What You Should Know Before Traveling to the Philippines

In this guide, you’ll find all you need to know to organize your next trip to the Philippines: what to do, how to get to the different places, the cost of living, the safety of the country, and much more.

The Philippines is a tropical paradise in Southeast Asia, with over 7,000 islands and culture that reflects the country’s history and heritage. The Philippines has something for everyone, from pristine beaches to majestic mountains and thriving cities.

This guide provides a comprehensive overview of the country and will help you plan your next adventure in the Philippines. Are the Philippines dangerous? Is it safe to travel there alone? I’ll try to address these and many other questions in my article, but first, remember that what you will read in this post comes from my personal experience, and everyone has different feelings and experiences when travelling.

Is it worth visiting the Philippines?

For most people, travelling to the Philippines means flying for many hours and spending quite a lot of money, so I think this is a fair question.

From my experience, I can say that it was worth every single Euro spent. Why? Well, look at some of the pictures: the Philippines is a true paradise! More than 7000 islands are divided into three main regions or provinces: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, and there is so much to see.

Another good point is that there are fewer tourists than in other Asian tourist destinations, such as Thailand (here is my post about Ao Nang), even though this destination is becoming increasingly popular.

Last but not least, the Philippines is a relatively cheap destination compared to many other destinations.

Not a paradise for everyone

If you stop reading my article right now, you might ask yourself a simple question. If the Philippines are so beautiful, why do so many Filipinos leave and move abroad? The truth is that life can be very tough if you were born and raised there.

Many people move to the bigger cities hoping to earn more and build a better future, but the reality is that salaries are often very low and the cost of living keeps rising, so daily life becomes a real challenge for many families.

On top of that, most people feel they have no choice but to move to places where everything is more expensive, especially Manila and Cebu. When thousands of people chase the same limited opportunities, pressure grows. Higher costs, fewer stable jobs, and crowded neighbourhoods often create an environment where frustration increases. This situation is closely linked to higher crime rates in some urban areas, since people struggle to keep up, and survival becomes their primary focus.

Despite all this, most people I met were incredibly friendly. They had a positive attitude and seemed genuinely happy, which is something that stays with you long after you leave.

How to get around the Philippines

One important thing to remember is that since the Philippines has so many islands, moving from one place to another takes time, sometimes a lot.

Part of the reason is the distances, and part of it is the poor services. Roads are often in poor condition, flights are often delayed, and the traffic in big cities is simply crazy (everybody complaining about the traffic in Hanoi should visit Cebu City during rush hour).

Moving from one island to another will probably take a whole day. Sometimes more if you take a long-distance bus or a long-distance ferry.

To move from one island to another, there are three options: Airplane, Ferry or Bus.

Airplane

The national low-cost airline is Cebu Pacific, but you must book your flights well in advance (at least 4 to 5 months) to find really good deals. I flew from Manila to Puerto Princesa for about 15€. Not too bad! Another thing to remember is that you’ll have to pay a fee at almost every airport. Keep some cash with you, as credit cards are not accepted (this is a good suggestion, no matter where you go in the Philippines).

You’ll need a valid return ticket (within 30 days if you have a visa-exempt 30-day stay) to visit the Philippines. Cebu Pacific Airlines asked for mine.

The biggest problem with Cebu Pacific is that almost every flight is delayed. Not long ago, their official website boasted a 55% rate of on-time flights. In other words, one flight out of two is delayed (often one hour or more). This is a very important detail if you have multiple flights on the same day. Most of the flights delayed come or leave from Manila airport. You’ll probably be ok if you don’t fly to or from Manila.

Ferry

With so many islands, it’s more convenient to travel by ferry (you’ll have to pay a fee after buying the ticket).

The interesting thing about using a ferry is that you’ll spend more time with local people (ferries are generally cheaper than flights), and you’ll probably see someone carrying a rooster (in the Philippines, cockfighting is the national sport).

Bus

Finally, you can use one of the many public buses. There are long-distance buses that serve meals and have beds and are loaded on big ferries to travel between islands. I only tried a short-distance bus, so I don’t know if it’s worth using one of them. One thing is sure: you’ll see much more of the country, but it will take longer, so if you don’t have many days, that is not an option for you.

There are two kinds of Buses: air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned. The price is strangely similar, and given the tropical weather in the Philippines, it’s better to use an air-conditioned bus. The best Bus Company is Ceres Bus. Another problem with the non-air-conditioned buses is that they are crowded, and two seats can accommodate 4 or 5 people.

The Philippines is quite a cheap country, but the downside is that you’ll have to pay some fees almost everywhere you go. Island Hopping tour? Environment fee. Airport? Transportation fee. Remote cave? Fee! It’s pretty annoying, honestly.

How to get around the cities

To get around the cities, there are five options: Tricycle, Taxi, Jeepney, Bus, or Motorbike. The advantage of the first three options is the lower cost; the disadvantage is that they are relatively slow.

Tricycles

Tricycles are covered sidecars that can carry 2 to 4 people. They are common, especially in rural areas and smaller cities like Puerto Princesa, but not in bigger cities like Cebu. Tricycles are relatively cheap, especially if you have never been to Asia or tried one. They are similar to a Tuk-Tuk in Thailand.

If you want to use a tricycle, be sure to agree on the price before you get on. Drivers tend to increase the price with foreigners.

