I want to share the perfect 10 days in the Philippines with you. I fell in love with these islands during my Christmas and New Year’s trip a few years back. It wasn’t just because of the stunning beaches. The country radiates a unique warmth during the holiday season. Festive decorations and tropical holiday vibes are abundant. The weather was temperate — sunny, breezy, and just right for exploring the islands of Cebu, Bohol, Palawan and Coron. December and January are during the dry season in most parts of the country. This makes it an ideal time to enjoy the country’s tropical islands, beaches and outdoor activities. This timing also avoids the intense heat of the summer months and wet typhoon season. If you have experienced these things in SE Asia…why not avoid them?
* Pro Tip ~ Christmas and New Year are particularly busy in the Philippines and SE Asia. Book your flights and accommodation as early as possible for more options and prices. Hotels in the hot spots will sell out!
Christmas Magic Abroad
The Philippines is the perfect holiday destination if you’re craving Christmas magic abroad. As a former Spanish colony, the country is deeply rooted in Catholicism. You’ll find Spanish influence not just in traditions but also in architecture. It feels more Latin-inspired than the typical Southeast Asian temples and pagodas. Most Asian countries do not celebrate Christmas but many will decorate for westerners. The Philippines is famous for celebrating the longest Christmas season in the world, with festivities kicking off as early as September and lasting well into January.
It took me years to finally plan a trip here, mainly because the abundance of islands left me overwhelmed and I didn’t know where to start. Since this inaugural trip, I’ve distilled my experience into the top destinations you won’t want to miss. The perfect 10 days in the Philippines guide below will cover 3 nights in Cebu, 2 nights in Bohol, 3 nights in Palawan and 2 nights in Coron. These highlights also go in the ideal chronological order for your trip. Let’s jump right in!
1) Oslob
We came to the the town of Oslob on the island of Cebu primarily to scuba dive with the whale sharks. This has been a bucket list item for years and it was finally time! We found an epic dive center called Emoha Dive Resort at the southern tip of Cebu island. If you love scuba diving and have never been to a dive resort, you must get to one! Your coastal access, accommodation, boats, gear and meals are all in one spot. Roll out of bed, take a few morning dives, eat, nap and take some evening dives. It’s a full-on dream for aquatic lovers. Emoha’s design aesthetic, pool, comfy modern rooms and lovely home-cooked meals stand out in my memory.
We saw the majestic whale sharks from below while they were eating on the surface. They were bigger than you can imagine and watching them eat was hypnotizing. I want to point out that snorkeling boats at the surface were chumming the waters to get close access to the giants. We reaped the benefits of their feeding time, observing them from the ocean floor while scuba diving. Chumming is a controversial topic and worth pointing out so you can choose what is best for you. Our other more traditional dives without whale sharks showed a vibrant and healthy reef, which made us happy. This was some of the best diving of my life and I have been to many hot spots like Honduras, Thailand and Egypt. Even shallow reef snorkeling out front of Emoha was world-class.
*Pro Tip ~ If you are not a scuba diver, you can snorkel with the whale sharks, so research this option. You can get really close to them because you don’t have all the scuba gear on – it is just like you are swimming with them!
Getting There
Getting there. The closest airport to Emoha Dive Resort is Dumaguete Airport (DGT), located about 30 kilometers away on the neighboring island of Negros. After arriving at Dumaguete, you must travel to Sibulan Port, a 3-kilometer ride. Then, take a Fastcraft Ferry to Liloan Fastcraft Port in Cebu. This ferry ride takes 20 minutes. From this port, Emoha Dive Resort is just a 2-kilometer drive away via private driver or taxi.
If you’re looking for an alternative route, Cebu’s Mactan-Cebu International Airport (CEB) is an option. This requires longer travel time of 4 hours by road (without traffic) to reach the resort. I chose this option as my international flight into the Philippines offered a hopper flight to CEB. I must say other destinations in Cebu did not interest us. We were there for the whale sharks, to dive and for a warm Christmas. Three days in this region will treat you right!
2) Bohol
Onward with the perfect 10 days in the Philippines, the island of Bohol was the next stop. This was with a quick flight from CEB airport to Panglao International Airport in Bohol, directly southeast. We enjoyed our swift 2 nights at Bohol South Beach Hotel. This hotel was very close to the airport and the perfect jumping off point for scooter adventures around the island. For us, the allure of getting to Bohol was the Loboc River Cruise and the Chocolate Mountains. Our hotel happily arranged rental scooters early the next morning. Below is our route during the perfect day touring various sites and attractions. The roads were not crowded and felt safe. We immediately knew why exploring the island by scooter is a popular choice.
Scooter Adventure
We started the scooter adventure the following day with a delicious breakfast at SHAKA in Panglao, with smoothie bowls. Our first stop was the Sevilla Twin Hanging Bridge, a thrilling walk above the river that offered stunning views. Next, we cruised to the iconic Chocolate Hills, marveling at the rolling green mounds. Luckily, they were not brown, so we renamed them ‘Matcha Mountains’. We then hopped on a Loboc River cruise, enjoying a serene ride with a buffet feast and serenaded by local musicians. This may seem touristy but I urge you to take the plunge. The river and surrounding lush jungle are gorgeous, it felt like we were on a movie set. We returned to Bohol South Beach Hotel rooftop just in time to catch a lovely sunset. We reflected on an awesome day filled with adventure and nature. There are many other cool spots in Bohol to research; however, with our timeline, 2 days was perfect.
