Phillipines

Philippines: For the Philippines my travel guide is split into islands (that are underlined) and then actual locations which are highlighted below. They will also include a quick summary of how to get to the island and how to get around the island to the different locations (these are in italics). We only had time to do two islands but there are sooo many to choose from!

Getting around - Ceres yellow buses (I think they go literally everywhere and are super cheap- no air con and v overcrowded). However to get to most islands you will need to fly/get the ferry. 

Palawan (port Barton, el nido and coron):

Getting to Palawan - Fly into Porto Princessa or Coron and out of the other. 

Route of Palawan:

Porto Princessa- bus- port Barton- bus- El Nido- ferry- coron (can be done in reverse). You can also go directly from Porto Princessa to El Nido if needed.

Port Barton:

I was just told to GO TO WHITE BEACH, unfortunately we did not have time but hopefully you do!

El nido - Beautiful boat trips but expensive and really touristy, really fun night out. However, don’t stay for too long unless you want to go out a lot and spend A LOT of money.

Where to stay:

• Mad monkey - massive party, free drinks from 7-7.30 (in 2018) however it is on Nacpan Beach which is stunning but is a 45 minute tricycle away (the cost in 2018 was 500 Peso to get to Nacpan beach from the town)
• Outpost - did not stay here but also is known to be a big party place and is closer to town (only a 50 peso tricycle, prices in 2018).
• Cheaper options: OMP (Our melting pot) this is relatively central in town but nothing special or Akuna matata (nicest owner ever, she has a dream to plant hundreds of trees to help the environment, but I do not know about the rooms)

Where to eat:

• Happiness bar (HUMMUS really yum)
• Ghandis revenge (curry)
• Paul’s veggie burgers
• Art cafe (apparently is good) 

What to do: 

• BOAT TOUR! (A+C are the best, try do it in good weather or there is a party one).
• Climb mount taraw, however please note it is dangerous.
• Nacpan beach (if not staying on mad money as mad monkey is on that beach).
• Las cabanas (amazing sunset) and zip wire on that beach.
• Waterfalls down the road drive straight past las cabanas untill you see a sign (33km away, do if there is bad weather as the waterfalls are not amazing but are a nice thing to do).
• Going out: mad monkey and outpost are big party hostels so don't really need to go anywhere if staying there. But for town: pukka bar or Sauve, Sauve is much classier apparently. 
• Duli beach (past nacpan).

Coron - again beautiful boat trips. Apart from that there is not a lot to do here so only spend 3 days at most but if the weathers good there are loads of beaut areas.

Where to stay: 

• Spin (if you have the money it is very expensive for a hostel) otherwise wherever is cheap and near the centre

Where to eat: 

• Meh, food is quite rubbish everywhere but a lot cheaper than El Nido, you can get dinner for around 150 Peso.

Going out: 

• Hangover bar/Regee bar (go to spin and just go out with everyone from there)

Stuff to do - we were stuck in a thunderstorm for 3.5/5 of our days here so my advice is mainly from other travellers:

• Boat tour! Typical one kawasan lake (really cool view and lake is pretty cool too), twin lagoon (not that amazing after seeing the El Nido one but if it's your first stop in this beautiful country you will be very impressed), banol  beach. 
• Island hopping 1300 peso: Malcapuya Island (best beach ever), bulog dos (amazing) and another beach. Lunch included (buy a snorkel before other wise you will spend around 300 per time)
• Climb mount Tapyas (not really great to be honest but the weather was bad so it might look better in the sun)
• Go to the hot springs
• Bike to mircilla beach (put in maps me). We couldn't do this because of the weather but apparently road is not very good quality so maybe for the best!
• Just get bikes and drive around to random beaches and waterfalls. 

Cebu

Getting to Cebu - fly in and out of Cebu city

Route of Cebu:

Cebu city - ferry (£7)- Bohol - ferry - Siquijor - ferry (£3) - Oslob - bus - Moalboal - bus - Cebu city

Bohol -  snorkel trip, chocolate hills. Personally would not stay for too long but some people love it.

Where to stay - Stay in the area of Alona Beach:

• Coco farm (apparently more social) 
• Sea breeze (nice, it was $10 each (if you haggle lots) peso tricycle to beach but no atmosphere. 
• Apparently Moonshine is good

What to eat: 

• Giuseppe pizzeria (330 peso for a margarita but best pizza in Asia!! Trust me you will miss pizza) 
• Food in the Philippines isn't great in a lot of areas but for an idea of pricing you can get food for 200 peso or under, often it cost us around 100 pesos.

