The Family Travel Guide To The Philippines
Welcome to The Family Travel Guide: The Philippines! The Philippines is an island nation full of friendly faces in southeast Asia. We have found the Philippines to always be family-friendly and love love this kind, beautiful country. Our goal with this guide, and every destination guide we publish, is to take the scary, unknown aspect out of travel for you. So whether you are traveling solo, as a couple, or as a family, use this guide to help familiarize yourself with the Philippines and start planning a great vacation! And, as always, if you have any questions, leave them in the comments below or send us an email.
Where to go in the Philippines
Manila: The capital city of the Philippines, Manila is a great place to begin your adventure. It’s located on the island of Luzon and densely populated. We love the Makati / Greenbelt area of the city for families. Greenbelt is a huge shopping center with a decent grocery store in the basement, so we like to use it to stock up on necessities before island hopping. The Makati neighborhood has tons of restaurants and is pedestrian friendly.
Boracay: Boracay is famous for its expansive white-sand beach. It was actually closed in 2018 for rehab after becoming overly polluted. Now, the beach is back and it’s pristine! Boracay is taking beach protection around the entire island very seriously now and many activities on the beach are highly regulated. It’s all for the best, though. Boracay is back to its beautiful self!
Carabao: About 5 miles north of Boracay is Carabao island. It’s tricky to get to and takes some planning, but it’s untouched and basically like Boracay was 30 years ago. It’s pretty rustic, but it’s such a unique experience that we highly recommend visiting, even if it’s only a daytrip from Boracay!
Palawan: Palawan is one of the longest islands in the Philippines. It is mountainous, diverse and lush… and somewhat hard to get around. We’ve visited the Puerto Princesa area but intentionally left the famous El Nido and Coron for a future visit. Even without visiting El Nido, we fell in love with this beautiful island and made some incredible memories here.
Cebu / Mactan: Cebu and Mactan are another pair of islands that you might visit simply due to the convenience factor. The two islands are adjacent and connected by a bridge. The Cebu airport has international flights arriving and departing daily, which means that if you’re traveling through SE Asia, you can make it to Cebu without having a layover in Manila. Added bonus: Mactan is a coral island so snorkeling here is great!
Mactan is one of our favorite spots to get up close and personal with the marine life!
When to visit the Philippines
The Philippines are gorgeous year-round, but the best time to visit are the “ber” months (September-December), when the entire country is feeling festive and getting ready for Christmas. The weather is perfect with warm sunny days and minimal rain! This is peak season though, so if you’re looking for a time to visit that’s a bit more low-key, January and February are also great. Technically they are drier months and also a bit less crowded. However, (as with all of SE Asia) make sure you avoid Chinese New Year, or book well in advance. It gets crowded!
What to do in the Philippines
The Philippines are known for gorgeous beaches, dramatic cliffs, waterfalls and tons of other outdoor activities. Our family loves snorkeling and always travels with our favorite snorkel gear just in case we find a perfect snorkel spot! It’s probably no surprise that our favorite activities were snorkeling day trips in Port Barton, Palawan (see video below) and in Mactan. But if you need a break from all the marine life, below is our complete list of must-dos:
Port Barton snorkeling trip, Palawan: Quite possibly our favorite experience in the Philippines to date (just check out the video above)! Taking a trip to Port Barton involves a pretty long car ride through the hilly and lush interior of Palawan to the quiet backpacker village of Port Barton. Once you’re there, you board a small boat and take off island-hopping. We had great conditions for snorkeling during our trip and even got to see a couple sea turtles! Next time, we would love to spend more time in Port Barton itself, as it seems to have the laid back vibe that we love.
Underground River, Puerto Princesa, Palawan: Puerto Princesa’s biggest natural attraction was voted one of the 7 new natural wonders of the world! It’s about 80 km (50 miles) north of Puerto Princesa city center, so can make for a long day trip, but the caves and sights are so beautiful that you won’t want to miss this!
