Need help with Philippines planning
Feb 8, 2017, 1:56 pm
#1
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: LAX
Posts: 10,908
Need help with Philippines planning
Managed to book awards for family (7 yo kids) to CEB for next Xmas - should have 8-9 days for travel in the area.
Based on info here it appears that Boracay is overdeveloped so looking at Palawan as main destination. Perhaps 3-5 days in El Nido with smth else to add - not sure what's most practical... Can change arrival or departure to MNL if makes planning easier or perhaps decompress in city hotel for a couple days.
Can anyone suggest practical itinerary options?
I did review a few very useful threads such as
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/asia/...ilippines.html
now trying to align available time with destinations and factors such as high season avaiklability, kids in tow etc..
only one of el nido resorts appears bookable - not sure if holidays dates are already sold out on not released yet...
possible consideration:
2 days Cebu
flt to Puerto Princessa - a couple days there
long ride to El Nido - 4 days there
direct flight from El Nido to Cebu ($$$)
Based on info here it appears that Boracay is overdeveloped so looking at Palawan as main destination. Perhaps 3-5 days in El Nido with smth else to add - not sure what's most practical... Can change arrival or departure to MNL if makes planning easier or perhaps decompress in city hotel for a couple days.
Can anyone suggest practical itinerary options?
I did review a few very useful threads such as
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/asia/...ilippines.html
now trying to align available time with destinations and factors such as high season avaiklability, kids in tow etc..
only one of el nido resorts appears bookable - not sure if holidays dates are already sold out on not released yet...
possible consideration:
2 days Cebu
flt to Puerto Princessa - a couple days there
long ride to El Nido - 4 days there
direct flight from El Nido to Cebu ($$$)
Last edited by azepine00; Feb 8, 2017 at 3:59 pm
Mar 10, 2017, 2:58 pm
#3
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Berkeley, California
Programs: Starwood Gold, Hyatt Platinum
Posts: 560
Planning my own trip to the Philippines with my extended family. We decided on Palawan since my father had never been there. We fly in and out of Manila, so we're taking the Air Swift flight directly to El Nido, which is rather expensive. There are still rooms available in the El Nido area as we just booked 6 rooms a few weeks ago for peak season. We didn't look at the bigger resorts since they were out of our price range, and instead focused on accommodations in El Nido and nearby.
One itinerary option we had considered which might be of interest to you is to head for Bohol from Cebu. You can take a ferry from Cebu down to Panglao Island and island hop around. We had looked into an itinerary that included Panglao Island, Siquijor Island, and Dumaguete. The logistics are fairly simple for getting around since you travel by ferry everywhere. Bohol has some nice attractions for kids, like the tarsier sanctuary. And, it's likely cheaper than Palawan.
Another option we seriously considered was Siargao Island. It's off the beaten track and takes a bit to get to, but it's still relatively undeveloped.
https://www.justonewayticket.com/201...r-non-surfers/
One itinerary option we had considered which might be of interest to you is to head for Bohol from Cebu. You can take a ferry from Cebu down to Panglao Island and island hop around. We had looked into an itinerary that included Panglao Island, Siquijor Island, and Dumaguete. The logistics are fairly simple for getting around since you travel by ferry everywhere. Bohol has some nice attractions for kids, like the tarsier sanctuary. And, it's likely cheaper than Palawan.
Another option we seriously considered was Siargao Island. It's off the beaten track and takes a bit to get to, but it's still relatively undeveloped.
https://www.justonewayticket.com/201...r-non-surfers/
Mar 10, 2017, 10:08 pm
#4
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Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Atlanta, GA, USA
Programs: Frontier Gold, DL estranged 1MMer, Spirit VIP, CO/NW/UA/AA once gold/plat/comped gold now dust.
Posts: 38,151
Cebu City has a lot of the urban advantages of Manila without being as jam-packed or traffic-choked. There are a couple of Magellan historical sites near Colon Street, and SM and Ayala have made sure you have monster malls you can hang out in. Also a few restaurants in those and around town, plus some nicer hotels in the reclamation area. The Mactan beaches won't seem like much if you're going to Palawan.
Puerto Princesa is compact and very pleasant, and I used it as a base to do the Underground River tour (also included Sabang Beach) and to go see Honda Bay. I also remember getting rock lobster tails at 2 for $5 at a fish-grill restaurant (way cheaper than Manila or Cebu), but they had never heard of drawn butter.
