16 January – 2 February 2027 · 17 nights

My Trip to the Philippines

Manila → El Nido → Coron → Bohol → Siargao → Manila. Island-hopping, lagoons, shipwrecks, the Chocolate Hills and a few slow days on a surf island.

5places
4domestic flights
2ferries
☀️dry season

The route at a glance

A loop that keeps travel days short and gives you time to actually relax in each place. Mid-January is peak dry season — sunny, calm seas, great for boat trips.

  1. 1

    Manila

    16 Jan · 1 night

    Land, rest, recover
  2. 2

    El Nido, Palawan

    17–21 Jan · 4 nights

    Lagoons & limestone cliffs
  3. 3

    Coron, Palawan

    21–24 Jan · 3 nights

    Lakes & WWII wrecks
  4. 4

    Bohol (Panglao)

    24–27 Jan · 3 nights

    Chocolate Hills & tarsiers
  5. 5

    Siargao

    27–31 Jan · 4 nights

    Surf, lagoons, slow days
  6. 6

    Manila

    31 Jan–2 Feb · 2 nights

    Old town, food, fly home

Day by day

Tap a stop to open it. ✈️ = flight, ⛴️ = ferry, 🚐 = van.

Sat 16 Jan Arrive in Manila
  • Land at Manila airport (NAIA). Grab a Grab car (the local Uber) or the airport taxi — avoid touts.
  • Stay near the airport or in Makati so tomorrow's flight is easy.
  • Evening: easy dinner, sleep off the jet lag.
Sun 17 Jan ✈️ Manila → El Nido
  • Easiest: direct flight Manila → El Nido (Lio Airport) with AirSWIFT, about 1h 20m. Small plane, pricier, strict 10kg checked bag limit.
  • Cheaper: fly Manila → Puerto Princesa, then a 5–6 hour shared van to El Nido.
18–20 Jan El Nido
  • Day 1: Island-hopping Tour A (Big & Small Lagoon, Secret Lagoon, Shimizu Island).
  • Day 2: Tour C (Hidden Beach, Secret Beach, Matinloc Shrine) — or a private boat if you want to skip the crowds.
  • Day 3: Nacpan Beach by scooter or tricycle, sunset at Las Cabanas, try the zipline to Depeldet Island.
Thu 21 Jan ⛴️ El Nido → Coron
  • Fast ferry, about 4–5 hours (morning departure). Book ahead — it sells out in January.
  • Take a sea-sickness tablet if you're unsure; the crossing can be bumpy.
22–23 Jan Coron
  • Day 1: Coron Island tour — Kayangan Lake (that famous viewpoint), Twin Lagoon, Barracuda Lake.
  • Day 2: Snorkel or dive the WWII Japanese shipwrecks, or the Calauit safari & beaches if you'd rather stay dry.
  • Evening: climb Mt Tapyas for sunset, then soak at Maquinit Hot Springs.
Sun 24 Jan ✈️ Coron → Bohol
  • Fly Coron (Busuanga airport) → Cebu, then either a short connecting flight or the 2-hour fast ferry to Bohol (Tagbilaran).
  • If there's no good connection that day, route via Manila → Bohol (Panglao airport) instead.
25–26 Jan Bohol
  • Day 1: Countryside tour — Chocolate Hills, Philippine tarsier sanctuary, Loboc River lunch cruise, hanging bridge.
  • Day 2: Early boat to Balicasag Island for turtles and reef snorkelling, plus dolphin watching. Afternoon on Alona Beach.
Wed 27 Jan ⛴️ ✈️ Bohol → Siargao
  • Morning ferry Bohol → Cebu (about 2 hours), then direct flight Cebu → Siargao (about 1 hour).
  • Leave at least 3 hours between the ferry and the flight.
28–30 Jan Siargao
  • Day 1: Three-island hop — Naked Island, Daku and Guyam.
  • Day 2: Sugba Lagoon (paddleboard and jump off the diving board) or a beginner surf lesson in General Luna.
  • Day 3: Rent a scooter: Magpupungko rock pools (go at low tide), the coconut-tree viewpoint, Cloud 9 boardwalk at sunset.
Sun 31 Jan ✈️ Siargao → Manila
  • Direct flight, about 1h 45m. Book a morning flight so a delay doesn't ruin anything.
1–2 Feb Manila & fly home
  • Walk Intramuros (the old walled city), San Agustin Church, Fort Santiago.
  • Eat your way through Binondo (the world's oldest Chinatown) — a food walking tour is great.
  • Leave 3+ hours to reach the airport — Manila traffic is serious.
Want a different flavour? Swap Siargao for Moalboal (sardine run, swim with turtles, near Cebu) or Boracay (famous white beach, livelier nightlife). Note: Cebu's huge Sinulog festival is on Sun 17 Jan 2027 — amazing, but hotels there will be booked solid and pricey that weekend.

