What is it like to travel to the Philippines in September? Does it mean it will rain every day of my adventure? It’s normal to ask yourself these questions if you’ve already researched the Filipino climate. Being a tropical country, the chances of heavy downpours and even typhoons are there and, for the few weeks you’re going, you don’t want to spend your whole holiday in the Philippines in September soaked to the bone.
In this article we want to tell you a bit about the weather this month, as well as other questions about a trip to the Philippines in September such as tourist crowds, prices, and which events you can find.
Still, let’s start with the main point: it is feasible to travel to the Philippines in September without having to worry about rain all the time. Although it’s true that it’s the rainy season in much of the archipelago, there are areas where the dry season still reigns. Plus, at the end you’ll find some of our own little tips to enjoy it even more.
Can you travel to the Philippines in September 2025?
Yes! It’s possible to travel around the country completely normally. You can find all the information at Requirements for traveling to the Philippines. Make the most of it and enjoy the country with far fewer people than usual!
Not only that, the peso is incredibly low right now, so your money will go much further ;))
As you know, we always recommend having travel insurance for the Philippines. For being a reader of our site and clicking our link, you get a 5% discount on your policy.
What is the weather in the Philippines like in September?
In When to travel to the Philippines we talk at length about the country’s climate, but, to sum up a little, you’ll find 2 seasons:
- The rainy season (rainy season): roughly from June to October.
- The dry season: from November to May. The dry season is also split in two: the cooler period (October to May) and the hotter one or “summer” (March to May).
These are distributed throughout the year like this in the regions of Luzon, Palawan, and Western Visayas.
However, the Philippine archipelago is very large and diverse. If we get technical, we can talk about 4 or 6 climate zones in which the seasons are more or less pronounced. Thus, in the south of the country (Mindanao, including famous Siargao) and the southeastern coast (Leyte and Samar), the climate tends to differ from what we mentioned above. That is, the rainy season in these areas runs from November to May, while the dry season is roughly between June and October. You can grasp it a bit better here:
On top of that, the weather in the Philippines isn’t as stable as in other countries. Example: In Europa of USA it’s rare to have several days of rain in the height of summer, right? Well, in the Philippines, even in the dry season, that can happen—and the reverse as well. You might be in the middle of the rainy season (like September) and not get a single drop.
As much as we’d love to pull out a crystal ball and tell you exactly what the weather will be if you decide to travel to the Philippines in September, the truth is that it’s impossible to know for sure. Broadly speaking, what’s normal across almost the entire country—except the south—is that you’ll get the odd shower. And yes, there’s a risk that a typhoon might come because it’s the season.
Is it cold in the Philippines in September?
Not at all! Unless you head to mountainous areas, you’re going to be warm on your trip to the Philippines in September. It would be very unusual to find daytime temperatures below 30ºC. It cools down a little at night, but it’s also unlikely you’ll need warm clothing.
As for the water, you’ll be pleased to know you can spend hours soaking without getting cold. The sea temperature is around 28ºC. This is particularly tempting if you’re thinking about diving in the Philippines or doing lots of snorkeling.
To get an idea of average temperatures and rainfall by area, check out these tables for the Philippines in September and in March for the main tourist destinations:
Typhoons in the Philippines in September
The Philippines is one of the countries most exposed to typhoons in Southeast Asia. Traveling east to west—most pass through Eastern Visayas and Luzon (they rarely hit Mindanao or Palawan)—the most common month for them is August. Typhoon and tropical depression season is roughly from July to October, although with climate change, they can now occur at any time of year.
In particular, if you’re thinking of traveling to the Philippines in September, you should know it’s a risk that exists. Without being paranoid—it’s not something that’s certain to happen—but it’s good to be informed. To do so, what we do is follow the PAGASA Facebook page, the Philippines’ official meteorological agency.
⛈️ You can usually tell a typhoon or tropical depression is coming a little more than a week in advance. In that case, advisories begin to show a possible track and the islands it may affect. That’s why it’s unlikely anything serious will happen to you. In addition—and sadly—the most vulnerable people are those living in substandard housing.
As a traveler, we don’t believe there’s a significant risk. Many of the typhoons that enter the archipelago’s area of responsibility don’t even make landfall. If they do, unfortunately, the most affected are usually the most disadvantaged, who live in substandard housing. Therefore, our advice is to check where the eye of the typhoon is forecast to pass and, if you’re nearby, move somewhere else or stay in a place with good infrastructure. Of course, don’t even think about traveling without travel insurance for the Philippines.
Get a 5% discount on your travel insurance for the Philippines here
Are there parts of the Philippines in September with little rain risk?
While it’s not a rule that always holds true, it usually rains less in September in the south of the Philippines, so it’s a good time to go to Mindanao, Siargao, and the more easterly parts of Leyte and Samar. You might also get good weather in Bohol, Camiguin, and, to a lesser extent, Siquijor.
