Depends on where you want to settle You can easily build your own nipa hut I think (not really sure about the policy of this, you might want to research more) or rent one as it is common here Glad you like the Philippines. I also want to recommend the ENCHANTED RIVER in Surigao, Philippines. HOWEVER, the fact that you include COCK-FIGHTS as a must-see frankly disgusts me. Nowhere is perfect right? There was free water to refill your bottle and free coffee and tea. To travel is to witness the peculiar and avoid judgement. I sat down for lunch and made friends with a boat captain who took me out no charge to Sumilon Island to explore. In other parts of Southeast Asia you’ll probably notice more smiles and happy hellos, but in the Philippines they are more westernised and will say hello if they are interested in you. I’m human. Lets keep backpacking! But the small lagoon hit another chord. Obviously, we cannot tell you what to do, where to go, or who to listen to, and you have to do your own due diligence and research. But really! Philippines: Luxury holiday on a backpacker budget 13 Jul, 2019 05:00 PM 7 minutes to read You don't need a huge budget to have rich experiences in the Philippines. The second stop on the tour is Virgin Island, which was a little bizarre as there was no swimming there and not really much there at all. To be honest, I couchsurfed and stayed at local Filipino homes for the majority of my two-month stay in the Philippines. But when internal flights are cheaper than bus and ferry rides, you soon find yourself opting for the cheaper, more comfortable option. I didn’t think it would be possible for our second day on the boat to live up to the adventure we had on Day 1. Before we dove we were told that touching the sharks is a criminal offense and that it will result in a huge fine or jail time. Simply beautiful, travel all over the world it’s my dream and i’m so excited to become a freelancer like you ! You should also go to Cagayan de Oro in the island of Mindanao the next time you visit the Philippines. Thank you for all of the recommendations. Flexibility is key. Nicht umsonst gehören die Philippinen zu den 17 artenreichsten Regionen der Erde. Thanks Tom. Such value! What a ridiculously ignorant statement. Is that any other major attractions i missed out here? Wow this is really helpful! I hope a lot of people get to read this, especially those in the SE trail who skip the Philippines you mentioned. Travel is independent, personal and without judgement. I love how you explain each and how you took those pictures. However, if you find yourself near Cebu City there is a cool little waterfall trek up in the hills called Budlaan Falls. Finally, we were arriving at the gem of the Philippines and it delivered big time. We stayed at a place called Cliffside Cottages. A stunning stretch of sand, lined with coconut trees made the perfect spot for our afternoon chill session. Your email address will not be published. I am having a hard time finding these famous ‘cheap’ flights. I am terrible at relaxing and switching off but even I hung out in the hammock for twenty minutes. We couch-surfed in Puerto Princesa for two nights with a lady who had a spare room above her house. To be honest you may not even need fins if you are trying to save money. The cross is covered in lights and is quite impressive at night. I think the key here is that in the rainy season the hills are a little less chocolate and a little more green. I climbed to the top of the hill and almost destroyed my camera in a tumble down the rock face after my handhold crumbled. I’d say choose Palawan and one other island. Were you camping with other people, or just two of you? (L) I will include this blog in my Blog roll (Y). Many of the other foreigners you’ll see have married Filipino locals and are expats. Tumalog Falls is one of the most impressive waterfalls on Cebu. *Note: We are not doctors. Then you for helping us with out Palawan travel plans. On a one month Philippines backpacking holiday I spent a total of $1476 USD including flight. The city was interesting but I wouldn’t want to spend too much of my vacation in Coron Town. Love the pictures. The waterfall at this level pours over the limestone cliff wall without extreme force, more of a pour! This attitude problem is rife amoungst the Back Packing fraternity in particular. The staff were super chill and helpful. It rained for 24 hours one time and we all hung out in the hammocks at the hostel reading books, editing photos, chatting and drinking. But the tourists packed into lagoons like sardines is a bit of a killer at times. When I travel, I don’t travel as an ambassador of nowhere, with absolutely no preconceived notions about places or people. From that point on we floated, jumped and climbed our way down the river. Millions of Filipino families have left home to find better work abroad, so when the holidays come, so do the returning family members making it a nightmare to book transportation and hotels. Traveling is experiencing and meeting people and witnessing and exploring and soo many other things. Thanks. Posts about budget costs and tips for backpacking in the Philippines written by Bemused Backpacker We like to list off the beaten path ideas from our own personal experience and because we were limited by stormy weather during our stay in the Philippines, we were unable to reach some of the truly hidden gems that we had planned to. I don’t remember what we paid actually, you’ll have to negotiate. 