Yes ma'am: adventures in the Philippines

My adventures in the southeast of Asia began as most naive backpackers’ adventures do, crashing a scooter. Mortified and covered in mud, I continued my adventure, just now as a passenger. 

My south east Asia journey began in the Philippines, a country that is made up of of 7,641 islands; an impossible feat to visit all, but I did attempt to absorb as much Filipino culture as I could from the handful of locations I did visit.

Palawan

Puerto Princesa

Underground River

After flying from Melbourne to Manila, I flew straight to Puerto Princesa to begin my journey. I found Puerto Princesa to be an interesting yet intimidating place, with vendors constantly trying to score your business. While there are some delicious restaurants and engaging bars, I wouldn't say it's a top tourist spot. The main attraction of Puerto Princesa is the UNESCO-listed Underground River. It's the second largest underground river in the world and home to some of the most incredible limestone formations. Hop in a little kayak with the boatman and a set of headphones, (you're not allowed to make any sound in the caves as to not disrupt the ecology within the caves) that play a guided tour explaining about the stalagmites and stalactites (much more interesting than GCSE geography). 

Back in town, there isn't a wide of choice of activities. The fishing port is fine for a wander, but there isn't any 'beach' to relax on, if that’s what you’re after. There are a few bars and restaurants, my hostel, Guni Guni, hosting one of them, which offered a good mix of western comforts and traditional Filipino dishes. The hostel rooms themselves were clean with en-suites and lockers. I stayed in Puerto Princesa for three nights; however I would recommend two. 

Port Barton

Coconut Beach

To get from Puerto Princesa to Port Barton, I had to embark on a three-and-a-half-hour bus journey across many windy and unsealed roads (top tip: take a lot of travel sickness pills with you). Upon arriving in Port Barton, I let out a sigh of relief, its bright white sands and crystal-clear ocean were exactly what I'd been dreaming of! 

Port Barton is a tiny little coastal town on the north-west side of Palawan, with beach bars, ocean front accommodation as well as cute little cafes and shops. Despite its small size, there is plenty for you to do here. You can head over to Coconut beach or White beach, rent a scooter to explore the hills, get a massage on the beach front (one of my favourite activities) or simply try all the local cuisine! The Filipino diet contains a lot of fish, and I cannot recommend the ceviche enough! If you try one local dish, let it be ceviche. 

In Port Barton I stayed at CocoRico hostel, which is two minutes from the beach front, and houses its own bar that hosts a range of social events. The dorm is one long room with around 20 beds in it. That being said, the bunks are enclosed, so you do have some sense of privacy.

El Nido

El Nido was my final stop on the island of Palawan. After another stomach churning 4-hour bus ride, I checked into Frendz hostel, an energetic hostel that aptly matches the vibe of the town. If you're coming to El Nido to relax, Frendz is probably not the place for you, and I wouldn’t recommend staying too close to the town centre either, as it has an excentric nightlife. However, if you're happy to make friends and meet new people, then charge up that social battery! 

Vanilla Beach

Although El Nido has a somewhat stag/hen party atmosphere, it does have its locations and activities that offer a more laid-back vibe. Vanilla Beach, about a twenty-minute tuk-tuk away from the centre, is home to some gorgeous restaurants and the infamous El Nido zip line. I recommend heading up to the zip line for around 4pm, in order to catch the sunset. Get the zip line one way down and walk across the sand to Vanilla Beach. The sunset here is unrivalled and is not to be missed.

Another reason tourists flock to El Nido is for their boat tours. There are three main day tours, Tour A, B & C. If you're keen on a longer adventure, there is also the El Nido to Coron three- or four-day tour. I personally did Tour A, which included kayaking in Big Lagoon, island hopping on Shimizu Island and Commando beach, then stopping off to snorkel the coral reef. It’s worth doing this tour purely for the kayaking in Big Lagoon! While it does get a bit crowded, it’s one of the most beautiful and captivating environments I've ever witnessed. The heavens opening and the rain pouring down upon us did nothing to harm the experienced and, in fact, added to it. I felt like I had been transported to another planet.

These three stops complete the Palawan leg of my Philippines trip. El Nido supplied me with laughter and memories, Port Barton gave me a window into local, laidback life and Puerto Princesa allowed me to experience the magic of nature. 

White Beach

Moalboal

Next stop Moalboal! Getting from El Nido to Moalboal is no simple feat. I opted to fly from El Nido to Cebu and then hop on a 4-hour bus down to Moalboal. The main challenge of this journey was working out how to get from Cebu Airport to the bus terminal. Cebu city is one of the busiest places I've ever been. I found the bus terminal to be extremely overwhelming, but if you head for the main building and find the official desk, they will direct you from there.

Sardine Run Snorkelling

Moalboal is a little port town with its main attraction being its plethora of ocean activities. One of which is the 'sardine run'. The sardine run is this pocket of coastline with millions of, you guessed it, sardines, but also, turtles! This is one of the cheapest activities you can do here and genuinely might be my favourite of the entire trip. Simply head down to Panagsama Beach with your snorkel (you can hire one from the shops if you don't own one) and swim around to the front of Chilli Bar. I promise you'll be amazed. Don't get sucked into the tours that try and charge you for this experience. All you have to do is pay the environmental fee at the beach steps, you really do not need a tour guide. Head down early in the morning if you want to beat the crowds. 

Another reason tourists flock to Moalboal is canyoneering in Kawasan Falls. Canyoneering is the perfect adventure activity. You trek through the waterfalls and streams, jump off cliffs and slide through rapids, all while trying not to fall victim to the slippery rocks underfoot (I did not succeed in this quest). 