Where to stay

Three picks per stop: 💛 budget · 💚 mid-range · 💜 treat yourself. Always check recent reviews and prices before booking.

Manila

Best areas: near the airport (first night), Makati / Poblacion (last nights)

  • 💛 Z Hostel — Poblacion, Makati. Social, rooftop bar, private rooms too.
  • 💚 Belmont Hotel Manila — Newport, a few minutes from the airport. Great for night 1.
  • 💜 The Peninsula Manila — Makati classic, beautiful lobby, great afternoon tea.

El Nido

Best areas: Corong-Corong (sunsets, calmer) or El Nido town (walk to boats)

  • 💛 Outpost Beach Hostel — beachfront in Corong-Corong.
  • 💚 Cadlao Resort — pool, sea views, close to town.
  • 💜 El Nido Resorts Lagen Island — private-island resort in the lagoons.

Coron

Best area: Coron town (where the tour boats leave)

  • 💛 Sea Dive Resort — simple, on the water, dive centre on site.
  • 💚 Coron Westown Resort — big pool, good value.
  • 💜 Two Seasons Coron Island Resort — remote island villas, house reef.

Bohol

Best area: Panglao Island (Alona Beach or the quieter Dumaluan side)

  • 💛 Guesthouses around Alona Beach — lots of small, cheap options a short walk from the sand.
  • 💚 Bohol Bee Farm — clifftop, organic food, a bit different.
  • 💜 Amorita Resort — infinity pool above Alona Beach.

Siargao

Best area: General Luna (near Cloud 9, cafés and nightlife)

  • 💛 Mad Monkey Siargao — lively hostel with a pool.
  • 💚 Harana Surf Resort — laid-back, right by the surf breaks.
  • 💜 Nay Palad Hideaway — barefoot luxury, all-inclusive.

Top excursions

The ones most worth your time. ⭐ = book a few days ahead in January.

El Nido

Island Tour A ⭐

Big & Small Lagoon kayaking. Go on the earliest boat.

El Nido

Island Tour C

Hidden & secret beaches, best snorkelling.

Coron

Coron Island tour ⭐

Kayangan Lake, Twin Lagoon, Barracuda Lake.

Coron

Shipwreck dive or snorkel ⭐

Some of the world's best wreck diving. Fun dives need certification; snorkel trips don't.

Bohol

Countryside tour

Chocolate Hills, tarsiers, Loboc River cruise. A private driver for the day works well.

Bohol

Balicasag & dolphins

Early-morning boat — turtles everywhere.

Siargao

Three-island hop

Naked, Daku and Guyam islands. Easy and fun.

Siargao

Sugba Lagoon

Turquoise lagoon, paddleboards, jump platform.

Siargao

Surf lesson

Beginner waves at Jacking Horse or Daku reef.

Manila

Intramuros & Binondo food walk

History in the morning, dumplings in the afternoon.

Book ahead checklist

January is high season, so book these early. Tick them off as you go — your ticks are saved in this browser.

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✈️ Flights

⛴️ Ferries & transfers

🛏️ Accommodation

📋 Paperwork

🤿 Tours (a few days ahead is fine)

Good to know

💵 Money

Currency is the Philippine peso (PHP). Carry cash for islands — ATMs in El Nido, Coron and Siargao run out or go offline. Card works in cities and bigger hotels.

🎒 Bag weight

Small planes (AirSWIFT, Siargao) have tight baggage limits. Pack light or pay for extra bags when you book.

📱 SIM card

Get a Globe or Smart SIM (or an eSIM) at the airport. You'll need it for Grab and maps.

🌿 Island fees

El Nido and Coron charge small environmental and tour fees, paid in cash on the day.

☀️ Packing

Reef-safe sunscreen, dry bag, water shoes, rash guard, light rain jacket, motion-sickness tablets.

⏱️ Buffer time

Domestic flights get delayed. Never plan a ferry and a flight too close together.

Times, prices and routes change — double-check on the airline, ferry and hotel websites before booking.