3) Palawan
The island of Palawan feels like a dream with its crystal-clear waters and towering limestone cliffs. The serene beaches are perfect for unwinding, plus every sunset we experienced was magical. Snorkeling among vibrant coral reefs never fails to amaze me. Upon landing, we found our way to the town of El Nido, in the north of the island. I have to admit Palawan is touristy but still worth getting to. You will be overrun with locals selling you different boat tours to various beaches, caves, cliffs and coastal hot spots. These tours are the main attraction in El Nido. They are worth your time and you can even rent a semi private or private boats to cut down on crowds.
Check out flight and ferry options from Bohol to Palawan. Either option you choose will likely have multiple legs. You may want to add on overnight to break up this travel. We did this with a stop in Coron Town and when we returned to Coron (island) after Palawan, we went to the other remote side. More on this below.
* Pro tip ~ After a few stops, these tours will prepare you a thoughtful home-cooked lunch while you hang on a private beach. I highly suggest sticking to the vegetarian options, as the temperatures of fish and meat while en route can be suspect. Unfortunately, our friends who ate meat got food poisoning after the tour. My friend and I stuck to the vegetarian options and were fine. This seems to be common if you read reviews.
Rent Scooters
Besides the boat tours, you must rent scooters to get to the more tranquil parts of Palawan during your perfect 10 days in the Philippines. You can easily scooter to Nagkalit-Kalit Waterfall. The hike to the waterfall is relatively short and takes about 15-30 minutes, making it a great day trip. The scenery along the way is beautiful, and you can enjoy a refreshing swim in the cool waters once you arrive. Be sure to check local conditions and trail accessibility before you go.
Another one of my favorite places north of El Nido is Lio Beach. This place stands out as one of my favorite beaches in the world. There are healthy food options, art installations on the beach, modern design, good shopping and unforgettable sunsets. This is the perfect place to beat the crowds and have some private beach time. Another fun adventure when you rent scooters is Nacpan Beach. I wanted to stay in their glamping tents but they were sold out. This very much felt like the hippy, backpacker zone of the area. When you are in El Nido proper, eat at Happiness Beach Bar for fresh eats, good music and a welcoming atmosphere. It’s such a vibe, I guarantee you will be back for a second or third visit. You can easily spend 3-4 days in El Nido and even more if you want to tour more of Palawan island.
4) Coron
Our final recommendation for the perfect 10 days in the Philippines is the island of Coron. The El Nido to Coron ferry typically arrives at Busuanga Port on the island’s west side. From there, you can easily find transportation to Coron Town. This is the biggest town on the island and the jumping off point for all the adventure activities (boat tours, limestone caves, snorkeling etc). Coron Town is not the most captivating place, if you go, get on the water. The water is where it is at. We came to Coron to scuba dive with dugongs (no guarantees of seeing them, of course). For this reason, we stayed on the remote jungle side of the island where the dugongs live. We loved The Riverhouse in Decalachao on the east side. This hotel is pure magic, surrounded by nothing but lush green jungle. Take a second to check it out now! 😉
Dugongs
For our anticipated encounter with dugongs, we dove with the amazing Dugong Dive Center. We trekked down to the hotel’s pier and caught a boat ride across the channel to the dive shop. Dugongs are hard to spot mainly because they inhabit shallow coastal waters and seagrass beds. This can make them blend in with their surroundings, especially when visibility is low. They are also known for being shy and elusive, often staying submerged for long periods. Their gentle nature and slow movements mean they usually avoid areas with heavy boat traffic. This makes encounters with them even rarer.
The dive masters are pros at spotting dugongs. The various boats communicate with each other and when they spot one, they turn their engines off to not spook the creatures. The scuba divers sleuth into the water, hoping to catch one of these unique beings. While we didn’t see any dugongs this time, the experience was still magical. We watched cuttlefish dance gracefully with their skirt-like fins and encountered an ancient, sea turtle. Two to three days in Coron will treat you right. You can continue island hopping or head to the Cebu or Manilla airports for an international flight. The commitment continues to (hopefully) dive with dugongs!
Pro tip ~ Most of the dugongs in this area reside in Dugong National Park, which closes every September for typhoon season and marine conservation. If you’re heading to Coron primarily to see the dugongs, we don’t recommend visiting in September. However, contact Dugong Dive Center if you’re already there and still want to try your luck spotting dugongs outside the park. With a large enough group, they will organize a boat trip.
Peens, that is a Wrap!
Peens, that is a wrap! We hope this concise guide and itinerary inspire you to experience the perfect 10 days in the Philippines! If you are anything like me, an island nation trip feels intense to plan. We promise this is the ideal starter kit to experience the turquoise waters of the Philippines and magnificent aquatic life. This plug-and-play guide is an awesome holiday adventure for any ocean lover. Be smarter than us and book early for more accom options. My New Years spent abroad are always memorable, especially when I can be by warm water. We hope you feel the adventure, love and kindness of the people and islands the way we did!
With love,
Rach
PS ~ This article didn’t cover Philippines surf, but we got you. Check out our Siargao travel and surf guide here!
The Peens are the best! I love this post!