Travel Tips for the Philippines
What can I say about the Philippines? I absolutely love the Philippines and it is one of my favorite countries to travel to by far. However, traveling in the Philippines can be a daunting task for a beginner traveler which is why I am making a guide for travel tips for the Philippines. Even though traveling to and in the Philippines, can be scary, these helpful tips will help you gain confidence and a chance of having a smooth trip. Here’s my Guide to the Philippines for Beginners! If you are learning to plan a trip to Southeast Asia, read how to plan an epic Southeast Asia Itinerary.
RELATED: Philippines Itinerary
Travel Tips for the Philippines
When to visit the Philippines
Weather Travel Tips for the Philippines
The Philippines is typically warm all year long with a lot of humidity, however, what you need to consider in your travel plans are the weather regarding Monsoon season which includes high winds and heavy rain which can lead to landslides, ferry cancellations, typhoon warnings, and flooding in the Philippines. The best times to travel to the Philippines are January – June to avoid the monsoon season.
Major Festivals in the Philippines
- Sinulog Festival
- Dinagyang Festival
- Panagbenga Festival
- Masskara Festival
Currency Travel Tips for the Philippines
The form of currency in the Philippines is the Philippine Piso (pronounced Peso). When you decide to get money at the Bank or Currency Exchange, be sure to specify that you need the Philippine Piso, not just peso or they will assume you want the Mexican Peso.
The language of the Philippines
In the Philippines, a lot of Filipinos speak English so communication with locals is easy. The main language for the Philippines is Tagalog, however, in the central to southern areas Visayan is typically spoken (but typically everyone knows Tagalog and English.
Tagalog words to know
Like I said most people in the Philippines know English, but sometimes you want to show your appreciation or that you want to learn about their culture, so here are a few basic Tagalog words that may be important.
- Salamat – Thank you
- Sarap – Tastes good
- Wala – No
- oO (pronounced OH OH) – Yes
How to get around the Philippines
There are plenty of options on how to get around including taking the bus, a taxi, a jeepney, ferry boat, trike/tricycle or by plane. It just depends on the location you are trying to get to. It may be hard to get around with a lot of cancellations and delays.
Safety Travel Tips for the Philippines
If you are planning a trip to visit, you will often see warnings about travel to the Philippines. There are a lot of places in the Southern Philippines, that can be considered dangerous for tourists because of political turmoil and terrorist attacks. Don’t let this deter you from visiting the Philippines. If you feel uncomfortable, I highly suggest you stay in popular Philippines Tourist Spots.
If you do decide to visit places in the Southern Philippines, be sure to read my guide. I suggest you stay out of the areas in the Southernmost part of Mindanao.
Medication Travel Tips for the Philippines
The Philippines being a humid climate attracts a lot of bugs like mosquitos and ants. It is important to be sure you have Malarial pills on hand for just in case circumstances. I have not needed to use them, but it is nice to have it just in case. Second, being a third world country, the water and food can be contaminated leading to diarrhea or stomach issues.
Suggested Medications to Bring:
- Imodium
- Tums
- Pepto Bismol
- Anti Motion Sickness Pills
If you can, have your doctor prescribe a form of antibiotics to help with stomach issues and whatnot. These are not readily available or easy to find in the Philippines, so if you get motion sickness to be sure to pack them.
Travel Insurance
I highly suggest you get travel insurance, the Philippines is not always guaranteed to get you where and when you need to get there. With weather issues and whatnot, taking a ferry may be canceled and you won’t be able to get to your destination on time. Travel insurance will be helpful for that. Also, with so many things to do in the Philippines, it’s important to consider insurance because of all the high profile activities you may be doing such as scuba diving, zip-lining, swimming, boating, jet skiing, parasailing, etc.
Travel Tips for Places to Visit in the Philippines
There are 7107 islands in the Philippines which can make it a daunting place to visit and knowing where to travel in the Philippines is the first step. There are plenty of cities and islands to visit that is perfect for so many people. The most popular places to visit in the Philippines are Manila, Bohol, Cebu, Camiguin, Boracay, Palawan, Cagayan de Oro, Siargao, and Davao. If you are looking for more detailed information about each location, be sure to read about my top 10 places to visit in the Philippines.
RELATED: Top 10 places to visit in the Southern Philippines
Where to Visit in the Philippines
- Cebu
- Bohol
- Tarsier Sanctuary
- Manmade Forrest
- Chocolate Hills
- Palawan
- Puerto Princessa
- Coron
- El Nido
- Siargao
- Surfing
- Swimming with Jellyfish
- Surigao
- Enchanted River
- Boracay
- Party Beaches
- Manila
- The Capital of the Philippines
- Banaue
- Rice Fields
- Camiguin Island
RELATED: Cebu Itinerary
Best Things to do in the Philippines
There are so many great things to do in the Philippines. The Philippines has a lot of offer for people who love to relax and people who love adventure. You can do things like skydiving, parasailing, island hopping, ziplining, lounging on the beach, hiking, swim with the whale sharks, kayaking, and more. This list is endless.
