10 Days - Palawan or Cebu

well if choose cebu -then fly to cebu -ferry to bohol diving /beaches/activity http://www.danaoadventurepark.com/

don't think about going to a 'few islands'. You don't have enough time. Pick one.

Bohol and Panglao isn't too bad an idea, as there is a range of activities there but not too sure why Irishman has said fly to Cebu when Tagbilaran which is only 40 minutes from Alona beach has an airport of its own. It doesn't have anything like has many flights per day as Cebu does though.

in fact the range of activities you have suggested

"few days relaxing on nice beaches
- few days Diving
- Some sight seeing - jungle, or caves, - general activities
- Kayaking/ Zip Wires"

would fit Dumaguete as well as Bohol. Or even Moalboal.

Dont forget that if your flying out from Manila on a morning flight, you need to get back there the day before. To my reckoning that gives you 8 whole days. Not enough to do justice to Palawan in any meaningful sense, let alone Palawan and Cebu. Choose one relatively easy destination. As above Bohol or Dumaguete/Siqujor would make sense..

Thanks for this, it's really helpful. Bohol looks like a good option, we were originally thinking of flying into Cebu and travelling to Bohol but will look to go direct now.

really appreciate all the guidance thanks

Cebu - travelling around to a few islands - not sure which ones would be best and best ways of travelling. -thats why i said fly to cebu if they want to visit a few islands

Like all the above posters said, your stay is too short to be able to manage several islands, let alone Palawan or Cebu.

In my opinion, for First Time visitors to the Philippines with only 9 full days, why not choose the Island of Luzon instead?

There are also picture perfect beaches, excellent diving and kayaking, and caves in Luzon, and in that way, you will cover MORE places with a leisurely pace.

Beaches which are comparable to that of Cebu and Palawan are Zambales province (around 3 hours of bus/drive from Manila). Closer to Manila, just 1-2 hours drive, are the Nasugbu beaches. A little longer, about 2-3 hours drive, is Laiya. Both are in the province of Batangas.

As for Diving, many visitors to the Philippines reckon that the Best Diving spot here is in Anilao, also in Batangas province, just 2-3 hours from Manila (You can also island hop around Anilao, with kayaking options and again, white sand beaches with crystal clear waters). For shipwreck diving, you can go to Subic Bay, near to Zambales, also just 2-3 hours from Manila. There are tons of shipwrecks there with a regular stream of divers. For good caves (spelunking or just plain exploring), North Luzon - specifically, Sumaguing Caves in Mountain Province, is the best destination for that. Actually, the best caves in the Philippines are in North Luzon (with the notable exception for the Underground River-Cave in Palawan).

From Manila, you can reach most tourist spots within 2-3 hours of travel. In fact, you can do Diving in Subic on one day, drive back to Manila, and do Anilao the next day (it's that close). Some (like Sumaguing Cave above) necessitate longer bus rides/drives, but are still manageable. Roads in Luzon are also interconnected and are mostly in excellent condition so going into one place from another, which means you don't have to drive/fly to and fro Manila anymore, giving you more time for touring instead of waiting for your flight.

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