15 days in the Philippines: Palawan, Visayas and Boracay

Day by day

1. 1

   Day 1

   Arrival in Manila — rest and a first breath

   Land at NAIA (Ninoy Aquino International), often in the middle of the night after ~15h of flight from Europe. Pre-paid taxi via Grab or the official desks (PHP 500-700 / €8-12 for Makati). Don't plan anything for tonight: the UTC+8 jet lag is brutal from Europe and crushing day 2 would be a mistake.

   Hotel in Makati or BGC — safe business districts, 20 min from downtown. Light dinner at the hotel, then sleep.

   Tips

   • · Pick up a Globe Telecom or Smart SIM at the airport (€10, 10 GB / 7 days) — public Wi-Fi is patchy.
   • · Best Manila neighbourhood to stay: BGC (Bonifacio Global City), modern, clean, safe.
2. 2

   Day 2

   Manila — Intramuros and a Poblacion evening

   Morning at Intramuros (the fortified Spanish old town), Fort Santiago and Manila Cathedral. Allow 3h. Lunch at Barbara's for Spanish-Filipino cuisine.

   Afternoon at the National Museum of Fine Arts (free, Juan Luna exhibition) or pool rest depending on the heat (easily 35 °C). Evening in Poblacion: craft bar district, food halls, very relaxed vibe.

   Tips

   • · Manila traffic extreme between 4-8pm — prefer Grab/taxis over scooters / trikes.
   • · AC is freezing in restaurants — bring a light overshirt.
3. 3

   Day 3

   Manila → El Nido flight — settling in on Palawan

   Cebu Pacific or Philippine Airlines flight from Manila to Lio Airport (ENI), 1h25, €80-150 if booked 2 months ahead. Lio is 25 min from central El Nido — van transfer (PHP 350 / €6) or hotel shuttle.

   Afternoon at Las Cabanas beach (15 min by tricycle), iconic sunset over the karsts, dinner at SAVA Beach Bar or Trattoria Altrove (the best pizza in El Nido — yes, really).

   Tips

   • · AirSwift's Lio airport is private and reliable — avoid Puerto Princesa flights + 5h vans.
   • · Cash is king on Palawan: few cards accepted, withdraw PHP 20,000 minimum in Manila.
   El Nido →
4. 4

   Day 4

   El Nido — Tour A (Big Lagoon, Small Lagoon)

   The most iconic tour. Boat at 9am, 7-8h at sea, 4-5 spots: Big Lagoon (kayak required, PHP 300), Small Lagoon (swim through a narrow crevice), Secret Lagoon, 7 Commandos Beach. Price: PHP 1,400 / €22 including buffet lunch on the water and snorkeling masks.

   Back to port around 4:30pm, shower, dinner at Republica Sunset Bar — terrace facing the bay, more authentic vibe than Las Cabanas.

   Tips

   • · Dry bag mandatory — buy one for €5 on any El Nido street corner.
   • · Book the tour the day before via your hotel — PHP 50 saved vs beach booths.
   El Nido →
5. 5

   Day 5

   El Nido — Tour C (Hidden Beach, Helicopter Island)

   Variant of Tour A but with more beaches, fewer lagoons. Stops: Hidden Beach (the soul of the tour, hidden behind a cliff), Helicopter Island (turtle snorkeling), Matinloc Shrine, Talisay Beach. Similar PHP 1,400 price.

   Tour C is less in demand than A → fewer boats at each spot, much calmer. Excellent for photographers.

   Tips

   • · Tours A and C complement each other — avoid D and B which overlap.
   • · Bring your own mask + snorkel — the boats' ones are sometimes in poor shape.
   El Nido →
6. 6

   Day 6

   El Nido — free day, beach and optional dive

   A boat-free day to rest or dive. Diving at Dilumacad / Helicopter Island with Submariner Diving (2 dives, PHP 4,500 / €70), Open Water + level sufficient.

   Alternative: Nacpan Beach by tricycle (1h, PHP 1,200 round-trip) — 4 km of nearly-empty white sand, very different from the touristy centre of El Nido. Picnic at Tabin Beach Lodge.

   Tips

   • · Dives paid in cash, prices negotiable in low season (May-October).
   • · Visit Nacpan in the afternoon → spectacular sunset, return before 6:30pm (dark road).
   El Nido →
7. 7

   Day 7

   El Nido → Coron via fast ferry

   Montenegro Lines or Atienza Shipping ferry El Nido → Coron, 7-8h, PHP 1,800 / €30. Departure 6 or 7am, calm sea morning, choppier afternoon. Alternative: Lio → Busuanga flight (45 min, €90 — feasible if budget allows).

   Arrive in Coron mid-afternoon, hotel in town (Coron Town) or more authentic at Two Seasons Coron Island Resort (luxurious, private island, €300/night).

   Tips

   • · Ferry often cancelled for rough seas — check 24h ahead and keep a backup flight.
   • · Seasick? Sit at the back-middle of the boat and watch the horizon.
   Coron →
8. 8

   Day 8

   Coron — Japanese wrecks and turquoise lagoons

   Coron is the world sanctuary of wreck diving — Japanese WWII fleet sunk in 1944, 7 wrecks accessible. Boat tour combo: Twin Lagoon, Kayangan Lake (the most beautiful freshwater lake in Asia, PHP 300 entry), Barracuda Lake (half-fresh, half-salt lake), CYC Beach. Price PHP 1,500 / €24.

