The PERFECT 3-Week Philippines Travel Itinerary (Tried & Tested) + Shorter Options
We spent 3 months travelling around the Philippines, and even then, we barely scratched the surface!
We’ve spent weeks in Coron, El Nido, Puerto Princesa, Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor… even Siargao and Southern Leyte.
So we can imagine how hard it is to plan an epic Philippines travel itinerary if you don’t have months and months to explore.
But if we only had 3 weeks, here’s the exact itinerary we’d follow to make the most of it. We’ve also put together 2-week and 10-day itineraries if you’re short on time!
Quick heads up, though – this itinerary is super outdoor-focused.
It reflects our travel style, with lots of island-hopping, waterfalls, snorkelling, surfing, hiking, checking out spots off the beaten path, etc. That’s why you won’t see Manila or lots of Cebu City.
After all, nature is where the Philippines really shines! That’s why tours are a huge part of travelling here, especially for island-hopping.
We’ve included some of the best ones to help you see as much as possible with the amount of time you’ll have available.
Let’s dive into it!
But first… travel essentials for the Philippines
🎉 Activities: These are some of the best tours in the Philippines!
❤️🩹Insurance: This is the travel insurance that we always use
💰 Payments: This is the bank we use every time we travel overseas. It has the best exchange fees for Philippine Pesos and you can withdraw up to ₱12,000 for FREE!
📞 eSIM: Grab our favourite eSIM and stay connected at all times
🛏️ Accommodation: Book your next stay here
✈️ Flights: Great deals on flight tickets here
3-week Philippines travel itinerary
After landing in Manila, take a 1.5-hour flight straight to Coron:
Day 1-2: Coron
Two days in Coron is perfect to experience the best spots! This place is perfect for island-hopping, so we recommend starting with this.
The standard “Ultimate full-day island-hopping tour” covers the main highlights, such as:
Kayangan Lake, with its insanely clear water and iconic viewpoint.
Barracuda Lake, another stunner, known for its mix of fresh and saltwater and crazy temperature shifts.
Twin Lagoon, where you can swim through a rock opening to find a hidden lagoon!
Snorkelling spots like Siete Pecados Marine Park and Skeleton Wreck, where an old sunken ship is now home to coral and fish.
This “ultimate full-day tour” covers pretty much all those spots!
If you still have energy left, you could wrap up the day with a sunset view at Mt. Tapyas. It’s a steep 700-step climb (40 min), but the panoramic views over Coron Bay are worth it.
On your second day, we recommend taking another full-day tour but this time to Banana and Malcapuya Islands. These are other big highlights of Coron that are must-sees during your stay!
Two full-day tours in a row might sound expensive, but it’s not really. These activities are very budget-friendly as they include food, pickup and dropoff, snorkelling gear, etc!
Where to stay in Coron
If you do the full-day tours, we recommend staying in Coron town proper.
We stayed in The Funny Lion and it was great value for money! There’s an awesome rooftop bar if you want some cocktails in the arvo.
Day 3-5: Island Hopping from Coron to El Nido, Palawan (highlight of our trip)
You could go from Coron to El Nido town with a 40-minute flight… But why not go there via island-hopping??
This is what we did and it was the highlight of our trip! We took a 3-day, 2-night private sailing tour and it was the best decision ever.
They take you to islands you’d never reach on a regular tour. There are practically no crowds, and the beaches are SO remote! It was incredible.
Plus, there was no set itinerary. The crew (locals btw) decides the route based on sea and weather conditions. This means you get the best possible experience each day.
At night, we slept in open-air kubos at island base camps. It was simple but surprisingly comfortable, plus we got to experience the local island life.
Don’t expect luxuries, though – bucket showers and basic toilets. But you’ll disconnect from the outside world completely.
It also includes all meals, which are traditional Filipino food, freshly cooked. It’s usually a mix of grilled fish, rice, vegetables, and tropical fruit.
It has great value for money and honestly, it’s a bucket list experience. This is the exact tour we did, we 100% recommend it!
Day 6-8: El Nido
El Nido is such a beautiful town! It has great vibes and excellent food, plus there are heaps of things to do.
We recommend spending at least 3-4 days there to check out the must-see spots (but if you can stretch it to 6, even better).
