Hey reddit,

I just finished one month in the Philippines solo and I thought I'd share my travel itinerary while it's still fresh.

Manila - 1-2 nights

Started here and stayed for two nights to catch up on sleep. Z Hostel is good if you want to get right into socializing. I stayed at Lub D which is like a full fledged hotel and has super comfy beds. Not so great for meeting people though. Shout out to the Royal Indian Curry House - expensive but delicious authentic Indian food.

Siargao Island - 5 nights

Amazing surf island with a super laid back vibe. Good for chilling but perfect if you're into surfing. It's probably my favourite spot in the Philippines. I'd recommend renting a scooter for your entire time there. It's normal 350 p/day but for 5 days I got it for 1400. Couple that with a surfboard rental from the same place and you save even more (350p/day or discount with scooter and longer renting time).

I stayed at Salty Nomads hostel. It's basic but the host makes sure to introduce you to everyone in the hostel when you arrive. Avocado Tree is a great hostel as well and built a bit better for socializing.

Cloud 9 beach is great for learning to surf but anyone with experience will hate it because it's full of locals pushing tourists out on the waves so they can learn. There's some really great more hidden locations just 30-40 mins drive out of General Luna (main hostel area), you just have to ask around (sorry I don't know the names of any of the beaches).

Things to do:

• Magpunko Rock Pools - really cool intertidal area. Only go at low tide!
• Tayangban Cave
• Tak Tak waterfall
• Island hopping tours - I recommend going to Sohoton Cove.

There's good night life as well. Only one bar is open late each night so it provides a nice change of pace each night that you go out. Bravo is a really nice spot for predrinks every night. It has a skate bowl, good food, and a nice dance party around 10pm.

Keep in mind that General Luna only has one ATM that gets emptied almost every day so arrive with a bunch of money. There are a couple restaurants that offer cash back but I can't remember them so ask around if you're desperate for money.

Cebu Island - Cebu City, Malapascua, Moalboal, Oslob 5-7 nights

I took the overnight ferry from Siargao to Cebu City. It costs around 1000p (vs 3-4000 flying) and takes 8 hours. You leave at 8pm, transfer to Surigao, then transfer to another boat to Cebu City and arrive around 4-5am. You have to just chill in your hostel until check in time. Stay at Big Pauls if you want a more laid back hotel vibe or stay at Mad Monkey if you want to party.

If you are into diving, I'd suggest going straight up to Malapascua to dive with Thresher Sharks. Amazing experience! However it's about 8 hours travel from Cebu City and really far from everything else to do in Cebu.

If you skip it, catch a bus to Moalboal (around 5 hours from Cebu City). Stay at Chief Mao if you can.

Things to do in Moalboal :

• Canyoning - 8,10,12,15 meter jumps in the middle of the jungle!
• Snorkeling right out on the main beach. You get to swim with huge school of sardines and you can see turtles and sea snakes. Only 100p/day to rent snorkels.
• Diving at multiple locations around Moalboal. I opted not to because the snorkeling was so good.
• Trip to Osmena Peak. I didnt have time but my friends said it was worth the trip

From Moalboal, bus to Oslob***

The main attraction here is the whale sharks. You have to decide if you want to do it ethically. They feed them daily and it disrupts their migration patterns. I did it, and while it was really cool to see these beautiful creatures up close, I felt like shit afterwards. Much better if you find a way to see them in their natural habitat.

There's also a nice day trip to Sumilon island with great snorkeling and a nice beach. I also highly recommend Tumalog Falls if you're in Oslob.

You can do this all in a day (5am for whale sharks + 4ish hours for the other two attractions). You can take a boat from Bato (close to Oslob) to Dumaguete. From there, catch another ferry to Siquijor Island.

Siquijor Island - 3 nights

Another one of my favourite islands in the Philippines. It's really small but there's so much to do! Stay at either Sunnyside Hostel or JJ's. They're both beachfront hostels so you can't go wrong with either. Fires and drinks on the beach every night and partying in the city.

Things to do:

Just rent a bike and explore! There's countless waterfalls (a lot of them have rope swings too) and caves to explore. There's also some really nice beaches in the north of the island. Go here with no plan and just see what you can find. Don't miss this island!

***My phone was stolen from my room through the window by a local while I was sleeping, so keep an extra eye on your stuff here.

From Siquijor, take a ferry to Bohol

Bohol Island - 2-3 nights

I stayed in Panglao - a small island connected by a bridge to Bohol. I highly recommend the Coco Chocolate Farm if you stay in Panglao. Amazing food, free hot chocolate, and very chill. Be prepared to be awoken by roosters at 5am though.

Things to do:

• Chocolate Hills - You can either rent a bike and drive (1.5h each way from Panglao) or take a boat up the river. I drove but some people I met showed me great photos from the river ride.

I was pretty sick while I was here so that's all I did. There's decent beaches in Panglao as well.

Take the ferry from Bohol back to Cebu City. From there I flew to Palawan Island.

Palawan Island - 7 nights

I landed in Peurto Princessa and stayed for one night before taking a 6 hour van to El Nido.

El Nido - 6 nights

Fantastic island tours that really show the beauty of the Philippines. Stay at Outpost or Big Paul (free rum/coke every night from 6pm onwards) if you plan to stay at El Nido town. I also highly recommend Mad Monkey at Nacpan Beach. It's 50 mins drive from El Nido town and bloody expensive (around $20 night). I stayed there for Christmas because it was Christmas but if you want to save money, just drive over to Nacpan beach each day and chill there (I'd rent a scooter for your entire time you're there. You can also stay at Where2next hostel at Nacpan if you want the beachfront hostel life but also want to save money.

Things to do:

• Island tours - Take Tour A and Tour C (then B if you have time/money)
• Beaches - Nacpan for chilling or socializing and Duli Beach for surfing. I bolded Duli because I wish I knew about it sooner. It's only 15 mins from Nacpan and completely empty. You can rent surfboards right on the beach and it's even better surfing than Siargao!
• Crazy nightlife in El Nido every night
• Really nice diving that leaves from El Nido town to nearby islands and dive spots

Keep in mind that El Nido is probably 20-30% more expensive for everything compared to the rest of the Philippines. You'll be surprised how often you find yourself at the ATM.

From El Nido, take fast boat to Coron Island.

Coron Island - 3-5 nights

3 hour boat ride from El Nido gets you to Coron. Keep in mind that it's 1760p/each way so it's pretty pricey to visit. Stay at Hop Hostel. There isn't a better hostel in Coron. It's more like a hotel but set up to meet people. There's a free family dinner each night and an amazing rooftop bar overlooking the entire town.

Things to do:

• Diving!! The main draw to Coron. Some of the best reef and wreck dives I've ever seen (although I only have about 40 dives under my belt).
• Island tours - The Ultimate Island Tour is worth the 1600p to do. However there is a cheap one for 1000 that takes you to some really nice spots as well.
• Nightlife is okay in Coron. No groundbreaking clubs or anything but you will have a good time if you have a group.

From Coron you can fly back to Cebu or Manila. I took the overnight ferry from Coron to Manila which was cheapest and took about 16 hours.

Manila - 1-2 nights

Sigh... the end of the trip. Hope you have a good time :-)

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