THE PHILIPPINES is a tropical paradise made up of over 7,000 islands, each with its own charm and story to tell. Known for its crystal-clear waters, powdery white sand beaches, and vibrant marine life, it’s a haven for travelers seeking natural beauty and adventure. But there’s more to the Philippines than its postcard-perfect scenery—this country is alive with culture, history, and warmth.

From the bustling streets of Manila to the mystical allure of Siquijor, to the turquoise lagoons of Palawan, the Philippines offers something for everyone. And it’s the people—welcoming, spirited, and always ready to share a smile—that make every visit unforgettable. Whether you’re snorkeling with whale sharks, hiking volcanoes, or savoring a plate of adobo, the Philippines feels like a place where joy and beauty come naturally.

Bohol

THE PHILIPPINES

El Nido - Find all our El Nido blog posts here

El Nido

El Nido, tucked away in the northernmost tip of Palawan in the Philippines, is nothing short of paradise. Known for its dramatic limestone cliffs, crystal-clear lagoons, and pristine white sand beaches, it’s a destination that feels like stepping into a postcard. Every corner of El Nido is breathtaking, from the turquoise waters of Big Lagoon to the hidden coves you can only reach by kayak or boat.

Island hopping is the heart of any trip here, with boats whisking you to secluded beaches, vibrant coral reefs, and secret caves waiting to be explored. Beyond the natural beauty, El Nido is a place to unwind—whether it’s sipping fresh coconut water on a hammock or watching the sunset paint the sky in hues of orange and pink. It’s a haven for adventurers and dreamers alike, where the pace slows and the world’s beauty feels endless.

Why We Love It - Whilst El Nido wasn't our favourite place to visit, it was pretty spectacular with it's white sandy beaches and crystal clear waters there is certainly plenty to do here. El Nido is very easy to get about and most people visit for the island hopping tours, that is the reason we went and really it didn't disappoint.

How To Get There - It is very easy to get too. You can either take a flight with Air Swift to Lio Airport - we caught our flight from Manila to El Nido but you can also fly from Cebu, Bohol, Coron or Boracay. Air Swift is the only airline that operates to Lio Airport so flights do come at a premium and they fill up quickly so you would need to book as soon as you know your plans. The alternative option is to fly into Puerto Princesa and then hop in a minivan and drive to El Nido, however, the drive will roughly take you 5 hours.

There is also the option of catching the ferry from Coron to El Nido which takes around 3.5 hours - we did this from Coron to El Nido and you can read about it below.

If you would like to take your time various tour operator companies offer a 3 day 2 night all inclusive expedition - this sounded quite fun to us but when I looked into it more we found that it wasn't really suitable for families with young children as whilst they do not advertise it as a "party" boat, it pretty much was and they wouldn't recommend to anyone with kids under 9 so we skipped that and saved ourselves some time and money.

Where To Stay - With SO much choice it really is difficult to decide where to stay. After lots of research we found that more and more people were saying it is best to stay somewhere along Corong Corong beach which is away from the town but close enough that you can just get a trike pretty cheap. We stayed a place called Panari Lodge and it was perfect for us. Right on the beach with the most incredible sunsets each night. We found that accommodation in El Nido was very expensive and for very little too, so we spent a while searching for the right accommodation in the right place and that is when I found Panari Lodge. We had a triple room that had 3 double beds so plenty of space for us, however, our room did not include breakfast, this is usually a deal breaker for us but we found that the majority of the hotels didn't include breakfast in the room price so we saved some money and got a lower priced room. Along Corong Conrong beach there was a hostel that looked pretty awesome called The Outpost - I am not sure on the prices of this place but if it is a hostel you are after then it might be worth checking it out. We stopped by there the afternoon we arrived for a beer and the vibe was great.

How long do you need - we stayed in El Nido for 5 nights and that was pretty much enough time that we needed to do everything we wanted to do. If you want to do all the island hopping tours then you will probably want longer but we wouldn't recommend doing all of them as eventually they will be much the same. If you choose 2 tours that will give you 3 days to explore other activities such as zip lining or scuba diving.

What To Do - There is plenty to do but 99% of people go to El Nido for the island hopping tours. You can pick which ever company you like, the price is practically the same and rarely differs between companies and each company offers the same tours handily named Tour A, B, C & D. We had decided to do tour A and C, however, Jax got some form of Norovirus and then kindly passed it along to me so we ended up missing quite a bit of El Nido between the 2 of us. Once Jax was better and I was down Oli & Jax both went on the Tour C.