While in Moalboal I stayed in HYD Hostel. The hostel had similar enclosed style beds to where I stayed in Port Barton, however, the toilets were outside, meaning that the bedroom door did not lock. I could have overlooked this if is the hostel wasn't located up a long dark alleyway where the bedroom and bathroom were in someone else's back garden. As a solo female traveller, safety is paramount and this arrangement made me very uneasy. Outdoor toilets are something to be expected when in southeast Asia, but not if the location of them makes you feel unsafe. Saving a few pesos isn't worth your safety. 

Bohol

The journey from Moalboal to Bohol was another difficult one. I took the bus back to Cebu city, then hopped on a ferry to Bohol before one final tuktuk ride to Panglao. You can also go down to Oslob from Moalboal and ferry across that way. 

Alona Pawikan

A short and sweet stop in Bohol included visiting the infamous Chocolate Hills and meeting the adorable Tarsiers, my new favourite animal. The chocolate hills are another magic trick from mother nature. Over 1500 symmetrical hills formed as a result of 'karstification' from years of weathering the limestone beneath. A truly mind boggling experience. About an hour down the road from these tasty hills is the Tarsier sanctuary. These tiny primates are native to Bohol and are definitely worth a visit. 

While in Bohol I leaned into my tourist persona as opposed to my tight backpacker style and stayed at Alona Pawikan, a cute cluster of bungalows situated in the forest. There is plenty of luxury style accommodation available in Bohol, but these bungalows felt like the perfect balance of luxury and locality. 

Siargao

My final Philippines stop was the beautiful island of Siargao. Amongst travellers, there’s a myth known as the 'Siargao Curse', and I’m here to say it’s absolutely real. The island is renowned for its calm, surfy, majestic vibe where travellers can relax and unwind and therefore stay far longer than intended.

Magpopongko Rock Pools

Yet to overcome my fear of scooters, I hired a car in Siargao and did a full lap of the island to see as much as I could on my final Philippines destination. While Cloud 9 is probably the most famous surfer sport in Siargao, the north of the island is where the 'professional' surfers flock. Even if you choose not to stop at the many beautiful coves, waterfalls and forests, just driving around the island supplies you with magical views. 

A few highlights from the north/middle of the island are Magda Spring Pool, Magpopongko Rock Pools and Coconut Tree view. Just be sure to check the tides when visiting Magpopongko! 

Back in the south of the island, there's plenty of activities to do; the Cloud 9 boardwalk, boat tours, Sunset Bridge night market, shopping at all the little boutiques. I strongly recommend taking time to relax, read a book, get on your dancing shoes at the many beach bars, embrace the relaxed pace of life that is fundamental to life here. 

Siargao is home to by far my favourite accommodation from the entirety of my Philippines trip; Happiness Hostel. Its beautifully designed wooden features complement the surrounding tropical landscape very well and the location is right next to the beach. It even has its own beach bar. However, the thing I loved the most about Happiness Hostel was the staff, who are so welcoming. Sometimes it's tricky for solo travellers to join into organised events when everyone else has come with a friend, or have already established connections with other backpackers. But I felt that the staff here made everyone feel welcome and worked as great catalysts to alleviate some of that horrendous awkwardness that comes with the 'how long have you been travelling?' question. 

Getting Around

Getting from island to island can seem a bit daunting to organise, and honestly, it can be very overwhelming when there are 100 people trying to pull you in different directions. Compared to other southeast Asian countries where transport is relatively easy to navigate, I would say that the Philippines takes a bit more forethought to not miss out on places. 

If you plan on flying from island to island, you need to book in advance to avoid inflated prices. If you're travelling by boat/ferry, there is little point in booking in advance, as the schedules change frequently. It's the cheaper way to travel but can feel very unorganised. Be prepared to wait and take your anti-nausea pills in advance. 

TukTuk or Taxis

General Luna

Apps like Grab only work in the big cities, and even then, they're often not the cheapest way to travel. Tuktuk's are your best bet when getting around in the smaller towns but make sure to know the local going rate. If someone wants to charge your more than 200 pesos for a journey, it's likely you can find cheaper. Haggling can be very uncomfortable, if you ever feel unsafe in the process, just say 'no thank you', walk away and regroup.

Most hostels will help you get a tuktuk or a taxi if you're unsure. There is often a lot of shouting and gesturing when you step out to look for a ride, try not to feel pressured to get into any vehicle you feel uncomfortable with. 

If you're in one place for more than a few days, think about hiring a scooter. They are both the most money and time efficient way of getting around. Only do so if you're a confident driver of course, which leads me on to my next point... 

The practicalities

Insurance. It sounds silly, but so many backpackers, like me, hurt themselves while travelling. Accidents happen, things get lost, or broken, and the last thing you want is to be injured and bankrupt. I personally got my insurance through Tesco, who offer a backpacker specific insurance that covers you for multiple countries and trips. 

Cloud 9

Another thing you don't want to get caught without is a phone signal. We are all far too dependent on our phones, but when you're travelling it really is your lifeline. Most smartphones are compatible with Esims, which you can purchase and install before you've even left home. That way, you have phone signal the minute the plane lands. App's I've tried include: Airalo, Holafly and Nomad.

Finally, cash is king in the Philippines. Many places charge a small environmental fee on entry, which must be paid in cash. Tuk-tuks, cafes, shops, most places only take cash. Even big companies usually have a large surcharge to pay with card. If you can, take bigger sums of cash out at once, to avoid paying lots of terminal and exchange fees. 

Recommendations & Personal Favourites

Top Activity: Tour A in El Nido. Incredible scenery, great snorkel spots and lunch included. 

Top Accommodation: No surprise, Happiness Hostel in Siargao. 

Top Beach: Vanilla Beach in El Nido, purely for the views of the sunset.