Manila - Bohol - Loboc - Cebu - Palawan - Puerto Princesa Subterranean National Park - El Nido
December 6 - 17, 2025
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| Assorted Photos from the Philippines |
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| Flag of the Philippines |
Table of Contents
Post-Trip Summary
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| Gate1Travel - 13-Day Philippines Tour |
- 3 days in Manila
- 2 days in Bohol
- 2 days in Cebu
- 2 days in Palawan
- 2 days in El Nido
- 1 day flying back and forth from the US
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| Air Travel Map - 19,300 Miles |
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| Ground Travel Map - 1,500+ Miles |
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| Gate1 Hotels - Awesome Accommodations |
In the Philippines, power plugs and outlets of type A, B and C are used. A and B are the same as the US, and C is the typical European rounded peg plug. Note that the standard voltage is 220 V at a frequency of 60 Hz. US standard voltage is 110 V so you may need a voltage adapter for US devices that don't operate at 220 V. You will also need a type C plug adapter if you encounter type C outlets.
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| Philippines Electric Outlets - 220V/60Hz |
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| Most Popular Food in the Philippines |
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| Philippines Weather in December - Bearable |
What Clothing Did You Pack? I packed very light--about 4 days worth of clothes--mostly shorts and t-shirts, swimsuit, light jacket, hat, sunglasses, sunscreen and insect repellant. I brought one pair of long pants and a sweatshirt. As usual, shirts, socks and underlayers were all "Dri-Fit" material that could be washed every few days in the hotel sink.
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| Philippine Peso - $1 = 57 Pesos |
- Safety. The Philippines are generally safe. The most dangerous areas are not tourist destinations. Petty theft is the most common issue you might encounter, but terrorism and kidnapping, though less frequent, are also concerns. In addition, certain travelers, namely women, may need to take certain precautions during their travels. You can get the latest US Dept of State Travel Advisories here.
- Air Quality. Air quality was generally quite good everywhere. At times, the leaded gas exhaust in Casablanca and Marrakesh irritated my throat, but not enough to warrant wearing a mask.
- Insects. While December might be part of the "dry season" in some areas of the Philippines, mosquitos are a concern year-round due to the country's tropical climate. It's wise to take precautions against mosquitoes due to the risk of dengue and other illnesses. You can find health information concerning travel in the Philippines here.
- Physical Condition. We traversed a lot of steps, uneven surfaces, and steep grades absent high temperatures and humidity. If you have mobility or heat issues, this is probably not the tour for you.
Following is a day-by-day account of my trip. Each day starts with an overview of what we did, followed by my daily journal. I stopped giving history lessons in my posts but added links you can click on to read more about the places I visited. You can just read on from here or go back up to the Table of Contents above and jump to a specific day or topic of interest.
Enjoy!
Day 1 - Saturday, December 6, 2025 - Arrive in Manila
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| Gate1Travel - 13-Day Philippines Tour |
Itinerary: Welcome to the Philippines, an archipelago of over 7,000 islands. Arrive in Manila on the island of Luzon, the vibrant capital city, and transfer to your hotel. Balance of the day is at leisure.
Weather: 85F and dark
We checked out of our Taipei hotel around 9:30 am and headed to the airport very early via the express train, arriving around 11:15 am. We hung out for several hours. Because the inbound flight was late, we left an hour behind schedule at 4:30 pm, arriving at almost 7 pm in Manila rather than 6 pm.
Upon arrival, we breezed through immigration and customs and were met outside the arrival hall by a Gate1 representative, Cleo, and our driver. We drove 30 minutes to our hotel in the Makati District, the New World Makati.
Once inside, we met our tour director, Lany, then went exploring the hotel. It was a really first class hotel. There will be 19 in our group, mostly women. We will be on tour with them all day tomorrow and have a chance to get to know them better.
My foot was a little sore so I rested in the roof and went to bed early.
Day 2 - Sunday, December 7, 2025 - Ayala Museum, Legazpi Market, Manila Tour
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| Gate1Travel - 13-Day Philippines Tour |
Day 3 - Monday, December 8, 2025 - Fly to Bohol
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| Gate1Travel - 13-Day Philippines Tour |
Summary: Today we had an early morning flight to the island of Bohol 1-1/2 hours south of Manila by plane. Unfortunately, the flight was canceled and we had to return to our hotel and spend most of the day back in Manila. However, we had a lively lunch and made it to our hotel in Bohol by 7:00 pm on a late afternoon flight.