El Nido used to be a place where you had to take the malaria meds (Angkor Wat was as well, back in the late 90s), but maybe it's changed.
Puerto Princesa is compact and very pleasant, and I used it as a base to do the Underground River tour (also included Sabang Beach) and to go see Honda Bay. I also remember getting rock lobster tails at 2 for $5 at a fish-grill restaurant (way cheaper than Manila or Cebu), but they had never heard of drawn butter.
El Nido used to be a place where you had to take the malaria meds (Angkor Wat was as well, back in the late 90s), but maybe it's changed.
Mar 16, 2017, 10:57 am
#5
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,737
Planning my own trip to the Philippines with my extended family. We decided on Palawan since my father had never been there. We fly in and out of Manila, so we're taking the Air Swift flight directly to El Nido, which is rather expensive. There are still rooms available in the El Nido area as we just booked 6 rooms a few weeks ago for peak season. We didn't look at the bigger resorts since they were out of our price range, and instead focused on accommodations in El Nido and nearby.
One itinerary option we had considered which might be of interest to you is to head for Bohol from Cebu. You can take a ferry from Cebu down to Panglao Island and island hop around. We had looked into an itinerary that included Panglao Island, Siquijor Island, and Dumaguete. The logistics are fairly simple for getting around since you travel by ferry everywhere. Bohol has some nice attractions for kids, like the tarsier sanctuary. And, it's likely cheaper than Palawan.
Another option we seriously considered was Siargao Island. It's off the beaten track and takes a bit to get to, but it's still relatively undeveloped.
https://www.justonewayticket.com/201...r-non-surfers/
One itinerary option we had considered which might be of interest to you is to head for Bohol from Cebu. You can take a ferry from Cebu down to Panglao Island and island hop around. We had looked into an itinerary that included Panglao Island, Siquijor Island, and Dumaguete. The logistics are fairly simple for getting around since you travel by ferry everywhere. Bohol has some nice attractions for kids, like the tarsier sanctuary. And, it's likely cheaper than Palawan.
Another option we seriously considered was Siargao Island. It's off the beaten track and takes a bit to get to, but it's still relatively undeveloped.
https://www.justonewayticket.com/201...r-non-surfers/
Mar 16, 2017, 1:02 pm
#6
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Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: LAX
Posts: 10,908
Interesting thoughts - thanks!
Our initial plan was to spend a few days at el nido resorts but they confirmed that kids 7+ are about $100pp extra making it $800-ish per night for rather rustic resort...
we still want smth nice and resorty beachfront with easy snorkeling (that led us to pick Philippines to begin with) - i am not sure if anything in puerto princessa or el nido fits this well.. am i overlooking anything there?
Airbnb doesnt seems to offer a lot either...
I'll take a look at bohol and perhaps coron options
Our initial plan was to spend a few days at el nido resorts but they confirmed that kids 7+ are about $100pp extra making it $800-ish per night for rather rustic resort...
we still want smth nice and resorty beachfront with easy snorkeling (that led us to pick Philippines to begin with) - i am not sure if anything in puerto princessa or el nido fits this well.. am i overlooking anything there?
Airbnb doesnt seems to offer a lot either...
I'll take a look at bohol and perhaps coron options
Mar 19, 2017, 8:46 pm
#7
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 343
I've done Cebu ( canyoneering + Oslob = whale shark dive) and stayed at Villa on A Cliff. You can Google and find them on AirBNB and they have an instagram handle as well. I highly recommend. Also have stayed at Lagen Island/El Nido and really enjoyed it but it is fairly pricey for still fairly rustic accommodations. The beach villas look nice from the outside but the rooms are a notch above rustic, bathrooms were fairly grimy and food was so so.
We are going back to Manila this December 2017/Jan 2018, staying at the new Shangri-La at the Fort and then doing 4 nights at the Hennan Bohol. Mixed reviews, but we have a little one now and it seems like a fairly easy trip and not as much of a mess as Boracay is.
Let me know if you have any questions or need pics of Lagen, etc. Here is trip report from that trip: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trip-...d-el-nido.html
We are going back to Manila this December 2017/Jan 2018, staying at the new Shangri-La at the Fort and then doing 4 nights at the Hennan Bohol. Mixed reviews, but we have a little one now and it seems like a fairly easy trip and not as much of a mess as Boracay is.
