Philippines · 12 days · Untravel editors
The first-timer island corridor — Bohol's wildlife, Cebu's canyons and lechon, El Nido's lagoons — flight-stitched and clustered. And we steer you clear of the one famous attraction that isn't worth your conscience.
12 days and 13 stops — Manila, Bohol, Cebu and El Nido, with three moves between them. It opens with land. Every stop carries the note that put it on the list. Read it all here, no app and no account.
The 12-day Philippines itinerary, day by day
Day 01 · Manila
Land
Toyo Eatery
Base in Makati or BGC. Modern Filipino at Toyo Eatery (Asia's 50 Best) if you book ahead, or a Binondo food crawl.
Day 02 · Manila
Old Manila
Intramuros
The Spanish-colonial old town (San Agustin Church, the walls) + a Binondo Chinatown food walk. Then fly south.
Transfer · day 2 → 3639 km apart
Day 03 · Bohol
Beach + dive base
Alona Beach
Settle on Panglao (200+ dive sites within 30 min). Beach afternoon, sunset, seafood.
Day 04 · Bohol
The countryside tour
Chocolate Hills
The geological oddity, then the Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary (the foundation site in Corella — NOT roadside cages).
Loboc River lunch cruise
A floating-restaurant lunch on the Loboc River — the classic Bohol day-tour finish.
Transfer · day 4 → 577 km apart
Day 05 · Cebu
Canyons + lechon
Kawasan Falls
Canyoneering in Badian — jumping, swimming, climbing through turquoise canyons (~3h). Reward: the best lechon in the country at Zubuchon or Michelin-listed House of Lechon.
Day 06 · Cebu
The marine highlight (the ethical one)
Moalboal Sardine Run
A free-to-snorkel 'sardine tornado' just offshore, plus sea turtles. The genuinely-worth-it Cebu marine day. SKIP Oslob's whale-shark 'swim' — the sharks are hand-fed and it's documented as harmful; Donsol runs wild whale sharks properly.
Transfer · day 6 → 7458 km apart
Day 07 · El Nido
Arrive
Las Cabanas Beach
Long travel day in (fly Cebu→Puerto Princesa then van, or into El Nido). Settle, sunset, pizza at Trattoria Altrove.
Day 08 · El Nido
Tour A
Big Lagoon
Island Hopping Tour A — Big & Small Lagoons, Secret Lagoon, Shimizu. The headline. Kayak the Big Lagoon.
Trattoria Altrove
Back to town for the consensus wood-fired pizza, or grilled seafood on the sand.
Day 09 · El Nido
Tour C + beach
Nacpan Beach
Tour C (hidden beaches, dramatic islands) or a Nacpan Beach land day.
Day 10 · El Nido
Last bay, last sunset
Las Cabanas Beach
A final hop or a slow beach day; sunset send-off.
Day 11 · El Nido
Travel buffer
El Nido Town
The archipelago's transfers need a buffer day — build it in before flying home via Manila.
Day 12
Fly out
Nothing scheduled — the day is the journey home.
