18 days in the Philippines - Itinerary help

Hi guys!

For all my long vacations Thorn Tree is my best help. Always. So hope it continues like that =)

Here is my initial idea for 18 days:

• Manilla
• Banaue
• Boracay
• Cebu
• Oslob
• Apo
• Bohol
• Puerto Princesa
• El Nido
• Coron

Most of you will say it's too much and maybe crazy. I am always stretching...

Thanks for your best tips!

Not "too much" - way, way, way too much! Scratch Manila, Banaue, Boracay, Puerto Princesa, El Nido, Apo and Coron. Add Camotes and Siquijor. Even at that, you will be spending a lot of time travelling.

You plan on going to 10 places in 18 days?
How you going to enjoy those places when you will be on the move almost every day. Banaue to Boracay is going take two days of travel. Id pick three or four at the most and spending some time getting a feel for the place.

Maybe training for the Amazing Race Asia?
With travel time between those destinations it will actually leave you with less than a whole day in each location, not possible without a helicopter.
As above, pick 3 maybe 4 locations that are reasonably accessible from each other..

They just have no idea. I'm about 30% through a ferry/ motorbike journey right now, between Bato, Leyte and Anda, Bohol. It looks nothing, on a map. But it will take all day. Eight hours.

Crazy pal! I just did 24 nights. Manila, batad, sagada, malapascua, Cebu city, el nido, and port Parton and that was plenty. I would Pick 1/3 of that list.

One thing that's new in the weeks since I was there is the Cebu direct to el nido flight. I think it's called spirit air and it's surprisingly affordable (way cheaper than their manilla to el nido flight). I would do manilla -- Cebu/oslob -- Bohol -- el nido -- PP -- home. Or just banaue/batad and Palawan. Gotta figure out your biggest interests.

I did a similar itinerary spread over 6 weeks !! haha

what are the top things you want to experience in Philippines?

Guys you're all against my initial idea..! I have to listen to you.
@jennaem thanks for that Cebu-El Nido flight trip.
Is going to the rice fields in Banaue interesting? Worth the long trip?
You guy's are wonderful! THANK YOU!

Banaue and even more so Batad are certainly worth it, a sensible plan would be to spilt half your time in Luzon and half in Palawan, that would give you some of the best experiences the Country has to offer, yet at a decent pace..

You need to get to Banaue to get to Batad, theres no real need to stay in Banaue.

In fact if you get the over night bus from Manila will arrive into Banaue at 7/8AM it is possible to get a jeepney to Batad that morning. I recommend!

Ok, so rice fields it is! Oh so many great tips here =D

So call me crazy but this is molding to such plan:

Days:
0 - 23:30 Manilla (arrival) sleep
1 - Manilla
2 - Night bus to Banaue/Batad
3 - Banaue/Batad + night bus to Manilla
4 - Manilla -> Cebu sleep
5 - Bohol
6 - Apo
7 - Apo
8 - Oslob
9 - Oslob
10 - Cebu -> El Nido
11 - El Nido
12 - El Nido
13 - El Nido
14 - El Nido
15 - Coron
16 - Coron
17 - El Nido/Coron to Manilla
18 - Manilla (departure)

It's a on the rush, see it all, get home needing vacation type of vacation =D

Day 4 : Fly to Tagbilaran in Bohol from Manila
Day 6 : Extra day in Bohol instead of Apo
Day 14 : One more day in Coron, one less in El Nido
Day 17 : Fly back to Manila from Busuanga in Coron

It'll be more manageable that way.

Thanks BalutFearing! Finally someone not calling me crazy =D

Day 4: What's the cheapest company for that flight and does it fly from Manila's main airport? I heard Manila«s secundary airport is really far away from the city.
Day 6: Why do you suggest this? Bohol is for Chocolate Hills and Tarsys right? APO for scuba?
Day 14: Coron
Day 17: Great tip! Again, what company you suggest?

1. I'm not sure who flies to Tagbilaran these days but check out Cebu Pacific and Air Asia. They will be the cheapest. You will fly from the domestic airport (T4) which is in the same vicinity as the main airport.

2. There's more things to do in Bohol than Apo. Dolphin watching, island, hopping, waterfalls, caves, beaches, river cruise, man made forest etc plus the two things you mentioned.

