How Long to Spend in the Philippines

Being a travel professional who spent years of her life living and travelling around the islands of the world, I think that the Philippines is not a destination where people spend their holidays, but a state of being. It is of experiencing the warmth of the sun on your skin and the salty scent of the ocean filling your lungs. It is of hearing the gentle wave of the water lapping at the side of your boat and then the sweet sound of laughter of a little boy (or girl) as he waves at you out of the porch of his stilted house.

But then a person looks at a map, which has over 7,000 islands and then begins to wonder, how long to spend in the Philippines? The question is as long as you desire! You could spend all your days in the Philippines, and when you leave, you will have found a secluded cove that has not had a human being in it for at least one week. When researching how long to spend in the Philippines, you should be intentional with how you choose to spend your time in the Philippines so that you can leave an impression on it. Now, it is time to plan where to go in the Philippines!

Seven-Day Magic

When you have only a week and are deciding how long to spend in the Philippines, leave the whole archipelago to yourself. You will spend all your days in airport lounges and vans. You will not have a chance to see the magic of what you wanted to see. One should concentrate on one of the areas that is the power of one.

Palawan Dream: Fly to El Niño or Coron. Spend your day in the limestone churches of Bacuit Bay and kayak to the Big Lagoon when the morning sun is shining on the turquoise water. If you are wondering how long to spend in El Nido, four days is usually the sweet spot for the lagoons.

The Expert Recommends: When you are only spending a few hours, the best way to get there is by air via “AirSwift,” which offers boutique flights into El Niño that do not require the usual six-hour ride, which is bumpy and tough on the body. Time is your most precious asset when considering how long to spend in the Philippines, and you should not waste it in transport but rather enjoy it at the beach. Determining how long to spend in El Nido depends on your love for island hopping, but three to five days is ideal.

Ten Days between the Balance of the Islands.

There are many people who can spend ten days: a transition between two worlds, the mountains and the ocean. When figuring out how long to spend in the Philippines to see diverse landscapes, ten days is a great start. This timeframe allows you to decide where to go in the Philippines to see both rice terraces and white sands. The Official Philippines Travel Guide often highlights that this duration is perfect for those wanting a mix of adventure and relaxation.

Travel North-South: Start on High in the Clouds (The Highlands of the Clouds), three days in Banau and Batad with giant green staircases of the rice terraces, which were excavated out of the mountain 2,000 years ago. It has a wonderful feeling of quietness there; this is where you will reset your heart.

Then time to go down to the ocean. Fly there to Siargao (The Surfing Capital of the world), even without a surfboard, the culture of the place, the Island Life is so alive. It involves riding motorbikes on coconut groves, smoothies during breakfast and observing the sunset at Cloud 9.  This Island Life shows that how long to spend in the Philippines matters; 10 days gives time to make the ride to the coolness of the mountain area, to the hot and humid beach. Many travellers find that the best time to visit the Philippines is during these shoulder months when the weather is transitioning. To make these multi-leg journeys seamless, many travellers rely on experts like World Pinoy Flights to secure the best routes between the highlands and the islands. If you’re still exploring ideas, here’s a helpful guide on what is Philippines famous for.

The Gifts of the Two-Week Journey to the Philippines.

Being an expert traveller, it is true that fourteen days is the recommended stay in a new visitor to the Philippines. It gives a sense of adventure! And that is also the same reason why most of the Philippine tourism experiences are the best around forty-four days. Because the weather plays a huge role in boat expeditions, the best time to visit philippines for this route is between January and April.

You can do more than a high-speed ferry between Coron and El Nino, why not spend 3-5 days on a boat like the ones of Big Dream Boatman or Tao? That’s pure travel, no frills. You will sleep in a bamboo hut in a isolated beach, eat fish that have been freshly caught and go snorkelling in coral reefs resembling a giant city underwater. If you choose this route, knowing how long to spend in El Nido after the boat trip helps you wind down; usually, another 2 nights is perfect.

