B+

Tourist Popularity

Hotels

B+

Family Friendly

B+

Single Friendly

Senior Friendly

B-

LGBTQ+ Friendly

Weather

B-

Recreation

A-

Nightlife

Restaurants

C+

Crime

InternationalTravel.ai > Philippines

The Philippines

Coastal Beaches

Best Season to Visit:

Best Off-Peak Month to Visit: September

Famous For: Coral reefs and diving, White-sand beaches, Rice terraces, Spanish colonial heritage

Train Access: Yes (philippine national railways (pnr), manila light rail transit system (lrt), manila metro rail transit system (mrt), relatively safe)

Bus Service: Yes (Victory Liner, JAC Liner, Ceres Liner, Partas, Genesis Transport, relatively safe)

Tourist Visa: Most Western passport holders (US, UK, EU, Canada, Australia) receive 30 days visa-free entry on arrival. Extensions to 59 days are available through the Bureau of Immigration. An e-visa system is not currently standard; most travelers arrive and receive a tourist stamp at the airport.

The Philippines spans 7,641 islands across Southeast Asia, with travelers diving in Palau and Tubbataha Reef, hiking Mount Pinatubo's crater, and island-hopping through Palawan's limestone cliffs. The Cordillera region features rice terraces in Ifugao and mountain trails around Baguio. Visitors explore Spanish colonial architecture in Intramuros (Manila), eat balut and lechon in local markets, swim in Boracay's white-sand beaches, and trek through Chocolate Hills in Bohol. The Visayas region—Cebu, Iloilo, Negros—combines diving, waterfalls, and colonial towns. Mindanao's Lake Sebu offers cultural immersion with T'boli indigenous communities. Street food includes sinigang, adobo, and fresh mango.

VRBO Vacation Rentals
Learn More

With over 2 million bookable vacation rentals, Vrbo connects homeowners with families and vacationers looking for something more than a hotel for their trip. The Vrbo community offers families an array of rental property types such as condos, cabins, lake rentals, beach houses, and more. Discover properties in destinations that everyone dreams of visiting.

VRBO Vacation Rentals

Podcasts

Episode 8: Jake Barber - The Expat Finance Expert Returns

Jake Barber, the Founder and CEO of SJB Global, is a life-long expat and an expert in expat finance. Over the course of Expat Exchange's nearly 30 years online, there are few people we have met with as much lived experience and professional acumen as Jake. We were thrilled to welcome him back to the show and look forward to having him on again!

Episode 6: Jake Barber - Expat Finance Expert and Lifelong Expat

Jake Barber is an expat finance expert and the founder and principal of SJB Global. A lifelong expat currently living in Marbella, Spain, Jake has vast experience helping expats from the United States, the United Kingdom, and other countries manage their finances while living abroad. Get a primer on what you need to know both before and after you move abroad!

Planning Your Trip to Philippines

Weather: The Philippines has a tropical climate with two main seasons: the dry season (November to May) and the wet/monsoon season (June to October). Temperatures remain warm year-round, typically ranging from 25-32°C (77-90°F), with higher humidity during the wet season. Typhoons are common during the monsoon months, particularly from July to September, affecting some regions more than others. The dry season is generally considered the best time to visit or relocate, with more stable weather conditions.

Festivals: Sinulog Festival (Cebu, January), Ati-Atihan Festival (Kalibo, January), Pahiyas Festival (Lucban, May)

Best Destinations for Kids: Enchanted Kingdom (Manila) features roller coasters and water rides. Chocolate Hills Adventure Park (Bohol) offers zip-lining and ATV tours through the iconic cone-shaped hills. Subic Bay's beaches and water sports provide calm, family-oriented swimming and snorkeling.

Hidden Gem: Siargao Island in Surigao del Norte combines world-class surf breaks at Cloud 9 and Pacifico with limestone cliffs, mangrove kayaking, and fewer crowds than Boracay. The island's laid-back surf culture and nearby Daku Island make it worth 4–5 days.

Budget-Friendly Advice: Budget accommodations range from PHP 400–800 (USD 7–14) per night in fan-cooled rooms or basic hostels outside Manila. Meals at local carinderias cost PHP 80–150 (USD 1.50–3) for rice, viand, and soup; street food like balut runs PHP 20–40. Jeepneys and buses between regions cost PHP 100–500 depending on distance. Island-hopping boat tours range PHP 800–2,000 per person. Diving certifications and reef tours run PHP 2,500–5,000.

Accessibility: Manila and Cebu have some wheelchair-accessible hotels and malls, but accessibility infrastructure is inconsistent outside major cities. Jeepneys and local buses lack lifts or ramps. Taxis and ride-sharing apps (Grab) are more reliable for mobility-limited travelers. Resorts in Boracay and Palawan vary widely in accessibility.

For the Solo Traveler: Solo travel is generally safe in tourist areas; petty theft and scams occur in crowded markets and nightlife districts. Public transport (buses, ferries) is reliable and affordable, though navigating schedules requires patience. Cebu City, Boracay, and Palawan attract solo backpackers with established hostel networks. Women travelers report feeling safe in daytime but should avoid isolated areas at night; joining group tours or staying in well-populated areas mitigates risk.

Planning a 1 Week Stay: Spend 2 days in Manila exploring Intramuros and Rizal Park, then fly to Cebu for 2 days of diving at Moalboal or Oslob (whale sharks). End with 3 days in Palawan—El Nido or Coron—for island-hopping, limestone caves, and snorkeling. This covers the Visayas and Palawan's signature experiences.

Planning a 1 Month Stay: Week 1: Manila and Tagaytay (Taal Volcano views). Week 2: Cebu and Bohol (Chocolate Hills, diving). Week 3: Palawan (El Nido, Coron, Puerto Princesa Underground River). Week 4: Siargao or Mindanao (Lake Sebu, Davao) for less-visited regions and indigenous culture. This paces major highlights while incorporating underexplored areas.

Delving into the Culture

Movies Set: Metro Manila, The Bourne Legacy, Amigo, Cavite

Popular Foods: Filipino cuisine is a rich blend of indigenous, Spanish, Chinese, and American influences. Some of the most popular dishes include adobo, which is meat marinated in vinegar, soy sauce, and garlic, then browned in oil and simmered in the marinade. Sinigang, a sour soup flavored with tamarind, and lechon, a whole roasted pig, are also widely loved. For dessert, halo-halo, a mixed sweet treat with shaved ice, milk, and various ingredients like sweet beans, fruit, and ice cream, is a favorite.

Unusual Eats: Balut, a fertilized duck egg with a nearly-developed embryo inside, is a common street food that many visitors find challenging to eat. Another unusual dish is dinuguan, a savory stew made of pork blood, meat, and entrails.

Popular Sports: basketball, boxing, volleyball, football, badminton

Popular Teams: San Miguel Beermen (basketball), Barangay Ginebra San Miguel (basketball), Philippine Azkals (football), ALA Boxing

Cultural Faux Pas to Avoid: It is considered rude to refuse food when offered by a host, as sharing food is an important part of Filipino hospitality. Pointing with one's index finger is also considered rude; instead, Filipinos often use their lips or a nod of their head to point towards an object or direction. It's also important to address elders with respect, using titles such as "po" and "opo" to show politeness.