Honda Bay, Puerto Princesa, Palawan: Island hopping through Honda Bay is another great option if you’re looking for beach / swimming time. You can use our link here to book or find your own boat directly at the pier to pick and chose the islands and length of your trip.
White beach, Boracay: Visiting White Beach is a must. This beach was closed for rehab during most of 2018 after becoming littered almost beyond recognition. After it reopened, there is a new focus on environmental sustainability and keeping the beach beautiful for years to come. Make sure you take in a sunset either from the beach or on one of the beautiful paraw sailboats. I promise you won’t be disappointed!
Snorkel trip to Tambisaan Beach, Boracay: Grab a Paraw boat (we call them spider boats) from White Beach for either a group or private tour and head toward Tambisaan beach for snorkeling.
Said Beach, Carabao: If white sand, palm trees, and no crowds are your jam, then this is the beach for you. This beach is picture perfect and a great spot to bring a snack to enjoy under the shade of a palm tree. This beach is fairly long and there isn’t much around, so it’s perfect for long peaceful walks. Bonus: get a pizza from Din’s and enjoy it in the beach-front tree house!
Island hopping snorkel tour, Mactan: Sorry we’re not sorry for doing all the snorkel trips and island hopping that the Philippines has to offer, but each trip has been so great. We also love hanging out on all the tiny islands that are basically just sandbars! We especially loved Mactan because we saw tons of clown fish (Nemo!) and starfish. We also had a barbecue lunch on the boat that was hands-down our favorite meal in the Philippines! If you’re interested in doing this trip, just remember that it’s a long day in the sun and pack accordingly!
Is visiting the Philippines safe for families?
Yes. Overall, we have always felt very safe in the Philippines traveling with Liesel. Filipinos LOVE kids. We experienced this first-hand during our time in Boracay. On every island, Liesel has always been greeted with love and lots of attention. This is one of the locations that we felt very confident in hiring a babysitter for Liesel so that we could have a night out. It’s also great to note that English is widely spoken, which helps minimize a potential language barrier.
Boats of all shapes and sizes will help you island-hop throughout the Philippines
How to get around in the Philippines
Manila airport: If you’re visiting the Philippines you will most likely be flying into or connecting through Manila. This airport is the main hub of the country and has connecting flights out to all the islands. Manila airport is notorious for being tricky with connections. Most guides recommend giving yourself AT LEAST 3 hours between flights to make your connections, so it sometimes makes sense to spend a couple days in Manila if you can’t get a long enough layover on the day of your flight. You can often find cheap flight deals on Cebu Pacific airlines from other destinations around SE Asia.
Cebu airport: Cebu also has an international airport that’s not quite as big as Manila, so it also makes a great option for flights. Even for a smaller airport, we’ve been able to find cheap air fares in and out of Cebu, too!
Trikes: Once you’ve arrived at your hotel, Filipinos and tourists alike often use “trikes”to get around. Trikes are small, uncomfortable, and THE MOST FUN THINGS EVER! They are basically motorbikes with a small sidecar attached and they will take you to the airport, your snorkel boat, or the grocery store all for a reasonable price. Have fun loading your luggage onto a trike as you whiz down bumpy roads. Trust us, it’s fun.
Motorbikes: Motorbikes and motorcycles are also popular here. In Carabao, specifically, there aren’t a lot of cars on the island, and the main road to cross the island is about the width of a sidewalk in the US and motorbikes are the only way to get across!
Jeepney: Jeepneys are a popular form of public transportation, especially in Manila. They are basically brightly decorated buses with cramped seating inside, but if you are looking for a cheap way to get around, this is definitely your answer!
Passenger boats: Passenger boats usually travel short distances to connect people between islands. They are not known for being punctual and they are usually pretty crowded with people, supplies, animals, you name it! We had our most adventurous travel day ever taking a passenger boat to Carabao island (check out the video here)!