Let me know if you have any questions or need pics of Lagen, etc. Here is trip report from that trip: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trip-...d-el-nido.html
Last edited by benjahman; Mar 21, 2017 at 7:53 am
Mar 20, 2017, 7:49 pm
#8
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Berkeley, California
Programs: Starwood Gold, Hyatt Platinum
Posts: 560
For El Nido, I didn't find any mid-range, resorts with a nice beach, so we gave up on that. We figure we'd just take a boat some place or hire a van to take us to one of the nicer beaches nearby.
If you're looking at Bohol and that general area of the Philippines, some of the resorts that interested us were:
Dauin:
https://atmosphereresorts.com
Siquijor Island:
http://www.cocogrovebeachresort.com
We were thinking of flying into Dauin area, and island hopping our way to Siquijor, then to Bohol, and then to Cebu to fly out. I have no experience with these resorts, but ran across them in my research as family friendly, so thought you might be interested.
If you're looking at Bohol and that general area of the Philippines, some of the resorts that interested us were:
Dauin:
https://atmosphereresorts.com
Siquijor Island:
http://www.cocogrovebeachresort.com
We were thinking of flying into Dauin area, and island hopping our way to Siquijor, then to Bohol, and then to Cebu to fly out. I have no experience with these resorts, but ran across them in my research as family friendly, so thought you might be interested.
Mar 21, 2017, 3:41 pm
#9
Join Date: Oct 2005
Programs: MileagePlus 1K, HHonors Platinum, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 49
Since you will be in Cebu already, I hear Bantayan Island is a place to go if you just want to relax on a beach. It's a 4+ hour commitment (one-way) from Cebu if you plan to take public transportation (bus/private van then ferry).
Disclosure: I have yet to go there.
Disclosure: I have yet to go there.
Mar 23, 2017, 3:09 pm
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Atlanta, GA, USA
Programs: Frontier Gold, DL estranged 1MMer, Spirit VIP, CO/NW/UA/AA once gold/plat/comped gold now dust.
Posts: 38,151
Since you will be in Cebu already, I hear Bantayan Island is a place to go if you just want to relax on a beach. It's a 4+ hour commitment (one-way) from Cebu if you plan to take public transportation (bus/private van then ferry).
Disclosure: I have yet to go there.
Disclosure: I have yet to go there.
Am also glad I got to see Boracay when I did, as it's a small and fragile place that has probably gotten too built up by now.
The Philippines gets nowhere near the visitor numbers of Thailand (especially if you factor out returning Filipinos with passports from other countries). There are undoubtedly some hidden or lesser-known gems still left, but access isn't always easy.
Mar 24, 2017, 2:52 am
#11
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: SIN
Programs: TK - Gold, Kris - Gold, QFF - Points
Posts: 242
I second this... Atmosphere is really nice.. run by a dutch guy and his wife... good food, good facilities etc.. and right on the beach.. you can take a snorkel out and see some amazing stuff or get on their boat and go diving.
Siquijor is the island about 40 mins off Dumaguete (which is where Dauin is).. coco grove is the stand out accomodation on the island and is perfectly placed, with relatively (for Philippines) good service.
Bohol, Dumaguete, Siquijor are all reasonably easy to navigate between via local boats.. there is also Apo island for a day trip off Dauin..It's about 20 minutes boat ride and a nature reserve.. as soon as you arrive you can dive in and have huge turtles swimming at knee level. Kids love it.
On Bohol you should only really stay at Amorita, Hennan or Bohol Beach club - i've not been to the third but heard good things about it, the first two are lovely.
Having lived here 2 years for work i would recommend 0 nights in Manila - there is nothing whatsoever to do here.. it's crowded, busy and incredibly frustrating.
I'm not a fan of El Nido - i think the town is overdone and full of backpackers and tourists, and the next step up is a secluded million dollar resort where you get bored after 24hrs. Coron is probably the upside to that area.
Siquijor is the island about 40 mins off Dumaguete (which is where Dauin is).. coco grove is the stand out accomodation on the island and is perfectly placed, with relatively (for Philippines) good service.
