Philippines in 12 Days
This route jumps straight into the picture book of the Philippines: turquoise-shimmering lagoons, long sandy beaches, viewpoints over seas of palms and lively cities with history. You switch between relaxed island moments, short adventures in the water and days where culture and nature lie close together. Sometimes you stand on a cliff above El Nido, sometimes you drive through green hills on Bohol, sometimes the day ends with a view of the lights of Cebu.
What is special here is the mix of three travel feelings in one tour: Siargao for sea and lightness, Cebu for urban history, and Bohol as well as Palawan for iconic landscapes. The route stays varied without feeling rushed and shows you many well-known highlights in a clear order.
Who is this trip for?
This trip is ideal for you if you love islands, beaches and nature but don't want to stay in just one place. It suits active holidaymakers who like to combine boat tours, short walks to viewpoints and cultural stops. If you like varied days and see location changes rather as part of the experience, you will feel at home here.
What to expect
Expect a brisk rhythm with many water and view moments, plus individual city and culture days as a contrast. The walking distances stay mostly manageable, but in between there are stairs, uneven paths and transfers that structure the day. Overall the route is balanced: active enough to see a lot, and relaxed enough to really carry the island mood with you.
Day 1 · General Luna
Lagoon, palms, tidal pool
To open, it goes out to the Sugba Lagoon Tour, where the water looks almost unreally clear and the day immediately feels like an island holiday. Then the Maasin River Bridge brings you to a quieter, green section of the island, before you see the famous palm fields from above at the Coconut Plantation View Point. Later the Magpupungko Tidal Pool awaits, a stop that, with the right tide, acts like a natural basin between the rocks.
- Sugba Lagoon Tour
- Maasin River Bridge
- Coconut Plantation View Point
- Magpupungko Tidal Pool
Day 2 · General Luna
Siargao between surf and beach
The day begins relaxed around the Pacifico Beach Resort, where Siargao shows another, quieter coastal side once more. Then you switch to the Cloud 9 Surfing Area, the island's best-known spot, where even watching is fun. With Guyam Island and Secret Beach it then turns even more tropical: short paths, lots of sea and exactly the kind of stops that make you constantly lose track of time in the Philippines.
- Pacifico Beach Resort
- Cloud 9 Surfing Area
- Guyam Island
- Secret Beach
© Tiger670 at English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0Day 3 · General Luna
Island hopping off General Luna
Today classic island hopping is on the program, starting with Naked Island, an almost surreal sandbank in the middle of the blue. Then it turns distinctly greener and more relaxed on Daku Island Beach, with room to arrive and breathe. On Daku Island itself that simple, open island feeling shows itself once more, the feeling that makes the day so light.
- Naked Island
- Daku Island Beach
- Daku Island
Day 4 · Cebu City
Views over Cebu
In Cebu City the day starts with history in the Casa Gorordo Museum, where you feel a different beat than on the islands. Then it goes up to the Temple of Leah and on to the Mountain View Nature's Park, where the city slowly grows smaller beneath you. At TOPS Cebu and the Little Amsterdam of Cebu at the latest, everything revolves around panorama, fresh air and the view over the slopes and lights of the region.
- Casa Gorordo Museum
- Temple of Leah
- Mountain View Nature's Park
- TOPS Cebu
- Little Amsterdam of Cebu
Day 5 · Cebu City
Cebu's historic center
With the Yap-San Diego Ancestral House you dive into old Cebu, before the route continues to the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral. Right after, the Minor Basilica of the Holy Child of Cebu (Basilica Minore Del Sto. Niño de Cebu) sets an important cultural accent. At Magellan's Cross and in Fort San Pedro the city's history then condenses in a small space and makes this day especially compact and vivid.