Tour C - We booked this tour via our B&B as it was just easier and we could cancel it (if we needed too) up to 2 hours before the tour started (Which we had to do for tour A because Jax was poorly, and we had to take me off of tour C because I was then poorly so that was very handy we didn't lose any money here).
Take a trike to town - as we didn't stay in town and it wasn't within walking distance we took a trike to El Nido town a couple of times to explore. The town is really like any lively town, full of bars, restaurants, tourists and gift shops. There isn't anything particularly remarkable about the town unless you are there to drink then you're in luck. The town is also where the ferry leaves from the port to Coron. Getting around there is relatively easy as it's not particularly big so you can just walk about the town to get to where you need to go.
Nacpan Beach - Nacpan beach is complete opposite of what you will find in El Nido with its 4km stretch of palm tree lined white sandy beach and turquoise waters. It is quiet, calm and tranquil. The beach is lined with restaurant after restaurant with cute kids trying to get you into theirs. Filipino people are super friendly so saying no where you didn't want to eat was easy enough and they didn't badger you. Lots of the restaurants will offer you a day bungalow to sit and eat lunch under shade for as long as your there, sun beds and WiFi for free if you are eating with them. We strolled right the way along the beach where Nacpan meets Calitang Beach - both known as Twin Beach and found a place called Fisherman's Restaurant (which was the last restaurant on Nacpan beach). It was very quiet, we managed to get a day bungalow to sit at whilst we ate and Jax ran back and forth between playing in the sea and building sand sculptures. The food here was nice and cheap between 250 - 400php (£3.45 - £5.50) depending on what you choose to eat. Getting to Nacpan is easy and there are a few options - we chose the minibus. The air conditioned round trip transfer cost us 700php each (£9.65). We booked with Discover El Nido via our B&B and we chose the 12pm pick up time and 7pm drop off time which is door to door. You should book your seats in advance (the day before is fine) as the 16 seater gets filled up pretty quickly. You could take a trike but it would cost you far more and the journey probably won't be overly comfortable as the road to get to the beach is very bumpy. When we were there the current was actually pretty strong and the waves were quite big so if you're not a strong swimmer just keep that in mind if you do go into the sea. Just round the corner, past Fishermans Restaurant and through the clearing is Calitang Beach and this is where you will want to watch the sunset from - this beach is very different from Nacpan given the close proximity we were quite shocked at how filthy this beach was in comparison and how rocky it was just off the shore so be careful. We found a bar to sit and watch the sun go down and it didn't disappoint, another beautiful sunset in the Philippines.
Corong Corong Beach - the beach itself is nothing special, it's ok, there are just nicer beaches, HOWEVER, it is arguably the best sunset spot in El Nido. The beach front is lined with many palm trees and some very cute bars and around 45 minutes to 1 hour before sunset these bars get packed. Most of them do a happy hour for around 2 hours between 5-7 to encourage you to come in and watch the sun go down over the bay. We found a beautiful bar called SIP Sunset Lounge which is a bohemian style beach bar where you can kick off your flip flops and feel the sand beneath your feet and the music pulsate through your body as you sip on a cocktail watching the world go by. They also offer light bites including Pizzas and Nachos - both are worth ordering if you fancy a bite to eat - this is easily one of the best bars along Corong Corong beach to watch one of the most stunning sunsets you will ever see. We also walked along Corong Corong beach towards The Outpost Hostel and found a beautiful little bar up the steps to the road called Republica Sunset Bar where we stopped for a drink and a bite to eat. The view from here was exceptional, as you are sat high up above the ocean you can see for miles, it was a great place to relax in the sun and watch the world go by.

El Nido With Kids - This is really tricky because whilst El Nido is great its not overly family friendly and I think when I say that I just mean there isn't much for kids to do that is kid specific. The Island hopping is great if your child(ren) are happy to do this, which ours always is and of course you can spend days on different beaches but if you're after specific activities for younger children you're out of luck. El Nido is really aimed at teenagers and young adults, we didn't see a single other family whilst we were there which to us was a shock as we were so used to seeing families all over Thailand.

Getting About - Like anywhere else getting around is very easy. From the airport we had arranged for our B&B to send a car to collect us which was 800php (£11). At the airport there are trikes lined up so you can easily grab a trike to where you need to go which is the same all over El Nido. Getting a trike is the easiest and most cost affective way and you can easily negotiate a price too. You can also easily rent scooters too which we haven't been brave enough to try yet, maybe when Jax is a little bigger.

