Philippines

Philippines Travel Guide: Everything You Need to Know

Discover the beauty of the Philippines with our helpful travel guide. Learn about the weather and find out the best time to visit this stunning island nation. We'll share tips on getting around and highlight the top cities and destinations worth exploring. Enjoy our recommendations for delicious Filipino foods you must try during your trip. Finally, uncover hidden gems that most tourists miss for a truly unforgettable Philippine adventure.

Weather and Best Time To Visit

Luzon (North): November to April offers dry, sunny days ideal for exploring Manila and Baguio. Typhoon season runs from June to October.

Visayas (Central): December through May brings perfect conditions for island hopping, diving, and beaches in Cebu, Bohol, and Boracay. The region experiences fewer typhoons than Luzon but remains vulnerable from June to November.

Palawan (Western): January to May delivers the best weather for exploring El Nido, Coron, and Puerto Princesa's Underground River. Typhoon risk is lower here but still present from July to October.

Mindanao (South): February to May presents optimal conditions with less rainfall and moderate temperatures. Typhoon season affects the northern parts from November to January.

Cordillera (Mountain Region): October to April offers cooler temperatures and less rainfall for visiting Banaue Rice Terraces. Typhoons can affect accessibility from July to September.

How to get to the Philippines

The Philippines' 7,000+ islands are connected by several key airports. Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Manila serves as the country's primary gateway and busiest transportation hub.

In the central Philippines, Mactan-Cebu International Airport features a distinctive wave-shaped roof design. North of Manila, Clark International Airport operates on a former U.S. Air Force base, offering travelers an alternative to the capital's congestion.

Francisco Bangoy International Airport serves the southern city of Davao, while beach destinations are accessible through Iloilo International Airport and Kalibo International Airport, with the latter being the main entry point for Boracay visitors.

These major airports connect to smaller island destinations via regional flights. Travelers can easily reach places like Siquijor with its traditional healing practices and Puerto Princesa with its famous underground river. The Philippines' airport network makes island-hopping convenient, allowing visitors to experience the country's diverse landscapes, cuisines, and cultures.

How to Get Around

The Philippines' transportation network tells the story of island life across the archipelago. When hopping between the country's scattered islands, many travelers use van-ferry or bus-ferry combinations, part of the extensive water-based connections that link these tropical outposts. For time-conscious travelers, domestic flights can save hours or even days when traveling between far-flung islands.

In cities, jeepneys, former military vehicles transformed with bright colors and decorations, rumble along fixed routes, carrying locals and visitors alike. When streets narrow, tricycles (motorcycles with attached sidecars) weave through traffic, taking passengers to spots larger vehicles can't reach. In countryside areas, habal-habal motorcycle taxis climb hills and navigate dirt paths at prices that won't empty your wallet.

If you want independence, car-ferry services allow travelers to bring rental vehicles along as they island-hop. Between towns, minivans and buses run regular routes, some basic and others offering air conditioning and cushioned seats.

The heart of Philippine travel, though, beats on water. Ferries connect the country's thousands of islands, from simple wooden boats to swift catamarans that skim across blue waters. Companies like OceanJet and Jomalia Shipping help travelers secure passages across the sea.

Local Food Scene

In the corners of Manila, Sentro 1771 serves adobo - meat that sits in vinegar until it becomes tender and flavorful. Over in Pasig, locals gather at Café Juanita for bowls of sinigang, a soup with a sour broth that cools you down even on the hottest days. When in Cebu, people line up at CNT for lechon - whole pig roasted over coals until the skin crackles and the meat falls apart.

Weekend mornings at Salcedo Market in Makati City bring together home cooks selling food made from family recipes. The narrow pathways of Divisoria in Manila are filled with food carts and hungry shoppers. At night, Mercato Centrale lights up with vendors selling balut - duck eggs with partially formed chicks inside - and isaw, grilled chicken intestines threaded onto sticks.

In Davao, fishermen bring their catch straight to restaurants where it becomes kinilaw - raw fish "cooked" in vinegar and citrus. Iloilo kitchens simmer La Paz batchoy - noodle soup with liver, pork, and crackling. The Bicol region puts chili peppers into almost everything, especially their bicol express - pork stewed in coconut milk that leaves your lips tingling.

