The Philippines: 7000 islands with fantastically beautiful beaches and breathtaking nature. From numerous spectacular waterfalls, turquoise blue waters, unique sea creatures and delicious food, the Philippines offers the perfect travel destination. Whether you prefer relaxing on the beach, party or adventures, on the Philippines every traveler will find activities to suit his or her expectations.

You also want to explore the Philippines, but don’t know how to get there? When is the best time to visit the island? How you get to all these beautiful destinations? Or what you can experience on the island? Then I would like to help you to plan your adventure on the Philippines in detail with this ultimate Travel Guide.

Which visa do you need?

If you travel to the Philippines as a tourist or backpacker, you have to get a tourist visa. You cannot apply for the tourist visa in advance, you will get it when you enter the Philippines. The visa is free and valid for 30 days. However, if 30 days on the Philippines are not enough for you, you can easily have your visa extended to a total of 60 days.

How to get there

Since the Philippines consists of several islands, it is only possible to enter the Philippines by plane. The easiest way to enter the country is via the international airports Manila or Cebu. Since Manila is not a city worth seeing for tourists and can also be very dangerous for solo travelers, it makes more sense to travel directly to Cebu and start your tour across the Philippines from there.

How long will you need

The Philippines consists of a total of 7000 islands. Exploring all these islands is impossible. Therefore, before you travel to the Philippines, you should choose a few islands that you would like to visit. If you explore six islands, then you already get a good insight into the culture of the country.
The journey from one island to the next usually involves a lot of effort, which is why you should not plan too many islands. If you travel to six islands, then you usually need 3-4 weeks to explore them. If you extend your visa and stay longer than 30 days on the Philippines, then you can definitely explore more than six islands. It is also possible to visit the Philippines in two weeks, if you choose less than six islands.

Best time to visit

The best time to travel to the Philippines is between December and February. During these months there is little to no rain falls. At this time the temperatures are also at their coolest. The rainy season on the Philippines runs from June to November. During these months heavy rains can occur several times a day.
However, it is not a problem to visit the Philippines during the rainy season. Because rainy season does not mean that it only rains for six months in a row. It can happen that it rains three days in a row. In most cases, however, it does not rain at all or only rains for a few hours a day. But remember when you spend time at the beach and it rains for a couple of days, there is probably not much to do and the islands also doesn’t look as beautiful when it’s sunny.

But the rainy season also has a great advantage for travelers. Since there are not as many tourists at the Philippines during this time, accommodation, tours and similar activities are usually cheaper. In addition, you don’t have to expect fully booked buses or hostels, so you don’t have to plan and book anything too far in advance.

How to get around

The best way to get from one island to the next island is by ferry. Depending on the island, you can also take a flight, but flights are more expensive. Ferrys can get booked on 12go.asia, a website that allows you to plan your trip quickly and easily. 12go.asia is not only good for your trip on the Philippines, but also for many other countries in South East Asia.

If you would like to travel from Cebu to Moalboal, you can take the local bus. The bus departs at the busstation in Cebu and costs 400 Peso per person. The bus drive takes around four hours and you will arrive directly in Moalboal. At the bus stop there are many tuk tuk drivers who will bring you to your accomodation.

When you arrive at a destination, the easiest and cheapest way to explore it is by scooter. In most cases you can rent a scooter for around 300 – 500 Peso per day.
The Traffic on the islands is pretty easy to handle. If you do not have experience with driving a scooter the smaller islands on the Philippines are the perfect place to learn it. I wouldn’t recommend driving at the bigger places like Cebu, Moalboal or el Nido, If you are not a comfortable driver.
If you don’t dare to drive a scooter at all, you can use the Grab app to call a taxi at reasonable prices in Cebu or Manila. On the islands you will also find a lot of taxis and tuk tuks that will drive you around. Usually you can also book them at your accomodation.

And if you don’t want to worry about the best way to explore the country and it’s islands, you can also book a guided tour. I recommend the agency INTRO Travel which together with knowledgeable Group Leaders offers a 13 day tour around the country.

What is the national language?