Suppose that you have two weeks of free time during your visit, here is a guide on how long to spend in the Philippines across these possible places with a balanced itinerary:

• Manila (1 night) – Beginning in the historical core of Manila, Intramuros, and get an understanding of the Spanish colonialism and the culture of the locals. If you are debating how long to spend in Manila, one or two nights is sufficient before heading to the islands.
• Coron (3 nights) – Explore the grandiose WW II shipwrecks and swim in fresh water lake found at Kayangan. You will go out of your time in Coron with a new idea of our history.
• Expedition (3 nights) – Distract yourself with everything and unplug to reconnect with everything natural and pure. To simplify this logistics-heavy portion of the trip, many travellers look into Philippines packages that bundle these remote experiences together.
• El Niño (4 nights) – Thrill at the comfort of the soft beds and scenic view on the beautiful lagoons of “Tour A”.
• Cebu/Bohol (3 nights) – complete your journey on a high note and visit Cebu and Bohol with their Chocolate Hills and cute Tarsier monkey. This is a classic choice for where to go in the Philippines.

The Philippines in 21 Days.

The Philippines, in 21 days, can well qualify to be regarded as a home rather than a holiday.

When considering how long to spend in Manila during a longer trip, you might use it as a hub to fly to more remote areas. If you have the luxury of time regarding how long to spend in the Philippines,  the two beautiful and mystical islands in the Philippines are Siquijor and Camiguin. Natural healers are found in Siquijor, along with balete trees thousands of years of age and Camiguin, the only island to have been formed by volcanic action, has more volcanic craters per square kilometre than any other location. Time in these two fields is reduced to a standstill. You can talk to a fisherman for an hour, or you can go through a karinderya along the road and learn how to make adobo in half a day.

Alternatively, you can also get to Batanes in the extreme north of the Philippines, but it is a totally different experience! Batanes resembles the Scottish Highlands, where people have a lot of green hills, stone houses, and well-formed evil cliffs. It is the calmest section of the Philippines, and it houses the Ivatan people, who are very honest and even have an Honesty Café where people pay for their food without a cashier being present in the shop. To ensure you have the clearest views here, the best time to visit philippines for the north is during the summer months of March to May. When you explore the Philippines this deeply, you find its true soul.

Secrets for Your Journey

Spend your time in the Philippines in pleasure with the following rules for how long to spend in the Philippines effectively, and a realistic travel schedule:

• Respect Transfer Day: The time it takes to transfer between the islands in the Philippines is one day. This implies that, given 10 days of stay in the Philippines, you should make 3 or fewer than 4 transfers in case you have 14 days of stay in the Philippines. When planning how long to spend in the Philippines, always factor in these travel days.
• Season of Smiles: The season is between December and May due to the dry weather, the oceans are still calm, and the lagoons appear like glass during the sunny days.
• Island Time: Your plane can be late, and ferries can even be late because of the tides. Don’t force it. Before watching the sunset, having more coconuts in the Philippines is normal. If you are stuck at the airport, you might wonder how long to spend in Manila. Use that extra time to explore the city’s world-class food scene.
• Salamat: Filipinos are very hospitable. Instead of tipping them, it is better to say Thank You (Salamat) or Take Care (Ingat) to a Filipino host. Your sightseeing plan should always include time to connect with the locals.

Last Reflections: The Infinite Islands.

Stay long enough in the Philippines, and you will be able to forget what day it is. Whereas when you remained in a 5-star hotel, there were not so many comforts as you will find on these islands at 6 a.m., hiding by the quiet waters of a secret lagoon. When you look back at your notes on how long to spend inthe  Philippines, you’ll realise you’ll always want more time.

Do not get too excited by the duration of your visit, irrespective of whether you will spend a week or one month. The 7,000 islands will always be there, waiting to be explored long after your first trip. So take your time planning your Philippines holidays! then when you get ready, the islands will welcome you. Picture yourself on a quiet, beautiful beach, with the island already holding a place just for you.

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