As we explained in How many days to travel to the Philippines?, we consider that 20 days is a good amount to get to know a small slice of this vast archipelago. However, it’s possible to take a shorter getaway and enjoy your trip to the fullest. For that, the most important thing is to line everything up well, calculate transfer times, and not obsess over seeing too much. Don’t worry—you’ve come to the right place because we’re going to help you organize your 1‑week DIY Philippines itinerary.
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PHILIPPINES TRAVEL ITINERARIES
Key features of this 1‑week Philippines itinerary
Before we start detailing this 1‑week trip to the Philippines, we’d like to mention a few basic features you should consider:
- We’ve focused on Palawan to avoid losing too much time on transfers. When designing an itinerary, you lose almost a full day each time you move to a new destination. Visiting far‑flung areas would be crazy, so we try to reduce moves as much as possible.
- This itinerary is designed to give you 7 REAL days, i.e., full days. We’re assuming that on day 1 you’ve already arrived in the Philippines and that you leave on day 8. You could do it otherwise, but it would be extremely compressed and we don’t recommend it.
- It’s a medium–high intensity trip. That is, it’s not the most relaxed, but you’ll still have time to enjoy places without feeling like you’re in transit all day. If you want a 100% chill plan, you could stay in a single destination like El Nido and perhaps split your stay in two: El Nido Town and Nacpan Beach (or somewhere similar).
- The starting point of this 1‑week Philippines itinerary is Manila, but you can also start in Cebu, since there are flights from/to all the destinations on the route. However, international flights to Manila are usually cheaper and you’ll also find more frequent domestic flights from Manila airport.
- This is mainly a beachy, laid‑back trip. Even so, it has a dose of adventure with rides in a bangka (the traditional Filipino boats) and a little adrenaline with activities like zip‑line or canopy. You can do motorbike rides, visit a waterfall or two, and even get lost on a sparsely inhabited island. It all depends on how you design it.
- Since it’s a 7‑day trip in the Philippines, we can’t stray far from the most touristy places because they’re also the most accessible and you don’t have time to get lost. Even so, there are always ways to avoid the crowds.
- If you like diving, bear in mind that this isn’t the route to discover the country’s very best underwater sites. In the alternatives to this 1‑week Philippines itinerary at the end of this article you’ll find some suggestions.
One‑week Philippines itinerary
Day 1: Manila – El Nido
Days 2 and 3: El Nido
Day 4: How to get from El Nido to Port Barton
Days 5 and 6: Port Barton
Day 7: Port Barton – Manila
Detailed route for a 7‑day trip to the Philippines
Don’t worry—now we’ll explain this one‑week Philippines itinerary step by step:
Day 1: Manila – El Nido
Magandang umaga! Good morning! We kick off our 7‑day Philippines itinerary by heading to El Nido. You have two options:
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- Take a flight from Manila to El Nido or from Cebu to El Nido. Although it’s the most expensive option, it’s also the fastest and, therefore, the one we recommend for a 1‑week Philippines route.
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- Take a flight to Puerto Princesa (90–120 minutes) and from there a van or bus to El Nido (4–6 hours). You can book here. This is the cheapest option, but also the slowest and will make you lose much of the day.
As we said, we encourage you to take a direct flight to El Nido early in the morning. In a couple of hours you can be enjoying the beautiful spots of this emblematic place in the Philippines. Keep in mind it gets dark at 18:00.
On your first day, after dropping your luggage at your chosen hotel, we suggest exploring the beaches of El Nido or doing some of the activities we recommend in our article Things to do in El Nido.
If we may, we’d do a mix of Nacpan Beach, Lio Beach, and Las Cabañas. The sunset at the latter is wonderful and, if you want a bit of buzz or adventure, there are several bars and a zip‑line at your disposal. To reach all these places, you can rent a motorbike or hire a tricycle.
?️ Recommended stays in El Nido:
- Great value for money: Bulskamp Inn
- For a little luxury: Maremegmeg Beach Cluba
- More recommendations on where to stay in El Nido
Days 2 and 3: El Nido
We started strong yesterday, but these may be the days you remember most fondly from your one‑week Philippines itinerary.
For days 2 and 3 we suggest doing Tour A and Tour C, the two most famous El Nido island‑hopping tours and, in our opinion, also the most beautiful.
To enjoy them to the fullest, we recommend making a small investment and doing them as a private tour. To pick a guide who will take you to spots when there’s less people and make it special, don’t hesitate to leave us a comment and we’ll send you all the info.
