Plan the perfect trip to Philippines | Philippines Holiday Guide

Imagine yourself on the vacation of your dreams, lying down, having a refreshing drink in front of a beautiful sunset, and forgetting all your worries. Sounds great, right? Well, the Philippines is what you are looking for. Being an archipelago with more than 7,000 islands and a population of more than 109 million inhabitants (positioned as the 12th most populated country) the Philippines has enchanted many people with its beautiful landscapes, good people, and spectacular lifestyle.

The Philippines has many natural resources to amaze you. Its beautiful beaches, more than 20 active volcanoes, and incredible exciting or relaxing activities. You can also visit the modern city of Manila, the capital of the country, depending on what you want. It is an adventure to discover, so, what are you waiting for? Keep reading and learn more about all the fantastic things you can do in the Asian archipelago!

How to get there

When we travel to a new destination, there are several things that we must consider when choosing the airport we are going to arrive. Among them, we can mention the price, the location, the facilities available, and the accessibility. To help you with this task, below we show you the best airports in the Philippines.

First on the list: the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. It is located in Manila, the capital of the country. In terms of passengers, this airport broke the record in 2018, since more than 45,082,544 passengers traveled through it. It has inter-terminal transportation, and you can travel from the airport to the city by bus, jeepney, rail, or road.

Our next recommendation is the Mactan–Cebu International Airport. This is the second most popular airport and is located in Lapu-Lapu City. It is an excellent option if you want to start your trip in the Philippines in an elegant way because it has a hotel and spa.

Finally, you can also arrive at the Iloilo International Airport in Cabatuan, Iloilo. This is one of the most beautiful and modern airports in the country. There you will find gardens, restaurants, and shops.

Visa Information

Citizens of the vast majority of the countries around the world can travel to the Philippines without a visa, as long as their stay is less than 30 days and they have a valid passport and a return plane ticket. In case you want or need to stay longer in the country, it is necessary to obtain a tourist visa. If you need information about whether or not you require a visa, you can go to a consulate or embassy of the Philippines in your country.

Best time to visit the country

The Philippines is a very diverse country, with beautiful wonders of nature that you surely do not want to miss. To enjoy the country and its wonder in its entire splendor, we recommend you travel there from December to February. These months comprise part of the dry season, with temperatures ranging from 24°C to 31°C.

December is cool, which makes it a pleasant time to explore the cities and attend festivals like the Giant Lantern Festival. During January, rain is unlikely. There is a festival during this month called The Sinulog Festival, which is the most famous in the country. Then in February, you can expect fewer crowds in the cities, so it is great to explore and also, enjoy the wonderful Philippine Hot Air Balloon Fiesta.

Safety

If you travel to the Philippines, we assure you that you will not have major problems. However, here are some tips that are important to remember when we are in any tourist area.

First, there is no safer way to travel than with a local guide. This person will guide you to the best places in the Philippines safely, avoiding certain areas that can be conflictive. If you travel there, try to avoid places like Malate and Ermita.

Always keep your bags close to you, because pickpockets sometimes are in crowded places. Finally, it is important to know that the water in the Philippines is not always clean. So, it is a good idea to buy and use a bottle with a filter, so you can make sure you drink clean water.

Budget

Planning your budget for this new trip will give you many advantages. For example, you will travel with the peace of mind of knowing the things you can afford to buy, you will save travel time by deciding in advance the place where you will stay and it will allow you to make good decisions based on the money you have.

That is why here we will show you the standard budget for a trip to the Philippines. There you could spend around ₱2,641 ($54) per day, including accommodation, meals, tickets for transportation, and entertainment. To stay in the Philippines for a week you need ₱18,490 ($382) and for two weeks ₱36,981 ($763).

Let’s see the things that you can pay with ₱2,641 ($54) per day:

• Hotel or Hostel: ₱952 ($19.80)
• Food: ₱605 ($12.58)
• Local transportation (taxis, buses, subway): ₱791 ($16.45)
• Entertainment (shows, movie tickets): ₱952 ($19.80)

Let’s break down some more specific food and drinks prices:

• Meal at an inexpensive restaurant: ₱30 ($0.62) – A burger on the street.
• Mid-range restaurant: ₱450 ($9.36) – Three-course meal.
• Soft Drink: ₱31.12 ($0.65) – 0.33-liter bottle.
• Beer: ₱60 ($1.25) – 0.5-liter draught.

