12 days in the Philippines

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  Arrival in Manila

  Upon your arrival at Manila airport, you will meet your guide, who will welcome you and accompany you to your Berjaya hotel, located in the quiet Makati district.

• day 2

  Manila - Flight to Coron

  In the early morning, you will be transferred from Manila airport to Coron. Once you arrive at the small Busuanga airport, our hotel colleagues will take you to the village of Coron, crossing the rural areas of the island. In 45 minutes, you will be at the Vela Terraces hotel, located in the center of the village. The village of Coron is the commercial heart of Busuanga Island. You will find all kinds of shops, small restaurants, and street food there. For your first day, we invite you to go and discover it. We also recommend other visits: - Visit Maquinit Hot Spring. This natural hot spring is located on the outskirts of the village. You can get to this area using the village tricycles. You can also swim at sunset with an incredible view of Coron Island. - The ascent of Mount Tapyas, which crowns the village of Coron, is a mountain with 700 steps at the exit of the village and offers spectacular views at sunrise and sunset. You will thus see the vastness of Coron Island. - If you like adventure, we suggest renting a motorcycle to tour the island; most of the roads are paved and easy to drive.

• day 3

  Visit to the Coron archipelago

  The waters of Coron Island are so pure and clean that they offer visibility of more than 24 meters deep. The island, famous for being a region where Japanese ships sank during World War II, is a karst paradise of cliffs, rocks, and turquoise lagoons. Fortunately, mass tourism has not yet damaged this natural wonder. Coron Island is protected by the Philippine government and inhabited by the Tagbanua ethnic group. It is one of the oldest ethnic groups in the Philippines, which is why diving excursions only skirt the island, without allowing tourists to access it. The main attractions of the island are Kayangan Lake and Barracuda Lake, which combine saltwater and freshwater, as well as several lagoons such as the Twin Lagoon, where swimming is an unforgettable experience, as the water shifts from very cold to very hot areas.

• day 4

  From Coron to El Nido by boat

  

  Around 10:30-11:00 am, our colleagues will take you to the Coron port, where the El Nido boat is located. NOTE: Since the ferry company (Montenegro Lines) does not issue electronic tickets, our colleagues will take you to their offices, where they will give you your ticket included in the trip. Departure is scheduled for 12:00 pm and arrival at 3:30 pm (depending on sea conditions). Classic tricycles will be waiting for you at the El Nido port to take you to the El Nido Beach Hotel. You will then have a free day to quietly explore the island's corners. To watch a beautiful sunset, you can go to the southern area of El Nido, specifically to the place known as Las Cabañas. It is also a good place to have lunch. Ten minutes by tricycle or motorbike is enough to get there from the center of El Nido. In the evening, you will have the opportunity to visit the village and we recommend the paradisiacal El Nido beach to have dinner in one of its beach bars.

• day 5

  Visit to the El Nido archipelago

  Around 9:00 am, our colleagues will come to pick you up at your hotel and accompany you on foot to the small pier. The first visits of the day will be to Laguna Grande and Laguna Pequeña. You can approach the lagoons by kayak or use the boat to reach the kayaks not far from the lagoons, and thus explore the seabed while enjoying one of the most wonderful places in the world. We will continue our journey to the secret lagoon. The crew will prepare lunch on board for the group and, upon your arrival at Simzu beach, you will find the tables set up on the beach. After these visits, swimming, snorkeling, and kayaking, we will take you to Seven Commando Island where you can rest, swim, and enjoy yourself before your return to El Nido around 4:00 pm. From the pier, we will accompany you to the hotel.

• day 6

  Sail around the islands of the archipelago.

  This second day in the bay will be devoted to discovering beautiful beaches and the most spectacular islands, with their lush beauty. These small hidden white sand beaches will make you feel like a true Robinson Crusoe. We will visit Hidden Beach and Secret Beach. Then, we will approach Matinloc Island, where the guide will explain the history of the church. Finally, we will be able to go snorkeling on Helicopter Island before returning to the hotel.

• day 7

  El Nido - Flight to Cebu - Bohol

  

  Around 11am, you will be transferred to El Nido airport to go to Cebu. Arrival is scheduled for around 2:35pm. At the airport, our car will be waiting to take you to the port. We will try to take the ferry at 4:00pm to arrive in Tagbilaran, Bohol, around 6:00pm. Our driver, Jamel, will be waiting to take you to your hotel, the Loboc River Resort 3, located on the banks of the Loboc river.

• day 8

  Visit to Bohol: Chocolate Hills, waterfalls, tarsiers.