Where To Eat - We found with a lot of places to stay breakfast was not included in the room price which is usually a deal breaker for us but as the prices of accommodation was a lot more expensive in El Nido we found that we were trying not to be so fussy, however, we did have breakfast 1 day at our B&B and it wasn't very good so we never ate there again. We found the food options in El Nido to be pretty poor western food at a premium so we were very disappointed, however, over the road from our B&B was a BBQ selling lots of street food - chicken mostly - all parts of the chicken including chicken intestine and chicken butthole. We tried most of it and it was actually pretty nice. As our B&B breakfast wasn't very good we found a lovely breakfast place called Blend & Grind which sold fresh smoothie bowls, fruit salads & Chia puddings etc but again this was at a premium, more UK prices than SE Asia prices but the breakfasts were lovely and really set you up for the day. We also ate at both Republica Sunset Bar and SIP Sunset Lounge both selling Western Style food and at a premium - we found the food at SIP better than at Republica. Around our B&B were other various food options - again all western options & western prices (burgers and pizzas) which we ate as we found options very limited. If you are coming to El Nido for Filippino food you will be very disappointed.

Turquoise Waters

Flying in to El Nido from Manila

If we’ve inspired you, how about treating us to an ice cream? Jax is an absolute ice cream lover, and we’d be so grateful. Plus, it would help us save a little for our next adventure—talk about a win-win! Thank you for being part of our journey!

Coron

Coron - Find all our Coron blog posts here

Coron is a tropical paradise renowned for its crystal-clear lagoons, dramatic limestone cliffs, and world-class diving spots. Located in the Palawan province, this idyllic destination offers unforgettable adventures, from exploring shipwrecks and vibrant coral reefs to kayaking in the emerald waters of Kayangan Lake. Perfect for families and adventurers alike, Coron combines natural beauty with a laid-back vibe, making it an essential stop for any Philippine itinerary. Don't miss a sunset cruise around its pristine islands or a refreshing dip in its hidden hot springs!

Why We Love It - Coron, just like El Nido isn't somewhere we would jump to go back too but that doesn't mean to say we didnt love it there. As I was coming off the back of Norovirus that Jax had kindly gifted me, the first day there was pretty ropey for me and I was grateful for a more relaxed itinerary here. The island hopping here was incredible and for Jax there were 2 other families we met that had younger children unlike El Nido.

How To Get There -Depending on where you are coming from you can either take a flight or a ferry. As we flew into El Nido we chose to take the ferry from there to Coron. Lio airport in El Nido only has one airline that operates there (Air Swift) so the flight prices can get very expensive and sell out pretty fast too. We weighed up the price of a flight and the time it would save and realised that actually after being at the airport for 2 hours before our flight and then having to collect our bags in Coron it wasn't much longer to take the ferry and it was only a fraction of the price. We booked our ferry tickets via 12Go and cost us £123 for the 3 of us and took 3.5 hours.

As mentioned above in El Nido if you have time and no kids you can take a 3 day 2 night all inclusive expedition from El Nido to Coron and there are various companies that offer this service.

Where To Stay - We decided for this part of the trip that we wanted a swimming pool for Jax, usually this is another non negotiable for us, but with options limited in El Nido for our budget we settled but we decided in Coron we would try and find a hotel with a pool for a reasonable price and after trawling Booking.com we eventually found SkyLodge Resort and it was exactly what we needed. We booked us a budget room which was 1 large double bed and that suited us for the 4 nights we were there. The hotel also had the pool we needed, a gym and included breakfast so ticked all the boxes. The hotel is located at the top of a very steep hill so the hotel offers free shuttle service to and from the town too as the trikes can't make it up the hill. The hotel also offered free pick up from the port when we arrived.

How long do you need - as we only had 3 weeks we split our time relatively even between all 4 places we went and decided that 4 nights in Coron was enough for us. I think you probably could go for 5 nights but 4 seemed plenty for what we had planned. As Coron has some great dive sites, you may choose to go for longer depending on why you are there and what you would like to do.

What To Do - With so much on offer it is difficult to narrow down what to do with the time you have, but just like El Nido lots of people go to Coron for the island hopping tours. There is no beach actually on Coron so if you're looking for a relaxing beach day you won't find that here, you will need to go island hopping to find it.