There are 4 main island-hopping tours – tours A, B, C, and D. Each one takes you to different white sand beaches, but if you’re staying 3 days, stick to tours A and C:
Tour A is the most popular one. It includes Big Lagoon, Secret Lagoon, Shimizu Island, and the iconic Seven Commandos Beach. Here’s an excellent Tour A to check out.
Do Tour C on your second day. It will take you to Hidden Beach, Secret Beach, Matinloc Shrine, and Helicopter Island. Here’s an epic Tour C if you’re keen.
On your last day, take it easy with a short morning trip to Las Cabanas Beach for swimming and ziplining over the ocean! Before doing the van transfer to Puerto Princesa, Palawan’s capital.
Where to stay in El Nido
We recommend staying in the settlement in Barangay Buena Suerte as it’s within walking distance to where the boat tours depart.
Happiness Hostel El Nido is a great budget-friendly option there (shared bathrooms), plus it’s at walking distance to Taraw Cliff for the best panoramic views of the area.
The Cuna Hotel is another excellent option if you’re looking for more privacy (no shared bathrooms).
Day 9-11: Puerto Princesa
We recommend staying 3 days in Puerto Princesa. Your first day should definitely start with the main attraction – the Underground River!
It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature.
It’s about a 1.5-hour drive from town so it’s more of a full-day activity. Tours like this one include everything – transport, lunch, permits, etc!
Then on your second day, definitely go island-hopping around Honda Bay. It’s a small archipelago with turquoise waters and great snorkelling! Most tours include Luli Island and Cowrie Island, which are absolutely epic.
For your last day, explore Puerto Princesa itself. It’s a lovely town with great vibes and heaps of history! We recommend booking a half-day city tour like this one to get to know the city.
Then, hop on the plane to Cebu City!
Where to stay in Puerto Princesa
As the capital of Palawan, there are dozens of accommodation options for all budgets.
Holiday suites is an epic option for most budgets and has an excellent location. Plus last time we checked they had a free airport shuttle!
Day 12-14: Cebu Island
There are so many things to do in Cebu Island that we honestly recommend spending 3 days here! It’s going to be jam-packed, so be prepared for a few incredible days.
Here are a few things we recommend doing:
Day 1 – Full-day trip to Moalboal, 2.5 hours south of Cebu City. That’s where the iconic Sardine Run is, as well as Kawasan Falls for some epic canyoneering.
Day 2 – Waterfall-chasing! Dao Falls and Inambakan Falls are an absolute must.
Day 3 – Explore Cebu City itself. This town has a rich history, so head to places like Magellan’s Cross, Basilica del Santo Niño, and Fort San Pedro to learn about it.
You’ll notice that we didn’t mention Oslob, a town famous for whale shark encounters.
It’s because we don’t recommend swimming with whale sharks in Oslob. It’s not the whale sharks’ natural environment, they attract them there with food so tourists can swim with them.
And although it’s true this has revitalised the town, this practice has damaging effects on the migration patterns and behaviours of the whale sharks.
We actually went to Southern Leyte to swim with them, as it’s a more authentic and eco-friendly way to swim with these majestic creatures.
Where to stay in Cebu
Definitely stay near Fuente Osmeña Circle or Ayala Center Cebu if you want easy access to food, shopping, and transportation! Castle Peak Hotel and Quest Hotel Cebu are some great stays in that area.
But honestly, if you can spare a few more days, we recommend actually staying in Moalboal! D’ Gecko Hotel is a great choice that’s within walking distance to the beach.
Day 15-17: Bohol
Bohol is a 2-hour ferry away from Cebu City and it’s absolutely stunning. It has the iconic “Chocolate Hills”, a group of massive grass-covered mounds that turn brown in the dry season!
We recommend spending 3 days there. Here are some things to do during your stay:
A full-day trip like this one to see the Chocolate Hills, the Tarsier Sanctuary, and cruise along the Loboc River.
Snorkel on Balicasag Island and swim with the local turtles.
Visit the Baclayon Church, one of the oldest stone churches in the Philippines.
Check out the Man-Made Forest in Bilar.
Swim in the underground pool of Hinagdanan Cave.
Then prepare for your ferry ride to Siquijor!