I got up early around 5 am. I showered, packed my suitcase, and at 5:30 am, I went downstairs for breakfast. The hotel was nice enough to open at 5:45 am so we could have a full breakfast.
At 6:30 am, we loaded up the bus and made the 20-minute drive to the airport. Upon arrival, We learned that our flight was canceled and that we were being rebooked on at 4:00 flight. We went back to the hotel for a few hours and returned to the airport around 2:00.
Before going back to the airport, we stopped at a local restaurant for another traditional Philippine meal, but this time it came with singing cooks and waiters who put on a rather impressive floor show while we had lunch.
At 4:20 pm, our Philippines Air A320-200 jet departed Manila for the island of Bohol. We arrived around 6:20 pm, collected our bags and headed to our waiting bus and local guide Jojie.
The Philippines has 7,600 islands. Bohol is 10th largest and most religious. Bohol also has the most tourists in all of the Philippines.
We checked into our fabulous beach front resort hotel around 7 pm, had a late buffet dinner at 730 pm by the beach, and then it was straight to bed.
Tomorrow we will be starting at 6 am to make up for all of the things we missed today due to the flight cancellation
Day 4 - Tuesday, December 9, 2025 - Bohol Tour, Loboc River Cruise & Village
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| Gate1Travel - 13-Day Philippines Tour |
Summary: Today we combined two days of touring on Bohol Island into one because of yesterday's flight cancellation. We visited the Chocolate Hills, a Tarsier Primate Sanctuary, a traditional Loboc Village, and an Asin Tibuok salt-making facility. In between we enjoyed a lunch cruise down emerald waters of Loboc River.
After a quick breakfast at the restaurant overlooking the beach and ocean, we boarded the bus and headed out for a full day of sightseeing.
We drove to the Kinaiyahan Forest Park to visit the Chocolate Hills of Bohol, a breathtaking geological wonder made up of 1,776 perfectly rounded limestone mounds a UNESCO World Heritage site. The hills turn a rich brown color during the dry season, giving them the signature “chocolate” look that makes the landscape feel almost otherworldly. We climbed a couple hundred steps to an observation platform for some breathtaking pictures. The Chocolate Hills were once an underwater coral reef. When the water dropped they turned to limestone and were then carved by the wind and rain into what we see today. The mountain road to get to the Chocolate Hills was just as breathtaking with numerous switchbacks and steep hills winding through lush palm tree forests dotted with small villages and rice paddies.
After Chocolate Hills, we visited a Tarsier Sanctuary, home to the world's smallest primate, about the size of a fist. They only live here in the Philippines and are protected because they are threatened with extinction. We took a golf cart from the parking area up to the sanctuary. Along the way we met the founder of sanctuary, Carlito Pizarras. I called him the "tarsier whisperer." We split up into smaller groups to walk through the sanctuary. Our guides pointed out the tarsiers hiding up in the trees and helped us take pictures. They are nocturnal so are difficult to find during the day.
For lunch, we boarded a boat, more like a barge, and cruised down the emerald waters of the Loboc River enjoying the scenery and floor show, both on the boat and on stages along the river banks.
After the boat ride, we walked over to St. Peter Apostle Church, one of Bohol’s oldest and most historic churches known for its centuries-old stone architecture and beautifully preserved interior. Located beside the Loboc River, it reflects the town’s deep Catholic heritage and resilience, having been rebuilt after significant earthquake damage.
We then drove to a native Loboc Village to explore the region's rich history, traditions, and local way of life. As we strolled through the small village, we witnessed how coconut wine is made, how leaves are woven into a variety of products, and how rice is crushed and sifted to produce pink rice. At the end, we enjoyed a coconut milk. Despite earthquakes, flooding, financial hardships, the people are still very happy.
Our last stop was the Asin Tibuok manufacturing facility to learn how this rare and very expensive Bohol sea salt is made. Asin Tibuok is known for its round “dinosaur egg” shape and smoky flavor, and only a few families—like the Manongas—still practice this traditional, labor-intensive craft. Coconut husks are soaked in seawater then dried in firepits. The salt embedded in the dried husks is then separated from the husk through a 3-state filtering process that produces a salty brine that is them poured layer by layer into rounded clay pots over a slow fire. The end product looks like a snow globe and sells for a hefty price. We learned a day later that the site was just approve to become a UNESCO World Heritage site!
Day 5 - Wednesday, December 10, 2025 - Cebu Touring, Alegre Guitar Factory
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| Gate1Travel - 13-Day Philippines Tour |
We left the hotel around 8:30 pm after a good night of sleep and an excellent breakfast.
