The best Philippines Highlights Tour
Private Tour
Day 1
Arrival in Manila
Meals: none
Meet your driver upon arrival. It is the start of your Philippines Highlights Tour. He will transfer you to the hotel.
The rest of the day is free at leisure.
Overnight at Amelie Hotel – deluxe
Day 2
Manila
Meals: B
After breakfast take a taxi on your own to Bambike, located within Intramuros. Bambike* is a socio-ecological enterprise that hand-produces bamboo bicycles with fair-trade labor and sustainable building practices. Embark on a two hour guided trip on your bamboo bicycle through Intramuros. You will pass amongst others the San Agustin Church, a UNESCO World Heritage, and Fort Santiago. After having finished our bike trip you will have time to explore Intramuros on own.
Don’t forget to visit the Rizal Museum in Fort Santiago, Casa Manila and the San Agustin Church, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Return to the hotel on your own.
Overnight at Amelie Hotel – deluxe
*Bambike doesn’t operate tours on Monday.
Day 3
Manila – Cauayan – Banaue
Meals: B L
Your driver will meet you at the hotel. Transfer to the airport.
Fly from Manila to Cauayan**TAP to issue**
Your guide and driver will meet you at the airport. We will drive to Banaue. Lunch will be on the way in a local restaurant. There is plenty of time for photo stops and casual stops in villages to meet local people.
Upon arrival we will check into the hotel.
Overnight at the Banaue Hotel – standard
Batad Rice Terraces – Philippines Highlights Tour
Day 4
Banaue – Batad
Meals: B L
Your guide and driver will pick you up from the hotel. Drive to the point where we start walking to the world famous rice terraces of Batad, part of the UNESCO World Heritage named “The Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras”. These terraces were constructed 2000 years ago. They offer a magnificent sight. It is a 45 minutes walk to the viewpoint where you can enjoy the stunning panorama of the mountains and rice terraces.
Hike to the village where you will have lunch. In the afternoon you can explore the rice terraces, hike to a nearby waterfall or just relax.
You can help your guide cook dinner and learn some secrets from him.
Overnight in a simple guesthouse
Day 5
Batad – Bontoc – Sagada
Meals: B L
After breakfast your guide and driver will meet you at the hotel. Drive to Bontoc. We will stop at several spectacular viewpoints along the way. In Bontoc we will visit the local museum that exhibits powerful black-and-white photographs as well as artefacts depicting the history and heritage of the indigenous peoples of the Cordillera region. We continue to Sagada. Arrival will be in the early afternoon. Enjoy a local lunch.
After lunch visit the traditional burial sites of Sagada, which the mountain town is famous for. Walk to Echo Valley. where most of Sagada’s famous (some) centuries-old hanging coffins are perched high on the limestone cliffs. When you get to the “lookout”, you are allowed to shout here and the valley will shout back at you. Return to the hotel. Say goodbye to your hotel.
Overnight at Masferre Inn – standard
Day 6
Sagada
Meals: B
Free day in Sagada. You can join one of our optional activities or explore Sagada on your own.
Overnight at Masferre Inn – standard
Day 7
Sagada – Lubuagan – Tabuk
Meals: B L
Your guide and driver will meet you at the hotel. Drive to Bontoc and continue to Kalinga Province passing through a scenic route along the Chico River. You will make a stop at the viewpoint overlooking Anabel. Before we drive to the start of the trek we hike to the sprawling village of Bugnay. We cross the Chico River via a hanging bridge. Drive to Lubuagan where you will visit the local weaving community. Enjoy lunch in Lubuagan. Continue to Tabuk, capital of Kalinga province. We gradually descend from the highlands to the wider plains of the Chico River.
Overnight at the Grand Zion Hotel – standard
Day 8
Tabuk – Tuguegarao – Cebu City
Meals: B
Your driver will meet you at the hotel. He will transfer you to the airport. You will have to pay a terminal fee at the airport of 150 Pesos (not included).
