I am originally from the Philippines and my younger year were spent traveling to the different beaches and sites in the archipelago consisting of around archipelagic of 7,641 islands in Southeast Asia. It’s a tropical country in the western Pacific Ocean. The country is split into three main geographical divisions from north to south: Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao.

Contents

1 ROADTRIP FROM MANILA
2 FLYING FROM MANILA

GENERAL TRAVEL TIPS

Anti-Nausea bands for kids & adults medicine free & effective
Safe Sanitizer to Bring While Traveling non-toxic & wont dry your skin
Something to Bring While Traveling the Tropics hate bugs & mosquitos? This is for you.
How to choose a safer sunscreen A Tropical Travel Must-have

MANILA

Manila is capital of the Philippines in Luzon and is the densest city in the world.

Last Minute Shopping in NAIA 3

ROADTRIP FROM MANILA

There are many places in Luzon that are just a couple of hours’ drive from Metro Manila. If you do a road trip in Luzon, I recommend traveling it during work hours to avoid the rush hour because that can make a 1-hour drive into a 3-hour one.

TAGAYTAY

Tagaytay is a popular place to go an hour south of Manila known for its cooler climate. It sits on a ridge above Taal Volcano surrounded by Taal Lake. It’s around 65km or a 1.5-3 hr drive from Metro Manila depending on which part of Manila & the traffic conditions. Rush hour can make it much longer so we always go during off peak times.

MORONG, BATAAN

We drove up 187 km north of Manila to do a quick weekend beach getaway with our friends to celebrate Alejandro’s bestie M’s birthday. It’s a beautiful 3hr drive, especially on the SCTEX highway.

BAGUIO

Baguio is up in the mountains in the north of Luzon. It is called the “City of Pines” & “the Summer Capital of the Philippines” because its cooler temperatures make it popular in the summer. It’s a 3-4 hr drive of 245km via Kennon Road from Metro Manila depending on where you are coming from & the traffic conditions.

The Manor Camp at John Hay Baguio room review & why we upgraded
Le Chef at The Manor review of our hotel dinner & free breakfast buffet
Horseback Riding near the hotel & a core memory for DiploBaby
Butterfly Sanctuary is another cute & super interesting activity for toddlers
Go Karting in Camp John Hay
Chocolate de Batirol this is a Baguio institution for hot chocolate
Lemon & Olives Greek Taverna so good, we ate there 2x!
Strawberry Picking in Benguet another fun memory with DiploBaby + yummy strawberry ice cream

FLYING FROM MANILA

Because the Philippines is an archipelago most of the islands in Visayas & Mindanao can be accessed by plane & boat. I recommend flying because the boats take too long.

EL NIDO

Known for its ancient 250 million-year-old limestone cliff islands, Palawan is an archipelago of 1,780 islands in the western part of the Philippines. It has the most concentration of islands but is the most sparsely populated region in the country. Because of its scenic landscapes and high bio-diversity, Palawan is known as “The Last Ecological Frontier of the Philippines”.
– EL NIDO RESORTS

BORACAY

If you ask any Filipino where to go in the Philippines if you can only visit once, more likely than not they will recommend Boracay because of its beaches that are so clear they make you think you are in a natural swimming pool. In Station 1 you can find the famous POWDER-FINE SAND that never gets hot even under the midday sun.

Staying in DISCOVERY SHORES December 2019

If you want to enjoy famous powder fine sand & treat yourselve to an unforgettable pampering experience, Discovery Shores is the best place to stay.

Staying in SHANGRI-LA BORACAY December 2017

Shangri-la might not have the same sand, but it’s a private beach which means less competition & more privacy. The Villa with butler is one of the best travel experiences we’ve ever had. Definitely worth a year of saving up for.

Getting to Shangri-la Boracay from Manila
Our Room and how they handled us getting sick
Food & Entertainment
Beach & Pools
Exploring Shangri-la Boracay
Two Seasons Boracay Cheese Pizza
Upgrading to a Villa

BICOL

Bicol is famous for the Mayon volcano & its perfectly symmetrical cone shape. You can take a picture with the church tower of the church that was buried in the last eruption. There were many breathtaking vistas as we went around, but our hotel alone was already very nice to relax in. Bring nausea medication or SeaBands to avoid getting nauseus while going around.

Flying from Manila to Bicol + going from the airport to the hotel
Misibis Bay Hotel
Sightseeing around Bicol
Upgrading to a Villa in Misibis Bay
Flying home from Bicol

ILIGAN

My province is Iligan located in Mindanao or the southernmost part of the Philippines. It is the home of Sunburts, Sukang Pinakurat, Chedengs Peanuts & the best Lechon in the country.

BUKIDNON

I’ve visit Bukidnon a few times with my family in Iligan or Cagayan De Oro. It is 2hrs 30mins by car from CDO or 3hrs 30mins from Iligan. It’s a higher elevation so it’s a lot cooler. The drive can be super bumpy so I recommend that you bring proper transport.