Last Updated on 04/06/2024
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Philippines Itinerary – Things to Consider
When planning your 2 week Philippines itinerary, there are several important things to take into account. The Philippines is a vast country with thousands of islands (7000+), making travel between them time-consuming. Ferries can be unreliable and journeys often take longer than expected. To optimize your Philippines itinerary, I suggest allowing travel days and visiting islands that are nearby.
When deciding on your entry point, consider whether you have to fly into Manila first or if you can fly direct to other airports such as Cebu or Palawan which can save you time and help you make the most of your two weeks in the Philippines… and there are so many places to visit so it can be hard to
Two week Philippines itinerary for first timers
For the best general travel in the Philippines, I suggest spending one week in Cebu and one week in Palawan. This is what I did the first time I visited.
Cebu
In Cebu fly into Mactan-Cebu Airport, a separate island connected to Cebu city by a bridge.
Travel Day to Malapascua island
Head to the north of Cebu by bus or minivan from the Cebu northern bus terminal. Journey time is around 4-5 hours and cost approximately 200-300 pesos/£4/$5. Then take a 40 minute local ferry from Danbantayan port. Please note the ferries are losely scheduled every 30 minutes but will leave when full. You are required to pay an small environmental fee at the port.
Best things to do in Malapascua Island
– Scuba diving with thresher sharks
– Snorkel with baby black tip reef sharks
– Walk across the island to North beach
– Scuba dive Gato island for white tip reef sharks and stunning coral reefs
– eat at Villa Potenciana for amazing Filipino vegan food
Scuba diving with thresher sharks in Malapascua Island, Cebu, the Philippines
Best Places to Stay in Malapascua Island
| Hotel Name | Price | Best hotel in Malapascua for… | Compare prices on Agoda & Booking.com |
| Slam’s Garden Resort | $ | Pool and garden area |   |
| Tepanee Beach Resort | $$ | Beach side |  |
| Blanco Beach Resort | $$$ | Beach side | |
Travel day to Moalboal
– scuba diving or snorkelling with the sardines, a huge bait ball of sardines just off the beach
Head back to Cebu city
– consider a day trip to Bohol
– consider a couple of nights on Panglao Island
– fly onwards to Palawan
Palawan
Palawan in the Philippines is known for its stunning turquoise waters and gorgeous beaches as well as nature like caves you can kayak into in Puerto Princesa.
Best things to do in Palawan
– island hopping boat tours
– kayaking
– enjoying the turquoise waters
– marvelling at the scenery and cliffs
– stunning beach at Port Barton
Two week Philippines itinerary for the ocean & nature
On my third Philippines rip with my sister, we followed this two week Philippines itinerary that focused on ocean experiences, marine life, and a touch of jungle exploration.
Cebu & Malapascua
First fly into Cebu and then spend a travel day getting to Malapascua Island, a small island off the northern tip of Cebu
What to Do in Malapascua Island
- Scuba diving with thresher sharks
- Snorkel with baby black tip reef sharks, off Datit Dakit in front of Blanco beach resort
- Walk across the island to North beach
- Scuba dive Gato island for white tip reef sharks and stunning coral reefs
- eat at Angelina’s for delicious Italian food
- eat at Villa Potenciana for amazing Filipino vegan food
- eat at the market for cheap, local dishes
- happy hour for sunset at Kokays
Best places to stay in Malapascua Island
Malapascua is a small island and you can walk everywhere. I recommend staying in the south of the island, close to beautiful beaches, dive centres and all the restaurants and the market.
| Hotel Name | Price | Best hotel in Malapascua for… | Compare prices on Agoda & Booking.com |
| Slam’s Garden Resort | $ | Pool and garden area | |
| Tepanee Beach Resort | $$ | Beach side | |
| Blanco Beach Resort | $$$ | Beach side | |
Then take a travel day to get to Leyte, a hidden gem in the Philippines for 4 nights
Best things to do in Padre Burgos, Leyte
– scuba dive some of the best coral reefs I have ever seen
– ethical whale shark snorkel trip – we saw two whale sharks and snorkelled for almost an hour with them
– night dive for amazing marine critters and macro life
– snorkel at Medicare spot for a chance of turtles
– spot spinner dolphins from the whale shark boat
Where to stay in Padre Burgos, Leyte
Peters Dive Resort was an amazing experience and recommend it for everyone visiting, whether they are diving or doing the whale shark snorkel trip. My sister and I had a double room with AC right on the sea front next to the pool. Lovely open windows in the restaurant make it feel like outdoor dining. Divers get a discount on rooms and the staff were all awesome during our stay and really helpful for figuring out ferries to and from Leyte.
Travel day- Leyte to Bohol
Head from Hilongos or Boto by ferry to Ubay in Bohol (approx 2 hours)a
Stay in Loboc, Bohol for adventure and nature and jungle time for 3 nights.
Loboc, BoholBest things to do in Loboc, Bohol
– witnessing the sunrise at the chocolate hill
– staying in a jungle hut by the river
– enjoying local Filipino food river side at this lovely resort
– exploring the bamboo man-made forest, planted by elders over 100 years ago
– spotting tarsiers, the world’s smallest primate
– firefly spotting on an evening river boat trip
– ziplining across the river with amazing mountain views or a slower cable car experience
Philippines Tip: Get in touch with Jimboy for an amazing and personal tuktuk tour
Where to Stay in Loboc, Bohol
| Hotel Name | Price | Best hotel in Loboc for… | Compare prices on Agoda & Booking.com |
| Nipa Huts | $ | nature, wooden huts | |
| Fox and the Firefly Cottages | $$ | wooden huts & food | |
| Loboc River Resort | $$$ | luxury rooms | |
Beach time in Panglao Island
Travel the 50 minute journey by bus, tuktuk or taxi and finish your two weeks Philippines itinerary with some days on the beach in Panglao Island.
The best resort to stay in is Mithi Resort & Spa. My sister and I were completely wowed by this place, from the beach to the swimming pools to the natural cave that they have in the grounds and you can swim in it! I strongly recommend Mithi beach and would love to go back!
Manila Airport Hotel
If you have to stay in Manila then I recommend the Belmont Hotel as it had a lovely rooftop pool and you could use the Newport Runway to walk to the airport for check in which was so convenient.
This two week Philippines itinerary is the best for ocean and nature lovers and I would love to spend these two weeks in the Philippines with my sister all over again!
For more on my favourite scuba diving spots in South East Asia, read this blog post