3. It'll probably better to share the time between El Nido and Coron for travel reasons but it's up to you.

4. Again check out those two airlines I mentioned earlier. Also Philippine Airlines, but they tend to be more expensive.

Ok guys, I'm back! =D

First I want to thank all the members who helped me plan this journey. I also want to share my traveled itinerary to those who might be interested (we went first to Turkey for 6 days, then 18 to Philippines):

Turkey – Filipinas 2016
Dia 26/12 : Flight Lisboa –> Istanbul –> Nevsehir. Slept in Goreme
Hotel Matianasos
Dia 27/12: Goreme – Balloon flight (90€ per person)
Eat Pide!
Dia 28/12: Goreme – Green Tour (caves, ceramics e natural chimneys)
Dia 29/12: Flight Nevsehir – Istanbul (canceled) Bus 12h Nevsehir – Istanbul
Hotel Stay Juno
Dia 30/12: Istanbul
Eat Baklava at Karakoy Gulluoglu
Dia 31/12: Istanbul
Dia 01/01: Istanbul
Eat at Fistik Kebap
Dia 02/01: Flight Istanbul – Manila (Via Bangkok)
Hotel BRBlock. Note: Even though initially it might not appear so, this hotel is really well located. Walking distance you have a fancy mall and a lively street that you can safely walk around.
Dia 03/01: Manila. Night bus 8h Manila – Banaue (dress warm vs AC)
Divisória Market (fake brands, no tourists, intense, recommendable) e Asian Mall (not worth it, expensive)
Dia 04/01: Banaue. Tour Panorama, Hot Springs
Hotel Banau Homestay
Dia 05/01: Badat. Bus nocturno 8h Banaue - Manila (dress warm vs AC)
Buy local produced red rice and cook it when you get home: delicious
Dia 06/01: Flight Manila -> Bohol
Hotel Isla Hayahay Resort
Dia 07/01: Tour Chocolate Hills, fake forest, tarsy, zipline, Loboc river cruise, anacondas, coral church
Dia 08/01: Ferry to Squijor via Dumaguete
Hotel Flora dive and resort
Rent a scooter
Dia 09/01: Island scooter tour: waterfalls, old tree, 3 beaches. Late ferry do Dumaguete.
Hotel Essencia
Dia 10/01: Trike to port: Apo Island day tour. Turtles
Dia 11/01: Fast ferry to Cebu Island, bus to Oslob for whale sharks. Missed the canyoning down to the waterfalls. Bus to Cebu City. Slept in Cebu city.
Hotel Main
Dia 12: Flight from Cebu city -> El Nido (Air Swift)
Spin Design Hostel
Dia 13: Scooter rent. Waterfalls + Nacpan beach + twin beach.
Dia 14: Tour C: island hopping
Dia 15: Las Cabanas beach
Dia 16: Tour A: island hopping (the best tour). Night Van to Puerto Princesa.
Hotel Uyang B&B (poor choice)
Dia 17: Honda Bay: Island hopping tour
Dia 18: Rent a scooter: Nactabon beach (a must)
Dia 19: Pool and relax day at Isla Princesa Resort. Flight Puerto Princesa -> Manila
Hotel BRBlock
Eat at Greenbelt food area
Dia 20: GreenHills Shopping mall via tram (use the tram!). Flight Manila -> Istambul -> Lisboa

What we missed:
Coron Islands
Boracay
Linapacan Island
Legazpi volcano and atv tour
Canyoning near Oslob/Moalboal
No. 1 rating tours from Trip Advisor in Manila

Hi Morgano! Thanks for the tip. But I'm glad I forgot your recommendation. After visiting both Banaue and Batad I am certain that I would never sleep in Batad. Banaue is the place to sleep and Batad the day trip place. Carrying our luggage down to Batad would be a killer... No thank you.

haha fair enough!

each to their own. Hope ya had a good trip !

Yah, that's too much. Keep in mind that the Philippines is the size of Italy but broken up into 7,107 islands. I live in the Palawan area and would suggest at least two weeks just for that. Save other parts of the country for another trip. What's the point of spending most of your vacation time traveling from one point to another? You need at least some good quality time to enjoy the beach etc. This site has a nice itinerary suggestion for the Palawan area, with lots of info on how to move around:
http://www.islandhoppinginthephilippines.com/palawan/various/suggested-itinerary/

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