Super Ultimate Tour - We booked this tour via our hotel. The prices between companies are much the same so I don't think it really matters who you decide to book with. The price of this trip was 2000PHP (£28) each and that included hotel pick up / drop off and lunch. We were picked up around 7am and taken down to the port. It was absolutely packed with tourists and it seemed like complete chaos down there but the tour operators seem to know what they're doing, but we were waiting in the sun with no shade for the best part of an hour before we got taken to our boat so it was a difficult start in the heat. On the tour you visit Kayangan Lake, Barracuda Lake, Twin Lagoo, Skeleton Wreck, Banol Beach, CYC Beach and Coral Garden. This is such a great day exploring many islands, however, it is pretty full on so if you are expecting a relaxing day you will not get one one this tour.
Island Escapade - Again this is another tour we booked via the hotel and cost 1900PHP (£26) each and that included hotel pick up / drop off and lunch. Much like the Super Ultimate Tour we were picked up early and taken to the port. The day we went was overcast and raining so waiting around this time wasn't so bad. On the tour you visit Malcapuya Island, Banana Island or Ditaytayan Island, Coco Beach or Bulog Dos Island - the locations are generally decided on the day. As the day was rainy we got to see the islands completely different to what you see online and it was actually really lovely as the weather was still hot. The snorkelling on this trip was brilliant too especially at Bulog Dos Island and Banana Island with the reef just off the shore line.
Take a trike to town - as we didn't stay in town and it wasn't within walking distance we took the free hotel shuttle to town. You can always take a trike but given our hotel location and that we had free transport we used this for the most part. The town is bustling with bars, restaurants and night life so there is plenty to do here. We also took a trike to a place called Tag Resort to watch their Christmas lights being switched on. They had a band on and were selling some street food.

Coron With Kids - Much like El Nido we found that there weren't many families visiting here. We saw and met 2 families with children on the Super Ultimate Tour but none on the Island Escapade tour and there were no families that we saw at our hotel or in the town so it is difficult to gauge. For us that was ok as we were only there a few days and we were busy and the tours do cater for kids and by that I mean that they are allowed on the tours but do not offer any sort of discount for kids over 5 which we found a little odd but that didnt put us off. Other than the island hopping there wasn't much else for kids to do that is why we made sure we had a pool that we could chill out at.

Getting About - Like anywhere else getting around is very easy. From the port we had arranged for our hotel to pick us up with their free shuttle. Getting a trike is the easiest and most cost affective way to get around if you don't have free island transport and you can easily negotiate a price too. You can also easily rent scooters too which we haven't been brave enough to try yet, maybe when Jax is a little bigger.

Where To Eat - Much like El Nido the food in Coron was very disappointing, over priced terrible western food. We had found a couple of nice places to eat whilst we were there and generally stuck to them as we knew what we were getting. One of the places we ate at was called Pacifico and the food here was actually very nice but came with a price tag. They offered everything here from sushi to pizza to chicken tenders. We were recommended a bar called Sharkys which had a really cool vibe and again offered Western Style food and some other local dishes, however, we didn't really enjoy the food here.

Skeleton Ship Wreck

Of a Japanese boat

Siquijor - find all our Siquijor blog posts here

Siquijor

Siquijor, often called the "Island of Fire," is a mystical gem in the Philippines that blends serene beaches with a touch of enchantment. Known for its turquoise waters, cascading waterfalls like Cambugahay Falls, and vibrant coral reefs, it’s a haven for nature lovers. Beyond its natural beauty, Siquijor is steeped in folklore, offering a unique cultural experience with its traditions of healing and spirituality. Whether you’re exploring secret caves, relaxing on pristine sands, or embracing its magical charm, Siquijor promises an unforgettable journey off the beaten path.

Why We Love It - because this was exactly how we expected the Philippines to be. Island life without the hustle and bustle of it all. Minimal tourists and absolutely fantastic snorkelling, by far the best we had experienced so far and it was far far cheaper than El Nido and Coron. The sunsets were some of the most spectacular we had ever seen and the locals were all very friendly, helpful and welcoming.

How To Get There - Siquijor is a tiny island located southeast of Cebu and Negros islands and southwest of Bohol so flying there is very expensive and not something we would recommend. Instead you should take a ferry which is what the majority of people do. Getting to Siquijor was our long travel day as we flew from Coron to Cebu, took a Grab from Cebu airport to Cebu ferry port where we got on as foot passengers. The ferry firstly stopped at Tagbilaran Port on Bohol before heading south to Siquijor Pier. The ferry cost us £82.66 via 12Go and took around 5.5 hours. You can also board at Dumaguete Port if you are already on Cebu and have the time to get down there as that ferry crossing only takes 1.5 hours. However, you choose to get to Siquijor it will be totally worth it.

Where To Stay - The accommodation on Siquijor is a lot cheaper than El Nido or Coron so finding an affordable place to stay is relatively easy, you just need to decide which part of the island you want to stay on. The main part to stay is San Juan as this is where most of the "nightlife" is and where a lot of the island highlights are.