The national language of the Phillippines is Filipino. But almost everone on the Phillippines speaks perfectly english. As a traveler it’s easy to communicate with the locals. Also street signs are mostly in english. The Philippines are definitely the easiest country in Southeast Asia to communicate. But in order to make a good impression on the locals, it is always helpful to be able to speak a few words and sentences in the national language:

Good morning: Magandang umaga
Good afternoon: Magandang hapon
Good evening: Magandang gabi
Goodbye: Paalam
Please: Kudasai
Thank you: Salamat
Yes: Oo (oh-oh)
No: Hindi
Sorry: Paumanhin

Safety Tipps:

• Never drink water from the tap. Always buy fresh water.
• Always wear sunscreen, even when it’s cloudy.
• Always spray yourself with mosquito spray to avoid diseases like malaria or dengue fever.
• Be careful where you eat and what you eat as there is a risk of food poisoning in Asia if food is not prepared properly.
• Never leave your valuables unattended.
• Always cover your knees and shoulders when visiting a temple.

Top Things to do on the Philippines

The activities listed here are listed in an order I recommend for a possible itinerary through the Philippines. Starting point is Cebu. The places I have listed here are Moalboal, Bohol, Siquijor and Siargao.

Relax at White Beach in Moalbaol

A few kilometers outside of the center of Moalboal is White Beach. A really nice beach for swimming and relaxing. With a drink in hand, which you can buy at one of the many bars there, you can watch the sunset here.

Watch the Sardine Run in Moalboal

The Sardine Run in Moalboal is an awe-inspiring natural spectacle where millions of sardines migrate in huge schools along the shoreline from Panagsama Beach in Moalboal. Especially in the early morning you can watch the sardines very well on the beach while snorkeling. As if out of nowhere, the sardines suddenly come together and then move out to sea in huge swarms.
Watching and swimming with sardines up close is a must-do experience when traveling to the Philippines. While the early morning hours are good for spotting sardines, the afternoon hours are better for spotting turtles.

Try Canyoneering at the Kawasan Falls

A must do in Moalboal is to try canyoning at Kawasan Falls. You can book this at any accommodation or stand that sells tours.
Before the tour begins, you will be provided with a helmet, life jacket and shoes to walk in the water. Then you go to the Kawasan Falls together with the guides and your group. During the canyoneering tour, you have the opportunity to slide down stones, jump from high rocks and just enjoy the breathtaking nature around you. The Canyoneering Tour lasts a few hours and ends with lunch.
Enjoying the waterfall combined with such an adventure brings a lot of fun that you should not miss.

Watch a sunrise at the Osmena Peak

Osmena Peak is the highest mountain on the island of Cebu and can be easily reached from Moalboal. Since Osmena Peak is a few kilometers outside of Moalboal and the road is not really developed, I do not recommend driving a scooter here, but booking a taxi driver.
It is possible to drive very far up the mountain by car, which is why the hike to the top of Osmena Peak takes only 15 minutes.
It is particularly spectacular to climb Osmena Peak in the very early morning. You can then watch the sunrise over the mountains as well as the fog that moves over the mountains. This sight will leave you speechless. Osmena Peak is one of my absolute favorite activities in the Philippines.
If you don’t like getting out of bed early in the morning for a hike, you can also visit Osmena Peak in the afternoon and then watch the sunset over the mountains.

Hike up the Casino Peak

Casino Peak is another hiking trail not far from Osmena Peak. After watching the sunrise at Osmena Peak, you can continue to Casino Peak from there.
At the top of Casino Peak is a Philippine flag. From this vantage point, you can look out over the vast spectacular landscapes of Cebu Island. The ascent to Casino Peak is a bit more strenuous and dangerous than Osmena Peak. So make sure you have enough water with you and wear sturdy shoes.

Explore the Pahangog Twin Falls

The Pahangog Twin Falls are a bit hidden on the island of Bohol. To get there, you first have to walk down some steps that lead to the waterfall. But there you will be rewarded with a breathtaking view of the Pahangog Twin Falls and the many palm trees surrounding the waterfall. A Bambooo bridge takes you to the waterfall where you can jump straight into the water and cool off.

