Three Weeks in the Philippines – Our Itinerary

We spent a little over three weeks exploring the Philippines. With more than 7,500 islands, it can be overwhelming to choose where to go, especially if it’s your first time visiting the country. In this article, we’ll share our exact itinerary, our thoughts on the places we visited, and what we would have done differently.

Whether you’re following our itinerary or creating your own, we hope this guide helps you make the most of your time in the Philippines.

Planning a trip to Southeast Asia? Add Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore to your itinerary. Check out our guide: Ultimate Two-Month Backpacking Itinerary: Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore.

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Three Weeks Philippines Itinerary

Here’s a summary of the exact itinerary we followed. This is a little more than three weeks, but you can easily adjust it to fit in three weeks by spending less days in the suggested places and optimizing some of the routes.

• Day 1: Arrive in Manila and Flight to Cebu
• Day 2: Bus to Moalboal
• Day 3 – 6: Moalboal
• Day 7: Moalboal to Siquijor
• Day 8 –  10: Siquijor
• Day 11: Siquijor to Bohol
• Day 12 – 14: Bohol
• Day 15: Flight to El Nido
• Day 16 – 19: El Nido
• Day 20: Ferry to Coron
• Day 21 – 22: Coron
• Day 23–24: Manila

Important: before travelling to the Philippines, make sure to download the eTravel app and fill out the travel form to enter the country.

First time in the Philippines? Read How to Plan a Trip to the Philippines: 33 Essential Travel Tips

We recommend reading our ultimate guide to prepare a trip to Southeast Asia with essential and useful tips: How to Plan a Trip to Southeast Asia: Ultimate Guide with 21 Essential Tips.

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Day 1: Arrive in Manila and Flight to Cebu

If you’re traveling to the Philippines, you’ll likely start and end your trip at Manila Airport. We recommend continuing your journey to Cebu right after arriving at Manila International Airport.

After landing, you’ll need to transfer to a different terminal for your domestic flight. We had to move to Terminal 2. You can use the free shuttle bus by showing your ticket or boarding pass for your next flight. The buses are located outside the arrivals hall.

Keep in mind that going through immigration and transferring terminals can take time. Make sure you have a long enough layover in case of delays—we had four hours between flights.

Once you arrive at Cebu Airport, you can use the Grab app to book a ride to your accommodation. We recommend staying near the South Bus Terminal for easy access to the bus the next day.

We stayed at Cebu R Hotel – Capitol, a simple budget hotel, good enough for a night’s stay.

Day 2: Bus to Moalboal

The next day, we took a bus to Moalboal. The journey is about three hours to cover just 80 kilometers. After arriving at the terminal, you’ll need to take a tuk-tuk to your accommodation.

Tuk-tuks and tricycles are very common in the Philippines, and you’ll use them often. They’re small, noisy, and not the most comfortable, and you’ll usually have to negotiate the price. Most of the time, you’ll end up paying more than the local rate—but it’s all part of the experience. We noticed that tricycles are customized differently on each island.

We were exhausted that day, so we just wandered around and took it easy.

In Moalboal, it’s best to stay near Panagsama Road—that’s where everything happens. If you prefer a quieter spot, consider staying close to the White Beach.

We stayed at Three Sisters Guesthouse 2, just a five-minute walk from Panagsama Road. It was a quiet place to sleep at night but close enough if you wanted to visit the bars. This was a budget stay—very simple, with a tiny bathroom that barely had space for a shower—but that’s common in most budget accommodations in the Philippines.

Day 3 – 6: Moalboal

One of the main attractions in Moalboal is the Sardine Run, where you can swim alongside thousands of sardines. It’s an incredible experience, and we even spotted a turtle!

Recommended reading: Moalboal Travel Guide: Best Things to Do & 3-Day Itinerary

Another highlight is canyoneering at Kawasan Falls—you walk and jump through waterfalls, natural slides, and cliff jumps. If canyoneering isn’t your thing, you can visit the waterfalls directly instead. My boyfriend isn’t a fan of cliff jumping, so we went straight to Kawasan Falls and swam there instead. It was still a lot of fun.

If you have a motorbike, there are other stunning waterfalls nearby. Besides Kawasan Falls, we visited Mantayupan Falls, about an hour away by motorbike. While the falls were beautiful, we wouldn’t recommend the ride—it was a rough journey. Instead, there are tours that explore several waterfalls in one day.

For scenic views, Osmeña Peak is a popular spot, but unfortunately, we had to turn back because our motorbike overheated. Still, we found some great viewpoints overlooking Moalboal and the nearby islands.

