Duration
16 days / 15 nights
Price Per Person
Destinations

For more than two weeks, lose yourself to the considerable charms of The Philippines. From history and culture to breathtaking natural beauty, this delightful collection of islands has it all. Start in the metropolis of Manila where you’ll tour the old town, taste the delights of Chinatown and hike across the volcanic mountains just a short drive away from all the bustle. Next, hit the country’s finest beaches, from world-famous Boracay to remote and peaceful Amanpulo, not forgetting gorgeous and exotic El Nido whose cliffs and bays await with activities and adventures. 

This itinerary is an example. It’s designed to inspire you and provide you with thoughtfully curated ideas. You can choose to do this exact itinerary or completely personalize it. All trips are 100% bespoke.

Highlights

  • Manila in Style: Visit the 19th-Century Casa Manila, shop and eat in Chinatown, and take a day to visit the 15-mile-long volcano caldera forming Taal Lake.
  • Palawan Beaches: Palawan has become one of the most impressive beaches in Southeast Asia, and those of El Nido in the north are the best. A stay here offers kayaking, snorkeling, and lounging on postcard-perfect beaches.
  • Private Island: Take a private plane to Amanpulo on Pamalican Island, undoubtedly the most luxurious island accommodations of anywhere in the Philippines. On this private island, travelers unwind in the plush surrounds of crystal clear water and lush tropical scenery.

Day-by-Day

Day 1

Manila

Welcome to the Philippines, as you touch down at the international airport, you’ll be whisked into the bustling, exciting city of Manila to your luxurious hotel. Here you’ll check in, get comfortable and enjoy a relaxing night’s stay.

Hotel Options
Why We Love This Hotel
  • Outstanding Service: Guests rave about the staff at Fairmont Makati, from the front desk, concierge, and housekeeping professionals to the expert bartenders and chefs.
  • Fitness Forward: The hotel’s fitness and spa facilities are especially well-equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and creatively planned classes. The spacious fitness center alone occupies some 928 square feet.
  • Indulgent Cuisine: Fairmont Makati’s culinary offerings include “live culinary theater,” handcrafted pastries, and artisan cocktails.
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Fairmont Makati Preferred Hotel
Why We Love This Hotel

Location: The Peninsula Manila is the most centrally located five-star hotel in Manila.

Dining: Four world-class dining and drinking options including a modern French restaurant, a restaurant serving exotic Asian fare, a 1930s Shanghai mansion style bar and an ostentatious lobby lounge.

Health and Fitness: The Peninsula Manila boasts a host of luxury well-being facilities including a spa, swimming pool, gym, steam and sauna rooms.

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The Peninsula Manila Preferred Hotel

Day 2

Manila

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before you head into the old town for a fascinating tour of Intramuros. Explore within the old city walls, visiting the reconstructed 19th-Century Casa Manila and San Agustin Church. Grab a light lunch at a local restaurant before heading to Chinatown for a food tour, sampling all the delights. After checking out more architectural points of interest, you’ll head back to the hotel for a relaxing evening.

Manila
Manila

Day 3

Manila

After breakfast at your hotel, you’ll head for the volcanic province of Batangas for a discovery tour of Taal heritage and natural beauty. Boat across Taal lake to reach the starting point of your trek up the mountainous ridge to the rim of the volcano. After a tasty local lunch, you’ll head down into the pretty town of Taal. Wander through the narrow streets lined with restored houses and snap some pictures before heading back to Manila for the night.

Day 4

Boracay

After breakfast, it’s time to say ‘au revoir’ to Manila as you transfer to the airport for your domestic flight to Caticlan, a small airport near to the wharf. Hop aboard your boat and speed across to beautiful Boracay. Check in at your opulent beachside hotel and savor the gorgeous views out to sea.

Hotel Options
Why We Love This Hotel

Beach: Quiet and clean private beach with clear warm water and soft sand.

Hospitality: Highly trained and welcoming staff.

Food: 7 restaurants and bars serving Mediterranean, Japanese, western and Filipino cuisine alongside great cocktails and wines.

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Shangri-La's Boracay Resort & Spa Preferred Hotel

Day 5

Boracay

Relax and indulge with three sun-soaked days on one of the most beautiful beaches on the planet. Take a leisurely breakfast at your hotel, lounge by the pool or on the beach, swim in crystal waters and sample some of the best mangoes in the world. By night, join the beach party with drinks and breathtaking fire shows on the sand.

Boracay
Boracay

Day 6

Boracay

Enjoy more precious beach time on Boracay today. Sink your toes into the soft white sand as you walk down the beach towards Boat Station 3 and back again. If the temptation strikes, head off-beach for an off-roading adventure - the local viewpoint is simply not to be missed. Just make sure you’re back in time for another of Boracay’s famous blood-orange sunsets.

Day 7

Boracay

It’s another day of lazing by the pool or beachside today. Sit back with a cocktail in hand, or venture out into the crystal waters for an aquatic adventure, snorkel-gear in hand, to get a first-hand glimpse of the vibrant underwater life.