Private boats: Private boats are more expensive than passenger boats, but can save you tons of time in the long run. In order to book one, you usually have to ask your hotel or host if they know someone, since it’s all run by word of mouth. Our private boat from Carabao to the airport was a little pricier than the passenger boat would have been, but it cut our travel time from 5-6 hours to 1 hour (not even exaggerating), we had a bit more peace of mind knowing that we’d make it to the airport on time, AND we got to enjoy the views of Boracay as we cruised by. Overall, it was a great experience!
Other transportation tips for the Philippines
Car seats: Like many places in SE Asia, car seats in the Philippines aren’t really an option, especially on trikes. We normally had Liesel strapped into a baby carrier while I would buckle in (car) or hold on tight (trike). Also, keep in mind that roads in the Philippines are bumpy, windy or steep hills so drivers are never going crazy fast speeds like they would in the US.
Boarding boats: Passenger and private boats will often have a narrow plank or sketchy set of stairs for you to use. Make sure you have your hands free when boarding boats and PUT YOUR CELL PHONE AWAY! You’ll definitely need to watch your step and make sure you can balance. Also, don’t be afraid to take a helping hand when it’s offered to you.
Other: On the way to the Manila airport, there is a toll road. Most drivers will ask you if it’s ok to take this road and then charge you for it at the end of your ride. We would always say “yes”; the toll was only a couple US dollars and saved a bit of time in traffic.
There is no shortage of family-friendly hotels (like Astoria Palawan) in the Philippines
Where to stay in the Philippines
Coast Boracay. We loved the friendly vibe here. The staff were incredible and made Liesel feel like a princess. The location on White Beach was great. We honestly can’t say enough good things about this place! Cost: $125 / night (low season) - $275 (high season)
Under The Stars Boracay. Located on Tambisaan beach, Under the Stars in a small group of luxury apartment rentals. The units were spacious (500 sq meters), I can’t gush enough about the kitchen, and the living space was almost too much for a family of three to fully enjoy! This would be an amazing space for a family or group trip to Boracay! Cost: $300-$600 usd per night depending on season
Manila: one bedroom Airbnb in Greenbelt / Makati district. We loved this Airbnb in Manila and if we’re back for a quick layover, we would definitely consider staying here again! It was really small but perfect for one night because it was clean and located within a short walk of the Greenbelt shopping center. Cost: $50-$60 USD per night. New to Airbnb? Click here for a discount on your first booking!
Lanas beach resort Carabao island. I’m laughing to myself as I type this because how can I put it nicely… after staying at places like Coast and Under the Stars just a few days prior, Lana’s was super basic. Our room had a non-functioning kitchen (the sink had been disconnected from the water supply), Liesel and I only showered once in 4 days because the bathroom was kind of scary, and the overall vibe of our room was just really old and outdated. That said, we learned that the resort had recently been purchased as a training spot for a hotel developer. He was training hotel staff at Lana’s while his bigger, nicer resort was being built a few km north on the island! On the plus side, the exterior / outdoor space is amazing. It’s right on the beach so you can watch sunset every night and there are hammocks for lazing around. And since there isn’t too much to do on Carabao, the restaurant is where everyone hangs out. At about $35 / night, it’s a good no-frills option if you just want a place to stay for a couple nights to enjoy the island!
Astoria Palawan, Puerto Princesa. If you are staying in Puerto Princesa, this is where you want to be. The whole property has a super fun, family friendly vibe, it’s right on the beach and there is a huge water park attached! Check out our full review here!