We stayed in an incredible Guesthouse called White Bada Guesthouse and it was just beautiful. The rooms were relatively basic, but perfect for us as we were rarely in our room but the grounds were beautiful. The grounds are very small, but as you walk through past the rooms and reception it opens out and you are greeted with spectacular views across the ocean. There are plenty of place to sit and hang out, there are 2 big swing chairs to relax on, a few sun beds, tables and chairs, a hammock above the water and even a treehouse for the kids to hang out it. As there is no onsite restaurant we obviously didnt have breakfast included, however there is another B&B right next door with a restaurant that you can go too, in fact you can walk down the steps at our place 20 steps across the beach and up their steps to get in there. We would highly recommend staying here if you get the chance - we paid £165 for 5 nights via booking.com.

Getting to the guest house from the port was also a breeze. As soon as you get off the ferry there are LOTS of tricycle's waiting to give you a ride, we just hopped on one of those with our luggage and paid 300PHP.

How long do you need - as long as you can...? We stayed for 5 nights and absolutely loved it, for us, 5 nights wasn't enough and we wished we had longer. I guess if you are only wanting to see what there is and go, 5 nights is probably fine. But if you really want to slow things down and soak it all in then you could easily spend 3-4 weeks there.

What To Do - There is plenty of things to do here & I think that is why we loved it so much. The relaxed vibe of the island meant you didn't need to rush, but if you only have a certain amount of time ere you will want ot pick and choose what is important for you to do before you leave.

Apo Island - We booked this tour via Island Vibe Explorers which our Guest house recommended. This was a full day tour to Apo Island where the tortoises live. Jax was desperate to see tortoises and so were we so we decided to go ahead and book this one as you are almost guaranteed to see them. We paid 6400PHP (£88) - Adults = 2450PHP each and Jax was 1500PH and that included everything (snorkel & mask hire, boat, a safety guide (you have to have 1 guide for every 2 people - there is more about this in a blog post you can read about), lunch, snacks & soft drinks. You get to do 2 x 1 hour snorkelling sessions with your guide and also spend some time of Apo Island itself. All in all this was one of the best tours we have done... did we see any turtles, you will have to read about it in our blog posts won't you haha.
Hire a car and explore the island - With the island of Siquijor being only 102km all the way round it is very easy to get about. We decided to hire a car for the day and explore the island. The car hire is an interesting one (again you can read our blog post on that), but basically there is no such thing as insurance in Siquijor (or probably any of the islands for that matter) so if anything happens you just pay up - the car hire cost us around £23 for the day and we decided to just take the risk and actually for us it was absolutely fine and we had a fab day. The roads are pretty impressive, very easy to drive on, barely any damage to them and were mostly new roads. If you aren't into hiring scooters then we would recommend hiring a car. We booked ours through a company called Tuko that our Guesthouse suggested - in fact our Guesthouse just sorted it all out for us.
Tubod Marine Sanctuary - located in San Juan (actually not that far from our guest house), by a hotel called Coco Grove. We highly recommend coming here as this was by far some of the most incredible snorkelling we have ever done. The reef was literally right off the beach, it was just fantastic. To get onto the beach it is free of charge, however, if you want to snorkel it is 100php per person + there is a fee if you want to hire snorkel and mask of 100pho (I think) so for us it cost us 600php (£8) and it was so worth it. There is no limit on the amount of time you get there and you can get of the sea and get back in again as often as you like. There is also a snack shack there selling juices, crisps, beers etc. We saw some incredible marine life from Clown Fish, Trigger Fish, Angel Fish, Parrot Fish and Star Fish. We also saw some huge clams of all different colours. Make sure you don't miss this place.
Cambugahay Falls - near the town of Lazi - around 25 minutes from San Juan and is home to some of the best waterfalls on Siquijor. There is an entrance fee of around 50pho per person which we found very reasonable. You walk down a lot of steps to get there - so remember you will have to walk back up them when you leave. They like to charge you for everything once you are inside - toilets, showers, swing ropes, photos, pontoon but honestly if you are just there for a swim and to see the falls you won't need to pay for anything else unless you absolutely must, so this trip can be done on the cheap. Whilst it is probably best to get there early (8am) we didnt, we got there around lunch time and it was relatively busy but it was absolutely fine for us, it wasnt over crowded or anything and spent a good 30 - 40 minutes here, not sure you really need any longer than that. The falls are made up of 4 tiers, all where you can swim and most have a rope swing you can pay to go on. The natural fresh pools are a great way to cool down, especially after the walk down in the afternoon heat.
Tulapos Marine Sanctuary - located to the north of the island, Tulapos is one of the oldest protected marine sanctuaries in Siquijor, however, when we went the tide was not right so we couldn't actually swim there. Kindly we were told this at the entrance which made our decision to not go in easy. However, from what we heard and saw else where the sanctuary is meant to be really good and we were quite gutted we couldn't experience it. You have to have a guide to explore this sanctuary which will be provided at the hut where you pay - from memory the entry free is around 100PHP per person.
Paliton Beach - is one of the best places to go if you want to see the sub setting in Siquijor. Located in San Juan you can take a tricycle there or park your car / scooter there for a couple hours. You pay 20PHP per person at the entrance. Other than the sunset there isn't much going on. There are a few food stalls selling various things and of course selling beers and coconuts etc. Although we wouldn't recommend snorkelling here as there is not much to see, just enjoy the shallow water and sun as this beach is mostly for relaxing. There is quite a bit of rubbish here by the food stands which is disappointing but once you are on the beach, it is relatively clean. There are also big swings you can go on and if you pay a local they will get some great video footage for you which is quite fun. The sunset here like at our Guesthouse did not disappoint, again Siquijor is home to some of the most incredible sunsets around.

