There are as many itineraries for a trip to the Philippines as there are people and islands. That means… MILLIONS OF POSSIBILITIES! However, don’t worry, it’s not as overwhelming as it seems. While it’s true that designing a trip largely depends on the traveler’s preferences and, above all, the number of REAL days available (as we explain in Philippines Trip Planning), we can walk you through some of the most common routes travelers take around the country. In this case, we want to share a 15-day independent Philippines itinerary that we believe is perfect for a first introduction to the country.
Before anything else, here are other options in case you have more or less time:
Heads up: if you’re visiting the country in summer, you’ll like this hot-off-the-press article: 2-week Philippines itinerary in August.
Features of the 15-day itinerary for the Philippines
Here are some of the key features of this 15-day route through the Philippines:
- As on any trip to the Philippines, every day spent moving from one destination to another is basically a “lost” day. Don’t worry, we’ve taken it into account.
- It’s a medium-to-high-intensity trip. In other words, it’s not the most relaxed, but there’s still time to enjoy each place without feeling like you’re in transit all day. If you prefer a slower pace (which is great), you can cut one stop. In that case, we suggest skipping Siquijor.
- The starting point of this itinerary is Manila, but it’s also possible—and actually advisable—to start in Cebu. We mention Manila first because international flights there are usually cheaper.
- It covers 2 areas of Palawan and gives you enough time to enjoy both. Of course, you can also extend the trip to places like Coron, which we love, if you have more time.
- It includes beach time as well as motorbike or car trips, which makes it more varied. You’ll see waterfalls, mountain landscapes, small villages…
- As this is a 15-day trip around the Philippines, we don’t stray too far from the most popular places (which are easier to reach), so you’ll need to be patient and look for ways to avoid the crowds. Don’t worry, there are plenty! In each of our guides, we share tips to help you enjoy these places to the fullest without the crowds.
- It’s not a Philippines itinerary with lots of room for diving, although you can dive in Bohol (Balicasag) or Siquijor.
15-day Philippines travel itinerary
Day 1: Manila – Puerto Princesa – Port Barton
Days 2 and 3: Port Barton
Day 4: How to get from Port Barton to El Nido
Days 5, 6 and 7: El Nido
Day 8: How to get from El Nido to Bohol
Days 9, 10 and 11: Bohol
Day 12: How to get from Bohol to Siquijor
Days 13 and 14: Siquijor
Day 15: How to get from Siquijor to Cebu or Manila
Remember that travel insurance is essential, so you’re not taking unnecessary risks. In Best travel insurance for the Philippines we tell you which one and why it’s the best. We’ve been using it for years and (unfortunately) have had to rely on it many times, and it has saved us thousands of dollars in hospital bills. Plus, if you buy it by clicking here, you get a 5% discount for being a reader of our site, and you also help us keep creating useful, up-to-date content like this 🙂
Detailed itinerary for the Philippines trip: 15 days
Let’s see, step by step, how to do this trip through the Philippines.
Day 1: Manila – Puerto Princesa – Port Barton
We’ll assume you’re arriving in the Philippines via Manila and have time to catch one of the flights to Puerto Princesa that usually depart from the airport’s T2 and T3.
When booking this flight, keep in mind it’s advisable to leave at least a 3–4 hour layover between your international and domestic flights. There are several reasons for this:
- Flights can be delayed.
- In 99% of cases you’ll have to change airport terminal. There’s a free shuttle between terminals and it doesn’t run very often, so sometimes you’ll need a taxi and Manila traffic is awful. When you arrive, ask about the transfer between terminals and, if needed, opt for a Grab.
- You need to go through immigration and collect your luggage; this usually takes about an hour.
- It’s also a good idea to exchange some money at the airport, as we explain in Money in the Philippines, and buy a SIM card to have internet.
If you arrive in Puerto Princesa before 18:00, don’t hesitate and take a van to Port Barton (you’ll find detailed info in How to get to Port Barton). If not, you can stay overnight in Puerto Princesa and leave early the next day, or try to negotiate a private transfer.
Recommended accommodations:
- If you need to stay near Manila airport for the night: Savoy Hotel Manila
- If you need to sleep in Puerto Princesa: Golden Pension House
- For your stay in Port Barton: Ausan Beach Front Cottages or any of the options we share in Where to stay in Port Barton
Days 2 and 3: Port Barton
These days of your 15-day trip to the Philippines are all about enjoying Port Barton to the fullest. In our Port Barton Guide you’ll find all the details, but our advice is to split your time like this:
- Day trip to the beaches of Port Barton: Coconut Beach, White Beach and/or Pamuayan Waterfall and Pamuayan Beach.
- Spend your first day island hopping in Port Barton and wrap it up with an epic sunset. Read more in Island hopping in Port Barton.