Pacific Cebu Resort, Mactan. This is a property I have a hard time recommending. We had major issues in our first few days (no hot water, not enough water pressure to even get a trickle for the shower, the in-room WiFi we paid for was non-existent, and the list went on and on). We eventually were moved to a different room that had water pressure and WiFi, but the whole experience left a bad taste in our mouths (side note: we really hate to complain about accommodations because we firmly believe that you get what you pay for, but this was BAD!). We booked it knowing it was on the cheaper end of our budget because all we really wanted to do in Mactan was go on a few snorkeling excursions and didn’t care too much about the hotel or property. On the plus side, it was one of the cheaper hotels in Mactan, had 3 swimming pools and two restaurants on-site, plus gorgeous sunsets. If we were to back to Mactan, I’d consider a different spot like an Vrbo rental with a pool or Be Resort. There are great options at almost any budget!
Some of our favorite dining options in the Philippines are along White Beach in Boracay
What to eat in the Philippines
Eating is always one of our favorite ways to experience a culture, and the Philippines is no exception. Two of the most famous dishes in Filipino cuisine are Chicken Adobo and Pork Sisig. They are both often served with rice, or better yet, garlic rice! Chicken Adobo wasn’t our favorite dish, but pork sisig… my mouth still waters just thinking about those spicy, crunchy chunks of pork!
Pork sisig: Pork sisig is essentially the Filipino version of fajitas. It’s often served on a sizzling skillet with a soft cooked egg on top that cooks as you mix it in to the piping hot dish. Mixed in with the pork are onions and peppers. It is a mouthwatering dish that we can’t get enough of when in the Philippines!
Chicken adobo: This is basically the official food of the Philippines. It can be made in a variety of forms as there is no strict recipe; it’s really just based on what you have in your pantry at the moment. It usually starts with a base, however, of vinegar, soy sauce and garlic to create a marinade. The chicken is browned in oil creating a super tasty comfort food that you’ll be able to find at almost any Filipino restaurant.
Sinangag (garlic fried rice): Exactly as it sounds, sinangag is like regular rice only better because it’s got garlic! Restaurants will often give you the option of white rice or garlic rice, and we always opt for garlic rice because it’s got that little extra “yum” factor that pairs so well with Filipino cuisine!
Beef tapa: Beef tapa is a traditional breakfast item. It’s thinly-sliced marinated beef, pairs well with frieds eggs and sinangag, and makes for a breakfast of champions.
Buko: Buko is Filipino for coconut, and no day in the sun is complete without sipping on a fresh coconut!
Where to eat: Two restaurants that left a huge impression on us, even a year after our first visit were (ironically) not even Filipino food! Trattoria Stella in Boracay is located near Diniwid beach. It is owned by an Italian husband and Filipino wife, and all their amazing pastas are homemade. The restaurant itself is small and charming, so if you want to get a table be sure to get there early! Our other favorite was also in Boracay: Dos Mestizos in Station 1. We loved the tapas here (or maybe were really just missing Spain). Most nights featured live music and the atmosphere was great. It was tucked away from the beach just a bit, but felt so far removed from all the hustle of White Beach!
Where to shop for food in the Philippines: Our best advice when visiting the Philippines is to spend a day or two near the beginning of your trip in Manila. This will give you time to not only enjoy Manila, but also to stock up on groceries at a “Western” grocery store. We loved the United Supermarket inside the Greenbelt shopping center in the Makati district. Once you get out to the islands, most will also have a large grocery store but it might be a 20 minute drive from where you are staying. Often there are smaller options with local produce and there are almost always convenience stores if you need milk or ramen in a pinch!
If you like playing on the beach, you will love visiting the Philippines!
What type of family will enjoy a visit to the Philippines?
The Philippines can check a lot of boxes for a lot of people. If you have young kids or really just enjoy relaxing on a beach, there are gorgeous beaches (and I’m not just saying that. These are like picture-perfect postcard beaches that you only see in movies)! If you are more into adventure, there are tons of hikes and loads of exploring to be done on some of the more remote islands. The biggest thing to remember about the Philippines is that getting to all those exotic islands can be time consuming. You’ll often have connecting flights or long boat rides (or both) to get where you’re going. So as long as you keep that in mind, you will love exploring the Philippines just as much as we do!
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