The Philippines in 4 weeks: this is our ultimate tour. From the diving paradise of Malapascua and magical Siquijor to the Chocolate Hills on Bohol, surf island Siargao, the white beaches of Boracay and, as a finale, the lagoons of Palawan. We traveled through the Philippines for a month twice and combined all our favorites in this route. With travel times, transportation between the islands and all our tips. A true ‘Let Us Stay For A Day’ recommendation… Mabuhay!

Have less time? Then choose our 3-week Philippines itinerary, with the best of the Visayas and Palawan. Or focus on one region with our Palawan itinerary or our Visayas itinerary.

The Philippines in 4 weeks at a glance

• Route: Cebu – Malapascua – Siquijor – Bohol – Siargao – Boracay – Coron – El Nido – Manila
• Duration: the Philippines in 4 weeks means 28 nights. Shorter is possible, but then you’re better off skipping a region.
• Best time to go: the dry season from December through May. We traveled in May and in November, and liked both.
• Transportation: a mix of domestic flights, fast ferries, vans and a small propeller plane.
• Flights: fly to Cebu and home from Manila (open jaw). That way you don’t have to go back to your starting point.

Route: the Philippines in 4 weeks

Day	Destination	Nights
1	Cebu	1
2 – 4	Malapascua	3
5 – 7	Siquijor	3
8 – 11	Bohol and Panglao	4
12 – 15	Siargao	4
16 – 19	Boracay	4
20 – 23	Coron	4
24 – 27	El Nido	4
28	Manila	1
29	Flight home	–

Day 1: Cebu

You land in Cebu, the most convenient gateway to the Visayas. So spend the first night near the airport. Also read our tips for the best hotels near Cebu airport.

Days 2 – 4: Malapascua

On your trip through the Philippines, Malapascua is the first real island stop. From the North Bus Terminal in Cebu you take the bus or a van in about four hours to the little port of Maya, in the north of the island. There you take the boat to Malapascua, a crossing of about half an hour. Malapascua is small, there are no cars and it’s one of our favorite spots. Divers come here for the thresher sharks, which you can see at sunrise at Monad Shoal. Don’t dive? Then enjoy Bounty Beach or take a day trip to the sandbar island of Kalanggaman.

Days 5 – 7: Siquijor

Next you travel from Malapascua back to Cebu. From there you take the ferry to Siquijor, either via Bohol or Dumaguete. Sunlight Air also recently started flying a few times a week directly from Cebu to Siquijor. It’s a long travel day, so an extra night in Cebu is not a bad idea.

Siquijor is known as the island of magic and healers. But we mainly go there for the peace and quiet. Rent a scooter, for example, jump from the rope swing at the Cambugahay waterfalls and let the little fish clean your feet at the centuries-old Balete tree. Also read our 7 best hotels on Siquijor.

👉 Discover Siquijor:

Days 8 – 11: Bohol and Panglao

You can’t skip Bohol on a trip through the Philippines. From Siquijor a direct ferry sails to Tagbilaran on Bohol, in about two hours. Visit the Chocolate Hills, the tarsiers and the green Loboc River, for example, and drive through the Bilar Man-Made Forest. Then sleep on Panglao at Alona Beach. On our honeymoon we liked sitting at the pool bar there best. Want to be more active? Then go spot dolphins at Pamilacan or snorkel at Balicasag.

👉 Popular tours on Bohol:

Days 12 – 15: Siargao

Next you fly from Bohol to Siargao, usually via Cebu. A trip through the Philippines isn’t complete without this surf island. Siargao is the surf island of the Philippines, but you’ll have a great time here even without a surfboard. Do the island-hopping tour to Naked Island, Daku and Guyam, swim in the Sugba Lagoon and the rock pools of Magpupungko, and ride a scooter along the coconut tree road. Also check our 10 best hotels on Siargao.

Days 16 – 19: Boracay

Then you fly from Siargao via Cebu to Caticlan and cross to Boracay by a short boat trip. First walk along White Beach, seek out the quiet at Puka Shell Beach and go sailing on a paraw at sunset. We stayed at COAST. We even adjusted our travel schedule for it. Also check our 10 most beautiful hotels on Boracay.

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👉 Boracay:

Days 20 – 23: Coron

Then the finale of your trip through the Philippines: Palawan. We flew from Boracay to Coron on a tiny propeller plane. Thrilling, but the view over the islands was spectacular. Do check whether this route still flies; otherwise you fly via Manila or Cebu to Busuanga, the airport of Coron.

In Coron the landscape is rugged and unreally beautiful. Climb to the viewpoint of Kayangan Lake, for example, swim in Barracuda Lake and snorkel above the Japanese shipwrecks. We stayed at The Funny Lion, with rooftop jacuzzis and a view over the bay. Read everything about Coron in our Palawan itinerary.

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👉 Popular tours in Coron:

Days 24 – 27: El Nido

You take the ferry from Coron to El Nido in about four hours. El Nido is also the highlight of this trip through the Philippines for us. Even better is a three-day island expedition, where you sleep on remote little islands. In El Nido everything revolves around island hopping past lagoons and limestone cliffs. Do tours A and C at least. And plan a cocktail with a view in the evening, because the sunsets here are absurdly beautiful.

👉 Island hopping in El Nido:

Days 28 – 29: Manila and flight home

From El Nido you finally fly to Manila with AirSWIFT in about an hour and a half. End in style, as we did with a night at The Peninsula Manila. After four weeks of island hopping it feels like pure luxury.

Tips for the Philippines in 4 weeks

• Check the ferry services. In 2026 OceanJet temporarily canceled departures between Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor and Dumaguete several times, partly because of high fuel prices. So check the current schedule right before departure. Via 12Go you can see which boats are running and book your ticket in advance.
• Book domestic flights early. The small planes to Siargao, Caticlan, Coron and El Nido fill up quickly. Also pay attention to the baggage rules.
• Plan in buffers. In bad weather boats and flights are sometimes canceled.
• Bring enough cash. On the smaller islands the ATMs are often empty.
• Fill in the eTravel form at etravel.gov.ph, within 72 hours before arrival. Many passports, including US and Dutch ones, allow you to stay 30 days without a visa; always check the current rules.
• Take your time. Three to four nights per place is ideal for the Philippines in 4 weeks. Then it really feels like a vacation.

Frequently asked questions about the Philippines in 4 weeks

Mabuhay: the Philippines in 4 weeks

Four weeks, dozens of little boats, a propeller plane and one incubated duck egg later, we can say with certainty: the Philippines in 4 weeks is an absolute must. Traveling takes time and not every hut is a palace. But those lagoons, those sunsets and those hospitable people make up for everything. On our Philippines page you’ll find all our blogs. Mabuhay!

Want to see more of our trip through the Philippines? Check out our stories and videos in the highlights on Instagram.

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