The Republic of the Philippines is an island country in Southeast Asia. For the last 20 years, the country has increasingly attracted travelers from all over the world, but mostly Americans and Japanese – Europeans still prefer the familiar and close Thailand.
Main Philippine Resorts
The Philippines lags behind other Asian vacation destinations – Bali, Vietnam, Thailand and even Goa – in terms of popularity. One of the factors restraining the development of tourism is the inaccessibility of the region: to get to the Philippines, you need to prepare for long connections and possible flight cancelations due to weather conditions. Another is poverty and, as a consequence, a rather high crime rate in populated areas.
At the same time, tourists in the Philippines are invariably greeted by incredibly clean beaches and sea, non-trivial activities and cordial attitude of the locals. Perhaps, such a variety of islands and marine nature, as here, can not be found anywhere else.
Boracay
Boracay is a small island with an area of only about 10,000 km². It is notable for its famous White Beach, which has been voted the most beautiful Asian beach in the world for several years in a row. You only have to look at it to understand why: photos of white sand and bright blue water would be perfect for advertising a famous candy bar.
The main hotels are concentrated along the beach. There are five-star hotels, which are all-inclusive, and there are simpler ones for those who want to save money.
To get to Boracay, you have to travel a long way: first fly to Manila airport, then take local Philippine airlines to Caticlan or Kalibo airports.
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. A trip here will suit those who want to combine beach vacation with sightseeing.
There are many of them here: Fort Santiago XVI century, Coconut Palace, Malacañang Presidential Palace, National Museum of the Philippines, planetarium, orchid pavilion and others.
Bohol
Symbols of this island are the 1,268 Chocolate Hills covered with rich brown grass, the shipwrecks that divers love to look at, and the center of rare lemurs, of which there are only 200 left on Earth. There are also plenty of beautiful beaches and hotels to suit all tastes and budgets.
Cebu
Cebu is a small island of only 4400 km². It is one of the main Philippine resorts where you can relax on crystal clear white beaches, go diving and appreciate the rich underwater world, see ancient sights and examples of colonial architecture.
Among the iconic natural attractions are the famous Kawasan waterfalls, the path to which leads through two-meter-high ferns.
Climate and weather by month
All year round, the Philippines has high temperatures and high humidity, which reaches almost 100% with the onset of summer.
The local population has long been accustomed to typhoons, heavy rains and earthquakes. Sometimes climatic peculiarities lead to tragic consequences: for example, in 2022, tropical storm Nalji hit the Philippines and killed 98 people.
In the so-called outer island-edge resorts of the Philippines, it rains heavily from June through October. During this time, roads become impassable, and with the possibility of a hurricane, there is a risk of being delayed at the airport for a day or two. This is why tourists plan their trips from early November to mid-May.
Below are the water and air temperatures in different resorts in the Philippines.
Spring
In spring, the daily temperature rises gently and all the islands are dry and sunny. April and May are the hottest months of the year, with temperatures around +35°C during the day. But in May the influence of cyclones is already felt: south-western monsoons bring rain clouds, rainfall is rare, and bathing is not harmful. The water temperature during this period rises to +30 °C.
Summer
In summer, the monsoons come to the Philippines from the southwest and the rainy season begins. Sometimes it can be sunny, but the high humidity is unlikely to let you enjoy your vacation. Despite the difference from winter of only one degree, it is very difficult to tolerate this climate.
In June, there is still little rain, but the water heats up to the state of steamy milk, which aggravates the stifling heat, because bathing also becomes hot. Due to the seasonal monsoons and sometimes sudden typhoons, the currents bring seaweed to the coast, which blooms and gives off an unpleasant odor.
July and August are the wettest months. Downpours intensify and persist for weeks. This causes landslides and floods that cut off entire neighborhoods from each other. Also, unpredictable storms or tsunamis can hit any part of the archipelago.
Autumn
In the first half of fall the climate is still the same as in summer and only from the second half begins to change gradually. It rains almost every day, still very hot. Slightly less rain falls in northwest Minandao and in the eastern regions of Mindoro, Panay, Cebu and Negras islands.