Currency

The official currency in the Philippines is the Philippine Peso. One Philippine Peso is equivalent to 0.021 USD. You can use dollars in some places as a payment method in the Philippines, but leave it for a backup.

We suggest you get some pesos in cash at an ATM upon arrival since ATMs are difficult to find in non-urban areas. If when paying something in cash they give you coins as change, keep them! You will use them a lot to pay for public transport.

The credit cards such as MasterCard and Visa are accepted, but mainly in big cities (the capital as an example). Our final recommendation is that you notify your bank that you will be using your card abroad, to avoid being blocked.

Interesting facts about the culture

The Philippines is a unique country in the world for many reasons: its fascinating culture, the value they place on family and religion, the respect they have for each other, specifically for older people, and much more. This country is an archipelago with about 7,641 islands with white sand beaches; however, the biggest islands are Luzon and Mindanao.

The official languages there are Filipino (also called Tagalog) and English, however, more than 120 languages are spoken in the country.

About the food, the national dish is called “adobo”. It is meat (commonly chicken, but it can also be pork and fish) marinated in soy sauce, peppercorns, vinegar, and salt. Then, it is cooked in a bottomed clay pot. If you are traveling to this country, you cannot miss the “adobo”!

Citizens in the Philippines are friendly; as soon as you get there, you will be very well received and ready to discover the wonders that this place has!

What to do in the Philippines

This country is comprised of thousands of islands, has landscapes and wonders worth seeing and exploring. Here we show you the best outdoor activities (beyond visiting the beautiful beaches and taking a good bath) you can do in the Philippines:

Outdoor activities:

• Aerial Sports: If you like views from the heights, you will be fascinated by the sports you can do in the Philippines. The most popular ones are skydiving and travel in a hot-air balloon. You will be amazed by the spectacular sights.
• Caving: Outdoors but underground. Find waterfalls, limestone and crystal rock formations, and more, in the caves located on most of the beaches.
• Mountain Biking: The best places in the Philippines for two-wheeled travel are the mountains in Baguio and Boracay. If you like simple or challenging, surely there will be a route for you.
• Sea Kayaking: With all the islands that comprise the Philippines, you can imagine the variety of tropical landscapes that you can see when you go kayaking on crystal-clear water. An unforgettable experience!
• Surfing: Go to Luzon if you are looking for beaches for a beginner level, or to Baler and Infanta in Quezon if you prefer big waves!
• Trekking: Although cities are fascinating in the Philippines, we cannot leave out those places that cannot be reached by car. Explore beyond the barriers and visit forests, rivers, jungles, and more.

How to get around in the Philippines

When traveling to the Philippines you will surely want to explore both urban and rural areas in the best possible way. It is simple! Here we will show you how: One common way to get around is by Uber or GrabCar, especially in Manila (the capital), but be careful not to be fooled by the payment fee. Another way is by using a Jeepney. These colorful jeeps are now an artistic icon of the country. You can travel by bus too; however, they are not very comfortable, although they can take you almost everywhere.

How to stay connected in the Philippines

Staying connected while traveling became very important since we can communicate with our friends and family with just one touch to the screen. Nowadays, thanks to technology, there are different ways to stay connected. That means you can choose the one that is more convenient for you, your trip, and your pocket.

One easy but expensive way is to use the data roaming option from your home cellphone provider. It is easy because you do not have to be changing your SIM card (and maybe losing all your contacts), but at the end of your trip, probably you will be surprised by the numbers of your bill.

Another way (the one that we recommend) is to buy a local or international prepaid SIM card. The local providers in the country are Smart, Globe, and Sun. You can buy a card at the airport; the staff will offer you different packages. And about international cards, they are easy to order. There is a company called SimOptions that offers different options for the Philippines.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I rent a car?

It is not the best idea unless you like dealing with traffic.

Which airports can I fly to?

The main airports are the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the Mactan–Cebu International Airport, and the Iloilo International Airport.

What are the most popular types of hotels?

The most popular accommodation types are hotels, hostels, and Bed and Breakfast or Guesthouses.

How much does a holiday cost?

You can spend around ₱2,641 ($54), including standard accommodation, food, transportation, and entertainment.

What are the best things to do?

If you are traveling to Philippines, you have to visit historic places and do some outdoor activities such as horseback riding and kayaking.

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