Philippines Travel Guide

More than 7,000 islands, the cone-shaped Chocolate Hills rolling to the horizon, a lunch-boat cruise down an emerald river, and sour, savory dishes that have you reaching for more rice — behind its beach-resort image, the Philippines hides inland landscapes and a rich food culture. In September 2023, Travelers Route spent a week traveling Manila and Bohol (a countryside land tour, diving, and the Makati/BGC districts), and this guide digs into the country on the strength of that trip. All prices and entry rules have been re-checked as of 2026.

If you would rather start from what there is to see, Philippines: 9 Top Attractions lays out the classics in the order you would actually walk them, with prices and timings.

By trip length: choose your travel style

• Manila & Bohol in one week — the route we actually traveled: the capital plus Bohol for city, landscapes and sea in a single trip, linked by a domestic flight — the classic way to put it together
• On the island, plan one day on land and the rest at sea: give a full day to the Bohol land tour (Chocolate Hills, Loboc River, tarsiers), then spend the following days diving or island hopping
• Study the food before you land: sisig, sinigang, inasal, lechon — deciding your “first five dishes” in advance means none of your limited mealtimes go to waste

Essential prep before you go

The Philippines waives visas for tourist stays of up to 30 days for most nationalities, but two conditions apply: your passport must be valid for your stay plus six months, and you must show proof of an onward (departure) ticket. On top of that, every traveler must complete eTravel registration (free, within 72 hours before arrival); the QR code it issues is shown at check-in and at immigration (paid “agency” sites are scams — use only the official etravel.gov.ph). For getting around the island, a chartered car (roughly 2,500–3,500 pesos per day on Bohol) is the efficient option — booking through your hotel or in advance is the reliable route. At the tarsier sanctuary, no flash, no touching, no loud voices: consideration for the animals is a small lesson in the trip’s etiquette (as of July 2026).

Go deeper by theme

• Scenery & nature — the Chocolate Hills and an emerald cruise down the Loboc River
• Food — sisig, sinigang, chicken inasal, lechon and leche flan
• Sea & marine activities — Panglao’s beaches and the sardine run off Balicasag Island
• City — Manila (the polish of Makati/BGC and traces of Spanish rule)

Best season and budget

The best window is the dry season, December to May. Our September visit fell at the tail end of the rainy season — the hills were green rather than “chocolate” — but the squalls were short and barely disrupted sightseeing. Prices are low even by Asian standards (200–400 pesos for a meal at a local eatery, 400–800 pesos at a mall restaurant, mid-range hotels on Bohol from 2,000–5,000 pesos a night), and the appeal is that even combining a land tour with diving rarely stretches the budget. The currency is the Philippine peso; cards work in cities, but cash is essential on outlying islands and at markets. English is widely spoken, which makes the whole trip easier.

Across Asia — where our coverage goes next

The Philippines joins Thailand, Vietnam and Hong Kong & Macau in our Southeast Asia and wider Asia coverage — and it opens a new theme for us: islands and beaches. As with Iceland and Portugal, we expand our features outward from the places we have actually traveled. Cebu, El Nido and Palawan will follow once we have sorted our material and made time for a return visit.

Scenes from the Philippines

Photos taken on location by our editorial team.

Philippines articles

About Travelers Route

Travelers Route is a travel publication that stays with you from choosing a destination to shaping the trip itself. Our Philippines coverage is based on our own September 2023 trip (experiences and photos) and on facts — entry rules, eTravel, prices — re-checked as of 2026. For how we work, see About and our editorial policy.