Before leaving Bohol, we stopped at the National History Museum to learn a little bit more about the island's history from prehistoric days to today. I especially enjoyed the exhibit of local artist Napoleon Abueva (1930-2018), father of modern sculpture in the Philippines.
As the tour group was finishing up at the museum, I dashed across the street to the Cathedral of Tagbilaran, the hub of modern Catholic life in Bohol.
We then proceeded to the harbor to catch our 2 hour ferry boat ride to Cebu City. We sat in the air conditioned business class area upstairs, which was very nice compared to economy class downstairs.
We arrived in Cebu around 1 pm and went straight to a lunch at a restaurant on the waterfront. Cebu is comprised of 1 big island and 167 others surrounding it with a population of 3.3 million.
After lunch we drove from Cebu Island to Mactan Island over a bridge stretching 5 miles.
Our first stop was the the family-owned Alegre Guitar Factory where we got an enlightening tour about the history of guitar making in the Philippines. Cebu is a major producer of handmade guitars that are exported around the world.
We then drove a short distance to Mactan Shrine commemorating the victory of tribal chieftain Lapu-Lapu and his army over the Spanish army led by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan on April 27, 1521. Magellan was working for the Spanish, who were attempting to colonize Southeast Asia, and was killed in the clash. The battle put an immediate end to colonization but the Spanish would ultimately colonize the islands and control it for 300 years. Lapu-Lapu is a national symbol of courage and independence, with monuments, cities, and even currency honoring his legacy.
We then proceeded to our fabulous seaside resort hotel. We had witnessed a great sunset and dinner on the ocean front. Then it was off to bed.
Day 6 - Thursday, December 11, 2025 - Cebu Touring, Carbon Market
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| Gate1Travel - 13-Day Philippines Tour |
Before leaving the hotel, I made an excursion to Hello Kitty Beach down the road from the hotel. It was not what I was expecting. The road there and back was rough with shacks, people hanging out, stray pets and subject poverty. I had to go through a gate with a forboding "no trespassing" sign and a woman collecting a 25¢ fee to get in. Just before reaching Hello Kitty Beach, I noticed a field where there was a pile of pink boards and a half-concealed "Hello Kitty Beach" sign. Once past the entrance, there were several pink buildings with picnic tables and Hello Kitty paraphernalia leading down to a stairwell which led to the beach. There was trash, broken bottles and straight animals wandering around the property which told me right away that this was probably a place where the kids and adults hung out to drink and enjoy the beach. Definitely not a tourist sight.
We left the hotel around 8:45 am for a Cebu City Tour that took us to iconic landmarks. Our first stop was the triangular Fort San Pedro, built by the Spanish to defend against pirate attacks, and Plaza Independencia. It is the oldest triangular bastion fort in the Philippines, first built in 1565 under Miguel López de Legazpi as a wooden defensive structure. It was later rebuilt in stone, with the present fort completed around 1738 to protect the early Spanish settlement from coastal attacks and local uprisings. During the Spanish colonial period, it served as a military garrison, prison, and hub of administration. The Americans, and later the Japanese during World War II, repurposed the fort as barracks, a prison camp, and even a temporary hospital. We walked around the top of the fortress walls. I even saw a plant that curls up when you touch it.
Our next stop was the Basilica Minore del Santo Nino, home to the revered Santo Nino de Cebu statue and the historic Magellan's Cross, marking the arrival of Christianity in the Philippines.
Magellan’s Cross marks the spot where Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan ordered a wooden cross planted in 1521 to symbolize the arrival of Christianity in the Philippines. The cross on display today is encased in a protective tindalo-wood shell to preserve the original relic inside. It sits beneath a colorful ceiling mural depicting the first Catholic baptism and the introduction of the new faith to the island. Our guide made a donation to a woman who then did a a little prayer and dance ceremony wishing our tour group safe travels and success in all that we aspire to.
The Basilica Minore del Santo Niño in Cebu City is the oldest Roman Catholic church in the Philippines, founded in 1565 on the site where the image of the Santo Niño was discovered. It houses the revered Santo Niño de Cebu, the country’s oldest Christian relic and a symbol of the beginning of Christianity in the Philippines. The present stone church, built between 1735 and 1740, showcases a blend of Earthquake Baroque and Spanish colonial architectural styles. Through centuries of fires, rebuilding, and devotion, the basilica has remained the spiritual heart of Cebu. Today, it is the center of the annual Sinulog Festival and a major pilgrimage destination for millions of devotees. We entered the courtyard and walked through the church dropping off candles at the altar and viewing the little Jesus statue that Magellan gave to the natives when he arrived.