Siquijor With Kids - As a family we loved the island, we could have spent so much longer here. As Jax is super confident in the water and him not having to wear a life jacket the snorkelling with him was so much fun. Jax really loved this island too because there is just so much to do. Apo Island was a firm favourite of ours too, we hoped for turtles and that is exactly what we go and they catered so well for us having Jax too. Must like El Nido & Coron there were no other families on the island that we saw which is crazy but again that didn't bother us.

Getting About - Like anywhere else getting around is very easy. From the port we jumped into one of the many tricycles to take us to our guesthouse. If you are only going to say in San Juan then getting a trike is the easiest and most cost affective way to get around, however, if you want to explore more of the island then you should look to either hire a car or scooter which is very easy and cheap to do.

Where To Eat & Drink - There are many place to eat in Siquijor and the food here is so much better than in El Nido / Coron with lots more filipino dishes on offer. We ate and drank in several places in San Juan over the course of the 5 days we were here

Tipsy Bar - this was a fantastic bar. With sand covering the floor, wooden swings for seats, or seats on the floor or regular tables and chairs there is plenty of room. There are lots of free games you can choose to play at your table which is great if you're with kids as it gives everyone plenty to do. The food here was delicious with lots of choice and the prices were very reasonable too. The staff here were very friendly and absolutely loved Jax, they all knew his name and made him feel very welcome. The whole vibe was just great and we would highly recommend coming here
Rogelio's Beach Bar and Restaurant - right on the beach of San Juan this was the perfect place to come for happy hour between 4-7pm with rum and cokes at 45PHP (60p) and 70PHP (£1) Gin and Tonics. As happy hour was during sunset on the beach, it got quite busy which was nice. The music here was good and Jax put his favourite songs on and they were happy to play them. The food was good, they had lots of choices including some decent western food - if you do eat here get the mozzarella sticks, they were delicious.
Voodoo Bar - the vibe here was cool, lives up to the tales of the island. They make some incredible cocktails here, the best ones we had all trip and reasonably priced too. We tried a pork dish here and it was absolutely delicious, so good that we went back the next night and had it again.
RumBar - this bar was great, again right off the beach so the inside was all sand so you can kick your shoe off and enjoy the cool and on your feet. They have swings you can sit on at your table or cushions you can sit on with low tables. They also have a fussball table, you just need to pay like 20php to get the ball from the bar. I found the drink prices here more expensive than other places we went too but the vibe is good so worth popping in even if you just have one drink.
L Cafe and Restobar (Lyn's) - this is a great place to go in the day because you can sit right above the water. They have these incredible make shift sitting areas suspended above the beach between the rocks (all perfectly safe) and the view was so lovely. They had steps going down tot he water so you can go for a paddle in the sea. We didn't eat here (only some chips) and the drinks were ok, not as good as other bars but the view more than makes up for it.
Salawaki Restaurant - located right next to White Bada Guesthouse so we ate here a couple of times, mostly breakfast. Although the breakfast was a little rubbish, it was fine for us. Dinner was much better than breakfast and again the seating area and view made up for what they were lacking in the food department - but again a reasonably priced but there are better places to eat, it was just convenient for us being right next door to our room.
Shaka - one of the best places for a super fresh breakfast. This one comes a cost though as it is quite expensive, but we really enjoyed our breakfast here. They sell Smoothie Bowls, Blisscups, Smoothies, Juices, Homemade sodas and Coffee. Shaka is situated right on the beach too.

