The Philippines may sound like a random destination to some, but after traveling there for 8 days, I can easily say that it’s now one of my favorite countries in the world. My interest in the Philippines was triggered by some incredibly beautiful beach images that started appearing on my Instagram feed. The scenes were exotic, dreamy, and more or less ethereal. I had visited a few other countries in Asia and decided it was time to dedicate a trip to the southeast Asian island nation.
I used reward miles for a free flight to Hong Kong, and from there, purchased a $170 one-way flight to Cebu, Philippines. After my three nights in the craziness of Hong Kong, I was ready for some island living. Here’s how my vacation to the Philippines played out:
Day 1: I arrived in Cebu City mid-day, and took a taxi to the bus station. I first spotted Jeepney’s during this ride, the most common means of public transportation in the Philippines. These are former US military jeeps, decorated ornately and filled to the brim with passengers. When I mentioned that I was hungry to the taxi driver, he kindly responded by taking me to Jollibee, a popular Filipino fast food chain. During this short trip, I had already experienced so much of the local culture!
I eventually hopped aboard the bus that would take me 6 hours south, to the small town of Oslob. The driver’s intention was to stop at my accommodation (which was right off the main road), but I ended up being dropped at least a half mile past. With a bus that couldn’t turn around, and a heavy backpack in the solitude of darkness (and obviously no cell reception) I was a bit nervous. I started walking back down the road and ended up, as I saw no other option, hitching a ride on a motorized tricycle, another common Filipino mode of transportation.
A few minutes later I arrived at my home for the next two nights where I was greeted by an adorable litter of puppies and shown to my private hut by the sweetest girls. My hut had electricity, a mosquito net, fan, and comfortable bed. It also had a scorpion, but we’ll ignore that detail for now. Famished after a long journey, I enjoyed some barbecue chicken and San Miguel beer at the small restaurant next to the hostel property.
Day 2: My alarm was set for 5:30AM, but that was no problem as the property roosters jumped into action. I had chosen my hostel specifically because it bordered the whale shark tour center in Tan-awan. We got there before all the tourists and were able to see the sun rise over the Philippine Sea. After a quick orientation, it was time to swim with the whale sharks.
I previously addressed my concerns over the ethics of swimming with the sharks, but overall it was a very powerful experience. I seriously struggled as it was only my 2nd time ever snorkeling… but I was still able to observe the gentle giants in action. They idled close to us humans in the open ocean, patiently awaiting their plankton breakfast. I’ll never forget how small I felt in their presence.
After the experience, we made our way back to the hostel restaurant where we dined on fruit smoothies, freshly caught octopus, and tocino. We had already done so much and it was only 9AM! My new friend Praz and I made arrangements to hire a driver for a few hours to show us a bit of the surrounding area.
What a day it was! The three of us squeezed on a motorbike and off we went. We rode for hours under the lush forest overhang, down dirt roads, and through remote areas. We hiked and climbed to a few waterfalls, and did some cliff jumping. We capped off our “tour” by walking around the historic center of Oslob. It was such a great day and I really fell in love with this special place.
Day 3: After traveling 6 hours back north, and flying into one of the smallest airports in the world, I arrived in El Nido on Palawan Island. El Nido is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world and I knew I’d landed in paradise. I immediately befriended the girl sharing a bunk with me, Rosanne, who quickly became my best buddy! The first evening we wandered around the small town with a few others from Spin Hostel. After the power went out in town (a common occurrence) we walked back to our generator-powered hostel where a local tattoo artist had set up space on the deck for tattooing. It was fascinating watching people get impromptu tattoos; heck, I even considered it for a minute.
Day 4: It was New Years Eve and a group of new friends and I set off on a boat tour (island tour B). Over the course of several hours we stopped at a couple islands and wild beaches, snorkeled (successfully this time!), and hiked at Snake Island which had incredible views. The tour company fed us a delicious lunch and served booze. We kayaked through the big and small lagoons. We danced and soaked up the sun. I can say it was one of the best days of my life!
That evening it was time to party. We went for a pizza dinner and then to Pukka bar, the best live music club on the beach. It must have been in the mid-80s and it was crazy sweaty in the club. Fireworks started on the beach, directly outside the club (not safe at all, in fact a girl in my group got hit and burned by one). It was steamy out and I was very happy, so I decided to go for a swim, with all my clothes on. I floated effortlessly in the calm waters, watching the fireworks over head. My night concluded by playing chess with a Filipino family in the street. They served me a pitcher of ice beer and chicken feet. I lost my shoes that night, a sure sign of a good night!
Day 5: What better way to spend January 1st than on a tropical beach? Rosanne and I joined our friend Z and 12 Egyptians on tour and headed toward Nacpan Beach. It was super relaxing. We ate great food, soaked up the sun, hammocked, and walked the beach, meeting the most adorable kids. I even got nipped by a stray dog.
Day 6: Time for a new island-hop route. We went through a different company and the vibe was a bit more low-key. The weather wasn’t as nice as the first day, and our fellow shipmates weren’t as fun, but we still made the best of it. How can you not when you’re literally in paradise? While snorkeling I spotted an electric blue star fish and found the coolest shells (which I did not remove from the beach; this is illegal in the Philippines as they wish to preserve the ecosystem as it naturally appears). That evening Rosanne and I went out looking for some fun. Back at Pukka bar, we danced our tails off with some new friends.
Day 7: It was a rainy, but thankfully I’d had 7 out of 8 beautiful days! I hung out with my buddies before we tearfully hugged goodbye and I left for the tiny airport. My last stop in the Philippines was Manila. It was quite a contrast going from the laid back, tiny beach town, to a huge, overpopulated, bustling city. My hostel in Makati was very nice. I had a quiet dinner by myself that evening, followed by a pedicure at a nail salon. While in the salon I overheard a woman speaking in a very southern American English accent. When I asked where she was from she responded “Pink Hill, NC.” Her son had a baby with a Filipino woman, and they were in the country visiting the toddler for Christmas. The cute kid was rocking a Carolina Panther’s shirt, which was just too much. What a small world!
Day 8: I had just a few hours to explore Manila before heading to the airport. I chatted up a Danish guy at breakfast, and we hit the town together. Manila was a bit dodgy, as to be expected. With a sudden boost of confidence, I decided we should try to crash a rooftop, just to get some views of the city. We managed to get to the 32nd floor of a hotel, which happened to have a rooftop pool, and hung out for a while, gawking over the enormity of the nation’s capital.
After the Philippines, I flew to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where I spent the next few days. While I enjoyed KL, I missed the Philippines almost immediately. I found Filipino’s to be among the friendliest people I’ve encountered in the world. It’s a very poor country but its citizens are selfless, kind, and welcoming. It’s important to note that while the Philippines is experiencing a war on drugs under President Duterte’s leadership, violence only occurs in small pockets, and most areas are super safe. I felt comfortable during the entirety of my trip, even in Manila (granted, I did stay in the safer Makati neighborhood). I’ve raved about this vacation ever since, and I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity and the new friends I made while there.
Accommodations:
Oslob, Cebu- Sharky Hostel. Private hut at $36 total for two nights. It’s very rustic but the location is perfect for swimming with the whale sharks, the people are wonderful, and the restaurant next door is great. I rated this a 9.7 on Hostelworld.
El Nido, Palawan- Spin Designer Hostel. 4 bed dorm for 3 nights, private for 1. Not sure of my total because I added on two nights last minute. The dorms went for $21/night. Rated a 10/10 on Hostelworld, HIGHLY recommend.
Makati, Manila- Z Hostel. 4 bed dorm for 1 night at $19. I rated this a 9.4.