Our next stop was the Cebu Heritage Monument, a dramatic visual timeline in stone, brass, and steel sculptures that narrate key events in Cebu’s history, from pre-colonial times to the Spanish era and beyond. Created by local artist Eduardo Castrillo, it features dynamic figures of explorers, defenders, saints, and historical landmarks intertwined in a single sweeping structure.
We then crossed the street to the Yap-Sandiego Ancestral House, a beautifully preserved Chinese Filipino heritage home. It is one of the oldest surviving residential homes in the Philippines, dating back to the late 17th century. Built from coral stone and hardwood, it reflects the traditional Spanish-era bahay-na-bato style blended with local craftsmanship. The house once belonged to the affluent Yap and Sandiego families, prominent Chinese-Filipino merchants during the Spanish colonial period. Inside, it is filled with antique furniture, religious icons, and heirlooms that offer a glimpse into Cebu’s domestic life centuries ago. Today, it operates as a museum and cultural treasure, carefully preserved by the Sandiego family for public viewing. The 11th generation owner of the house, Val Sandiego, happened to be visiting that day and I posed for a picture with him on the way out.
For lunch, we went to a local restaurant to savor delectable Filipino cuisine. Although it was pretty much the same fare we had had at all the other places, it was quite nice. As we approached the restaurant, we turned down a really sketchy road, drove through a rundown neighborhood, and eventually came to the restaurant about a quarter mile down the road across from a church. Like usual, I was asking myself how Gate1 finds these places.
After lunch, we toured the Carbon Market, Cebu's oldest and largest public market. The market is believed to date back over a century — originally named after a coal depot (from the old railway system) that once stood in that area. It has long been a bustling hub of commerce, with thousands of vendors selling a wide variety of goods: fresh produce, seafood, meat, fruits, handicrafts, household items, clothing, and more. In recent years, the market has undergone a major redevelopment under a public–private partnership aiming to modernize its facilities while preserving its heritage — with new buildings, better infrastructure, and organized spaces for both vendors and customers. Despite modernization efforts, Carbon Market continues to retain its vibrant local-market atmosphere and remains a vital part of Cebu’s daily life and culture. We got dropped off at street level across from the two-story carbon Market building. The area was teaming with people talking all kinds of wares from a bank of stalls stretching as far as the eye could see. There was food, fruits and vegetables, crafts, just about anything else you might want to buy. We wandered through the stalls and then went into the carbon Market building. The first floor had fruits and vegetables and a variety of flowers. Upstairs is where all the crafts were. There was a lot of wicker. Reminded me of my youth working for the weberers up in Door County during the summer.
Following the Carbon Market, we drove to the city pier where we had arrived yesterday from Bphol and boarded a small cruise boat with a seven-man crew and took a leisurely 2-hour cruise across the Cebu harbor to our hotel on Mactan Island. We enjoyed snacks, beverages and music (a lot of American 70's and 80's music). I was impressed that a group this old had so much energy to dance. Everything was going great until the very end when we had to get off the boat. The floating dock that we had to walk on to get off the boat was bobbing up and down and back and forth in the big waves and many people very nervous getting off the boat safely. But with the help of the crew, and me going first for inspiration, everybody got off safely.
After the boat ride we went back to the room and donned our swimming gear and went down to the pool for an hour. It was our last night at the hotel and we wanted to make use of the fabulous amenities at least once.
Day 7 - Friday. December 12, 2025 - Fly to Palawan, Home Hosted Event
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| Gate1Travel - 13-Day Philippines Tour |
Day 8 - Saturday, December 13, 2025 - Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park
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| Gate1Travel - 13-Day Philippines Tour |
Day 9 - Sunday, December 14, 2025 - Travel to El Nido, Cashew Farm
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| Gate1Travel - 13-Day Philippines Tour |
Day 10 - Monday, December 15, 2025 - El Nido Island Hopping
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| Gate1Travel - 13-Day Philippines Tour |
Day 11 - Tuesday, December 16, 2025 - Fly to Manila, Farewell Dinner
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| Gate1Travel - 13-Day Philippines Tour |
Weather: 71F and sunny
Day 12 - Wednesday, December 17, 2025 - Fly to USA
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| Gate1Travel - 13-Day Philippines Tour |