  A day in Bohol, where we will visit the most characteristic places of the region, in the pure style of Routes Philippines. We remind you that, if your visit falls on a Saturday, the Carmen market is a visit worth making and where you can discover the daily life of the Cebuanos. On the other hand, today's visit will start around 9:00 am. Our local guide in Bohol will pick you up at your hotel and take you to the area where he will leave you some ATVs or a small vehicle for two people to explore the landscape of the Chocolate Hills. You will take a tour of about 45 minutes to discover the lands where the famous little green mounds were born. Then, to see how the people of this region live, we will take you to see the small Pangas waterfalls. It is a beautiful route, but the roads are not very good for cars. Most people go there by motorbike. You can also arrange a day by motorbike in Bohol. We will take you to lunch at NutsHuts, located in a fantastic setting in the heart of the jungle. We will also visit the butterfly farm and the bamboo bridge. At the end of the day, we will go see the tarsiers. These are very small animals that come out mostly at night, which is why we reserve this visit for the last hour before the park closes.

• day 9

  Bohol-Dumaguete-Siquijor

  In the morning, we will drop you off at the ferry terminal to take the boat that will take you to Siquijor. You will leave around 10:30 am and arrive in the city of Dumaguete about two hours later, where you will not have to move. Other travelers will get on and off, as it is the same boat that goes to Siquijor. You will arrive in Siquijor around 1:15 pm. We will be waiting for you to take you to your hotel Coco Grove (deluxe), located in the San Juan area, where you will find the most beautiful paradise beaches on the island.

• day 10

  Free days on Siquijor

  

  Siquijor is a quiet island, almost without traffic, with a very local atmosphere. We recommend renting a motorbike for a day and exploring the island yourself, the fishing villages, and searching for the best hidden beaches between cliffs and forests. Additionally, we also recommend visiting the Cambugahay waterfalls, where you can swim, as well as the central area of the island, which is quite mountainous. Siquijor is known by Filipinos for its healers and sorcerers, but this is just a legend and it is difficult to see them on the island, even though many Filipinos avoid this place. We advise you to visit the neighboring island of Apo from Siquijor. We have not organized this visit in order to give you more free time, but if you need it, do not hesitate to let us know. Otherwise, at the hotel, they will explain how to get there and the different visiting options. Apo Island is a small marine sanctuary (the island is only 72 hectares) where a multitude of exotic marine species, such as crustaceans, nudibranchs, and fish, live in harmony. Diving in these waters is always a pleasure. It is considered one of the best diving sites in the country and has become a popular destination for tourists in recent years.

• day 11

  Free days on Siquijor

  Siquijor is a quiet island, almost without traffic, with a very local atmosphere. We advise you to rent a motorbike for a day and visit the island yourself, the fishing villages, and look for the best hidden beaches between cliffs and forests. In addition, we also recommend visiting the Cambugahay waterfalls, swimming there, and discovering the central area of the island, which is quite mountainous. Siquijor is known by Filipinos for its healers and sorcerers, but this is only a legend. It is difficult to notice this on the island, even though many Filipinos avoid this place. We advise you to visit the neighboring island of Apo from Siquijor. We have not organized this visit in order to give you more free time, but if you need it, do not hesitate to tell us. Otherwise, at the hotel, they will explain how to get there and the different visiting options. Apo Island is a small marine sanctuary (the island is only 72 hectares) where a multitude of exotic marine species, such as crustaceans, nudibranchs, and fish, live in harmony. Diving in these waters is always a pleasure. It is considered one of the best diving sites in the country and has become a popular destination for tourists in recent years.

• day 12

  Siquijor - Dumaguete - Flight to Manila and connecting flight

  At the scheduled time, we will take you to the Siquijor port to catch the ferry to Dumaguete. There is a boat every 45 minutes, and in half an hour, you will be back in the largest city on the island of Negros, Dumaguete. If you have time, and depending on your flight time, we recommend taking a walk around the city; it is a calm and friendly place, very local, with a good atmosphere. At the scheduled time, you will board the flight from Dumaguete to Manila. There are several flights per day with Cebu Pacific, and we will take care of finding you the best combination. Once in Manila, you will take your international flight with many memories from this 12-day trip to the Philippines. The price includes - English-speaking guide in all destinations - Private tour in Bohol and group tour in El Nido and Coron - All transfers are private, except the transfer from Coron to the airport which may be shared with other travelers. - Bohol tour with an English-speaking guide - Visits to the Chocolate Hills by quad - Visits to the tarsiers and waterfalls in the Bohol region - Meals listed on this itinerary - Transfers to and from the airports - Hotels indicated in this itinerary - Ferry Coron - El Nido, Cebu - Tagbilaran, Tagbilaran - Siquijor, Siquijor - Dumaguete - Domestic flights: Manila - Coron, El Nido – Cebu, Dumaguete - Manila - International travel insurance The price does not include - Drinks - International flights - Port taxes - Expenses related to issues not concerning the organization, related to weather conditions, natural disasters, flight cancellations, delays, schedule changes, accidents, or medical evacuation.