- Yap-San Diego Ancestral House
- Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral
- Minor Basilica of the Holy Child of Cebu (Basilica Minore Del Sto. Niño de Cebu)
- Magellan's Cross
- Fort San Pedro
© Constantine Agustin from Manila, Philippines · CC BY-SA 2.0
© LMP 2001 · CC BY-SA 4.0
© LMP 2001 · CC BY-SA 4.0
© xiquinhosilva · CC BY 2.0Day 6 · Tagbilaran City
Bohol in big images
Today Bohol shows its dramatic side: first at the Can-umantad Falls, where water and rock play the leading role. Then follows the Chocolate Hills Complex, one of the country's best-known landscapes, which looks even more idiosyncratic in reality than in photos. In the Bohol Tarsier Conservation Area and the Bilar Man-Made Forest the day turns greener, quieter and almost a little fairy-tale-like afterward.
- Can-umantad Falls
- Chocolate Hills Complex
- Bohol Tarsier Conservation Area
- Bilar Man-Made Forest
Day 7 · Tagbilaran City
River cruise and colonial traces
The Loboc River Cruise gives the day a calm opening, with the landscape drifting leisurely past you. Then the Baclayon Church brings you to one of Bohol's history-laden places, before the Blood Compact Shrine recalls an important chapter of the island. To close, the Plaza Jose P. Rizal feels pleasantly down to earth and shows how close everyday life and sights come on Bohol.
- Loboc River Cruise
- Baclayon Church
- Blood Compact Shrine
- Plaza Jose P. Rizal
© Lawrence Ruiz · CC BY-SA 4.0Day 8 · Tagbilaran City
Cave and beach day
With the St. Joseph the Worker Cathedral Shrine the day begins calmly, before it goes down into the Hinagdanan Cave and the mood turns distinctly cooler and more mysterious. Then the landscape opens up again at the Dumaluan Beach Resort with bright sand and lots of expanse. At Alona Beach it turns livelier to close, perfect for a relaxed evening by the sea.
- St. Joseph the Worker Cathedral Shrine
- Hinagdanan Cave
- Dumaluan Beach Resort
- Alona Beach
Day 9 · El Nido
El Nido from above and by the sea
Nacpan Beach is a strong start in El Nido: long, open and just right to arrive first. With the Taraw Cliff you then switch from beach view to a rush of height and see the bay from a completely different perspective. Later Seven Commandos Beach and Marimegmeg Beach bring sand underfoot again, before Las Cabañas Beach lets the day wind down softly.
- Nacpan Beach
- Taraw Cliff
- Seven Commandos Beach
- Marimegmeg Beach
- Las Cabañas Beach
Day 10 · El Nido
The lagoons of El Nido
Today the El Nido classic follows, with stops that sound almost like names from an adventure novel. On Snake Island the day begins with an unusual tongue of sand in the sea, before it turns quieter and more sheltered through the Secret Lagoon. With Big Lagoon, Small Lagoon and Hidden Beach it becomes a day of limestone walls, emerald-green water and constantly new angles.
- Snake Island
- Secret Lagoon
- Big Lagoon
- Small Lagoon
- Hidden Beach
Day 11 · Puerto Princesa City
From ranch to underground river
In Puerto Princesa the day starts with a wide view at Mitra's Ranch, before you switch back onto the water in Honda Bay. At UGONG ROCK ADVENTURES it turns more active, then Sabang Beach brings you back to the coast. The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park finally sets a very distinctive accent and makes this day an exciting mix of view, sea and natural wonder.
- Mitra's Ranch
- Honda Bay
- UGONG ROCK ADVENTURES
- Sabang Beach
- Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park
Day 12 · Puerto Princesa City
Last impressions of Palawan
To close, in the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center (Crocodile Farm) you get to know another side of the island. Then Baker's Hill feels pleasantly light, before the Immaculate Conception Cathedral and the Plaza Cuartel take over the historic part of the day. PALAWAN here stands at the end not just as a place but almost as a summary of this trip: green, wide, varied and full of contrasts.
- Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center (Crocodile Farm)
- Baker's Hill
- Immaculate Conception Cathedral
- Plaza Cuartel
- PALAWAN
© shankar s. from Poona (pune), India, India · CC BY 2.0
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