Boat trips usually end around 16:30, so you’ll have time to enjoy a magical sunset at one of the bars on Corong Corong Beach. And if you’re not tired yet, you can always go for a drink at one of the many bars in El Nido Town, many of them right on the beach.
Day 4: El Nido – Port Barton
We continue this one‑week Philippines itinerary through the charming village of Port Barton, which leaves no traveler indifferent. Its sandy streets, the beautiful beaches you can visit without even taking a boat or motorbike, and the great vibe will win you over.
In How to get to Port Barton you can find all the access info, but we’ll tell you now that the best way to go from El Nido to Port Barton is by shared van. The journey takes about 3.5–4 hours.
If we may, we suggest booking the 08:00 van (the first one) so you’ll have more time in Port Barton.
After dropping your backpacks at the hotel, put on your swimsuit and head out to discover White Beach and Coconut Beach, two of the best beaches in Port Barton. You can walk or go by boat—your choice. Then stay to watch the sunset on the town’s main beach—there’s sure to be a great atmosphere!
?️ Recommended stays in Port Barton:
- Cheap and clean: Nellie’s Tourist Inn
- Great value for money: Ausan Beach Front Cottages
- More recommendations on where to stay in Port Barton
Days 5 and 6: Port Barton
These two days in Port Barton will give you time to relax and shake off any built‑up stress.
We recommend dedicating one of them to a boat tour. In Island hopping in Port Barton we explain everything in detail, but we suggest doing a (modifiable) Tour A and, if possible, privately.
For the other day you have plenty of options:
- Hike to Pamuayan Waterfall and the beautiful neighboring beach of the same name
- Rent a kayak
- Return to White Beach
- Head to Long Beach in San Vicente
You’ll find these options in more detail in our article Things to do in Port Barton.
And don’t forget your sunset date and, afterwards, choose a cool spot where to eat in Port Barton.
Day 7: Port Barton – Manila
This day will depend on the schedule of your international flight back home or to another country. If it’s the following day, you can make the most of the morning before taking the van from Port Barton to Puerto Princesa Airport. Bear in mind the ride takes about 3 hours, so you can catch the last afternoon flight from Puerto Princesa to Manila.
If your flight home is in the afternoon, try to leave Port Barton at first light or even the day before.
If you have time in Manila, you can enjoy it from above at one of our favorite bars. We suggest having dinner in the lively neighborhood of Poblacion and ending by toasting to a wonderful one‑week trip to the Philippines on the rooftop of the I’m Hotel.
If you can, we recommend being in Manila at least the day before your international departure. Don’t worry, there are plenty of things to do in Manila.
We hope you’ve enjoyed your one‑week trip to the Philippines! We’re sure you’ll be left wanting more—see you next time.
?️ Recommended stays:
- In Poblacion (Makati): I’m Hotel
- If you need to stay near Manila airport: Alicia Apartment
- If you have to sleep in Puerto Princesa: Hostel Privado
Even so, you’ll find more tips in Where to stay in Manila, Staying near Manila airport, and Where to stay in Puerto Princesa.
Approximate cost of this one‑week trip to the Philippines
Alright, everything sounds great—but how much could this one‑week trip to the Philippines cost me? As you can imagine, the answer depends a lot on how and when you travel.
Doing some rough calculations for one person:
- International flight: €800
- Domestic flights: €150
- Accommodation for 8 nights: €240
- Food for 7 days: €160
- Excursions: €100
- Travel insurance: €30
TOTAL: €1,480
Of course, you can do it much cheaper or go deluxe. If you’re traveling as a couple or with friends, you can also save a bit on accommodation and transport. Read more and run your own numbers in How much does it cost to travel to the Philippines?
Tips for enjoying a one‑week route in the Philippines
- We recommend planning this route for the months from January to May, when the weather is usually best in Palawan. Even so, it’s neither impossible nor crazy to travel to the Philippines at any time of year. You can read more on the climate in When to travel to the Philippines?
- Plan your layover times well, especially on your way home. Our advice is to leave at least 6 hours between a domestic and an international flight and, if possible, fly to Manila or Cebu the day before. The Philippines is a developing country—transport doesn’t always work perfectly.
- Don’t bring too much luggage; you won’t need it on such a short trip. If you can, travel with a backpack that fits as a carry‑on. As we explain in Airlines in the Philippines, most companies allow 7 kg in the cabin. In Backpack for the Philippines you’ll find tips to help you decide what to bring.
