Philippines Travel Guide

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The Philippines has over 7,000 islands. You won’t see them all. But even a fraction is enough to ruin every other beach destination for you. The turquoise lagoons and limestone cliffs of Palawan look almost fake. The tiny islands off Malapascua, like Kalanggaman, are the kind of places you thought only existed in screensavers.

But the Philippines is more than beaches. The history runs deep. This is where Magellan landed and died, where some of the fiercest battles of WWII were fought, and you feel that layered past everywhere from Manila’s Intramuros to the smallest island churches.

On Siquijor, local shamans still practice traditional healing rituals. In Manila, a food tour will introduce you to a cuisine that deserves far more international attention than it gets. And on Bohol, the surreal Chocolate Hills and the wide-eyed tarsiers remind you that this country has a weird, wonderful side too.

In this Philippines travel guide, you’ll find loads of tips, advice, and inspiration to help you plan your trip, including practical information on getting around and staying safe. The information is based on two months of island-hopping across the country, from the chaos of Manila to the limestone karsts of El Nido, the quiet beaches of Port Barton, and off-the-beaten-path stops like Siquijor and Malapascua.