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🇵🇭 Itinerary · Philippines · 30 days

1-month Philippines itinerary 2026: the grand island tour

30 days linking Luzon, Palawan, the Visayas and Siargao: rice terraces, lagoons, diving and surf. The grand Philippines tour, with detailed budget and transport.

🔄 Updated June 1, 2026

📅 See the program 🔄 See variants

In brief

Duration

30 days

Stops

8 places

Average budget

€3,000-5,200

Total distance

~3,000 km (domestic flights)

Profile

Long trip

Season

Dec-May

Manila 2d · Banaue 3d · El Nido 4d · Coron 3d · Cebu/Moalboal 4d · Bohol 4d · Siargao 6d · Manila 1d

Itinerary map

The route at a glance

Philippines 1-month itinerary map: Manila, Banaue, El Nido, Coron, Cebu, Moalboal, Bohol, Siargao

© OpenStreetMap contributors

Detailed program

9 days, day by day

1

~€60/day

Manila · D1 to D2 · Capital

  • D1 Arrival. Intramuros, the Spanish colonial quarter, and Fort Santiago.
  • D2 Quiapo market, national museum, night departure to northern Luzon.
🛌 🛌 Makati · e.g. Z Hostel (2 nights)·🚇 Grab and jeepneys·Philippines guide →
2

~€55/day

Banaue & Batad · D3 to D5 · Rice terraces

  • D3 Night bus Manila → Banaue (9 h). Viewpoint over the rice terraces, UNESCO heritage.
  • D4 Hike to the Batad amphitheatres, among the most spectacular in Asia.
  • D5 Ifugao villages, return to Manila for the next day's flight.
🛌 🛌 Banaue / Batad (3 nights)·🚌 Night bus + jeepney
3

~€55/day

El Nido · D6 to D9 · Palawan lagoons

  • D6 Flight Manila → El Nido (AirSWIFT). Sunset at Corong-Corong.
  • D7-8 Tour A and Tour C: Big Lagoon, Secret Beach, Hidden Beach, snorkeling.
  • D9 Nacpan Beach and kayak to Cadlao Island.
🛌 🛌 Corong-Corong (4 nights)·✈️ Domestic flight
4

~€60/day

Coron · D10 to D12 · Lakes and wrecks

  • D10 Fast ferry El Nido → Coron (3h30-4h). Mount Tapyas and Maquinit springs.
  • D11 Ultimate Coron tour: Kayangan Lake, Twin Lagoon, Barracuda Lake.
  • D12 Diving on the Japanese wrecks, or Malcapuya and Banana Island.
🛌 🛌 Coron Town (3 nights)·⛴️ Fast ferry
5

~€55/day

Cebu & Moalboal · D13 to D16 · Diving

  • D13 Flight Coron → Cebu via Manila, then van to Moalboal (3 h).
  • D14 Panagsama sardine ball snorkeling, Pescador turtles.
  • D15 Canyoning at Kawasan Falls.
  • D16 Free diving day or early start to Oslob (debated option).
🛌 🛌 Moalboal (4 nights)·✈️ Flight + 🚐 van
6

~€60/day

Bohol & Panglao · D17 to D20 · Hills and beaches

  • D17 Ferry Cebu → Tagbilaran (2 h). Check-in Panglao.
  • D18 Chocolate Hills, tarsier sanctuary, Loboc River cruise.
  • D19 Boat trip to Balicasag: dolphins, turtles, snorkeling.
  • D20 Wall diving or Alona Beach.
🛌 🛌 Panglao (4 nights)·⛴️ Ferry
7

~€55/day

Siargao · D21 to D26 · Surf and lagoons

  • D21 Flight Bohol/Cebu → Siargao (Sayak Airport). Check-in General Luna.
  • D22-23 Surf lessons at Cloud 9, the island's mythic spot.
  • D24 Island-hopping: Naked Island, Daku, Guyam.
  • D25 Magpupungko Rock Pools at low tide, scooter along the coast.
  • D26 Sugba Lagoon by paddle, free day.
🛌 🛌 General Luna · e.g. Bravo Beach Resort (6 nights)·✈️ Domestic flight + 🛵 scooter
8

~€80/day

Siargao → Manila · D27 to D29 · Back north

  • D27 Last surf session, then flight Siargao → Cebu or Manila.
  • D28-29 Relax in Manila or a beach stopover depending on flights. Buy handicrafts.
🛌 🛌 Makati (2 nights)·✈️ Domestic flight
9