Cambugahay Falls

Stunning Fresh Turquoise Waters Of The Falls

Bohol - find all our Bohol blog posts here

Bohol, in the heart of the Philippines, is a paradise for families seeking adventure and natural beauty. Famous for the iconic Chocolate Hills, this island province offers a mix of unique attractions like the Tarsier Sanctuary, where you can meet one of the world’s smallest primates, and pristine white sand beaches perfect for kids to explore. Families can enjoy Loboc River cruises, visit stunning waterfalls, or go snorkeling in Panglao’s crystal-clear waters. Whether you're looking for relaxation or action-packed days, Bohol has something for everyone to enjoy!

Why We Love It - because like Siquijor it was everything we expected. We had a list of places we wanted to visit and we got to see and do so much in the time that we had. Bohol felt very different and worlds away from the island hopping we had done a few weeks before we got here and that is what we loved about it, despite being relatively close to El Nido & Coron it felt like we were a million miles away.

How To Get There - Bohol is very easy to get too as it boasts an International Airport and a port giving visitors plenty of options - we used both As we were coming from Siquijor we got the ferry. We left Larena Pier and arrived at Tagbilaran - the journey took 2.5 hours and the crossing was great and cost us £34 via 12Go. When we left Bohol for Manila we flew with Cebu Pacific.

Where To Stay - Bohol is "split" into 2 different areas - Panglao and Tagbilaran so there is A LOT of accommodation choices for all budgets. We chose to stay in Tagbilaran as we wanted to do more things on this part of the island. We ended up booking a place called Ocean Suites Boutique Hotel mainly because it had a pool and it looked lovely. The location for us was great too which was a huge bonus. It is certainly worth taking your time when booking your accommodation in Bohol to make sure you have booked the right location for yourself. In all honesty I wouldn't recommend you stay here, we were not overly impressed with the staff here which was a shame as we had experienced such lovely hospitality all over Philippines beforehand but not here.

How long do you need - I think 4-5 days is probably enough, maybe 7 days to really get everything done and to enjoy some relaxation time on the beautiful beaches of Panglao.

What To Do - We were really looking forward to Bohol as we had a list of things we wanted to do so there is plenty of things to do for everyone.

