Island hopping and the Philippines? It’s impossible to think of a trip to the Philippines without these boat routes visiting different islands. These excursions are the hallmark of a country made up of more than 7,000 islands, with no shortage of white-sand beaches, crystal-clear waters, and reefs teeming with life.
In this article we’re going to tell you all the secrets of island hopping in the Philippines: what they’re like, what they include, how to do them, tips, and the best places to hop from island to island.
What is island hopping? What does it involve?
The literal translation of island hopping is “hopping from island to island”, so you can already guess what this activity involves.
Island hopping is nothing more than an excursion discovering different islands. You get on a boat, usually a bangka, the archipelago’s traditional outrigger, and let yourself be carried along. The crew will help you visit different spots, give you tips, and in almost all cases prepare a delicious lunch for you.
There are island hoppings in the Philippines done by speedboat or yacht like this one in El Nido or this one in Coron.
Typically, this tour includes several stops at beaches, filipino sandbars, and snorkeling spots. You usually make 5 or 6, depending on where it is and the type of island hopping. If you do it privately, you can choose the order and the places to visit according to your preferences. That way, you can also decide how long to stay at each one.
In destinations like Coron and El Nido, the kings of island hopping in the Philippines, there are also several set tours that group places that are more or less close together. In El Nido, for example, they’re labeled A, B, C, and D.
How long does an island-hopping tour in the Philippines last?
Usually, an island-hopping tour in the Philippines lasts about 8 hours. They typically depart around 9:00 and return around 16:00 or 17:00, before sunset.
Even so, there are many possible variations. If you’re going to do it privately, you can leave earlier (which we highly recommend) and come back a bit later. On the other hand, you can also do multi-day island-hopping routes, which gives a very different feel to your itinerary in the Philippines.
This way, you’ll be able to sleep on uninhabited islands and wake up in paradisiacal corners almost on your own. You can enjoy this experience in plenty of places, but our favorites are the one that goes from El Nido to Coron over 3 or 4 days with a stop in Linapacan (you can read all about the latter here: Coron – El Nido Expedition) and the Balabac expedition.
The best time to go island hopping in the Philippines
Since you’ll be spending quite a bit of time on a boat, it’s advisable for the sea to be reasonably calm. That way you’ll not only feel less seasick, but you’ll also see the beaches at their prettiest and be able to snorkel peacefully.
The best time for island hopping in the Philippines depends a lot on where you’re going, because, as we explain in Best time to travel to the Philippines, the archipelago has several climatic zones. Even so, broadly speaking, if you want to go to Palawan and the Visayas, the sea is much calmer between March and May. It’s usually good from January through June as well.
If we’re talking about Mindanao—particularly Siargao, where there’s also a very cool island hopping—or Dinagat, then the best time is July and August, when it’s the dry season.
⛈️ All this bearing in mind that the Philippines has a tropical climate, which means relative instability at any time of year.
Private or public island hopping?
We’ve already hinted at it, but yes: in our opinion, doing private island hopping in the Philippines is really worth it, especially in very popular places like El Nido, Coron, or Port Barton.
The fundamental difference from the “public” ones is that you pay for the entire boat and can therefore decide both the route and the time you spend at each spot. Plus, you can leave a bit earlier to avoid the crowds and also change the order, so you’ll overlap with far fewer people. You’ll also be more comfortable, since public tours usually carry 15–20 people, while private ones rarely have more than 8—and of course, they can be just for one or two people.
The main drawback of going private is the cost. With fewer people, it gets quite a bit pricier.
If, for whatever reason, you don’t find other travelers and you have to decide which island hopping in the Philippines to do privately, for us it’s clear: we’d do Coron’s Ultimate Tour with our trusted contact.
How much does island hopping cost in the Philippines?
Sounds good—but how much will it cost me? In our opinion, not much for what’s included. We think the value for money of island hopping in the Philippines is fantastic, because you spend the whole day being carried along and enjoying wonderful beaches for a little over $23, lunch included.
As a rule of thumb, an island hopping in Palawan (Coron, El Nido, and Port Barton) runs about 1.200–1.500 pesos per person. If you do it privately, it can go up to 2.000–2.500 pesos, but this depends on how many passengers you are.
In Siargao it’s much cheaper, since the three-island hopping costs 1.500 pesos for the whole boat (maximum 6 people). In Camiguin it’s super cheap as well.
If the crew has done a good job, don’t hesitate to leave a tip. Wages in the Philippines are low, so it will mean a lot to them.