Gallery by Chele in Manila transforms local ingredients into dishes that tell stories about Philippine culture and landscape. A drive to Tagaytay takes you to Antonio's, where meals unfold in an old house surrounded by gardens. Up in the cooler air of Baguio, Strawberry Hill serves food grown in the mountains around you, often picked that morning.

Hidden Gems to Visit

Danjugan Island
This 43-hectare marine sanctuary stands quiet and protected, with five lagoons nestled among limestone forests and healthy coral reefs. Birds call through the trees, and more than 70 species make their home here. Under the water's surface, fish dart between corals in a protected environment where conservation comes first, not tourism.

Best time: December to May, when the sea lies calm and water clarity lets you see all the way to the reef floor.

Getting there: Board a bus in Bacolod for the 3-hour ride to Cauayan. At Bulata Beach, local fishermen will take you across the channel in a 15-minute boat ride. Remember to book ahead through the Philippine Reef and Rainforest Conservation Foundation. They keep visitor numbers controlled to protect the island.

Kalanggaman Island
A thin strip of white sand reaches into the blue water, nearly a kilometer long. Visitors who make the journey here find empty stretches of beach where feet sink into powder-soft sand. The water runs clear enough to see your shadow on the seafloor.

Best time: Visit between March and June when sunshine stays consistent and the water remains calm.

Getting there: Travel to Palompon Port and catch a boat for the 1.5-hour crossing. Vans connect from Tacloban or Ormoc. Come for the day or bring a tent and fall asleep to the sound of waves, just secure your permit first from the Palompon Tourism Office.

Scenic Routes

The Philippines spreads across thousands of islands, each with roads and waterways that tell stories of the land's history and natural wonders. Travelers who take these paths move through changing scenes — from busy towns to quiet countryside, from mountain heights to ocean shores.

Cebu to Oslob: The road hugs the coastline, where ocean waves crash against rock walls on one side and small fishing villages appear on the other. At journey's end, whale sharks glide through blue waters, their spotted backs breaking the surface near swimmers. Locals say January through May brings clearer waters and more reliable sightings. From bus windows, passengers often spot children waving from beaches below.

Banaue to Sagada: Rice grows on ancient terraces cut into mountainsides, creating giant green steps toward the sky. The road winds higher into forests where pine trees replace palms. In Sagada, wooden coffins hang mysteriously from cliff faces - a tradition older than anyone remembers. 

Between November and February, the terraces wear their greenest clothes. Jeepneys rumble along mountain roads, carrying both travelers and farmers heading to market.

Manila to Baguio: The journey begins in city traffic but soon climbs into cooler air where roadside stands sell fresh strawberries and warm bread. The temperature drops with each curve in the road. By December, Baguio residents wear sweaters, while Manila residents sweat. 

Puerto Princesa to El Nido: Jungle presses against the roadside on this Palawan journey. Limestone formations rise like giants from flat land. The road occasionally offers glimpses of beaches where no footprints mark the sand. Drivers often know where travelers can stop to eat fresh coconuts or photograph monkeys in roadside trees. February to May brings sunshine that makes the water nearly translucent for swimming.

Dumaguete to Siquijor: The ferry crosses waters where flying fish sometimes leap alongside the boat. Siquijor appears slowly on the horizon — an island where old healing practices continue and beaches remain uncrowded. Morning crossings sometimes come with dolphin sightings, and March through June typically offers smoother water for those prone to seasickness.

Events, Festivals and Local Markets

1. During Holy Week in Marinduque, locals bring history to life at the Moriones Festival. Men and women wear hand-carved wooden masks and Roman soldier costumes, acting out the story of Longinus. Children follow the costumed performers through the streets, and the whole town becomes part of this living tradition that dates back over a century.

2. Bargain hunters flock to Divisoria Market in Manila, where stall after stall offers wholesale prices on just about everything. Narrow aisles fill with shoppers searching for school supplies, fabrics by the yard, or kitchen gadgets. The market buzzes with activity from early morning until evening, with vendors calling out prices and customers negotiating deals.