Day 4: Port Barton – El Nido
Today is a travel day, but you’ll still be able to make the most of your time in El Nido, one of Palawan’s gems.
In How to get to El Nido you’ll find everything you need, but we can already tell you that you can take one of the vans from Port Barton to El Nido. Our recommendation: do it as early as possible. The trip takes about 3.5–4 hours.
When you arrive in El Nido and drop your bags at the hotel, you can do several things. The most laid-back option is to head to Las Cabañas Beach, one of the best beaches in El Nido, enjoy a good swim and one of the best sunsets in the Philippines. If you have more energy, you could even go to Nacpan and/or Lio Beach.
Recommended accommodations in El Nido:
- Great value-for-money option: Bulskamp Inn
- For a treat: Last Frontier
- More recommendations on the best places to stay in El Nido.
Days 5, 6 and 7: El Nido
The next few days of your 15-day Philippines itinerary are for discovering some of the best of what El Nido has to offer. In our article on Things to do in El Nido you’ll find the best activities and island hopping tours, but here’s a brief day-by-day summary:
- Island hopping A (you can also combine tours A+C or B+D).
- Route along the beaches of Nacpan, Duli, Lio Beach and/or Las Cabañas.
- Island hopping C (or any combination). If you prefer, you can also go kayaking.
The order doesn’t really matter, but we suggest checking the weather forecast and choosing a sunny day for the tours. You can read more in Island hopping in El Nido.
Day 8: El Nido – Bohol
Today is a travel day and you have several ways to make the journey. You should choose the option that saves you the most time or money. Basically, you have 4 options:
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- Book a direct flight from El Nido to Bohol with Air Swift (the most convenient).
- Book a direct flight from El Nido to Cebu with Air Swift and then take a ferry from Cebu to Bohol.
- Book a flight from El Nido to Clark with Air Swift and then a flight from Clark to Bohol (a longer and likely more expensive option).
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- Go by van from El Nido to Puerto Princesa (4–5 hours), book a flight from Puerto Princesa to Cebu and then a ferry to Bohol (slower, but cheaper).
You’ll find more information in How to get to Bohol.
Any option you choose—except the first—will take up most of the day, so you’ll probably only have time to rest once you get to Bohol. If you opted for a direct flight, you’ll have more time to enjoy Bohol and could, for example, stay in Panglao and enjoy the wonderful Dumaluan Beach, the best beach in Bohol.
The insurance we use also covers you while you do snorkeling, diving, kayaking, zip-lining… and here you have a 5% discount:
Recommended accommodations in Bohol:
- Great value for money: Alona 42 Resort
- For a treat: Bohol Beach Club
- More recommendations for where to stay in Bohol here.
This time, because of how the itinerary is planned, we highly recommend staying in the Panglao area, where you’ll have more dining options, as well as better access to beaches and sunsets. We’ve written a specific accommodation guide for the area: Best places to stay in Panglao, best hotels.
Days 9, 10 and 11: Bohol
Welcome to the Visayas region! Bohol is a huge island where you could stay for a long time, but to keep this itinerary realistic, we’ve set aside 3 days to cover the basics. If you like to go off the beaten path, give it more time and explore Loboc in more depth (you can stay overnight there) and our beloved Anda (a corner away from Panglao’s tourism where we suggest at least a couple of nights). In that case, our advice is to stay in one of the Panglao hotels we recommended.
In our Bohol Guide you’ll find lots of information to plan these days of your 15-day Philippines itinerary, but here’s a good way to structure your time:
- Spend a relaxing day on the beaches of Panglao. Rent a motorbike and discover Alona Beach, White Beach or Dumaluan Beach, and head to the Danao Beach area or North Zen Villas for an incredible sunset.
- Explore inland Bohol. Rent a motorbike or a car and visit the Chocolate Hills, the Loboc River and the bamboo hanging bridge…
- Spend the day diving in Balicasag or snorkeling at the Balicasag marine sanctuary to greet (very respectfully) the hundreds of turtles living there. In the afternoon, relax for a while at Dumaluan Beach.
A possible alternative to this 15-day Philippines route is to leave only days 9 and 10 in Bohol and on day 11 head straight to Siquijor. We especially recommend this if you managed to arrive early enough on day 8. With 2 full days you’ll see the island’s main sights.
Chocolate Hills
Day 12: Bohol – Siquijor
Leave early to take the Oceanjet ferry from Tagbilaran Port to Siquijor. In How to get to Siquijor you’ll find all the information, but we can already tell you that you’ll be there in just a couple of hours, so you can spend the afternoon enjoying the beaches of San Juan and one of the best sunsets of your life.