Day 8

El Nido

It’s time to leave Boracay behind but you’re not saying goodbye to the beach just yet. Retrace your steps to Manila and then it’s on to your flight to El Nido. From here take the 45-minute boat ride over to Pangulasian Island where you’ll check in to your gorgeous island resort in Bacuit Bay. With views of the sunrise and sunset, it’s completely idyllic.

Hotel Options
Why We Love This Hotel

Location: Getting to and from the beautiful Pangulasian Island Resort is a relatively simple process, with an airport only a 25 minute boat ride away from the hotel.

History: The Palawan area where this hotel is located is known as one of the last ecological frontiers of the Philippines, and still retains much of its rustic, natural charm.

Service: The Pangulasian Island Resort combines its five-star service with the traditionally warm and friendly hospitality for which the Philippines is known.

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El Nido Pangulasian Preferred Hotel
El Nido
El Nido

Day 9

El Nido

Wake up to your first full day in paradise, to spend utterly at your own leisure. Enjoy a sumptuous breakfast at your hotel before heading out to explore the gorgeous Pangalusian Island with its soft sand beaches and transparent waters.

Day 10

El Nido

After breakfast today, you may wish to take a hike around the craggy, dramatic clifftops to catch the amazing panoramas from Viewing Deck. Pack a picnic and make a day of it as you snap pictures and enjoy the scenery.

Day 11

El Nido

Before you continue on your adventure, it would be a crime to miss out on all the aquatic action to be had in El Nido. Go island hopping and tour the lagoons that surround the area. Get out on the water on a pedal boat, paddle board, or kayak or get under the waves with some snorkel gear.

El Nido
El Nido

Day 12

Pamalican Island

After breakfast, make your way back to the mainland, but only briefly, as you transfer back to Manila and onwards by private plane to the private airstrip on the gorgeous island retreat of Amanpulo. Relax in luxury, surrounded by turquoise waters.

Hotel Options
Why We Love This Hotel

Peace: Amanpulo is located on a private, remote and tranquil island far from tourist crowds

Snorkeling: Go snorkeling in the pristine waters that surround Amanpulo for unbeatable marine life and visibility

Beaches: Experience some of the world’s most spectacular white sandy beaches and clear, warm ocean water

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Amanpulo Preferred Hotel

Day 13

Pamalican Island

At this, the final stop on your Filipino beach tour, you have three full days to simply relax in utter comfort, surrounded by natural beauty. Swim, sunbathe and sample the delicious local food, indulge in a spa treatment or two and utterly unwind.

Pamalican Island
Pamalican Island

Day 14

Pamalican Island

Enjoy another exotic beach day at your luxury resort. If the mood strikes, venture out and explore the nearby beaches, perhaps taking a walk off-road into the lush jungles. Let the lively local wildlife bring out the intrepid explorer in you!

Day 15

Pamalican Island

Today, your final full day of your exciting Philippines adventure, you may wish to kick back and indulge at your luxury hotel. Treat yourself to a relaxing massage at the on-site spa, or take a dip in the refreshing pool. Today is all about you!

Day 16

Departure

After breakfast in Amanpulo, it’s time to head back to the international airport in Manila, where you’ll wave goodbye to the gorgeous and hospitable Philippines as you depart on your onward flight.

Suggested Hotels For Days 1–3

Fairmont Makati
Preferred Hotel

Fairmont Makati

Manila’s Fairmont Makati is located at the heart of the Philippines’ premier art and business district of Makati, which ranks among the world’s busiest centers of commerce and culture. Although directly connected to Manila, Makati is typically considered a highly modernized, cosmopolitan city of its own thanks to its dense population, as well as its ample concentration of multinational and local businesses. Fairmont Makati has cemented a place among the capital’s finest five-star hotels thanks to its classy amenities and top-flight hospitality team. In terms of dining, the hotel’s unique offerings promise to satisfy the gastronomic desires of even the most discerning guests. And what’s more, the hotel is located within walking distance of some of Manila’s most sought-after attractions, including the Zuellig Building, 6750, Ayala Museum, the Glorietta Shopping Complex, and Greenbelt – one of the country’s most fashionable shopping malls. The sprawling metropolis of Manila beckons with a little bit of something for everyone, from culturally immersive explorations into the city’s music and art scenes to day trips adventuring among the country’s 7,100 islands. Whatever the journey, Fairmont Makati welcomes guests with a safe haven of five-star luxury and relaxation amid the urban landscape of the capital city.
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The Peninsula Manila
Preferred Hotel

The Peninsula Manila

Strategically placed on the corners of Ayala and Makati Avenues, The Peninsula Manila is close to premier shopping facilities and within easy access of Manila's numerous attractions. The hotel is a nine kilometers drive from Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) and just six kilometers from Manila's domestic airport. Elegantly furnished in classic style, the hotel's 351 rooms and suites provide modern, technologically advanced conveniences, including complimentary high-speed wireless Internet access. The Gallery Club Lounge is available 24 hours a day, providing live musical entertainment and all-day refreshments and nibbles, including a breakfast buffet, The Peninsula Afternoon Tea, gourmet canapés and an open bar with a curated selection of spirits and sommelier-selected wines. The thoughtfully-designed private lounge is enhanced with custom-designed tables and soft furnishings arranged in an intimate lounge setting. Continental and Pan-Asian cuisine is served at The Peninsula's many restaurants, including Old Manila and Spices, which are two of the top restaurants in the city. Salon de Ning, the hotel's quirky lounge, features musical entertainment on most evenings.