2018 - Voici un exemple d'itinéraire et budget aux Philippines pour un voyage de type sac-à-dos. Crickets and birds seemed to chirp louder than normal, which had Jorden convinced the sounds were also man-made and coming from hidden speakers. I have saved 800$ and i am heading to Phillipines.. Its going to be awesome. Click here for the cheapest (and best) hostels in the Philippines, Click here for top hotels, guesthouses and homestays in the Philippines. Coconut trees lined Seven Commando beach and we, of course, sipped on a few after a quick snorkel. Glad you guys still found Cliffside to be a budget option though. They definitely have the tourist price running at these types of sites but just remember that it’s worth the extra few bucks. Hopefully you’ll agree with this to some extent. Great article guys! This is really the last spot as you travel down south where you will have good wifi, 4G connection, western restaurants and lots of facilities. View the full blog post: EL NIDO MOTORBIKE DAY TRIP TO NACPAN BEACH. Coconuts are harvested by locals who free-climb the trees and cut the coconut. Many thanks for sharing! It was definitely slower but equally as impressive. You don’t have to worry about sex tourism. I have a question about flights. Cebu City might be where you land at the airport but if you are looking for adventure, you will need to head south as soon as possible. You can rent these from any of the dive shops for less than $5 and enjoy the clear water of Moalboal! If you have any comments or tips about Philippines backpacking add them below. There is so much to explore in the Philippines, we didn’t even scratch the surface! From the viewpoint you walk down the other side of the cliff for a few minutes and reach Kayangan Lake. This is an essential Philippines experience for any backpacker with an adventurous spirit. Not condonding cock fighting – not condonding McChickens. The country exudes an excellent backpacker’s vibe and boasts some of the best beaches and scenery in the world. I adore Pinoy & am returning to find my last true love as I will be moving there for good somewhere; ). If you’ve never been to Africa then you’re probably not used to having chickens and children thrown on your lap, while get used to it if you want to travel in the Philippines. The boat glides across the glassy water, almost crystal as the narrow entrance finally opens up into a giant lagoon. We played soccer at sunset with local kids, watched the fishermen go about their daily tasks and did some exploring up and down the coast even checking out a waterfall that is right on the beach. If you are already in Southeast Asia we recommend booking a flight with AirAsia, Zest Air or Cebu Pacific. It’s also a country that has its own distinct character. It’s El Nido, you are going to be visiting lagoons and beaches that will blow your mind. Thanks for a complete all-in-one guide to the Philippines, and being all-out on how you did find the people, culture, etc. Don’t worry this is more than enough adventure! It’s a beautiful but short little adventure, which you can combine with the other waterfalls in the Samboan region of Cebu. They don’t really do “big beers” in the Philippines but you can sometimes find them at 7-11. We’re Planning on Manila (since we’re landing there), Cebu and then Palawan and finally back to Manila to fly out. This was definitely a highlight of the Philippines backpacking trip. Click here for the best accommodations in Port Barton. The staff helped to book tours cheaper than the vendors on the street and gave discounts if you did multiple tours. That’s great Alex! If you don’t agree with Islam, avoid mosques. Sure in rains everywhere, but nowhere is quite like The Philippines. Thank you for this awesome post, helping other backpackers like you to discover my country PHILIPPINES! There is no right way to travel to the Philippines. Wow, I’m sure the Philippines has changed a lot in the past 17 years! Thanks for watching :) Sub for more! We just made sure we could get either a boat, plane or bus to our next stop. Disclaimer:Goats On The Road is an Amazon Associate and also an affiliate for some other retailers. Being the cheap guys Jorden and I were of course we swam. The main waterfall is a 100ft flow of water, which crashes down into the blue pool of water. It sounds like you guys are on a great trip! On the drive to Kabutongan are some of the coolest roads on all of Cebu. Like many ‘hidden’ places around the world, it is not hidden at all. Hopefully, it is in good shape when you visit. Um auf den Philippinen von A nach B zu gelangen, solltet Ihr mehr Budget einplanen als bei anderen typischen Backpacking