Don’t miss White Beach, a long stretch of soft white sand where we had a delicious barbecue lunch. Just a few meters from shore, you’ll find beautiful corals and colorful fish. It’s also one of the best places to watch the sunset. Another stunning beach we visited after Kawasan Falls was Lambug Beach in Badian—less crowded than White Beach but just as beautiful. It was there that we first tried Buko juice, probably our favorite drink in the Philippines (unfortunately, we couldn’t find it elsewhere during our journey).

We spent four full days in Moalboal, but two to three days are enough if you’re short on time.

Day 7: Moalboal to Siquijor

After our time in Moalboal, we traveled to Siquijor. There are several ways to get from Moalboal to Siquijor, but the option we took is the most flexible and doesn’t require much advanced planning. We left our accommodation around 7:30 AM and arrived at our accommodation in Siquijor around 3 PM.

Here’s the step-by-step process we followed:

1. Tricyle to Moalboal Bus Terminal
2. Bus to Bato
3. Tricyle to Liloan Port
4. Ferry from Liloan Port to Sibulan Port
5. Tricycle from Sibulan Port to Dumaguete Port
6. Ferry from Dumaguete to Siquijor

This may sound complicated, but it’s actually quite simple, and we never waited more than 30 minutes for each transport. Once you arrive at Siquijor port, you can take a tricycle to your accommodation.

In Siquijor, it’s best to stay near San Juan—that’s where the busier area is—not near Paliton Beach, as we initially thought.

To get around Siquijor, you’ll need to rent a motorbike. Driving here is pretty easy since there are very few cars, little traffic, and the roads are in good condition.

We stayed at V.P. GO INN, close to the Paliton beach, and just a five-minute drive to the “busy area” in San Juan, but super quiet at night. It was a budget place very similar to all the places we stayed at during our time in the Philippines.

Day 8 – 10: Siquijor

Siquijor is home to several stunning waterfalls worth visiting. The most famous is Cambugahay Falls, a beautiful spot with multiple waterfall levels, each unique but equally beautiful. We also visited the Kawasan Falls and Cave—yes, there’s another Kawasan Falls in Siquijor, just like in Cebu, but completely different.

Recommended reading: Siquijor 3-Day Itinerary & Travel Guide: Best Things to Do

Another popular and unique attraction in Siquijor is the Old Enchanted Balete Tree, where you’ll find a small lake with a “fish spa.”

The highlight of our time in Siquijor was definitely snorkeling at the Tubod Marine Sanctuary and taking a snorkeling tour to Apo Island, where we swam with turtles. We saw a variety of beautiful fish and colorful, healthy corals. This was the best snorkeling experience we had during our time in the Philippines. If you love snorkeling and want to see turtles, Siquijor should definitely be on your itinerary.

Recommended reading: Apo Island Snorkeling Tour — What to Expect

When it comes to beaches, Paliton Beach is the most famous. While it’s a nice beach with a lively vibe and several bars and restaurants, the water isn’t as blue and clear as you might expect in the Philippines. Personally, I preferred Tubod Beach and the beach in front of the Siquijor Sunset Glamping Village—both were quieter and more beautiful.

Siquijor was definitely our favorite island during our time in the Philippines. If you have the chance, be sure to add it to your itinerary! If it was today, I would have added one extra day to Siquijor.

Day 11: Siquijor to Bohol

From Siquijor, we took a ferry to Tagbilaran Port in Bohol, which took about two hours. We chose the ferry with OceanJet, as they had a direct route from Siquijor Port.

In Bohol, we stayed in Panglao, an island connected to Bohol that is also the main tourist area. Our first impressions weren’t the best. The area felt too commercialized and touristy, with a vibe that I didn’t like. We stayed in a busy area near Alona Beach, which I didn’t particularly enjoy. On top of that, the weather in Bohol was mostly cloudy, which didn’t help our experience.

We stayed at the Pico House, which was on a side road close to the busy area—5-minute walking on a dirt road. It was in a quiet place even though super close to the busy area.

Day 12 – 14: Bohol

We stayed in Bohol for three full days, which, for me, was definitely too long—though the places we visited were absolutely amazing.

Recommended reading: Bohol 3-Day Itinerary & Travel Guide: Best Things to Do

We had planned to do the Balicasag Island Tour, but the weather didn’t cooperate. I also found out that one of the places I was most excited about visiting, Virgin Island, was temporarily closed to visitors.