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Suggested Hotel For Days 4–7

Shangri-La's Boracay Resort & Spa
Preferred Hotel

Shangri-La's Boracay Resort & Spa

Unlike the majority of hotels packed side-by-side on this famous island’s 3-mile stretch of white-sand beach, Shangri-La carved out its own little tranquil retreat. Set on a hillside away from the crowds, this 219-room hotel is in an enclave with its own private beach. Opened in early 2009, the hotel incorporates indigenous materials in its contemporary design. Rooms are decorated with abaca-weave rugs and lamps made of capiz shells. Every room has a balcony with a view of either the resort’s lush tropical gardens or Boracay’s turquoise sea. CHI, The Spa at Shangri-La, is a spa village set within the resort, and it features treatments based on Chinese and native Philippine healing concepts. Other leisure amenities include one of the country’s largest free-form swimming pools, outdoor tennis courts, and a fitness center. Dining choices include a cliff-top seafood grill and an intimate Italian restaurant set amidst treetops. The hotel is a 45-minute flight from Manila, plus a 15-minute boat ride from the ferry station beside the Caticlan Airport.

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Suggested Hotel For Days 8–11

El Nido Pangulasian
Preferred Hotel

El Nido Pangulasian

Located on a private island with breathtaking scenery comparable to Vietnam's spectacular Halong Bay, Pangulasian Island is the first and only luxury accommodation available in this pristine hideaway setting. Known as the “Island of the Sun”, guests at Pangulasian can enjoy stunning views of the sunrise and sunset from the expansive white sandy beach stretching over 2400 foot. The resort has 42 select palm-thatched beach villas built with a contemporary Filipino flair. The high-end amenities include an infinity pool, restaurant, a private dining area, beach bar, poolside grill, boutique, library, gym, spa, hiking trail with viewing deck, five-star dive center and a marine sports center. The deluxe abodes rest either on stilts above the lush flora and fauna or beside the beach or pool, all just a stones throw from warm inviting water. The villas, decorated with a neutral palate and natural materials, are spacious with their own private balcony (some have private pools and bath tubs), complimentary Wi-Fi, international TV channels, iPod dock, tea and coffee making facilities and mini-bar.

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Suggested Hotel For Days 12–15

Amanpulo
Preferred Hotel

Amanpulo

Located on a private island, Amanpulo is possibly the perfect beach escape. Pamalican island is secluded and offers a variety of sea, sand and tropical-retreat pleasures, in exclusive comfort and in traditionally styled accommodation. The 40 Beach, Hillside and Treetop Casitas are modeled on local bahay kubo dwellings, and each has its own golf cart for island exploration. All casitas come with a flat-screen satellite television, DVD/CD player and iPod dock, all connected to a surround-sound system. This romantically remote island caters to those who wish to 'hammock' and beach-comb during their days in paradise, and also to those who seek a more active agenda of ocean adventures. There are tennis courts, a high-tech, air-conditioned gym, and a serene, 100-foot pool. The open-air Garden and Beach Salas are discreetly secluded and offer holistic body treatments. Wi-fi is available throughout the property. Amanpulo is a one-hour flight on the resort's private plane from Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) in Manila. Flights are scheduled throughout the day to meet arriving guests.

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Why Remote Lands?

Exclusively Asia

With Remote Lands you'll travel with people who have made Asia the solitary focus of their own lifelong adventure. As our guest, you'll discover Asia on a journey that is completely, authentically your own, adapted from our own remarkable experiences and adventures over the years.

Travelogues

An Asia-focused magazine brought to you by Remote Lands - a platform for adventure, luxury, and authenticity from experts and explorers around the continent.

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A couple from Holland - Aman Jet Expedition, Spring 2016

A couple from Holland - Aman Jet Expedition, Spring 2016

People keep asking us which country we enjoyed the most, it's very hard to say, there were special experiences everywhere.

Cambodia, Vietnam, Philippines, Japan

Couple from Nevada - Aman Private Jet Expedition, Spring 2017: Marcela Vanhara

Couple from Nevada - Aman Private Jet Expedition, Spring 2017: Marcela Vanhara

It wasn't our first trip with Remote Lands but again they proved they are the best! Everything ran smoothly from start to finish.

Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Philippines

A couple from Florida - Aman Jet Expedition, Spring 2016

A couple from Florida - Aman Jet Expedition, Spring 2016

As the trip progressed strangers became friends. Particularly special was the effortlessness: perfect logistics, never having to worry about anything, and, of course, the charming and thoughtful way you organised everything.

Cambodia, Vietnam, Philippines, Japan

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