   Difference vs El Nido: more lakes and wrecks, fewer beaches. Same karst-and-sea views, however.

   Tips

   • · Kayangan Lake: 200 steps to climb — avoid in fragile shoes.
   • · Wreck diving: Advanced level or guided dive — wrecks between 12-38 m.
   Coron →
9. 9

   Day 9

   Coron — Calauit safari or a second boat day

   Two options: (1) Calauit Safari Park — African animals imported in 1976, giraffes, zebras, antelopes, surreal experience (PHP 4,500 with van + boat, 8h); (2) second boat trip focused on Malcapuya Island and Banana Island, beaches more authentic than the lakes.

   Evening at Sunset Sandbar or Levantine in town. Coron Town stays rustic — no night-life, dinner is early.

   Tips

   • · Calauit requires a 2h van transfer each way — packed day but unique.
   • · For Malcapuya, insist on a private boat (PHP 5,000) — shared boats too crowded in high season.
   Coron →
10. 10

    Day 10

    Coron → Cebu flight → Bohol transfer

    Busuanga (USU) → Cebu Mactan (CEB) flight, 1h, ~€120. Then fast ferry Cebu → Tagbilaran (Bohol): 2h, PHP 800 / €13, OceanJet or SuperCat — every hour.

    Arrive in Bohol late afternoon, taxi to Panglao Island (45 min, PHP 1,200). Hotel on Alona Beach, dinner on the beach with feet in the sand — atmosphere shifts radically from Coron.

    Tips

    • · Coron → Bohol journey is always stressful — block the entire day for transport.
    • · Keep the option of an unplanned Cebu overnight if the flight delays.
    Bohol →
11. 11

    Day 11

    Bohol — Chocolate Hills and tarsiers

    Inland day trip by van or scooter (PHP 200 rental/day). Chocolate Hills via the Carmen viewpoint (PHP 50 entry), Tarsier Conservation Area in Corella (PHP 60 — the good place, not the tourist trap), Loboc River lunch cruise (PHP 700, 2h).

    Back to Panglao late afternoon, optional night dive for Advanced-certified divers.

    Tips

    • · Tarsiers: silence and no flash — extremely stressed animal, can die from disturbance.
    • · Chocolate Hills are actually brown only February to May — green otherwise (still photogenic).
    Bohol →
12. 12

    Day 12

    Bohol — Balicasag diving, dolphins and sunset

    Classic dolphin watching boat tour (departure 6am, watch wild dolphins, 60 % success rate), then Balicasag Island for 2 dives or snorkeling (coral wall at 20 m, turtles, PHP 2,500). Lunch on Virgin Island (sandbar with not a single tree).

    Late afternoon at Alona Beach, Thai massage PHP 500, dinner at Bohol Bee Farm Restaurant — organic farm, dishes featuring edible flowers.

    Tips

    • · Balicasag booking = daily quota — go through your hotel 24h ahead.
    • · Bee Farm also offers unique overnight stays — sea view + organic garden if you want to leave Alona.
    Bohol →
13. 13

    Day 13

    Bohol → Caticlan flight, arrival in Boracay

    Tagbilaran (TAG) or Cebu (CEB) → Caticlan (MPH) flight, 1-1.5h depending on layover, €70-130. Caticlan is Boracay's airport: highly organised transfer — jetty + ferry 15 min + tricycle (PHP 500 / €8 combo).

    Arrive Boracay mid-afternoon, drop bags at hotel on White Beach (Station 2 = lively, Station 3 = quiet). Sunset on White Beach, dinner at Aria Cucina Italiana or Mañana Mexican.

    Tips

    • · Boracay bans plastic: bring your reusable bottle, cloth bags mandatory.
    • · Eco-fee PHP 300 / person on arrival — keep the receipt, checked at departure.
    Boracay →
14. 14

    Day 14

    Boracay — snorkeling, parasailing and Station 1 aperitivo

    A low-stakes day. Late breakfast, boat trip to Crystal Cove Island + Magic Island (cliff jumping 4-15 m, big thrills), 3h tour, PHP 600. Lunch on the sand.

    Afternoon parasailing (PHP 1,500, view from 100 m above White Beach) or spa massage. Evening at Station 1 for premium quiet, or Station 2 for music bars. Sunset is mandatory from a paraw (traditional sail boat, PHP 800).

    Tips

    • · Parasailing at 5pm → exceptional sunset photos.
    • · Paraw: negotiate PHP 800 instead of the displayed PHP 1,200, inflated tourist price.
    Boracay →
15. 15

    Day 15

    Boracay → return Manila — last breath

    Last morning on White Beach before the heat (5:45am wake-up — pink palettes worthy of a poster). Coffee at Real Coffee Tea & Cafe (calamansi muffin mandatory). Brunch at Sunny Side.

    Return: Caticlan ferry + MPH → MNL flight (1h, €50-80), international flight from Manila in the evening (10pm-1am window). Allow 6h between Caticlan and NAIA to absorb a ferry delay or customs.

    Tips

    • · Boracay → Caticlan ferry = +1h queue in high season. Always leave early.
    • · NAIA Terminal 1 = poor reputation, Terminal 3 = very modern — check on your ticket.
    Boracay →

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