Taxi

Taxis are common only in bigger cities. Before you get inside, be sure that the driver uses the meter. He will probably say that the meter is broken or something. Please don’t listen to him because he’s trying to rip you off.

If you are in Manila, you need to be particularly careful. I read many bad stories about tourists having bad experiences, and, at first, I thought these were only exaggerations. So I asked some Filipino friends, who confirmed what I had read. Manila can be dangerous.

Don’t travel alone if possible, especially if you are a woman. If you have to, while in the taxi, pretend you are talking to someone on the phone and take note of the driver’s name and the car’s number plate.

Jeepneys

Jeepneys are the cheapest way to get around the Philippines. They are colorful, crowded, and cheap!

The first Jeepneys were built using what was left of the jeeps used during World War II. That’s where the name comes from. The main difference between Jeepneys and Buses is that Jeepneys will not stop unless someone has to get off or get on. They run from point A to point B or run in a loop, and, as you can imagine, if there are many people, it will take forever to get to your destination.

Bus

Public buses in the Philippines are a budget-friendly and convenient option for getting around in the city. They stick to specific routes, making frequent stops throughout their routes.

Riding a public bus in the Philippines is cheap. You can buy tickets directly from the conductor or driver and the buses.

Motorcycle

If you like riding motorbikes, the Philippines is the right place. You can ask anyone to take you where you want to go for a few pesos.

Most of the time, you won’t even need to ask someone: you’ll be approached by many who will ask you if you need a ride. Every motorbike can accommodate quite a lot of people. I’ve seen some with 6 in total. The roads are often not paved with tarmac but made with concrete. Sometimes, even in tourist destinations, they are not paved at all.

Is the Philippines a safe country?

This is a very important question, but giving a general answer is difficult. My standard of safety might be different from yours, and a place that might be safe for me might not be safe for other people.

So my answer to the question is: it depends. It depends on where you are and what you do. The impression I had was that if you are in a city, you’ll have to be more careful than if you are in the countryside. Always keep an eye on your wallet, backpack, and smartphone, but these are common-sense rules that apply to any place in the world. I don’t think walking alone late at night in the suburbs of Manila or any other city would be a good idea, though.

I didn’t have any problem while I was in the countryside, nor did I have the impression that the place wasn’t safe. I walked around a lot with all my camera gear, and the only “danger” for me was the many smiling kids trying to see how they looked on the screen of my camera.

Generally speaking, Filipinos are friendly. There is only one area in the Philippines that is unsafe: the southern region of Mindanao, where foreigners are advised to avoid some areas. Apart from that, the Philippines are generally safe. Using common sense is important just like anywhere else.

Health Tips

These are some suggestions (especially if you are in remote places) you should keep in mind if you don’t want to get seriously sick:

• Avoid drinking from the tap water (don’t even brush your teeth in the most rural areas)
• Avoid drinks with ice. Most probably, they used tap water to make the ice
• Always bring some hand sanitizer to use before eating
• If you buy a bottle of water, be sure it’s new and hasn’t been just refilled (it happens sometimes)
• Buy some repellent for the mosquitoes. Don’t bring your own from home! It probably won’t work.
• Use common sense when eating street food. I love it and want to try almost everything, but this might not always be a good idea

Cost of living

I lived in Asia for a while and am used to cheap food, transportation, and accommodation. Since the Philippines is a developing country, I thought traveling would be cheaper, but I was wrong. Don’t get me wrong: the Philippines ARE cheaper than Western countries, as I said at the beginning of the article, but not as cheap as you would think.

For example, unless you want to eat chicken adobo daily, you can expect to spend around 7/8€ per person per meal. I know that’s not much, but in China, I could spend half of that, and the food would be better (food in the Philippines is not particularly great, especially compared to the rest of Asia).

Transportation, especially in remote areas, is quite expensive. I spent about 15€ on an 18 km ride on a tricycle! At first, I thought I was being ripped off, but later I asked my local friends what the regular price was, and they confirmed that what I paid was the regular fare. That’s the same price I paid for the ferry from Cebu to Bohol!

Accommodation prices are, for now, quite low. I stayed in Corong Corong beach, El Nido, in a nice bungalow on the beach with the view you can see in the picture above, for about 35€ per night. Remember that it was January, high season, so it wasn’t too bad! You can find great deals on Booking.com or Trip.com (recommended when traveling in Asia).

I think prices will keep rising in the future as the Philippines attracts more people every year.

When is the best time to visit the Philippines?

• January to March is usually the best period to travel to the Philippines. Even if there are bigger chances of precipitation, these are the months of the year when the temperature is cooler.
• From April to June, the temperature and humidity levels are highest. The summer season is also a school break for Filipino students, so beach resorts will most likely be fully booked and more expensive.
• The volume of rainfall in the Philippines increases from July to October. It rains pretty often, but not necessarily all day long. The real issue is typhoons, making trips around the country difficult.
• November/December is usually the beginning of the dry season, although typhoons are still hitting the country during these months.

If you are considering moving to the Philippines or any other Asian country, check out my guide.

Here, you can see some more pictures I took in the Philippines. Here is a post about Bohol, and here I talked about a great experience you can have in the Philippines: swimming with the Whale Sharks. If you plan to visit Palawan, don’t miss this guide. Here is my travel guide to Phi Phi Island.