Tuag Whale Shark Watching at Lila - we actually didn't want to swim with the Whale sharks here we wanted to do it at Santa Fe as we had been recommended to do it there, however, when we spoke to our hotel about it they made a call to someone only to be told the whale sharks were not at Santa Fe anymore and we should go to Tuag is Lila so that is what we did. In all honesty we had no idea how geared up for tourists this place would be. Swimming with whale sharks is a real privilege and we consider ourselves very lucky to be able to do this & whilst they do feed the sharks here I would urge you to do your research before you decide to do it - you can read about our experience with this on our blog posts. We got a trike there that waited for us and with entry for the 3 of us (including life jackets, snorkel & mask, locker hire and shower use) it cost us around 6000PHP (£82).
Countryside Tour - This is a great tour to do if you are wanting to combine multiple places into one day - Chocolate Hills, Tarsier Sanctuary, Manmade forest, Loboc River etc. We actually chose to do this with a private driver (rather than a trike) and it was well worth it as we could adjust the itinerary as and when we liked. We will go into detail the places we went too below.
Tarsier Sanctuary - located in Corella and not to be confused with the sanctuary in Loboc (as Loboc is the one all tourists are taken too). The reason we suggest visiting the sanctuary in Corella is because this one is far more ethical. With only 3-4 Tarsiers you walk around the woodlands in silence with a guide who knows exactly where the Tarsiers are pointing them out too you and taking photos for you. What I have heard about the one in Loboc is that tourists are allowed to touch and hold the Tarsiers and it is not very ethical. Tarsiers are very delicate little primates who when are distressed kill themselves so the Corella sanctuary is where you should be going. Entry here costs 150PHP each (£2) and kids are 140PHP.
Manmade Forest - driving through Bilar you come to this incredible manmade forest. The dense forest covers around 2km and is mainly made up of white and red mahogany. If you have a driver, ask them to take a photo of you in the middle of the road with the trees all around you. The traffic is relatively quiet so doing that is not a problem.
Bohol Enchanted - if you have the option to go here, say NO. It was a very horrible experience. I can't explain what this place was - it was very random. One part we walked into was a "devil" or something riding a GIANT penis.. Yep, you read that right - Jax was shook, he had no idea what was going on and we were just as confused as he was. Right behind the penis riding devil you could lob bottles at a wall to smash (at a little extra cost). You then just walk around looking at what appear to be not very well looked after animals including rabbits, pythons, ponies and sugar gliders - the sugar gliders were quite cool as we had never seen them before but personally I would have rather seen them elsewhere than there. We didnt stay long and left after 30 minutes. Yes we also paid to get in which was around 120PHP, I believe Jax was 110PHP.
Chocolate Hills - we loved it here, a very beautiful place and nothing like we have ever seen. As we had gone just off the back of their wet season the hills were very green and not chocolate but were still just as impressive. There are lots of steps to get to the top of the viewing platform and no drones are allowed to be flown up there, however, we were a little naughty and flew ours and no one told us off, although there was someone walking around up there, they just didn't catch us. The Chocolate hills entrance fee is around 100PHP per person.
Shiphaus - located in the cute town of Batuan this tourist attraction is VERY random indeed and as we love random we decided to stop in. This is basically a ship that you can go in, that's in the middle of the town. The entrance fee was 20PHP (30p) per person and as soon as you walk in you get given captain shirt and hats to wear and you walk around the ship going floor to floor looking at the random rooms - one room was the Captains room with a chair and desk that you can have your photo taken with etc. Lots of rooms had beds so I don't know if this is or once was a hotel of some sort, I didn't ask, I was too busy trying to leave but Oli and Jax both loved it. It was a fun a quirky thing to see. The photos they take of you on their phone they then try and flog you as you walk out the door. Of course we bought a magnet and keyring.
Sevilla Twin Hanging Bridge - This was a place our driver took us and Jax and I quite enjoyed it. Oli on the other hand did not. The twin bridges are made of bamboo and are suspended above the river, at some points the bamboo did not feel very strong so a few steps in Oli turned back. Jax and I kept going - you simply walk along one hanging bridge from one side to the other and walk back along the other bridge. There are 2 photographers on the bridge taking your photos which were actually quite cool but we didnt purchase them. The entrance fee is 35PHP (48p) per person and is worth stopping at if you're going by.
Napaling Reef - If you want to see the Sardines this is where you should go. Located on Panglao, Napaling reef is home to some incredible marine life and a huge ball of shimmering sardines. It gets quite crowded here so like anything else either go first thing or later in the day. Like a lot of the marine sanctuaries you will need a guide so the entrance fee is 50PHP and then you will have to pay a 100PHP environmental fee and a 100PHP tour guide fee - total 250PHP and then you will need to hire snorkel & mask for a fee too and you can spend as much time as you like here. If you have a Go Pro the guides are happy to take this from you and capture all your photos and videos which we loved.
Scuba Diving at Napaling Reef - this is something that Jax has wanted to do since he was about 6 but he has obviously been too young, however, the dive master at Napaling said they were happy to take Jax down on a "bubble course" - he isn't meant to do this until he is 8 but given how good Jax can swim they were happy to take him down and he jumped at the chance so we treated him to this experience. This cost 2000PHP (£28) and it was worth every penny. Whilst Jax was down scuba diving we were snorkelling above him, keeping an eye on him. There is much more on his diving experience in our blog posts.
Alona Beach - located on the south coast of Panglao is probably the most popular beach in Bohol. There is a lot going on here with lots of eateries and bars. We spent a lovely evening here after a long day exploring the island with dinner and a few happy hour rum and cokes. The sunset here is worth coming down to see but the drive is around 35 minutes from Tagbilaran on a trike. The prices here are much more than in Tagbilaran, I guess tourist prices so happy hours are good if it is drinks you are after.

Bohol With Kids - there is so much to do in Bohol and we didnt struggle to do any of it with Jax, in fact he really loved it here. He is at one with nature and animals so Bohol was really great for him. We both ticked off some of our bucket list here. We would highly recommend coming here if you have children, there is something for everyone.

Getting About - We actually found it a little difficult to get around in Bohol, maybe because we were staying on Tagbilaran but usually you can just walk to the road and flag a trike but we would walk for a while and none would pass or they would pass but they were always full and found we were trying for a good 20 minutes or so before we gave up. So we ended up using our hotel to call us a trike meaning it was a little more expensive but we befriended our driver and got his number so we would just arrange transport with him directly and he was great as he would drive us anywhere and wait for us too.

Where To Eat & Drink - We didnt actually eat much local Filipino food whilst we were here, not sure why, I think we were just too busy and just ended up eating whatever was fast. We did go to Island City Mall and opposite there was a Bazaar with lots of food stands - I am not sure if this is there all the time or if it was just for Christmas but we had some great food from there. We also ate in Greenwich which is a pizza chain and it was delicious - would highly recommend eating there if you're after pizza.

Scuba Diving

Making Jax's Dream Come True