Get impressed by the Chocolate Hills on Bohol

On Bohol Island you will find a view point where you can see 1268 hills strechting to the horizon. These hills are called Chocolate Hills. The reason why they are called Chocolate Hills is because the hills turn chocolate brown during the dry season.
Bohol Island as well as the Chocolate Hills are among one of the most interesting tourist attractions in the Philippines. If you are visiting the Chocolate Hills I would recommend visiting early in the morning. From 10 am. at the latest, this place is overrun with tourists.
Admission to the Chocolate Hills is 100 pesos per person. You cannot drive to the viewpoint with your scooter. You have to park it in the parking lot below and then continue with the shuttle bus.

Visit the Tarsiers at the Tarsier Sanctuary

Another highlight on the island of Bohol are the tiny tarsiers, which you can visit at the Tarsier Sanctuary. Tarsiers are one oft he smallest primates. They can turn their head 360 degrees but their huge eyeballs can only keep still. They are active during the night and rest during the day in the trees. Tarsiers are very common on the Southeast Asian islands. If you want to learn more about the small, nocturnal, tree-dwelling animals and see a tarsier up close, then you should definitely visit the Tarsier Sanctuary. Admission is 150 pesos per person. A guided tour of the sanctuary takes about 20 minutes.

Visit the Lugnason Falls

The Lugnason Falls are a well-known waterfall on the island of Siquijor. Numerous tourists are drawn there every day, which is why the best time to visit Lugnason Falls is early in the morning. So the probability is very high that you have the place all to yourself.
Surrounded by trees all around, the waterfall is perfect for a swim or just relaxing in the water and cooling off from the warm temperatures.

Explore the Cambugahay Falls

Another very well-known waterfall on the island of Siquijor is the Cambugahay Fall. Here you can paddle across the water on a raft, swim in the water or go on a little exploration tour. The waterfall has several levels and is therefore very suitable for a short walk to explore them all.Again, it’s worth getting here early in the morning to avoid the large crowds of tourists. The entrance fee for the waterfall is 20 pesos (about 0.30€).

Get impressed by Salagdoong Beach

A deserted beach and crystal clear turquoise blue water. These are words that describe Salagdoong Beach quite aptly. This beach is located on the island of Siquijor and is not really known to tourists. Therefore, you should definitely visit this beach before it becomes too well known and you can no longer enjoy the tranquility of nature there so well.

Learn surfing at the Cloud 9 surfing area

Siargao Island attracts many travelers who enjoy surfing. Because on Siargao you will find the best waves in Southeast Asia. It doesn’t matter if you already know how to surf or if you want to learn how to surf, Siargao is suitable for everyone to surf.
And if you don’t like surfing, you can always come to the Cloud 9 Surfing Area, sunbathe between the palm trees or watch the surfers and the sunset.

Have a view over the Coconut Trees Viewdeck

Not only is Siargao known for surfing, but also for the Coconut Viewdeck. This is a viewing platform a few kilometers outside of the center of Siargao. Here you can look over a huge sea of ​​palm trees, which is right at your feet.
The best way to reach the viewing platform is by scooter. The drive there along the beautiful roads between the palm trees is breathtaking.

Take a bath in the Maasin River

Just past the Coconut Tree Viewdeck is the Massin River. Here you can jump into the water and cool off from the warm temperatures. There is a diving board and rope to jump into the water from and a raft to paddle across the water. Alternatively, you can paddle down the river in a canoe and enjoy the view over the many palm trees. The entrance fee to explore the Maasin River is 20 pesos (0.30€).

Jump into the water at Magpopongko Rock Pools

Magpopongko Rock Pools are located on Siargao Island. These are a bit behind the Coconut Tree Viewpoint. Behind a beach with numerous palm trees to relax under, there is a large seafront rock pool where you can swim. If you walk a little along the water, you will find a more secluded corner for swimming, as most people stay near the beach at the very beginning.
If you go even further behind the Rock Pools you will find a secluded beach where no one lingers and you can relax in peace for a while.

Among the most beautiful islands in the Philippines are El Nido and Coron. However, since I left the Philippines earlier due to a typhoon, I have not visited these two islands and can therefore not make any recommendations.