Where to stay in Bohol
We recommend staying in Panglao, you’ll have the beach right there, plus the food and general vibes are amazing.
Mad Monkey Panglao is an excellent budget-friendly option, while Henann Resort Alona Beach is ideal for those looking for comfort.
Day 18-21: Siquijor
The mystical Siquijor is a ferry away from Bohol. It’s a 2-3 hour ride and boats depart several times a day so it’s easy to include in your itinerary.
Definitely rent a scooter if you can, it’s the best way to explore the island (₱300–₱500 per day).
Here are some things we recommend doing during your stay:
Cambugahay Falls, it’s got bright blue pools and fun rope swings to jump into the water!
Old Enchanted Balete Tree, a 400-year-old tree at the heart of many local legends. Dip your feet into the spring at the base of the tree, and tiny fish will nibble away!
Salagdoong Beach for cliff jumping or a swim in crystal-clear waters.
Paliton Beach for epic snorkelling.
Have pizza, it’s crazy good here!
For day 21, go for one last swim on the beach before making your way back to Dumaguete to fly to Manila, and then back home.
Where to stay in Siquijor
Siquijor is a small island, but there are lots of accommodation options.
We recommend either White Villas Resort or the Sea View Resort. Both are on the famous Siquijor Circumferential Road, which has heaps of places to eat and drink!
2-week itinerary for a sweet spot
Most people will probably have up to 2 weeks available for this trip. If that’s you, just stick to the first 14 days of the itinerary above:
2 days in Coron.
3-day island-hopping from Coron to El Nido.
3 days in El Nido.
3 days in Puerto Princesa.
3 days in Cebu with a full-day trip to Bohol.
If you don’t want to do the 3-day island-hopping tour, then add those extra days to El Nido and/or Cebu!
10-Day itinerary if you’re short on time
10 days is the minimum time we recommend staying in the Philippines.
Getting there is time-consuming – it’s at least an 8-hour flight from Australia. Not to mention the planning required to fly or ferry from one island to the other.
So, honestly, if you don’t have 10 days available for this trip, why not travel locally instead? Consider places like Tassie, Exmouth, Kangaroo Island, Yorke Peninsula, Gold Coast, etc.
But if you do have 10 days available, here’s a solid itinerary:
2 days in Coron.
3 days in El Nido.
2 days in Puerto Princesa.
3 days in Cebu.
We recommend doing lots of island-hopping tours as they include transport and food, so they’re quite convenient.
You won’t have much wiggle room, though, so make sure to carefully plan the transportation from one place to the other and stick to your itinerary!
Have more days? Add these spots
We’ve spent months in the Philippines and can’t get enough of it! So if you have more than 3 weeks available, here are some awesome places worth adding to your itinerary:
Southern Leyte (From November to May only)
If you want to swim with whale sharks in their natural habitat, this is the place to be! Unlike other spots where they give them food to attract them, here the encounters are all natural.
It’s a bit of a trek to get there, with a ferry ride and a long car trip, but the peaceful vibes and the chance to swim with these gentle giants without harming them make it worth it.
You’ll need at least 3 days to make the most of it, and if you’re into diving, there are also pristine reefs teeming with marine life to explore.
Siargao
Known as the surfing capital of the Philippines, Siargao is home to the famous Cloud 9 surf break, but there are waves for all levels!
And even if you’re not into surfing, the laid-back island vibes, epic sunsets, and endless food options will win you over.
Getting there takes some planning, but once you arrive, it’s hard to leave – we spent a month there and couldn’t get enough! You’ll want to stay at least 3 days there.
Boracay
If you’re craving the classic tropical resort experience, go to Boracay.
After its recent clean-up, the island has found a balance between tourism and preserving its natural beauty, so it’s a solid choice. A 3-day stay is usually the sweet spot.
Planning your trip to the Philippines
Here are some tips to help you plan your trip to this tropical paradise:
Getting there from Australia
The Philippines is an 8-hour flight from Australia, landing in Manila. There aren’t any direct flights to Cebu (that we know of) and most return tickets cost around 450-950 USD.
At the moment, the only cities that have direct flights are Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. If you’re travelling from Perth, you’ll have to do a layover in Singapore!