- You’ll find many more useful tips in Recommendations and tips for traveling to the Philippines.
- Get good travel insurance for the Philippines like the one we use. It can really save the day and the cost is minimal. Here’s a 5% discount on your policy.
Alternatives to this 1‑week Philippines itinerary
The possibilities for a one‑week Philippines itinerary are almost endless and, although the one we’ve designed fits your days quite well, here are a few alternatives:
1. Replace Port Barton with Coron
Think Port Barton isn’t for you? That would be rare—most people fall for this town’s charms—but a great alternative is Coron. Located in the same region and only 3 hours by boat or 40 minutes by plane from El Nido, it’s one of the most impressive destinations in the Philippines.
With spectacular island hopping and world‑class diving, we’re sure Coron won’t disappoint. Just keep in mind that activities in Coron are similar to those in El Nido: Coron Town (where most hotels are located) isn’t very pretty, so focus on going out by boat or diving—there aren’t nice beaches nearby. Even so, believe us, it’s worth it—especially with the contact we have in Coron, who’s lovely and will help you make the most of it.
Here’s an example of this alternative 1‑week Philippines route:
Day 1: How to get from Manila or Cebu to Coron (if you arrive early, you can do an island hopping tour or go check out everything in Things to do in Coron)
Day 2: Coron (Ultimate Tour)
Day 3: Coron (Escapade Tour or diving)
Day 4: How to get from Coron to El Nido (if you arrive early, we recommend visiting one of El Nido’s beaches)
Day 5: El Nido (Tour A)
Day 6: El Nido (Tour C)
Day 7: El Nido – Manila
As you can see, we’ve flipped the itinerary and left El Nido for the end. This isn’t random—Coron’s airport is a little more affected by weather, so delays and cancellations are more frequent. This way you reduce the chance of missing your flight out of the country.
If you have more days, we suggest giving them to El Nido so you can enjoy all its activities at a relaxed pace. This itinerary we’ve designed is fairly full‑on.
2. Take one day from Port Barton and give it to El Nido
Some travelers may feel their time in El Nido is a bit short—especially if on the first day you arrive late and can’t enjoy gorgeous beaches like Lio Beach, Nacpan, or Las Cabañas. In that case, a good option is to remove day 5 or 6 in Port Barton and spend it in El Nido instead.
We then recommend skipping the island‑hopping day in Port Barton, keeping the two island‑hopping days in El Nido, and dedicating a full day of your 1‑week Philippines itinerary to the beaches of Nacpan+Lio or Nacpan+Las Cabañas.
This way you’ll still have almost two days in Port Barton: the day you arrive (around 11:00) and the next day.
3. Replace Port Barton with Puerto Princesa or Sabang
If you’re thinking of visiting Palawan from April to October and you’re excited to swim with whale sharks in the Philippines, you’re in luck because it’s the season in Puerto Princesa. Unless you have more days, you can drop Port Barton and base yourself in Puerto Princesa. From there you can not only swim with the largest fish in the world but also visit one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature: Puerto Princesa’s Underground River.
Your 7‑day Philippines itinerary could look like this:
Day 1: Manila – El Nido
Day 2: El Nido
Day 3: El Nido
Day 4: El Nido and transfer to Puerto Princesa late afternoon (read more in How to get to Puerto Princesa)
Day 5: Whale‑shark tour (leave us a comment and we’ll send all the info)
Day 6: Underground River tour (book it here)
Day 7: Puerto Princesa – Manila and visit Intramuros
4. Do something completely different and visit a couple of islands in the Visayas or Mindanao
There’s a Philippines itinerary for every person, and it doesn’t have to be the one we’ve helped you design here—this is just an example. If it doesn’t fit you, we encourage you to read our site about the many islands you can visit.
Off the top of our heads, on a one‑week route in the Philippines you could pair two nearby islands like Siquijor and Bohol, or Bohol and Camiguin. Another great combo would be Malapascua and Moalboal, or Malapascua and Bohol—especially if you love diving.
If you’re thinking of traveling to the Philippines in July or August, a good idea is to focus on Siargao. You can easily spend a full week on the island without getting bored; if you think it might feel short, combine it with another easy destination like Moalboal or Bohol.
The most important thing is to study the connections well and give them plenty of time. Remember you’re traveling to enjoy, not to tick boxes—especially in the Philippines, where transfers can be tiring.
Did you find this one‑week Philippines itinerary useful? If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask us in the comments.
