Renting a motorbike in the Philippines and riding its roads is, without a doubt, the most popular way to move around its different islands in search of all their treasures. Its low price and the ease of finding rental bikes practically anywhere in the country make this one of the most comfortable ways to travel the Philippines independently.
Given how common it is to ride a motorbike in the Philippines during your trip, it’s important to keep in mind a few very important aspects that many people either don’t know or even have completely wrong. We’re going to talk about essentials such as the international driving permit, the deposit, and whether travel insurance really covers you in these cases. Let’s roll!
Renting a motorbike in the Philippines: do you need a license or an international permit?
This is one of the questions that raises the most doubts when renting a motorbike in the Philippines: the international driving permit. Let’s get straight to the point: the international permit is completely unnecessary for driving in the Philippines. If you’ve already gotten it, don’t worry—later we’ll tell you why it’s not a bad idea and how it can get you out of trouble. But otherwise, don’t bother. You can read this explicitly on the Ministry’s page.
If you have a driving license other than the Spanish one, you must check whether you need an INTERNATIONAL driving permit or license. This regulation varies by country.
What many people don’t know is that with a Spanish driving license, thanks to an international agreement, you can legally drive in the Philippines for 90 days. Surprise! But wait—don’t celebrate too soon, because here’s where it gets interesting. The car driving license in Spain is the “type B”. In most European countries, this category allows you to ride motorbikes up to 125 cc, but that’s not the case in Asia, where a “type A” license is required.
In short:
- If your Spanish driving license (also applicable to Latin Americans) is only type B: you can drive cars in the Philippines, but not motorbikes
- If your Spanish driving license is type A: you can ride motorbikes in the Philippines without any problem.
- Whether you have A, B or both, the international driving permit is not necessary to ride a motorbike in the Philippines since there is an agreement with the regular license.
So, can I ride a motorbike in the Philippines with the international permit?
Now that we’ve told you the legal way to rent and ride a motorbike in the Philippines, we’re going to share our experience with you. We’ll confess that, when we first started traveling, like the vast majority of travelers, we didn’t know any of this and rode around with our international driving permit (stamped as type B) thinking we were doing the right thing.
The truth is that on a few occasions we’ve been stopped at a traffic checkpoint and asked for our documents (even when driving a tuk-tuk). We showed our type B international permit and absolutely nothing happened. They smiled and let us continue. In many cases it depends on the officer you run into: they may not know exactly how it works or they simply don’t care.
Because of this, many people might tell you “the police stopped me in the Philippines and let me continue when I showed the type B international permit.” What those people don’t tell you is that if you have an accident that harms third parties or even the motorbike itself, riding without the proper paperwork can put you before a judge.
We repeat: we don’t want to scare you, but this is the real information. After that, it’s your call.
How much does it cost to rent a motorbike in the Philippines
Renting a motorbike in the Philippines is very cheap, which makes it one of the most popular ways to get around the country. The price—which is negotiable in many cases if you extend the rental—usually ranges between 250 and 500 pesos per day depending on the destination and the dates. In places like Romblon, where supply is rather low, they may ask for 500 pesos, while in Alona Beach you can find them for 350 or in Camiguin for 300.
Where to rent
You won’t have any trouble spotting “Rent a bike” signs (rent a motorbike) everywhere. The most common places to rent your bike are hotels, mechanic workshops and specialized shops that handle rentals. Sometimes you can also do it through local residents on the island or the most varied kinds of businesses. For example, we rented one from a restaurant in Anda, Bohol.
Deposit for the motorbike
Although it doesn’t happen as much as in Thailand, in some places they may ask you to leave your passport as a deposit in order to rent the bike. This is usually done to avoid a tourist who has an accident abandoning the bike somewhere and leaving the country, putting the owner in a tight spot. As far as possible, avoid doing this. To begin with, it’s illegal, since the passport belongs to the State and leaving it in someone else’s possession is a crime. On the other hand, you’re risking what happened to us in Thailand: they tried to charge us a fortune for a scratch on the bike that wasn’t ours and threatened not to return our passport.
Deposits in the Philippines aren’t so widespread. There are places that ask you for some money which they later return, but there are also others where not only do you not pay a deposit, you don’t even pay the rental until you return the vehicle.
Travel insurance for riding a motorbike in the Philippines
After reading on countless blogs and websites that travel insurance doesn’t cover you in case of an accident, we got in touch with the insurer we use to confirm it. They confirmed 100% that, of course, in the event of a motorbike accident (whether riding or as a passenger) we are covered with any of their different policies.
We also took the opportunity to ask what would happen if we had an accident while riding without the correct permit. They also confirmed that, regardless of the license or permit we use to rent a motorbike in the Philippines, this travel insurance covers us. You can get your travel insurance (the same one we use) with a 5% discount here:
5% discount Travel and motorbike insurance in the Philippines
⚠️ Read your policy conditions carefully because some policies won’t cover you in case of an accident if you aren’t wearing a helmet or if you don’t have an appropriate license. We’ve warned you several times, but you could get yourself into real trouble.
Tips for riding a motorbike in the Philippines
It may be your first time driving in a foreign country and that can be a bit intimidating. Which side should you drive on? What should you keep in mind before renting a motorbike in the Philippines? Should you be riding for the first time there? To answer these and other very common questions, we’ve prepared the following tips:
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- Before renting your motorbike in the Philippines, do a full check of the main aspects. Ride a few meters in front of the rental shop and check that the brakes work well, all the lights come on, the horn sounds and the tires aren’t worn. This way you’ll avoid being left in the dark when the sun goes down, being unable to alert others to your position or slipping if the ground is wet or in poor condition.
- Always wear a helmet and ask for it to be included with the bike. Even if you see Filipinos not wearing one, it’s required by law and it can save your life.
- Check the fuel level when you start up. Many times you’ll be given the bike almost empty and you’ll have to head straight to a petrol station to fill the tank.
- Take photos of any scratches or defects the bike has so you can later prove it was already like that when you return it. Do it in front of the owner so they see you’re aware of this aspect.
- Be careful about riding a motorbike in the Philippines in flip-flops. In many places, such as Siargao for example, you can be fined for it. Plus, in case of sudden braking you can seriously injure your feet.
- The Philippines isn’t the best place to learn to ride. Roads with potholes, bends, animals, other drivers… Our recommendation is that if you’ve never ridden before, opt to go as a passenger or move around the islands using another type of transport.
- As a tropical country, the Philippines can suddenly surprise you with a turn in the weather. It doesn’t hurt to carry a light raincoat in case it starts raining, and sunscreen to avoid getting burned while riding.
- Use common sense and apply the basic tips you’d consider in your own country: don’t speed, don’t drink if you’re going to ride, be very careful at night…
Do you have any questions about riding or renting a motorbike in the Philippines? We’ll be happy to read you in the comments.
