2 Weeks In The Philippines Itinerary – The Perfect Guide

A 2 week Philippines itinerary can be hard to map out. So here’s our tried and tested guide to the best islands in the Philippines.

How To Get Around The Philippines

We heard travelling the Philippines was one of the tougher countries when it comes to making decisions and planning a route, and it certainly was.

There is no easy way to do it. With over 7,500 islands to choose from and the popular tourist destinations scattered across the map, here’s how we decided to it. Along with our favourite places/must sees!

For those short on time, or that prefer everything to be organised for them, there are some awesome tours on Get Your Guide available to book in advance.

Best Time To Visit The Philippines

The Philippines are most popular during the dry season, between November and April.

At this time the country is fully accessible, including its many beautiful islands and more remote areas.

Temperatures are high during March and April, so it’s best to travel during the cooler months of December to February.

If you haven’t quite got 2 weeks, the 10 days in the Philippines Itinerary might be of use.

What To Pack

Photography Camera

Tripod

Day Bag

Power Bank

Reusable Water Bottle

Sunscreen

Lightweight Rain Jacket

Quick Dry Towel

GoPro

Lifeproof Phone Case

Dry Bag

2 Weeks In The Philippines Itinerary

Palawan (4 Days)

Palawan is the furthest West of the islands and a perfect place to begin your 2 week Philippines itinerary. Also, home to the clearest water and incredible landscapes.

Palawan is a world class cultural, adventure and nature destination. From trekking through the hills, valleys, and rivers to snorkeling and diving, there are truly remarkable experiences awaiting you in Palawan. 

The island province of Palawan has so much to offer to those who want to get to the heart and soul of the Philippines.

If there’s one place you have to add to your 2 week Philippines itinerary, it’s El Nido. Your best bet is to fly into Puerto Princesa and travel up the island by bus.

It’s a world of postcard-like islands, certainly one of our favourite destinations and one of the best things to do in the Philippines.

There are a variety of island hopping tours including El Nido: Island Hopping Tour A Lagoons and Beaches.

The island also boasts about it’s UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Puerto Princesa underground river.

It’s one of the most popular places in the south so we recommend booking your Puerto Princesa Underground River Full-Day Trip in advance.

Cebu (4 Days)

Cebu is the largest island in the Visayas region, and is particularly rich in Spanish colonial history. It was the original capital of the Philippines until the 17th century.

If you want to learn more about the city Cebu City: Half-Day Tour with Shopping will take you to Cebu’s major landmarks.

Cebu is a great place to use as a base on your 2 week Philippines itinerary. With the towns of Moalboal and Oslob being the most popular on the island.

As it’s the most central island to the main places in the Philippines, it acts as a hub for flights, ferries and other efficient modes of transport.

Cebu boasts of its ethnically diverse population. Its inhabitants are made up of Malay, Chinese, Filipino and an ever-growing number of westerners.

It’s now considered to be the most dynamic island in the Philippines, attracting tourist from all over the world.

Home to Kawasan Falls and Oslob’s famous whale sharks, Cebu island also gives easy access to Bohol and Siquijor by ferry.

For the adventure seekers, Cebu City: Whale Shark Swimming & Kawasan Falls Canyoneering is a full day of adrenaline rushes.

Alternatively, for a more relaxing day, Moalboal Swimming with Sardines & Dolphin Watching is a must.

Also, down south there are some more incredible waterfalls, such as Aguinid Falls and Tumalog.

Bohol (3 Days)

Bohol is well known for its Chocolate Hills. There’s no doubt that it has some of the best waterfalls and beaches too.

The island of Panglao, attached to the bottom of Bohol, is a beach lovers heaven and the mainland is just screaming with adventure!

Bohol is also the home of the tarsier, the big eyed insect-eating primate whose size is smaller than your fist. Scientists regard the tarsier as the oldest mammal now inhabiting the earth. 

We definitely recommend hopping on a scooter to explore the waterfalls if you’re adding Bohol to your 2 week Philippines itinerary.

Alternatively, if you are looking for a guided tour, the Bohol & Panglao Island: Full-Day Bohol Tour will take you to all the main attractions and includes a cruise on the Loboc-Loay River.

In our opinion a couple of days in Bohol is enough.

A lot of people tend to only visit for the famous chocolate hills, however Ingkumhan Falls and the beaches were our favourite places on the island. 

Siquijor (3 Days)

Another one of our faves! We loved Siquijor, and this was definitely one of the best things to do in the Philippines. We guess it’s because we’re big waterfall chasers.

For most Filipinos, Siquijor is a mysterious other-world of witchcraft and the unknown.

However, these days Siquijor’s most popular healing practice involves a deck chair with a cocktail and relaxing at one of its wonderfully affordable beach resorts.

Attractions include great diving, waterfalls, caves and forest walks in the hilly interior.

In terms of snorkelling, you’ll find that just about everywhere on Siquijor Island is good for sticking on a mask and jumping in.

Our advice is to rent a bike and search the rope swings and cliff jumps throughout the island! Siquijor is easily in the top three of our best islands in the 2 week Philippines itinerary.

There is no direct connection from Cebu Island to Siquijor. However, you can take the ferry to Tagbilaran (Bohol) from either Cebu City (central Cebu) or Santander (South Cebu), then catch the ferry to Larena (Siquijor Island). 

Tourists generally stay in the San Juan area of Siquijor, so you can get a taxi from there.

We were staying in Dumaguete before visiting Siquijor, so we got the ferry straight over to island from there. We rented mopeds at the port and made our way to our accommodation.

There are alternative ways to get to the island but it all depends on where you’re staying.

If you are staying in Dumaguete and only fancy a day in Siquijor you could take the Dumaguete: Siquijor Island & Cambugahay Falls Private Tour.

To put it simply though, the only two ways you can access Siquijor is via Bohol or Dumaguete. The island is too small to run a commercial airport so ferries are the only mode of transport in and out of the island.

Where To Stay In The Philippines

For pre-booking accommodation when travelling, we always recommend Booking.com!

From 5 star hotels, to budget backpacker hostels, it’s got everything and the site is super easy to use.

So to compare deals, and pre-book all of your Philippines accommodation, you can check the latest prices on Booking.com.

More Philippines Blogs

El Nido Tour Package – Island Hopping Explained

Philippines Waterfalls – The Must Visit Falls Guide

Tourist Spots In Siquijor + The Best Things To Do

Things To Do In Moalboal – Activities Not To Miss

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