Flight

Return · D30

  • Morning Last morning in Manila (Binondo, the world's oldest Chinatown).
  • Evening Return flight to Europe via a Gulf or Asian hub.
✈️ International flight

How much

Itinerary budget (per person, flight included)

Backpacker

€3,000

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight Europe: €850
  • 🏨 Guesthouses: €16/night
  • 🍜 Local food: €14/day
  • ✈️ 5 domestic flights + ferries: €550
  • 🎫 Activities over 30 d: €400
Recommended

Comfort

€4,000

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight Europe: €950
  • 🏨 3-4★ hotel: €55/night
  • 🍽️ Mixed restos: €25/day
  • ✈️ 5 domestic flights: €550
  • 🎫 Diving + tours: €600

Premium

€5,200+

per person

  • ✈️ Upper-class flight: €1,700
  • 🏨 4-5★ resorts: €180/night
  • 🍽️ Fine dining: €55/day
  • 🚤 Private transfers and trips
  • 🎫 Private dive cruises: €800

Shorter, longer

Other possible durations

1 week

1 week

Palawan: El Nido and Coron. The essential format.

2 weeks

2 weeks

Palawan, Cebu and Bohol. The full combo.

You're here

1 month

1 month

The grand tour: Luzon, Palawan, Visayas and Siargao.

How to get around

Itinerary logistics

A month lets you combine a night bus to the Luzon rice terraces with 5 domestic flights between islands. In the Philippines, flying stays king: slow sea distances would otherwise devour the trip.

🚌

Night bus Manila → Banaue

€15-20 · 9 h · Ohayami or Coda Lines

✈️

Flight Manila → El Nido

€70-110 · AirSWIFT · 1h20

⛴️

Ferry El Nido → Coron

~€35 · 3h30-4h

✈️

Flight Coron → Cebu

~€90 · via Manila

✈️

Flight Bohol/Cebu → Siargao

~€70 · to reach the surf spot

Adapt by season

Follow the weather island by island

Over a month, the Philippines span several monsoon regimes. From December to May, almost everything is dry. From June to October, Palawan and the west coast take typhoons first: start with the Visayas and Siargao, and keep Palawan for the end. Siargao surfs best from August to November, when the swell builds. Always keep 2 buffer days for a delayed flight.

Author tips

What I would redo (and change)

✅ Would redo

  • • In January 2024, leaving early for Batad and sleeping a night in the village: at dawn, the rice terrace amphitheatres were ours alone, before the day trips arrived.
  • • Keep Siargao for the end: 6 relaxed nights, surf and scooter, perfect to slow down after the intense islands.
  • • Book all domestic flights on arrival: over a month, weather surprises cost less if tickets are already in hand.

⚠️ Would change

  • • On a month in the rainy season, start with the Visayas and Siargao, end with Palawan.
  • • Cut Bohol to 3 nights and add Siquijor for quiet-island lovers.
  • • Skip Banaue if you prefer the sea: replace with 3 extra days in Siargao.

FAQ

Itinerary FAQ

Is a month in the Philippines too long? +
No, it's the ideal format to link Luzon, Palawan, the Visayas and Siargao without rushing. The archipelago is huge: a month finally lets you vary rice terraces, lagoons, diving and surf with real breaks.
How many domestic flights are needed? +
About five: Manila → El Nido, Coron → Cebu, Cebu/Bohol → Siargao, Siargao → Manila, plus the return connection. The rest is ferry and bus. Book early, flights sell out.
Do you need a visa for a month in the Philippines? +
Many nationalities get a 30-day visa-free entry, extendable on site. For exactly one month, plan the extension or an onward ticket. Check current conditions before departure.
What's the best order to chain the islands? +
In dry season (Dec-May), north to south as here. In rainy season, reverse it: Visayas and Siargao first, Palawan last, since the west coast takes typhoons first.
What budget for 30 days? +
Count around €3,000 backpacker, €4,000 comfort and €5,200+ premium, flight from Paris included, per person.
Is Siargao worth it for a non-surfer? +
Yes: beyond Cloud 9, the island offers island-hopping, Sugba Lagoon by paddle, Magpupungko natural pools and a laid-back mood. Surf is just the entry point.

Marie Laurent ✓

·

Southeast Asia specialist · itinerary personally tested.

Last updated: June 1, 2026.

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