Fierce typhoons and flooding (more frequent in the Viscaya Islands and Luzon Island) do not leave the Philippines until early November. This is when the weather finally improves in the archipelago.
Winter
With the arrival of the winter months comes the driest and coolest time of the year – that’s when the tourist season begins.
The rains and storms have died down and are giving way to sunshine. It is getting drier and, thanks to the northeastern winds, cooler. In some resorts it still rains towards nightfall, but by morning it is gone, leaving behind clear skies. In the evening it gets a little cooler, with temperatures dropping to +21-23°C.
Winter is suitable for beach vacations in the Philippines: the water and air are warmed up perfectly in relation to each other, the sun no longer burns, and there are almost no waves on the sea.
What to do and see in the Philippines
In the winter season tourists have a lot to do: some choose beaches with delicious cocktails and restaurants with local cuisine, others surf the sea waves, some prefer diving and dive with giant turtles and sharks, and some admire walks among ancient ruins and waterfalls. I have compiled a list of the most interesting activities.
Collect seashells, surf and dance the night away
Boracay is a classic bounty island with white sand, clear azure water and mighty palm trees. In addition to the main beaches, the island has Puka Beach, famous for its shells, which are used as souvenirs or material for jewelry.
Odd fish and colorful coral off the coast attract snorkeling (snorkeling) lovers, and the areas of the sea with high waves – surfers.
Boracay is also the center of nightlife in the Philippines. As night falls, the beaches turn into dance floors and the waterfront is lined with endless clubs, bars and restaurants.
Visit the rice terraces
According to scientists’ calculations, the famous Philippine terraces appeared about 2,000 years ago. They are considered a monument of pre-colonial agriculture. The local people built them using stones and clay to keep the plantations at the right water level. Centuries later, the same method of irrigation is still used today.
To get to the attraction from Manila, you can take buses #35 and #45. The journey will take about eight hours, but once you see the fields, you’ll probably forget the long drive – the scenery is simply cosmic!
Tickle your nerves at a cockfight.
Thrill-seekers may appreciate a local pastime called sabong. Banned in many countries, cockfighting in the Philippines is a national sport and, one might say, a holiday. Special cockpit arenas are set aside for cockfighting, the oldest of which is La Loma Cockpit Arena in Manila.
The birds have sharp spurs attached to their legs, anger them and release them against each other. The fight is only over when one of them dies. Victory depends mainly on luck, but many cock breeders train their roosters every day.
There is an annual sabong championship, which is so popular with the locals that it is televised.
Swim with tiger sharks
On the southern coast of Cebu Island is the Philippine village of Tanawan. All tourists who have been here talk about it, because it is a place where you can swim next to giant whale sharks, reaching a length of 10-12 meters.
This species of shark is not dangerous to humans – the fish feed only on shrimp, krill and marine plankton. They are slow, relaxed and prefer to stay near the surface of the water – and tourists from all over the world can take “that photo” against their background.
See the Tamaraw waterfalls
The waterfalls are located on Mindoro Island deep in the Philippine jungle and majestically cascade down into two natural pools from a height of 129 meters, making a deafening noise. There is a freshwater pond nearby where you can swim and then enjoy a cup of Filipino coffee at a local café.
Travel Tips
1. The most comfortable time to travel to the islands is from November to May. In the summer months and off-season it is hot, very humid, typhoons rage in the Philippines – do not plan a vacation for this time, if you do not want to get into the zone of natural disasters, during which flights are invariably canceled.
2. The most convenient way to get to the Philippines is via Hong Kong – the flight will take about two hours.
3. If you are traveling alone and the clinking of glasses and the noise of dance floors is not for you, I advise you to visit the little-known town of Naga on the island of Luzon, where you can climb Mount Isarog. The perfect place to pitch your tent among exotic plants on the banks of rushing mountain rivers, where you can go rafting and fishing if you want.
4. Philippine airports are over-cooled, so take a couple of warm clothes to spare.
Consider the weather forecast when planning a trip to the Philippines. Think ahead of time about what you will do if a cyclone hits while you are already in the islands.