If you’re thinking of doing a multi-day route between Coron and El Nido, the price goes up quite a bit because this includes accommodation, food, and drinks. Normally, a 3- or 4-day expedition costs between 18.000 and 34.000 pesos per person, depending on the company and the quality of the services (obviously, the differences are noticeable).
Food on Philippine island hoppings
With so much coming and going, you’re bound to get hungry at some point. There’s no need to worry, because the vast majority of island hopping in the Philippines includes food.
If you book through an agency—that is, a public tour—this will be the case almost 100% of the time; otherwise, you’ll buy the ingredients yourself (there’s always a market nearby, don’t worry) and in places like Coron or El Nido the crew will cook them. In Siargao, on the other hand, locals cook the food on Daku Island in exchange for a small fee. That’s why it’s important to ask about this when booking your tour.
When food is included in the island-hopping price, it typically consists of:
- Rice (lots of it)
- Tomato and cucumber salad
- Some meat
- Grilled fish
- Some seafood (usually shrimp)
- A delicious sauce made with soy sauce
- Ensaladang talong (eggplant salad)
- Assorted fruit cut in a very photogenic way
- Water and soft drinks (usually Coca-Cola)
The amount served will depend on the number of travelers and the agency, but it’s rare to leave hungry.
As you can see, the menu almost always includes a couple of vegetarian dishes; but if you don’t eat animal products, it’s best to let them know in advance so you can have more variety. The same goes if you have any intolerance or allergy.
Food on island hoppings is usually served on a table on some island, but depending on your preferences or the pace of the tour, it can also be served on the boat itself on a table set up for that purpose.
Where to book island hopping in the Philippines
This depends a lot on the place, but as a rule of thumb you have 4 options:
- Using the services of a physical agency.
- Booking online with agencies like Civitatis or KLOOK, where you have the advantage of seeing reviews from other travelers and prices are often lower.
- At the port itself, where there’s usually a small stand from an association or entity—although this depends a lot on the destination and isn’t always the case.
- Contacting a recommended guide. After many island hoppings under our belt, we have several in the main corners of the Philippines. Don’t hesitate to ask us about them in the comments.
Tips for enjoying your island hopping
Here are some tips from our own experience to make the most of your island hopping in the Philippines:
- Try to leave earlier than the rest. Sometimes this isn’t possible because the coast guard has to give the OK for boats to depart, but in most cases you can.
- Be clear about what’s included in your island hopping and what isn’t, so there are no surprises. Are the fees included? Do I have to pay for the food? Will I need to rent a kayak or pay for snorkeling gear?
- Don’t try to collect places. 5 or 6 per tour is fine and gives you time to enjoy them.
- Don’t be guided by price alone. Sometimes you see amazing deals on the street and sign up for any agency tour—but did you really come all this way to avoid paying $6 or $11 more and not do it properly?
- If you’re traveling to the Philippines at Christmas, Easter, or Chinese New Year, it’s best to book in advance. If you want to go with a highly recommended guide, book at least 2 weeks ahead at any time of year.
- Get a good travel insurance for the Philippines so you’re covered.
- Look for accommodation that’s fairly close to the departure point. Sometimes search engines are a bit misleading—especially in El Nido—and you might end up staying an hour away from where tours depart. In each guide on our site you’ll find recommended places to stay. For example: Best hotels in El Nido, Where to stay in Coron, or Best hotels to stay in Siargao.
What to pack for island hopping in the Philippines
An important part of island hopping in the Philippines is the gear you bring. Your comfort depends on it, so take note:
- Water shoes: these are lifesavers, since there are rocky areas or lots of coral and you don’t want to cut yourself. A pair like these will be perfect.
- Dry bag: even if the boat is big, there can always be splashes—or maybe you want to take your phone or camera to a place where you’ll need to get a bit wet. In the Philippines you can buy them almost anywhere, but from experience we recommend getting a proper one like this if you don’t want important items (hello, phone) to get wet.
- Snorkeling gear: most island-hopping tours in the Philippines include it, but it’s often not in the best condition. Also, for hygiene, we prefer to bring our own. This one is great.
- Sunscreen: bring sunscreen because the sun is strong. If possible, use biodegradable options so as not to harm marine flora and fauna. If you burn easily, a good idea is to bring a sun-protection shirt like this.
- Camera: you won’t want to miss the chance to capture this experience, right? We bring a GoPro, a drone, a camera, and a phone. You can see what photo gear we carry in Backpack for the Philippines.
