742/gavins-kitchen-bar

Located at 183 national highway, brgy 5, offers plentiful delicious food and drinks. The food was so good I dined here twice in three days! Keep an eye open as you will blink and miss the entrance. Arrive early as it becomes popular otherwise you’ll have to wait.

Final Thought

People asked me why I had booked the Philippines for a holiday. Why not? I would reply. It’s always been on my hit-list of go to places to visit. This time it just so happened the flight prices were right, the season was right, the time was right.

The Philippines is a beautiful country. The scenery is breathtaking and the people are so friendly and always smiling. The sky was blue and the beaches tropical. I could not say anything negative about my visit. Whilst Manila was not my favourite city in all of Asia (and I’ve been to a fair few) I wouldn’t rule it out for a visit. Yes, I did feel a little uncomfortable walking the streets away from the hotel but the Old City Manila is definitely worthy of a visit. It’s the islands that made up for it.