3. Step into Quiapo Market in Manila on Fridays and witness the special Muslim market day. Herbal medicine sellers arrange roots and dried plants beside vendors offering religious items near the historic Quiapo Church. The air carries the scent of local foods and incense as shoppers from different backgrounds browse the diverse offerings.

4. Saturday mornings in Makati City bring residents to Salcedo Saturday Market, where home cooks and small-batch producers sell their specialties. Under white tents, customers sample Filipino breakfast dishes, artisan cheeses, and freshly baked breads. Craftspeople display handmade jewelry and home goods while neighbors catch up over coffee and pastries every weekend at this community gathering.

Best Places to Visit

Cebu City

History seeps through the streets of the country's oldest city. Walking through downtown, you'll find Spanish colonial buildings standing next to modern structures, a reminder of the 500 years since Magellan first arrived. At Carbon Market, locals haggle over fresh mangoes and seafood in the morning light, their voices creating a symphony of everyday life. Just an hour's drive away, white sand beaches wait for afternoon visitors.

January to April offers sunshine and blue skies, perfect for exploring the city's historical sites and nearby island beaches without worrying about rain interrupting your plans.

On weekends, the waterfront transforms as food vendors set up stalls selling barbecue sticks and fresh coconut juice. Art shows pop up regularly at Ayala Center, while IT Park fills with the sounds of local musicians playing everything from acoustic covers to traditional Filipino songs.

How to get to Cebu City

• -Fly directly to Mactan-Cebu International Airport from major Asian hubs
• -Take a ferry from neighboring islands like Bohol or Negros
• -Domestic flights connect from Manila with multiple daily options
  
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El Nido

On Palawan Island, El Nido rises from the sea, and limestone cliffs tower over water so transparent you can count the fish swimming beneath your boat. In the hidden lagoons, the water glows blue-green, reflecting sunlight filtering through narrow rock entrances. Here, island hopping means discovering a new perfect beach every day, each one seemingly untouched.

Between November and May, the skies stay clear and the sea calm, creating perfect conditions for diving among coral gardens and exploring hidden coves.

As evening approaches on Las Cabanas Beach, travelers gather to watch movies projected under the stars, the sound of waves providing background music. Out on the water, boats filled with visitors drift through the islands at sunset, the gentle strumming of guitars mixing with the sounds of the sea.

How to get to El Nido

• -Fly to Puerto Princesa, then take a 5-6 hour van transfer to El Nido
• -Direct flights to El Nido Airport from Manila via AirSWIFT
• -Ferry service from Coron to El Nido (approximately 4 hours)
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Bohol

In Bohol, hundreds of earth-colored hills rise from flat green plains, looking like chocolate drops during the dry season. Nearby, tiny tarsiers, creatures with eyes almost as big as their heads, cling to tree branches in protected sanctuaries. Along Panglao's shoreline, white sand meets water in shades of blue that change throughout the day.

December to May brings sunshine that illuminates the countryside and creates perfect underwater visibility for spotting sea turtles and colorful fish.

As evening falls on the Loboc River, boats filled with diners drift past riverbanks while Filipino dancers perform on floating stages. On Alona Beach, fire dancers spin flaming batons against the night sky, and in the island's interior, guided flashlights reveal the glowing eyes of nocturnal creatures hiding among the trees.

How to get to Bohol

• -Direct flights to Bohol-Panglao International Airport from Manila
• -Fast ferry services from Cebu (approximately 2 hours)
• -Connecting flights via Cebu with short transit times

Tips for Traveling in the Philippines

VISA REQUIREMENTS
US/EU citizens: 30-day visa-free entry
Extensions available at the Bureau of Immigration
Passport must be valid 6+ months beyond stay

CULTURAL ETIQUETTE

Remove shoes when entering homes
Use "po" and "opo" with elders (shows respect)
Conservative dress at religious sites

MONEY MATTERS
Philippine Peso (₱)
ATMs are widely available in cities
Credit cards accepted at hotels/malls; cash preferred elsewhere

HEALTH & SAFETY
Emergency: 911
Vaccines: Hepatitis A/B, typhoid recommended
Travel insurance with evacuation coverage is essential
Avoid tap water

TRANSPORTATION
Grab app (safer than street taxis)
Jeepneys for local experience
Ferries/flights for island-hopping