Philippines
7,000 islands of turquoise lagoons and powder-soft beaches.
Plan my Philippines tripNo obligation — ideas, hotels & an indicative cost, usually within 30 min.
South-East Asia's last great island secret — and now visa-free for Indians
The Philippines is the kind of place you have only seen on a screensaver until you are standing in it — limestone karsts rising straight out of jade-green lagoons in El Nido, the long sweep of Boracay's White Beach turning gold at sunset, tarsiers blinking from the forests of Bohol. For years it sat just out of reach for most Bangalore travellers; in 2026 it has quietly become one of the easiest tropical escapes going, with Indians now allowed in visa-free.
It rewards the unhurried. A typical trip mixes one or two island bases — Palawan for the lagoons, Cebu and Bohol for whale sharks and the Chocolate Hills, Boracay for the beach life — with slow boat days, snorkelling stops and fresh seafood lunches on sandbars. Honeymooners love it for the privacy, families for the easy water, divers for some of the clearest water in Asia. We build it island by island so you are not spending the whole holiday in transit.
Plan Philippines with our experts
What you'll see and do
El Nido lagoons, Palawan
Kayak the Big and Small Lagoons past limestone cliffs and hidden coves.
Coron's shipwrecks and lakes
Crystal-clear Kayangan Lake and WWII wreck snorkels.
Boracay's White Beach
Four kilometres of powder-white sand and golden sunsets.
Cebu whale sharks and waterfalls
Swim with whale sharks at Oslob and chase the tiers of Kawasan Falls.
Bohol's Chocolate Hills and tarsiers
A thousand grassy mounds and the saucer-eyed tarsier.
Diving and snorkelling
Some of Asia's clearest water and richest reefs.
Island sandbar lunches
Boat days that pause on bare sandbars for grilled seafood.
Manila's old town and food
Intramuros' Spanish-era walls and a buzzing food scene.
Ways to do Philippines
Palawan Lagoons — El Nido & Coron
Islands Sampler — Cebu, Bohol & Boracay
Indicative per-person prices on twin-sharing, including return airfare from Bangalore — every itinerary is customised to your dates, budget and pace, so the final cost varies.
Honeymooners
Private beachfront stays in El Nido or Coron, sunset boat days and quiet sandbars, away from the crowds.
Beach and island families
Calm Boracay swimming, gentle snorkelling, whale sharks at Cebu and short hops between islands.
Divers and snorkellers
From El Nido snorkels to Coron wrecks and the reefs of Apo and Tubbataha.
Travel tips from our team
- Do your free eTravel registration at etravel.gov.ph within 72h of flying — never pay a third-party site
- If you hold a valid US/UK/Schengen/AU/CA/JP/SG visa, carry it — it gets you 30 visa-free days instead of 14
- Travel Nov–Apr; Jun–Oct is typhoon season (Palawan is the safest bet then)
- Carry a return ticket and hotel bookings — immigration can ask on the 14-day route
- Inter-island flights and boats take time — do not cram three islands into a short trip
- Carry some US dollars; card acceptance thins out once you leave the main towns
Philippines, answered
Do Indians need a visa for the Philippines now?
Good news here — since June 2025, Indians can visit the Philippines visa-free for 14 days for tourism, as long as you carry a passport valid six months, a return ticket, hotel bookings and proof of funds. If you already hold a valid US, UK or Schengen visa, that stretches to 30 days. There is one extra step people forget: a separate, free eTravel form filled online within 72 hours before you arrive. It takes a few minutes; we make sure you’ve done it before you fly.
Island-hopping boats and typhoon season — how do we stay safe and dry?
Timing is everything here. The dry season from December to May brings calm seas and reliable boats — that’s when island-hopping is at its best. Between June and November, storms roll through and trips get cancelled at short notice, sometimes for days. Whenever you go, use licensed operators with proper life vests, not the cheapest banca on the beach, and keep a flexible day in your plan so a rough morning doesn’t sink the whole itinerary. Travel in the dry window and you’ll rarely have a problem.
Which island should we pick — Palawan or Cebu?
Both are stunning, but they’re different trips. Palawan — think El Nido — is all dramatic limestone lagoons and world-class island-hopping, a bit more of a journey to reach but breathtaking. Cebu is easier to get to and mixes lovely beaches with day trips to whale sharks and waterfalls. For a single holiday, pick one and settle in rather than trying to bounce between both. And resist changing islands every night — the ferries and hops eat your days. One base, proper time, is the way.
Getting to the islands means another flight from Manila — how does that work?
That’s right — there’s no nonstop from Bengaluru, so the trip is a one-stop of around 8 hours 45 minutes via Bangkok into Manila, and then a short domestic flight onward to Cebu or Palawan. It sounds fiddly but it’s routine. Where we can, we put it on a single ticket so your baggage is checked through and a delay is the airline’s problem, not yours, and we leave a sensible buffer between the international arrival and the domestic hop so nobody’s sprinting through Manila airport.
Is it safe, and will English be a problem?
English won’t be a problem at all — it’s an official language in the Philippines, spoken widely, so asking directions, ordering food and checking in all feel easy. On safety, stick to the well-known tourist islands like Palawan, Cebu and Bohol; they’re geared up for visitors, relaxed and welcoming, and that’s where your whole itinerary will sit anyway. Use the usual traveller’s common sense you would anywhere, and you’ll find Filipinos genuinely warm and helpful. It’s one of the friendlier places you’ll travel to.
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