Things to do in Philippines
4 destinations in Philippines, when to visit each, and what a trip actually costs.
Places to visit in Philippines
- Things to do in Boracay beach, relax, adventure
- Things to do in Cebu beach, adventure, food
- Things to do in El Nido beach, nature, adventure
- Things to do in Manila city, food, culture
Best time to visit Philippines
When flights to each destination are cheapest.
- Boracay
- Flying to Boracay is cheapest during the shoulder months of June through early July and September through October, when you can save 25-40% versus peak December-April fares. Avoid Holy Week (Easter) and the Christmas-New Year window, which see the highest prices and crowds of the year.
- Cebu
- Flying to Cebu is cheapest from late January through March and again in September to early November, avoiding Christmas, Holy Week, and the Sinulog Festival (third Sunday of January), when fares spike 40-70%. Mid-week departures (Tuesday/Wednesday) consistently beat weekend prices by 15-25%.
- El Nido
- Flying into Puerto Princesa during the shoulder seasons of May and early December can be 20-35% cheaper than peak dry-season months of November through April, with the lowest fares typically found on Tuesday and Wednesday departures booked 6-10 weeks in advance. Avoid Holy Week (Easter) and the Christmas-New Year window, when prices spike sharply and El Nido is at maximum capacity.
- Manila
- The cheapest months to fly to Manila are September and October (the tail end of typhoon season), when round-trip fares from US hubs can be 25-35% lower than December-January peak; midweek departures (Tuesday/Wednesday) consistently beat weekend prices by another 10-15%.
Is Philippines expensive?
It depends on the city and how you travel. Open any destination below and set your dates, budget and home airport to get an estimated total for flights, stays and day-to-day spending, rather than a generic average.
Free things to do in Philippines
- Boracay: Sunset watching at White Beach Station 1 Consistently ranked among Asia's most spectacular sunsets, completely free from the beach.
- Cebu: Carbon Market wander The Philippines' oldest public market is a sensory explosion of produce, dried fish, and local street food, best experienced at dawn.
- El Nido: Corong-Corong Beach Sunset Walk Stroll the laid-back fishing village beach for stunning sunset views over the bay at no cost.
- Manila: National Museum Complex Three connected museums covering fine arts, natural history, and anthropology, all free and world-class