- Cash: you usually pay for the tour at the end, but also bring some change in case you want to buy an extra drink (usually only water and a soft drink are included) or if you have to pay a fee or rent a kayak.
- Stainless steel bottle: please minimize the use of plastic bottles, as the Philippines has a serious waste-management problem. We use a bottle like this and refill it at potable-water tanks you’ll see almost everywhere. It also keeps water cool for hours.
- Towel: although some island hoppings in the Philippines include them, it’s not the norm. It’s warm in the Philippines, but when the bangka picks up speed and you’re soaked, sometimes you’ll want to wrap up. We always carry a quick-dry towel like this.
The best places to go island hopping in the Philippines
Now you know almost everything about island hopping in the Philippines and you’re eager to try one—but where? Here are the best places for these fabulous excursions.
1. El Nido
El Nido is the cradle of island hopping in the Philippines. There’s no other way to explore the marvels of the Bacuit Archipelago than by cruising the seas and stopping from island to island.
There are 4 tours in El Nido: A, B, C, and D. They group together places that are more or less close, alternating beautiful lagoons flanked by huge limestone walls, white-sand beaches lined with slender palm trees, and spots for snorkeling. The most popular are A and C, but we’re sure you’ll love them all. If you can, do them all—but if you have to choose, we recommend setting aside at least 2 days.
You can find all the information (prices, best tours, agencies, and much more) in our article Island hopping in El Nido.
2. Coron
In a close contest with El Nido, Coron’s tours are truly wonderful. The Ultimate Tour focuses on the most spectacular corners of Coron Island, including lagoons and lakes surrounded by towering black limestone walls, shipwrecks, and idyllic beaches.
From Coron Town you can also visit other postcard-perfect islands like Malcapuya, Maltatayoc, or Pass Island (the so-called Escapade Tour) and even arrange to sleep on one of them. That’s why we suggest doing at least 2 days of island hopping.
And if that weren’t enough, Busuanga Island has other hardly known places where you can base yourself and do more of the best island hoppings in the Philippines. We’re talking about Concepcion, Salvacion, and Ocam Ocam Beach. From there you’ll have access to islands like Black Island, North Cay, or Pass Island.
If you want to know it all, don’t miss our article Island hopping in Coron.
3. Coron – El Nido Expedition
As we mentioned above, this multi-day expedition wowed us. We did it from Coron to El Nido, but it can also be done the other way around depending on the direction you’ve chosen for your trip.
These routes visit some places in Coron and El Nido, but focus on the islands in between—those near Linapacan. Perhaps you’ve never heard of them, but we’ll tell you now: they’re incredible. Start drooling with this video:
There are 3 days/2 nights or 4 days/3 nights expeditions. We chose the latter and, to be honest, we even missed having one more day. We had such a great time and loved the experience of sleeping in small huts on uninhabited islands so much that we would have stayed much longer. We also fully relaxed because we could forget about everything for several days—we didn’t have to think about where to sleep, what to eat, what to see… It was a terrific holiday.
You can read all about it in our article El Nido – Coron Expedition.
4. Siargao
Although the landscapes are a bit less dramatic than the previous ones, Siargao also has several great island-hopping routes. The best known is the Tri-island, i.e., the three islands. It takes you to the islands of Guyam, Daku, and Naked, though we recommend adding Mam’om to make it perfect. All of them are white-sand islands bathed in turquoise waters that will make you fully enjoy the natural treasures of the Philippines.
On the west side of Siargao you’ll find Sugba Lagoon. This lagoon is somewhat reminiscent of those in El Nido and is combined with the beautiful sandbar at Kawhagan Island and the mangroves of Del Carmen.
And it doesn’t end there: from Siargao you can also visit Sohoton Cove, Corregidor Island, or the little-known San Benito islands.
You can read much more about them in Island hopping in Siargao.
5. Camiguin
Okay, maybe we’re bending the rules a bit here because it’s not an island hopping per se, but we couldn’t leave it out of this guide to island hopping in the Philippines.
Camiguin is an island that doesn’t have very spectacular beaches due to its volcanic origin, but there are two small slices of paradise less than 15 minutes away by boat that will win you over. You can’t visit both at the same time—you’ll have to go to two different ports—so although it’s not impossible to do them on the same day, we recommend giving each one enough time.
White Island is a huge white-sandbar washed by clear waters from which you can take in just how spectacular Camiguin is with all its volcanoes. Mantigue, on the other hand, is oval-shaped, has vegetation at its heart, and is surrounded by a reef that’s home to dozens of turtles.
