Our Philippines holidays & tours
There are some fabulous islands to choose between on our Philippines holidays, and untold snorkelling, swimming and mountain trekking to keep you happy and active all day long. Our holidays use skilled local leaders who will help you uncover more sides to the country. And they’ll do so with minimum negative impact as you go, whether you’re using bamboo bikes made by a social enterprise company to tour Manila; heading out in horse and cart; a cyclo (cycle-powered rickshaw); or on foot. On land, our holidays support community-led craft shops, restaurants and homestays wherever possible. On the water, you can island-hop to support lesser-visited communities, whether you’re travelling by small ship cruise or by a traditional bangka.
Philippines small group tours
Join our Philippines adventure holiday
From
£3135 to £3495
16 days
ex flights
Philippines small group tour, 13 days
Focusing on Luzon, the largest island of the archipelago.
From
£2395 to £2915
13 days
ex flights
Philippines Island tour, explorer
13 or 17 days of adventure in tropical paradise
From
£1649
17 days
ex flights
Philippines holiday, small group adventure
Discover the little visited Philippines gems.
From
£4495
15 days
ex flights
Philippines holiday, 16 days
Experience the very best of the Philippines
From
£5950
16 days
inc UK flights
Asian island hopping cruise, Philippines and Indonesia
Tropical island hopping through the Philippines and Indonesia
From
US $15175
19 days
ex flights
Contact Us
Call us for a chat about our holidays. We are happy to discuss your holiday and help in any way we can. No bots, queues or awful hold music.
01273 823 700
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Calling from outside the UK
Philippines map & highlights
The Philippines’ 7,641 islands stretch some 1,850km north to south; you’re never going to explore the whole country on a single holiday. Rather, trips tend to focus on one or two of the main island groups: Luzon, Visayas and Palawan. Most tours begin with a tour of the crowded capital, Manila, and much of Luzon – including the rice terraces – can be explored by road from here, or perhaps an internal flight. If you’re heading to other islands, you’ll take a short flight to your next base, such as Puerto Princesa on Palawan, for example. You’ll generally be using private transport with the odd public jeepney (bus); boat and ferry transfers are also used, particularly between the smaller Visayas Islands.
1.
Bacolor, Pampanga
2. Bohol
3. El Nido
4. Manila
5. Palawan
6. Rice terraces, Luzon
7. Vigan
8. Visayas Islands
2. Bohol
3. El Nido
4. Manila
5. Palawan
6. Rice terraces, Luzon
7. Vigan
8. Visayas Islands
Bacolor, Pampanga
1. Bacolor, Pampanga
Mount Pinatubo erupted in the early 1990s, covering the nearby town of Bacolor in lahar – a sludgy combination of volcanic ash and rainwater. Each year more lahar runs down the volcano’s slopes, burying the town deeper and almost entirely submerging its 16th century parish church. The hardy residents cling on, however, constructing ever higher stilt houses and rebuilding the church floor at the level of what used to be the choir loft.
Bohol
2. Bohol
Bohol’s ‘Chocolate Hills’ are one of the Philippines’ most iconic landscapes. These 1,268 cones and domes are covered in grass that turns cocoa brown in the dry season. But there is more to Bohol than these mounds. Its Tarsier Sanctuary protects these tiny, saucer-eyed primates, while Loboc River cruises reveal troops of macaques. Offshore, turtles feed on sea grass and snorkellers can spot barracudas, octopus and huge rays.
El Nido
3. El Nido
El Nido is many people’s vision of paradise. Towering limestone cliffs give way to white sand beaches, lapped by turquoise water. The forest shelters over 100 bird species – some of which are endemic – and El Nido is the gateway to the pristine archipelagos scattered across the bay. You can lose days here, island hopping by boat, and snorkelling or scuba diving over vibrant coral reefs and the marine life that inhabits them.
Manila
4. Manila
Densely populated Manila is a love-it-or-loathe-it metropolis, but it is undeniably fascinating. City tours – on foot or by bamboo bike – take in the historic walled district of Intramuros and its 400-year-old stone church, which stands in contrast with the skyscrapers of Makati financial district. The Chinese Cemetery is filled with impressive monuments, and you can’t leave Manila without trying lechón roast pig.
Palawan
5. Palawan
Palawan has stunning natural offerings, some of which could be straight out of Avatar. Kayak by night through a mangrove forest illuminated by fireflies, stay in a cottage on a private beach, and take a boat tour along Sabang’s surreal ‘underground’ river. Ugong Rock makes an echoing noise when tapped; ‘Ugong’ means ‘sound’ in Tagalog. You can climb the steps inside its stalactite-filled cave and zipline back down.
Rice terraces, Luzon
6. Rice terraces, Luzon
Five of Luzon’s rice terraces have been declared UNESCO World Heritage sites, including those at Banaue, Batad and Mayoyao. Dating back over 2,000 years, these stone walled terraces form impressive natural amphitheatres. Steep hikes take you through stunning scenery to traditional farming communities and indigenous Ifugao villages to learn about their curious relationship with their ancestors.
Vigan
7. Vigan
The oldest surviving Spanish colonial city in the Philippines is best explored in the traditional way – by horse and cart, known as a calesa. You’ll see beautifully preserved stone houses, a 16th century cathedral and stop off at the Padre Burgos Museum, set in an 18th century house. Vigan is a great place to sample local food, which is heavily meat based, with Longganisa sausage and empanadas on the menu.
Visayas Islands
8. Visayas Islands
The cluster of smaller islands at the heart of the Philippines, the Visayas are surrounded by thriving reefs and colourful marine life. Snorkel safari holidays are the way to go; short boat rides take you out from an island resort to explore a variety of underwater scenes. Observe schooling sardines, sea turtles, lionfish and harmless whitetip reef sharks. Combine with canyoning excursions and waterfall swims.
Our Philippines holidays reviews
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