Bohol, Dumaguete, Siquijor are all reasonably easy to navigate between via local boats.. there is also Apo island for a day trip off Dauin..It's about 20 minutes boat ride and a nature reserve.. as soon as you arrive you can dive in and have huge turtles swimming at knee level. Kids love it.
On Bohol you should only really stay at Amorita, Hennan or Bohol Beach club - i've not been to the third but heard good things about it, the first two are lovely.
Having lived here 2 years for work i would recommend 0 nights in Manila - there is nothing whatsoever to do here.. it's crowded, busy and incredibly frustrating.
I'm not a fan of El Nido - i think the town is overdone and full of backpackers and tourists, and the next step up is a secluded million dollar resort where you get bored after 24hrs. Coron is probably the upside to that area.
For El Nido, I didn't find any mid-range, resorts with a nice beach, so we gave up on that. We figure we'd just take a boat some place or hire a van to take us to one of the nicer beaches nearby.
If you're looking at Bohol and that general area of the Philippines, some of the resorts that interested us were:
Dauin:
https://atmosphereresorts.com
Siquijor Island:
http://www.cocogrovebeachresort.com
We were thinking of flying into Dauin area, and island hopping our way to Siquijor, then to Bohol, and then to Cebu to fly out. I have no experience with these resorts, but ran across them in my research as family friendly, so thought you might be interested.
If you're looking at Bohol and that general area of the Philippines, some of the resorts that interested us were:
Dauin:
https://atmosphereresorts.com
Siquijor Island:
http://www.cocogrovebeachresort.com
We were thinking of flying into Dauin area, and island hopping our way to Siquijor, then to Bohol, and then to Cebu to fly out. I have no experience with these resorts, but ran across them in my research as family friendly, so thought you might be interested.
Last edited by ttep; Mar 24, 2017 at 2:53 am Reason: as
Mar 26, 2017, 6:52 pm
#12
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 23
Another option that you may want to consider is Camiguin Island, Balay sa Baibai is highly recommended or Paras Resort which is just across White Island.
You can visit the cold and hot springs on the island and the different falls. There's a direct flight from Cebu to Camiguin.
For those who want to go to Palawan and Coron, PAL recently launched direct flights from Cebu to PPS and Busuanga. So this would serve well those who want to visit Cebu then fly to Palawan and Coron.
Siargao is nice if you intend to surf.
Also suggested is Surigao, you can visit Bucas Grande island. just something off the beaten path.
You can visit the cold and hot springs on the island and the different falls. There's a direct flight from Cebu to Camiguin.
For those who want to go to Palawan and Coron, PAL recently launched direct flights from Cebu to PPS and Busuanga. So this would serve well those who want to visit Cebu then fly to Palawan and Coron.
Siargao is nice if you intend to surf.
Also suggested is Surigao, you can visit Bucas Grande island. just something off the beaten path.
Mar 27, 2017, 4:34 am
#13
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 38
If you plan to go to Bohol, I blogged on how to get there from Cebu, itenerary and all prices. http://gingeraroundtheworld.com/choc...aradise-bohol/
In Cebu you can go to Oslob to swim with Whalesharks (it's better to do this in the wild for a bunch of reasons but it's easies option). Then you can also checkout Kawasan falls,
http://gingeraroundtheworld.com/surr...sd-spent-ever/
For El Nido i also posted all my costs, itinerary and how to get there:
http://gingeraroundtheworld.com/its-...se-of-el-nido/
This is place is simply amazing! I think you will enjoy your trip, so many cool activities in the Philippines like this zipline:
http://gingeraroundtheworld.com/its-...with-a-go-pro/
Sorry for the blog spam but I think it has some useful info :-)
In Cebu you can go to Oslob to swim with Whalesharks (it's better to do this in the wild for a bunch of reasons but it's easies option). Then you can also checkout Kawasan falls,
http://gingeraroundtheworld.com/surr...sd-spent-ever/
For El Nido i also posted all my costs, itinerary and how to get there:
http://gingeraroundtheworld.com/its-...se-of-el-nido/
This is place is simply amazing! I think you will enjoy your trip, so many cool activities in the Philippines like this zipline:
http://gingeraroundtheworld.com/its-...with-a-go-pro/
Sorry for the blog spam but I think it has some useful info :-)