Philippines Itinerary for 10 Days: Best of the Beaches

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Hey my fellow Globetrotters! Here is your Philippines itinerary for 10 Days! While 10 days isn’t enough you can still scratch the surface of this beautiful South East Asian country.

The Philippines is a beautiful Southeast Asian country that boasts crystal clear waters, dazzling white sand beaches, towering mountains, and lush landscapes. It is a unique destination that is perfect for beach lovers. You can learn more about this beautiful country by reading The Ultimate Travel Guide To The Philippines.

If you have only ten days to explore the Philippines, then you’ll only start scratching the surface. The best itinerary for the Philippines will always include the beaches. Treks On A Budget brings you the itinerary for 10 Days in the Philippines, one for the beaches of the Philippines and one for the mountains of the Philippines. Without any further ado, let’s explore the beautiful country that is the Philippines!

You can read my post on the best beaches to visit while in the Philippines, but here are the best beaches that you need to visit in 10 days:

Day 1-2: Manila

Fly into the capital of the Philippines. Manila reminds me of a bustling but tropical New York City. It’s hectic and crowded but it’s full of life and culture and I love it. Most people don’t, and try to get away from Manila as soon as they arrive. But I wouldn’t pass up a chance to explore this major city while you’re here. Even just a few famous sites around the historic part of Manila. You could book a tour through Viator and see the most in such a short amount of time. I’ve personally used Viator to book tours on a number of trips, and I’ve been blown away each time.

Some places to stay at while in Manila:

• $ USD 1 – 50/night
• $$ USD 50-125/night
• $$$ USD 125 – 250/night
• $$$ USD 250 +/night

Day 2-4: Boracay

Boracay is known for its beautiful white sand beaches and instagram worthy sunset pictures. The sand never feels warm, but the water feels the most refreshing. Boracay is the one of the country’s top tourist destination. Boracay was the first time I saw women wearing bathing suits, hats, and heels on the beach while their children played in the inviting waters.

Take an island hopping boat tour while here, and add on helmet diving to your adventure. The boat takes you to 5 different islands to explore, and you can go snorkeling. Usually the operators of these boat tours will find you on the beach and you can negotiate a price, but you can also ask your hotel for the best tour guides.

You can get to hear by flying on Cebu Airlines to either Caticlan or Kalibo airports. Cebu Airlines is the low-cost carrier of the Philippines. From here, you would then take a ferry boat from the mainland. Your hotel can arrange this transfer, or you can do it ahead of time.

The Island is broken into what they call Stations, and there’s 3 of them. Most visitors to Boracay stay with the stretch between Stations 1 and 3, with the best nightlife being in Station 1 (at least I think so). Station 3 tends to be more laid-back and have higher high-end hotels for visitors to stay in.

Hotels:

Day 4-7: EL Nido, Palawan

Your Philippine itinerary for 10 days needs to include Palawan. Palawan is a beautiful, almost remote island in the Philippines. It’s a must for any Philippine itinerary. Palawan is the largest island in the Palawan Provence, and Puerto Princesa is its capital. Palawan only started to hit tourists radar within the last few years, which is why this island still seems so isolated from the rest of the Philippines. It’s most talked about island is El Nido, with the stunning over-water hotels that range close to USD 1,000/night. But if you can swing that type of cash, it will be worth every penny.

In El Nido, you can rent a kayak and explore the many magnificent lagoons, beaches, and limestone cliffs. *Pro Tip: take a guided tour early in the morning to avoid crowds. It’s also arguably been blessed with the title best beaches in the country. Make sure to visit places like Marimegmeg Beach or Nacpan Beach while visiting this beautiful oasis.

Hotels:

Day 7-10: Siargao

The best itineraries for 10 days in the Philippines needs to include Siargao. Even though this is the last stop, it still should be high on your bucket list. Siargao Island is popular for its breathtaking scenery and picturesque views. You can engage in it’s many water activities, including surfing, island hopping, and snorkeling.

Pro Tip is to visit Cloud 9, a surfing spot that draws world-class surfers.

Siargao is known for having some of the world’s best surf breaks, but there’s so much more to do here. This island has a chill vibe, which makes it a great spot to just relax, especially if you’re flying out here soon to head back home. You can head to the village of Burgos for an undeveloped experience. You could also charter a bangka (small boat) other seldom-visited spots. There’s still so much beauty in this island that should be explored and respected by others.

To get here, you book a flight to Siargao’s Sayak Airport. From here you’ll arrange transport to your hotel for a few nights before you head back home.

Hotels:

There you have it! A whole bunch of the best of the Philippines piled up into one itinerary for 10 days. There’s so much more to see of the Philippines, but at least you can get your toes wet and fall in love with this country like I did.

Happy Travels ✈️🌏🏝