Fly from Tuguegarao to Cebu **TAP to issue**
Meet your driver upon arrival. He will transfer you to the hotel.
Overnight at Montebello Hotel – deluxe
Day 9
Cebu – Puerto Princesa – Sabang
Meals: B
Meet your driver at the hotel. He will transfer you to the airport.
Fly from Manila to Puerto Princesa **TAP to issue**
Meet your driver upon arrival. He will transfer you to the hotel in Sabang.
Overnight at Sheridan Beach Resort and Spa – deluxe room
Day 10
Sabang
Meals: B L
After breakfast visit the Underground River in the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is one of the longest navigable underground rivers in the world, with a total length of more than 8 kilometers. This is a not a private tour. Others will join you.
This breathtaking tour takes you on a canoe journey into the first 1.5 kilometres of the cave. Experience the beauty of stalagmites and stalactites, formed over thousands of years. Swift and bat populations inhabit the cave. After lunch return to the hotel. Enjoy
Overnight at Sheridan Beach Resort and Spa – deluxe room
Day 11
Sabang – El Nido
Meals: B
Meet your driver at the resort. Private transfer to El Nido.
The rest of the day is free.
Overnight at El Nido Cove – forest room
Day 12
El Nido
Meals: B L
Today you will enjoy a private island hopping tour of Bacuit Bay. Board a Bangka. Experience the beauty of Bacuit Bay at your own pace and allow us to share with you its many secrets. Our itinerary is flexible today. You will visit secluded beaches and some of the many lagoons of this stunning area. Your crew will make sure that you avoid the crowds. Enjoy a seafood lunch on the beach. Snorkeling equipment is included today so enjoy the underwater world at your own pace.After a memorable day on the water return to El Nido. We will drop you off at your hotel.
Overnight at El Nido Cove – forest room
Limestone in El Nido – Philippines Highlights Tour
Day 13
El Nido
Meals: B
Today is a free day to enjoy the beach, explore El Nido town or just relax at the pool of the hotel.
Overnight at El Nido Cove – forest room
Day 14
El Nido – Coron
Meals: B
Free morning until our driver picks you up to transfer you to El Nido pier. Board the Montenegro ferry that departs at 0600. Enjoy the boat ride and arrive at Coron at around 1000. A driver will meet you and transfer you to the hotel. Check in is at 1400.
Rest of the day free at leisure.
Overnight at The Funny Lion – cub room
Day 15
Coron
Meals: B
Today is a free day to explore Coron town or just relax at the pool of the hotel.
Overnight at The Funny Lion – cub room
Day 16
Coron
Meals: B L
Your guide will meet you after breakfast for an early departure. Transfer to your private boat. First stop today will be beautiful Lake Kayangan. We will be there before the crowds arrive. Enjoy the splendid scenery and swim in the lake for one hour. Hike back to the boat landing. Cruise back to Coron town where our minivan will be waiting. We will drive to Salvacion, which will take a bit more than one hour. Here we will board our private boat to visit the ancestral domain of the Tagbanwa (aka Tagbanua) minority. The area comprises 19 islands and islets. We head for the jewel in the crown: Majalem aka Black Island”. Here we will spend several hours swimming and exploring. We’ll have lunch here as well. After lunch we will visit San Isidoro, a Tagbanwa village. Learn about the local lifestyle of this lovely village and meet some of the people. Time to return to Salvacion where our van is waiting for the return drive to Coron.
Overnight at The Funny Lion – cub room
Day 17
Coron – Cebu
Meals: B
Your driver will meet you at the hotel. Transfer to Busuanga airport.
Pay the terminal fee at the airport: 100PHP per person
Fly from Busuanga to Cebu **TAP to issue**
Meet your driver who will transfer you to the hotel. The rest of the day free at leisure.
Overnight at the Montebello Hotel – deluxe
Day 18
Cebu City – flight home
Meals: B
Check out at noon.
Meet your driver at the hotel. He will transfer you to the airport for your flight home. It is the end of your Philippines Highlights Tour.
End of the program