Destinationen. Search. In 2016 you just went free-roam and swam wherever you like. If we had only scheduled 3 days and our itinerary was strict we would have only had one day of sun. I would like to camp for a few days in Philippines very much. Be wary of tourist pricing on some Jeepneys and Minibuses. I just got back from the Philippines and loved it! It has a staircase down to the ocean into crystal clear water. I will let the photos do the talking about the water clarity from here on in. We just found it really strange that no one at Cliffside seemed to know what we were talking about when we asked about camping, because it seems you had such luck with them. Right near the restaurants, bars and action of Alona Beach but hidden away so that you can relax after a day of island-hopping or adventures. From beach side camping to affordable luxury hotels, the Philippines offers some fantastic budget options for backpackers. Kayangan Lake has a short hike up a couple hundred stairs to a little viewpoint hidden in the cliffs. But yet, it’s not listed as dangerous. Again, sorry you couldn’t experience that adventure and thanks for telling us. All these silly “regulations” and tourist fees – that’s the mark of tourism development. You said 10 days… did you mean to visit all 10 places? It’s cheap, the scenery is out of this world, the island vibes are strong and I felt like we could’ve spent a month here. Wear shoes if you are planning on exploring in caves and on rocks like us. Just wanted to let you know this so that any other readers remain informed. (I have since explored Moalboal and South Cebu in more depth as you can see from all of the waterfalls above but originally it was just a couple of nights in that region before we shifted to Oslob to keep our Philippines backpacking itinerary moving. Check out our link for where to sleep, eat and what to do in El Nido on a budget: https://www.goatsontheroad.com/city-info-3/. I have been there before and love it dearly. Hi Jackson! Hey guys, I really do love you both for appreciating our country. (Maybe they were laughing at us I don’t know, I like to think they were smiling). The people you encounter while backpacking through a country can have a profound impact on the way you view a destination. Thanks for coming over! ]. You can always find good deals on food from $1 side-of-the-road burger joints to nice fancy meals in a restaurant, you will rarely find an “expensive meal” in the Philippines. I find Back Packer people to be generally nice, sociable people, although a little confused with identity issues, daft hairstyles and clothes etc, but that is their choice and is not offensive. I was quick to remind him I’ve only ever had one crash in which I knocked out 2 teeth in Indonesia, so he was in good hands. On Bohol, I assumed the role of Jorden’s personal moped taxi service. A vast lagoon, our own giant, private swimming pool for half an hour. Cliffside Cottages no longer seems willing and/or able to help with camping expeditions, which are themselves very expensive and not easy to do in Palawan. omg! Although traffic was crazy especially in Manila and Cebu. I’ve never been thanked for visiting a country so many times on the blog and social media than when we visited the Philippines. The tour takes you to Balicasag Island to snorkel with turtles, fish and in amongst a marine park with beautiful coral. The Day trip begins with dolphin watching near Bohol and then heads to Balicasag for snorkeling before finishing at Virgin Island, which is a sandbar. This is my Journey Era. I was wondering if you can suggest any good sociable and safe places for a 25 year old female to travel to. When I decided to meet my friend Jorden for a month of Philippines backpacking adventures I had no idea what we would find amongst the 7500 islands that make up this beautiful country. If you have $1000 USD and are ready for an epic adventure throughout paradise this is my Philippines backpacking guide blog post that may just inspire you to pack your bags, jump on a plane and have the time of your life. Read the full blog post: DAO WATERFALL IN SAMBOAN. Yawn. I enjoyed it too much to get my camera out quick enough but this is what the hot springs look like. This is especially if you want to avoid the crowds. The last big adventure we got up to in El Nido was a kayak adventure for sunset. Cock-fighting, dog-fighting, these absolutely despicable sports don’t “offend” me. The orange tinge contrasts so vividly against the strong blue of the pool below. This was great to read! not always having street food but having sit down meals as well). A free 21 day visa is granted on arrival at all major airports in The Philippines. Save for the cock-fighting endorsement, great page, thanks. You will need to have at least one blank page in your passport which must be valid for at least six months from the date of entry. We heard a lot of greats things about it and you reassured us of its wonders. I just booked my flight yesterday, have never been! Beatriz, Lovely guide for backpackers! I think the whole island of Mindanao would be gorgeous.