Discover everything about them in Island hopping in Camiguin.
6. Port Barton
Back to Palawan to talk about another of the most popular Philippine island hoppings: the one from the charming town of Port Barton. Several routes depart from here to pretty nearby islands and multiple snorkeling spots.
While we left a little disenchanted on our last visit due to overcrowding and damaged reefs, this day trip is still enjoyable—especially if you do it privately and choose the course yourself. Plus, if you’ve never seen turtles, here you’re almost guaranteed to see some.
More information in Island hopping in Port Barton.
7. Cuatro Islas, Leyte
One of the lesser-known island hoppings in the Philippines is the Cuatro Islas of Leyte, and we didn’t hesitate for a second when we had the chance.
Departing from the small town of Inopacan, you visit four islands, the best known being Digyo, which boasts a spectacular sandbar.
Although the landscapes aren’t as imposing as those in El Nido or Coron, we really enjoyed this island hopping—especially because we only came across one other boat doing it. It’s one of those very untouristy corners of the Philippines that steal your heart.
You can read much more in Cuatro Islas Tour.
8. Gigantes Islands
Accessible from Panay Island, we discovered this group of islands a few years ago and loved it. You can base yourself on Gigantes Norte or Gigantes Sur and from there do a cool island hopping that will take you to sandbars, Tangke Lagoon (similar to those in El Nido), and the most photogenic of all, Camugao Gamay.
Gigantes Islands is still a less developed area and, although more and more local tourists visit, it remains largely under the radar for foreigners—which makes it even more appealing. You can read all about it in our Gigantes Islands Guide.
9. Caramoan
Caramoan is a mini–El Nido without the crowds. Located east of Luzon, here you can do the big island hopping and the small island hopping. Both feature sandbars, white-sand beaches, and limestone islands and islets very similar to those in Palawan.
In our Caramoan Guide you can discover it all.
10. Balabac, the rising star of island hopping in the Philippines
Rapidly climbing the ranks among the most famous island hoppings in the country, Balabac’s tours have a star called Onok Island. This stunning island is surrounded by clear, calm waters thanks to the reef encircling it and is also home to plenty of sea turtles.
The usual tour is 4 days and 3 nights departing from Puerto Princesa, taking in other beautiful islands like Sicsican, Canimeran, or Patawan. Tourism here is almost 100% Filipino, but we’re sure it will keep taking off in the coming years.
You can read all about this corner in our article Island hopping in Balabac.
11. Dinagat, a Philippine island hopping for summer months
To wrap up this selection of Philippine island hoppings, here’s a little gem in the south of the country, very accessible from Siargao, that still flies under the radar. Just look at the landscapes in the photos below: very similar to those in El Nido or Coron, but completely pristine.
Given its location—like Siargao—Dinagat’s dry season reigns roughly from March to October, so it’s a great destination if you’re thinking of traveling to the Philippines in July or traveling to the Philippines in August.
From San José in Dinagat you can visit the main points of interest in the Libjo area (known as “little Palawan”) and those in Basilisa (with stunning white-sand beaches), but even better if you spend at least 2 days with a night in a hut on a tiny island. That way you’ll have a memorable experience. As with all the above, we also have a great contact who can arrange everything for you.
Discover it in our guide to Island hopping in Dinagat.
Other island hoppings in the Philippines you’ll love
We’ve highlighted the ten spots we find most interesting for island hopping in the Philippines, but the list could honestly be endless. Almost every tourist destination has a boat trip to do—for example:
- From Malapascua you can go to Kalanggaman or Carnaza.
- From Bantayan you can go to Virgin Island and Kinatarcan.
- From Panglao you can do the snorkeling trip to Balicasag Island. You can also escape to Pamilacan.
- From Boracay you can do an island tour by bangka, stopping at snorkeling points like Crocodrile Island, or spend the day on Carabao Island.
- From Romblon you can go island hopping to Cobrador, Alad, and Lugbung.
- From Tablas you also have the Calatrava island hopping.
- From Puerto Princesa you can do the Honda Bay excursion.
- From Bulalacao (on Mindoro) you can go to little-known spots like Aslot, Tambaron, Target, or Suguicay.
- The island hopping in Guimaras.
- The island hopping in the Concepcion Islands north of Iloilo (Panay).
- The island hopping in the Hundred Islands from Luzon.
We hope this guide to island hoppings in the Philippines has helped you plan your next adventure. If you have any questions or need more information, we’ll be happy to read you in the comments.