By the way, depending on the company you choose, you’ll arrive at one port or another in Siquijor. In any case, you’ll need to take a tricycle to your hotel. Our advice is to share with others to reduce the price.
Recommended accommodations in Siquijor:
- Great value for money: Swakihan Guest House
- A treat: Coco Grove Beach Resort
- More recommendations for where to stay in Siquijor.
Days 13 and 14: Siquijor
Welcome to the mystical island of the Philippines! We’ll spend these two days of your 15-day trip to the Philippines discovering its secrets. In Things to do in Siquijor, you’ll find a full list of activities on the island, but our tip is to split the days like this:
- Rent a motorbike and do a loop around the island covering, of course, Cambugahay Falls and Lugnason Falls, the Old Balete Tree, Salagdoong Beach, the beaches of Sandugan, and Lazi Church. End the day with sunset at Paliton.
- With a motorbike, you can head into the heart of the island, look for a hilot (traditional massage) to relax, then go snorkeling at the Tubod sanctuary or relax on the hidden beaches of Kagusuan. Depending on the season, Tulapos Marine Sanctuary may be a better choice for spotting reef sharks and turtles.
If you didn’t get enough snorkeling in Balicasag, you can spend that second day on an Apo Island excursion from Siquijor. There’s more info in our Siquijor Guide.
Paliton Beach-Salagdoong-Cambugahay
Day 15: Siquijor – Cebu/Manila
It’s time to wrap up this great 15-day Philippines route… Depending on the time and departure point of your flight, you’ll need to plan your way out of Siquijor one way or another. Our advice, in any case, is to be in the departure city the day before. In the Philippines, you never know what might happen with ferry or flight cancellations, especially in the rainy season.
You have the following options for leaving Siquijor. Which one is best depends on your scheduled departure time from the Philippines:
- Ferry from Siquijor to Cebu (you have Oceanjet or the Lite Ferries night ferries, which only run on certain days of the week).
- Ferry from Siquijor to Dumaguete and a flight from Dumaguete to Manila. This is usually the most comfortable and fastest, as there are many ferry departures daily.
- Ferry from Siquijor to Bohol (you can book here) and then a flight from Bohol to Manila. It wouldn’t be our first choice, but Bohol’s airport is well-equipped and has flights even at night.
And that’s the end of this proposal for an independent trip to the Philippines! If you’ve followed our plan and have time left to enjoy Manila, have a look at our 1-day itinerary for the capital in Things to do in Manila.
Whether you finish your trip in Cebu or Manila, remember to leave enough time to reach the airport; traffic in both cities, especially Manila, can be brutal.
Recommended accommodations:
- Where to sleep in Manila: City Garden Grand Hotel (with pool). More options in Best places to stay in Manila.
- Where to sleep in Cebu: Hop Inn Hotel Cebu City. More options in Best places to stay in Cebu.
Map of the 15-day route through the Philippines
You can get a clearer overview of this 15-day Philippines itinerary with this map, where we’ve also marked the different accommodations we’ve recommended:
For this and any other itinerary through the Philippines, travel insurance is essential. In Best travel insurance for the Philippines we explain which one we’ve been using for years and that, beyond medical issues, it also covers things like theft, baggage problems, transport issues, diving and, if necessary, repatriation, among many other things.
As a Travel Around the Philippines reader, you also get a 5% discount if you purchase it from here:
Tips to enjoy this 15-day Philippines itinerary
Before we wrap up, here are a few extra tips of our own:
- What’s the best time to do this 15-day trip through the Philippines? In this case, since we focus on Palawan and the Western Visayas, the best time is between November and May, which are the dry-season months in these regions. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t do it at another time, even in the rainy season. You can read more on this in When to travel to the Philippines?
- If the weather worries you, there’s also this 2-week Philippines august itinerary.
- Of course, the route can be done in reverse. In that case, our advice is to leave Port Barton for the end, since Puerto Princesa Airport is very well equipped and there’s a lower risk of cancellations and delays than from El Nido. You’ll need to see what works best for your dates in terms of schedules and prices.
- It’s important to note that El Nido–Bohol flights (or vice versa) aren’t daily, so check the schedule carefully to optimize your 15-day Philippines route.
- If you’re going on a backpacking trip through the Philippines and want to save, don’t bring much luggage. You won’t need warm clothes and there are laundries everywhere, so try not to check bags on domestic flights. Almost all Philippine airlines charge for checked luggage and carry-on luggage is usually limited to 7 kg.
- As you’ve seen, all the information you need for your trip is on our website, but these articles are particularly useful: our recommendations and tips for traveling to the Philippines and our Philippines Guide.
Did you like this 15-day Philippines itinerary? Any questions? We’d love to hear from you in the comments.