Airlines like Cebu Pacific have flash sales from time to time, so keep your eyes peeled if you want to save some money.
You can also look into Trip.com for deals! They have a price alert feature (like Google Flights but better) so you’ll get a notification if the price drops. Check it out here!
Best time to visit
The Philippines has two main seasons – the dry season (December to April) and the rainy season (May to November). So anytime in the dry season is the best time to visit!
January is great for local festivals but it’s peak season, while March is our favourite month as the weather is excellent and there aren’t as many tourists.
The rainy season reaches its peak between July and September, when most of Southeast Asia is affected by typhoons.
This is the worst time to visit as there’s a risk of flight cancellations, flooding, and even power outages.
That said, there are some perks if you time your visit right. We talk about that and more in our guide to the best time to visit the Philippines, here!
Average costs
The Philippines is super affordable! Budget travellers can spend around $40-$50 USD/ day, while mid-range travellers usually spend $80–$150 USD daily.
You also have to factor in the costs of moving from one destination to the other:
Domestic flights cost around $30-$100 USD, and they’re by far the fastest way to hop between islands.
Ferries are sometimes the only way to go from one place to another. They can be cheaper than flights ($10-$50 USD) but take longer – some routes can take 12-24 hours.
But once you’re at your destination, getting around is super cheap. Tuk-tuks and jeepneys are budget-friendly and give you that classic Filipino travel experience.
If you want more independence, renting a scooter is a great option and is usually pretty affordable.
Now, island-hopping tours are a must in the Philippines. They’re usually priced between $20-$40 USD and include transportation, snorkelling gear, and even lunch, so they’re great value for money.
Quick money tip – We always use our Wise card when travelling overseas. It gives great exchange rates, and you can withdraw up to 12,000 Philippine pesos for free! Check it out here.
Top Tips
When travelling from one destination to the other, don’t plan tight connections – if you’ve got a ferry or another flight after a domestic one, give yourself some wiggle room. Domestic flights often get delayed.
Safety-wise, the Philippines is generally safe for travellers, but it’s smart to take basic precautions.
Petty theft can happen in jeepneys or crowded markets, so keep an eye on your belongings.
Also, if you plan on renting a scooter (especially in places like Siargao or Siquijor), make sure you’re comfortable driving in sometimes chaotic traffic and rough roads.
And always wear a helmet, even if you see locals riding without one! Bec had an accident when a dog ran in front of her scooter, which is a common thing after sunset, especially in small towns.
Did you know?
The Philippines is an archipelagic country, with over 7,600 islands scattered across the Pacific!
Some islands are only accessible by small ferries that don’t run daily, while others require a mix of flights, boats, and land travel.
Historically, the islands have been isolated from each other, leading to over 170 distinct languages spoken across the country.
FAQs
Is 7 days enough in the Philippines?
No, we don’t think 7 days is enough in the Philippines if you’re travelling from Australia, unless you’re spending that time on one island (like Palawan). We think 10 days is the minimum time.
FREE GUIDE: 100+ Epic Things to Do in Western Australia (By Locals)
We’ve spent 10+ years exploring Western Australia. This free guide gives you the places we’d send our mates to.
✅ Sorted by region
✅ Hidden beaches, hikes + 4WD tracks
✅ How long to stay, best times to go
🎁 Bonus map to make planning stupid easy
Our Essential Travel Toolkit
🤩 Wise Card – Online bank to hold money in different currencies worldwide and lowest fees in the market! (FREE debit card here)
🤩 Trip.com – Consistently great accommodation and hotel deals.
🤩 Hostelworld – Looking for the cheapest accommodation? We especially love the “book now, pay later” feature.
🤩 Rentalcars.com – Best range, super easy to compare prices rental car and motorhome prices.
🤩 Viator.com – Easily book tours and experiences at the lowest rate. Great selection all over Australia.
🤩 Tripadvisor.com – Other than our website…😉 the best place to find things to do
🤩 Airalo – eSIM store that solves the pain of high roaming bills by giving travelers access to eSIMs (digital SIM cards).
🤩 Caravan RV Camping – Traveling Australia in a van, caravan or bus? Use our discount code “saltandcharcoal” to get $30 off any orders over $300.