Despite our initial disappointment, we had an amazing time exploring Bohol’s highlights. You definitely have to visit the Tarsier Sanctuary, the Chocolate Hills, and try kayaking or taking a cruise along the Loboc River. Kayaking on the Loboc river was definitely an highlight, our guide was such a good vibe.

Many people rave about how good the beaches in Panglao are, especially Alona Beach. However, I didn’t find it particularly special, and the other beaches we visited didn’t meet my expectations. It could be because the weather was cloudy and the sea was rough during our visit — I’m not sure if it’s always like that.

One of the highlights, though, was swimming with schools of sardines in Napaling Reef. It was even better than the Sardine Run in Moalboal.

Looking back, if I were to visit again, I would spend more time in Bohol, but not in Panglao. I would stay in Anda and explore more secluded beaches and off-the-beaten-path places.

Additionally, I didn’t plan our time in Bohol in advance. We wanted to rent a car from a reputable company, but the only option in Bohol was Hertz, and all their cars were already rented out for the week. So, we ended up visiting most of the inland places we wanted with a private driver. It’s not the same as driving yourself, but we highly recommend our driver.

We also wanted to rent a motorbike, but it was so chaotic near where we stayed, and we saw so many near-accidents that we gave up on the idea. Instead, we relied on tricycles, which limited our freedom a bit.

In summary, I wasn’t a fan of the vibe in Panglao, but I absolutely loved the unique activities we did in Bohol.

Day 15: Flight to El Nido

From Bohol, we took a direct flight to El Nido. This flight is quite expensive, and the only airline operating this route is Airswift.

If you want to save some money, there’s an alternative route. Instead of flying directly to El Nido, you can take a ferry back to Cebu, then catch a flight to Puerto Princesa. From there, you can take a van to El Nido. While this journey takes almost the entire day, it can save you over 100€.

To search for the best routes and flights, we always use the Kiwi website. Besides showing the price on different companies, it also shows alternative cheaper routes.

In El Nido, we stayed at Keira Backpackers in Caalan. Since we didn’t book our accommodation in advance, we had very limited option, so this was the closest to the “center” of El Nido that we got. It was approximately a 10-minute walk to the El Nido TownSquare Heritage District. The owners of the place where super nice and arranged all the transportation we needed for a very reasonable price. For a budget place in El Nido, a little away from the busy area, we absolutely recommend this one.

Day 16 – 19: El Nido

El Nido is very touristy, but it has a great vibe. The beach in El Nido itself isn’t ideal since it’s where the boats dock for island-hopping tours, and the water isn’t very clean. However, the views are absolutely stunning, resembling a mix of Thailand and Halong Bay in Vietnam. Every day, I was amazed by the views every time we walked by.

Recommended reading: How to Spend Four Days in El Nido: Travel Guide and Best Things to Do

While the beaches you visit on the island-hopping tours are truly paradisiacal, there are also some nice beaches on the mainland that you can reach by motorbike or tuk-tuk. We really enjoyed Lio Beach, Napcan Beach, and Las Cabanas Beach.

As for the tours, there are four different island-hopping tours you can do in El Nido, designated Tour A, B, C, and D. The most famous is Tour A, which visits some of the most epic and well-known spots. It’s also quite crowded, but definitely worth it. You can read in more detail about our experience on the island hopping Tour A here.

Recommended reading: El Nido Island Hopping Tours A, B, C, D — Which One to choose?

We did a combination of Tour C and D, and we liked it even more than Tour A. The places were just as beautiful, but much less crowded. We absolutely recommend it.

We spent five full days in El Nido, which might seem like a lot, but I’m glad we reserved that much time. I got sick with a stomach ache and fever and couldn’t do anything for about a day and a half. I’ve heard that many people get sick in El Nido, so it’s something to keep in mind.

Day 20: Ferry to Coron

From El Nido, we took a ferry to Coron, which took almost 6 hours. We recommend taking sea sickness pills before the trip, as the journey can be rough and it lasts quite a while. We booked our ferry ticket in advance on 12GoAsia because this is a popular route.

Alternatively, many people opt for a three-day, two-night expedition from El Nido to Coron. This option allows you to visit some amazing islands and remote places along the way, with overnight stays in wooden cabanas on the beach. However, due to our work, we need to have access to the internet every day, and during the expedition, there is no internet, so this option wasn’t feasible for us.

We recommend thoroughly researching the expeditions to make sure you know what to expect and if it’s something you’d enjoy. I’ve heard mixed opinions about it: some people loved the experience, while others didn’t think it was worth it and it was quite uncomfortable.