What to do: 

• Chocolate hills (can motor bike from Alona Beach in 2 hours). 
• See the Tarzias (baby monkey things- around 20 minutes away from the Chocolate hills). Be careful going off on side roads to waterfalls as the roads are SOOO terrible there are so many loose rocks 2/3 of our bikes had minor crashes and we were going very slowly. 
• Island hopping tours, really good snorkelling on Balicasag Island. Tours are advertised for 400 pesos each or if there are lots of you it’s 3000 for the boat (all together) then you can negotiate for a 200 peso entrance fee for the island (it is meant to be 250) and 100 pesos for snorkels (which are meant to be 150). So in total 900 pesos each if there are 5 of you. You can also swim with turtles for 250 pesos extra which we didn’t do but it did sound fun. 
• Apparently Balicassag is one of the best dive sites (lots of fish and turtles).

Siquior - Gorgeous gorgeous place!!! However it is a very quiet island with not a lot going on

Where to stay: 

• Casa Paliton - good location near a few bars/restaurants but not much atmosphere in the actual hostel.

Where to eat:

• by Solangon beach there are lots of restaurants - monkey business/ the restaurant opposite are good, both are the only bar like locations as well as the island is not much of a night out place.

What to do: 

• Paliton beach (really nice, good sunsets). 
• Snorkelling at Tupod marine sanctuary (under £2.5 for entrance and the snorkel). 
• Cambugahay falls (you tip the guide however much you feel we did 100 each so 500 total). 
• Salagdoong Beach (diving platforms into the sea) they look man made but the water is really nice.
• Rent a bike and just ride around the island but double the time it should take you as the roads can be terrible (for us one way had the best roads but way back was awful). 
• Apparently butterfly garden is cool. 

Oslob - just whale sharks. Only thing to do here. I am unsure on the ethicalness of this experience, in 2018 it was very grey as they do feed the sharks to ensure they come back however the sharks are not in captivity. Anyway please research before you do it as it was an incredible experience but I think it might be cruel and unnatural. 

Where to stay: 

• Sharky - 100% if you’re doing the whale sharks (you are the first boat out and it makes such a difference to the experience). Although the woman who runs it is lovely do not trust her with all the information she gives as she sold us a canyoning trip saying it was the best one you could do but we later found out there was a better one (either way the canyoning was still so much fun!)  
• Noordzee if you actually want to stay in Oslob but there is basically nothing there.

What to do: 

• Literally only the whale sharks.
• Kawasan falls is in the middle of Oslob and moalboal so sometimes you can get transport from Oslob to moalboal with canyoning in the middle (canyoning includes Kawasan).

Moalboal - really funny night out, loads of cool things to do.

Where to stay: 

• Moalboal backpacker lodge (I loved it here! But also depends on the people)
• Eve’s kiosk dive resort also looked pretty lively but we didn’t go.

What to do: 

• Canyoning! (Make sure you start in Badan (not sure if it is spelt like that but it is somewhere beginning with B) as then the canyoning takes you directly to Kawasan. Don’t start at Alegria, if you do it will still be amazing but you miss some really good waterfalls and will have to get a tricycle to Kawasan).
• Apparently Cambis falls is better than kawasan. 
• White beach is decent, the water is amazing but it is quite crowded. Apparently the snorkelling is good but you need to find the right spot so ask the locals 
• Osmeña peak (you can also do this from Oslob) looks really cool
• SARDINE RUN! This is amazing also it is so close to Moalboal backpackers you just swim out to sea and find them, it took us 10 minutes but I don’t know how as it is normally so easy to find.
• Boat trip (it’s under £7 for a boat trip to Pascador Island which apparently has amazing snorkelling and turtle island is apparently full of turtles! Sadly we didn't have time to do this.
• Going out: saturday night they have a ‘disco‘ in a club along the beach but everyone goes to Chile’s every night which is so fun. 
• Again get a motor bike and just explore. 

Where to eat: 

• TACO PLACE!!! Out of moalboal backpackers turn right then turn right again at all the trikes and keep walking untill you see the taco sign (it is missable) it’s kinda Down a side road on the right but the building is pretty lit up. 70p tacos (you need like 4) that are amazing and nicest staff, quick service which is 1 in a million in the Philippines. SADLY I AM TOLD IT HAS CLOSED, 2019

: 

Places that look amazing in the Philippines:

• Malapascua (good place to get your PADI qualification apparently)
• Apo Island 
• Siargao, Surfing is apparently amazing! Was told to stay in Smiling pig hostel. I was Really sad we couldn’t go there.