With no less than 7107 islands, the Philippines is definitely one of Asia’s hidden gems. Nestled between Indonesia and China, this vast network of islands truly showcase the splendour of nature at its best. While it has been steadily growing in popularity, the Philippines isn’t nearly as crowded as some of its neighbours such as Bali or Vietnam.
This means now is the perfect opportunity to visit the country, before it gets discovered by the hordes of tourists and loses its innocence and beauty.
So, if you are considering the Philippines as a future holiday destination, read this guide on how to fully prepare for your trip and make the most from your first visit.
How To Get There
There are many direct commercial flights to the Philippines from most countries in the world. Flight times from both Europe and the US (west coast) are usually between 14 and 16 hours. However, there are no direct flights from London. If you want to fly with a European airline, you’ll need to catch a connecting flight at either Frankfurt or Amsterdam.
Another couple of flight options from Europe to Manila are via Turkey or Dubai. These are often cheaper and are with some of the best long haul airlines, Emirates and Turkish.
Also, there is the Hong Kong or Singapore route from where you board a connecting flight. Although this usually works out to be more expensive. So, the only reasons to choose these routes are if you want to spend a few days at one of those countries, or if you prefer to skip Manila and head straight to the islands. You can fly directly to Cebu from most Asian countries nearby.
Entry And Visa Requirements
Visitors from most countries are allowed to enter the Philippines without a visa and stay for 30 days or less. These include the U.S as well as most European countries. If your country isn’t mentioned on the list above (for example if you live in Europe but use an Indian passport), you’ll need to visit the Philippines embassy and get a visa there.
Anyone who is entitled to an automatic entry visa needs to make sure they have a valid passport (not due to expire in the next 6 months). Also, they may be asked to present proof of their return flight. Once the 30 days are up, you can go to any immigration office and extend your tourist visa by as much as 6 additional months. The price is around $10 per extra month plus a few additional small fees.
You might be wondering how can you show a plane ticket back home if you plan to extend the visa and are not sure how long you’ll end up staying in the country. The easiest solution is to book even a part of your holiday through a Philippines based travel agency. You don’t have to buy their full vacation packages, simply booking a few day tours is enough. They’ll provide you with an invoice and an itinerary which should be sufficient for immigration officers.
Health And Safety
Before heading to the Philippines, it is best to stay updated regarding any travel advisory information your country might issue. Generally, the country is perfectly safe, except for some remote parts where rebel activity is still a problem. It is also best to stick to the main tourist areas in large cities such as Manila to avoid booking a hotel in the slums by accident.
When it comes to healthcare, the only thing you should know is that it’s almost identical to the U.S. Public healthcare isn’t good and it’s not really a viable option if you need emergency treatment. The only real option would be private institutions, but luckily these can be found almost everywhere. For this reason, you really should get comprehensive travel insurance and make sure it covers complex scenarios such as treatment for injuries from car accidents or similar.
Some people who visit the Philippines take anti-Malaria medication. This isn’t usually necessary since the virus is only prevalent in small, remote areas which tourists seldom visit. Still, it is best to consult with your local physician and follow their instructions.
Best Time To Visit The Philippines
The best time to visit the Philippines is between October and May. From June to October is the rainy season and you should expect clouds every day with rains and even storms almost every week. If you are OK with that type of weather, then coming to the country during the low season can cut costs by as much as 30%.
The months of March, April and May are the hottest. If you’re looking for the tropical experience and want to hang out at the beach most of the time and then this is the best time to come.
However, it can be too hot for many people. For that reason, the best time to visit is between December and March. During these months, the temperature is still relatively low with far less rain.
Where To Go? Planning Your Trip
As mentioned, the Philippines has more than 7000 different islands, almost 20% of them are inhabited and possible to visit and actually stay at. For that reason, it’s quite hard to suggest a complete travel plan in just a few paragraphs. It really depends on your personal preferences, how much time you have, what’s your budget, what do you typically like to do, who are you travelling with and so on…
So there’s no avoiding doing quite a lot of research on your own for this one. This list of the best islands in the Philippines is a pretty good place to start as it covers all the top tourist locations. Alternatively, you could ask a travel agent and see what their usual holiday packages look like. You don’t have to buy anything, but it’ll give you a decent idea as to where most people usually go.
Most tourists spend around 2 weeks in the Philippines. This allows time to visit 3 to 4 islands during your time there. Trying to cram in more than that is not recommended, transfers between islands can be complicated and expensive. The classic choices for a two week holiday are Palawan, Boracay and Cebu, on top of a few days in Manila.
With regards to suitable accommodation, you don’t really have to worry too much. It is easy to find and book a good hotel as most of the islands have a decent selection. Even smaller islands, which usually attract backpackers and thus have mostly hostels and dorms, almost always have at least one 4 or even 5-star beach resort on them.
Mix Of Adventure And Relaxation
The Philippines is an island country where life is almost entirely focused on the ocean. This is really reflected by the available activities and day tours as well. Everywhere you’ll go, island hopping trips and diving/snorkelling excursions will be the most popular activity on offer. Of course, it’s always just great to relax and spend a whole day at the beach.
This is what makes the Philippines such an attractive travel destination, the ability to enjoy the best of both worlds, while surrounded by some of the most breathtaking landscape you’ll ever see. You’ll have to decide for yourself how you want to plan your days, but you don’t have to prebook any tours! It’s easy, simple and cheap to book day tours while you are already on the island itself.
Sally
February 19, 2021 at 12:16 pmI love the look of the Philippines. We almost went for our honeymoon, but settled on Indonesia instead. I still want to visit one day and explore, it looks beautiful.