In Coron, we stayed at Balaibinda Lodge. It was in a great location—close to the busy area but far enough that we didn’t hear noise from the bars at night. The place was well-maintained with a beautiful garden inside, but the rooms were very basic.

Day 21 – 22: Coron

We spent just two full days in Coron. If everything goes as planned, this is enough time to explore the island’s most popular attractions and take the Super Ultimate Tour, which is the most popular tour on the island.

Recommended reading: How to Spend Two Days in Coron: Travel Guide and Best Things to Do

I highly recommend snorkeling at Siete Pecados, a natural reserve with stunning corals and vibrant fish. You get a small boat and a driver to yourself, allowing you to explore the area at a very reasonable price. The picture above was taken with my underwater camera. You can see how colorful and healthy the corals look.

Unfortunately, my boyfriend got sick while we were in Coron, so we couldn’t go on the Super Ultimate Tour. However, everyone who has done it highly recommends it.

Day 23–24: Manila

From Coron, we took a flight to Manila, where we caught our flight back home. We’ve wrote a quick guide showing you the best things to do in Manila if you only have one day or a shorter stay like us.

I highly recommend adding at least one day in Manila before your return flight. Domestic flights in the Philippines are often delayed or canceled, and having a buffer day ensures you won’t miss your international flight. I’m not a big fan of big cities, so the time we spent there was enough for me. But if you enjoy exploring urban areas, Manila is huge, and you might want to add an extra day.

Recommended reading: Manila One Day Itinerary (or Less) — Ideal for a Layover or Short Stay

We spent a day exploring Manila, starting with Intramuros, the historic heart of the city. This walled district dates back to the Spanish colonial period. We visited Fort Santiago, a historic military defense structure, where we learned about José Rizal, considered a national hero. We also visited churches and other historical landmarks.

We also explored the ultra-modern BGC (Bonifacio Global City) area, which was a big contrast with its skyscrapers, trendy shops, and lively restaurants. It’s hard to believe that such a luxury area is in the same city where you can also see so much poverty.

In Manila, we stayed at Leez Inn Makati. The hotel was in a safe neighborhood (or at least it seemed so—we didn’t stay long enough to be sure) with plenty of nightlife options (though we didn’t go out at night). The room was very clean, and the bed was super comfy. Considering we only stayed in budget hotels, this was the best room we had during our time in the Philippines.

Wrapping Up

There are many different ways to put together an itinerary for the Philippines. There are more than 7500 islands. Additionally, the time of your visit will greatly influence the places you’ll visit. We went in February and it was one of the best times to visit the islands included in the itinerary. We also wanted to add Siargao, but it wasn’t the best time to visit, so we decided to skip it.

First time in the Philippines? Read How to Plan a Trip to the Philippines: 33 Essential Travel Tips

If it was today, I would also have included Boracay, everyone raves about its beautiful beaches, and besides being an overly touristic place, everyone who’ve been there didn’t regret. I also wanted to include Balabac. But, staying without internet for more than three days is not an option for us because of our work. Additionally, I also wanted to include Camiguin after Siquijor, but it would add an extra time in our itinerary that we didn’t have available.

In general, I think the itinerary we put together worked quite well and it was very optimized in terms of transportation.

We loved our time in the Philippines, the landscapes are incredible, and the local people are genuinely nice and welcoming. We can’t wait to come back.

We hope this article has helped you plan your itinerary for your time in the Philippines. We have more detailed individual guides about the places we visited:

• Moalboal Travel Guide: Best Things to Do & 3-Day Itinerary
• Siquijor 3-Day Itinerary & Travel Guide: Best Things to Do
• Apo Island Snorkeling Tour — What to Expect
• Bohol 3-Day Itinerary & Travel Guide: Best Things to Do
• How to Spend Four Days in El Nido: Travel Guide and Best Things to Do
• El Nido Island Hopping Tour A – Is it Worth It? What to Expect?
• El Nido Island Hopping Tours A, B, C, D — Which One to choose?
• How to Spend Two Days in Coron: Travel Guide and Best Things to Do
• Manila One Day Itinerary (or Less) — Ideal for a Layover or Short Stay
• How to Plan a Trip to the Philippines: 33 Essential Travel Tips

If want to visit the Philippines as part of a bigger trip to Southeast Asia, you may want to check out our other itinerary: Two Months Traveling in Southeast Asia: Our Itinerary that includes Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore.

Finally, you can use our links to book accommodation and activities and find cheap flights. You won’t pay more for it and you’ll be supporting our work.

Thanks for reading.