We’ll repeat that this doesn’t mean that if you go to Palawan, Luzon, or other parts of the Visayas it’s going to rain on you—far from it! What happens is that it’s the rainy season and you might get a cloudy day or some showers, which tend to be quite brief and generally happen in the afternoon.
It’s particularly important to check the weather in the more mountainous areas such as Banaue, Batad, or Bontoc. The same applies if you’re thinking of visiting Mount Pinatubo. If it rains heavily for several days, there may have been landslides and the roads may not be open.
Travel in September
Our experience in September in the Philippines
We’ve been lucky enough to spend several Septembers in the Philippines, as we live here for long stretches. If we have to sum it up, we can’t say we remember many consecutive days of rain. We have had cloudy days and the odd shower lasting an hour or two.
We also haven’t personally experienced any typhoons this month, unlike in December and February, when—ironically—it’s supposedly the dry season…
What is traveling to the Philippines in September like?
You’ve already seen what the weather is roughly like at this time of year, but what is traveling to the Philippines in September like in other respects? As it’s the rainy season in much of the country, September is considered low season. This translates into good prices on accommodation and transport compared with those usually found between December and May.
Even so, since more and more Europeans travel during our summer holidays, keep in mind that in the most touristic places, such as El Nido or Boracay, the price difference may not be that big.
What is certain is that you’ll find a much lower influx of tourists than at other times. September is a cool month for being more relaxed on the beaches or on fabulous island hoppings.
Regarding events, there aren’t any very important festivals in the Philippines this month, but there is something you should bear in mind: the surfing championships in Siargao are held between late September and mid-October, depending on the year. Therefore, we encourage you to check the dates and, if they match your trip to the Philippines in September, book transport and accommodation well in advance.
Other events you can find if you travel to the Philippines in September: Bonok-Bonok Maradjaw Karadjaw Festival (Surigao), Banigan-Kawayan Festival (Basey), Peñafrancia Festival (Naga), Burdang Lumban Festival (Lumban), Agal-Agal Festival (Bongao), Diyandi Festival (Iligan), Dalit Festival (Tangub), and Lapay Bantigue Dance Festival (Masbate).
If you’re excited to see whale sharks, you should know it’s usually still the season to see them in a respectful way in Puerto Princesa, the capital of Palawan. You can read more about this in Where to swim with whale sharks in the Philippines.
Tips for traveling to the Philippines in September
If you decide to travel to the Philippines in September, here are some tips drawn from our experience:
- If rain really worries you, focus part of the trip on the south. You can explore Siargao and other islands such as Camiguin or Bohol. You could also explore still off-the-radar Dinagat. This route also works for September: 2 weeks in August in the Philippines.
- Try to make a relatively long and flexible trip. The longer you stretch it, the more room you’ll have to tweak your route and head to areas where it rains less. As we explain in detail in How many days to travel to the Philippines?, 3 weeks of holidays in September would be ideal.
- Regarding flexibility and bookings, most hotel platforms now let you reserve with free cancellation. We always use Booking.com, which has good customer service.
- For domestic flights, you’ll have to assess your preference: getting them at a good price by booking in advance or paying more to have more flexibility. In our case, we prefer to book 3–4 weeks in advance and, if we need to change them, we pay a bit more—but it’s a matter of taste.
- To check the weather, it’s best to take a look at the Windy app, but bear in mind it’s only really reliable 4–5 days out. In this case, it’s best to look by destination and day by day so you can get a good idea. Even so, you already know that the weather in the Philippines is always unpredictable—whether in September or April.
- Please don’t leave home without solid travel insurance for the Philippines. Get a 5% discount on your policy.
Frequently asked questions about traveling to the Philippines in September
To finish, here are the most common questions travelers have about traveling to the Philippines in September:
Where to go in the Philippines in September?
You can go anywhere, but the areas with less risk of rain are those in the south of the country, i.e., destinations such as Siargao, Camiguin, Dinagat, and Mindanao. Bohol and Siquijor also tend to have good weather.
Are there typhoons in the Philippines in September?
It depends on the year, but there can be. The months in which these phenomena occur most often are August and September, though it’s not a hard-and-fast rule.
Are there dry-season areas in the Philippines in September?
Yes, it’s considered dry season in the south/southeast. That is, in destinations like Siargao and Camiguin.
Can you travel to Palawan in September?
Of course. The fact that it’s the rainy season doesn’t mean it will rain all the time or that a typhoon will come.
Is it cold in the Philippines in September?
Not at all—temperatures hover around 30ºC and the sea is usually no colder than 28ºC.
We’ve written several other articles about the weather that might help if you’re considering different months. For example:
Traveling to the Philippines in July
Traveling to the Philippines in August
Traveling to the Philippines in October
We hope this article about traveling to the Philippines in September has cleared up your doubts. Even so, if you need to know anything else, tell us in the comments and we’ll be happy to reply.