What to Eat in the Philippines
There is a lot of amazing food to eat and try in the Philippines. Most people who have been around Filipinos are familiar with the Lumpia, Pancit, and Sinigang. However, there are more to Filipino food than those staples dishes. There are lots of different types of fruit, other soups and of course lechon or lechon manok and rice.
Most of the foods in the Philippines are very affordable and easy to come by. Getting alcohol is very cheap and better to buy the bottle at a local store and as affordable as $2 for a 750ml. bottle.
Some of the basics include:
- Adobo
- Kare Kare
- Pancit
- Lechon Manok (Chicken)
- Lechon Baboy (Pork)
- Lumpia
- Fried Fish
- Halo Halo
Now when it comes to eating food with cheese products, don’t expect the cheese to be what you are typically used to seeing since most cheeses in the Philippines are processed and placed on a shelf like Velveeta as an example. Many foods can be greasier than you may be accustomed to, so be aware of that.
RELATED: Must-Try Food in the Philippines
Packing Travel Tips for the Philippines
There are a lot of things to consider when traveling to the Philippines and one of the most important things is not forgetting the essentials.
- Bug spray
- Medication listed above
- Swim Suit
- Sun Screen
- HydroFlask
- Light Weight Clothing
- Power Adapter
- Waterproof Case and Bag
Want a more detailed packing list? Be sure to read my Ultimate Philippines Packing List.
Important Travel Tips
Don’t be scared! – #1 Travel Tip for the Philippines
The number one travel tips for the Philippines is about the safety of the Philippines. There is a lot of hype that the Philippines is a dangerous country due to many Muslims that reside in the Southern Islands, however, with that being said travel in the Philippines has the same risk of traveling in any other country in Southeast Asia. You need to be alert when traveling. Just like traveling in Europe, many kids can also pickpocket, so keep your items close to you. You can always use one of my traveling favorites a PacSafe Messenger Bag to keep your items safe by getting it here. If you still feel unsafe and want to feel more secure when traveling in the Philippines, be sure to book your stay in areas that are more travel-friendly such as Cebu, Boracay, Bohol, and Manila of course.
Be Open Minded
The Philippines is a beautiful country, but do keep in mind that it is a third world country. There are tons to explore with beautiful waterfalls, beaches, swimming, and can be a complete tropical paradise, however, there are some downsides to traveling in the Philippines such as seeing small huts used for homes and children begging for money from tourists.
Don’t stick to a travel agenda
The most important travel tips for the Philippines is understanding the Philippines has a slow-paced lifestyle with siestas in the afternoon. With that being said, a lot of the time Filipinos run late, as we call it “Filipino time”, meaning that ferry you purchased tickets for may not show up on time and you may just want to go with the flow. The weather can be very unpredictable during some seasons which may lead to cancellations of ferry boats.
Sing Karaoke!
Karaoke is a very popular past time in the Philippines. If you attend any party they will often have a karaoke machine to sing at all hours of the night. Be sure to practice your singing voice and do not insult anyone who may be singing. Most lounging areas and bars outside will have Karaoke machines and you may hear the same songs over and over again. You may be surprised at how well Filipinos can sing.
Save money and enjoy yourself
Getting to the Philippines can be expensive, however, hotel accommodations and things to do can be very affordable. There is so much to do and you can easily do this on a budget. However, if you expect to eat luxuriously in the Philippines in the major cities, then be sure to pay a little more for those foods. Chicken and rice is a typical meal in the Philippines, so if you aren’t a fan of chicken and rice, there are other options but some may be more expensive if they aren’t the local foods. A normal hotel price in the US is comparable to a villa or suite in the Philippines so getting that dream hotel on the beach can be more affordable than you think.
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Ride in a Jeepney and a Trike like a Local!
This is the real experience of being in the Philippines. Riding a jeepney or a trike will be the best way to know what travel is actually like in the Philippines. These little rides are an exciting and very affordable way to get around the island. If you are doing a long-distance ride, you may want to request an empty jeepney with a driver. Some locations do have taxis like Manila but do not expect that all locations have taxis.
H2O
Be sure to make sure your water is clean. You may want to bring a steripen with you just in case, but a lot of the time when you drink the water there, you may have to worry about stomach issues. So soda might be a good option for you if you do not have a steripen or you are in a restaurant, the soda can be safer than the water, but the water is drinkable.
You might also like Bohol Man Made Forest
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What are some of your travel tips for the Philippines? Leave them in the comments below! Originally Posted on October 7, 2015. Updated on August 13, 2019.
DISCLAIMER: Oftentimes you will find that I’ve included links to certain hotels/tours/products/services. If you purchase anything through these links, I’ll receive a commission. It won’t cost you anything extra, but it will help keep this blog up and running.
