The capital
Most trips begin in Manila, the sprawling capital on Manila Bay. Give it a day or two for the Spanish walled city of Intramuros, the National Museum, the food of Binondo, the world's oldest Chinatown, and the bars and restaurants of Makati and Bonifacio Global City. It is busy and hot, but it is the best place to understand the country.
The lagoons
Palawan is the long western island that fills the postcards. El Nido has limestone cliffs, hidden lagoons and island hopping tours, while Coron to the north offers clear lakes and some of the best wreck diving in the world. Puerto Princesa, the capital, is the gateway to the Underground River.
The festival island
Cebu is the oldest city in the country and a hub for flights across the Visayas. From Cebu City you can head south to canyoneer to Kawasan Falls, swim with the sardine run at Moalboal, or go north to Malapascua for thresher sharks and Bantayan for white sand.
The countryside
Bohol sits a short ferry from Cebu. Its Chocolate Hills, tarsier sanctuary, Loboc River and old stone churches make a gentle inland day, and Panglao Island has beaches and diving at Balicasag.
The surf island
Siargao, off the northeast tip of Mindanao, is a teardrop of palm forest, lagoons and reef breaks. Cloud 9 made it famous with surfers, but most visitors simply fall for the slow pace, island tours and rope swings.
Linking them
Domestic flights are the backbone of any route. A classic two to three week trip runs Manila, Palawan by air, a flight to Cebu, a ferry to Bohol and a flight on to Siargao. Leave a buffer day before your international flight home in case of weather. Use the free trip planner to shape your route, and see places to visit for food and stays on each island.