7 Days Classic Philippines With Boracay (Self-Launched)
7 days · Philippines
UME Travel Co. Ltd charges £1,030
No-markup version: ~£480 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A DIY version of the classic Boracay-to-Bohol island-hopping route: White Beach sunsets, Coral Garden and Magic Island snorkelling, a sunset paraw sail, then a hop to Cebu for Spanish-colonial sights before the ferry to Panglao. From Panglao base you'll do the Napaling sardine run, the Loboc River cruise and Chocolate Hills, plus an early-morning dolphin watch and Balicasag Island reef day. Everything here is independently bookable — domestic flights, ferries, tricycles and shared bangka boats — at roughly half the price of the escorted small-group version. Costs are approximate and based on late-2026 backpacker rates at ₱78 to the pound.
Day-by-day
Land in Boracay — White Beach sunset and Station 2 wander
Boracay
Fly into Caticlan (MPH) — from Manila it's about £32-45 one-way if booked 4-6 weeks ahead, or £45-60 to Kalibo (KLO) which is a 1.5-2hr van ride. From Caticlan Jetty Port pay the tourist terminal fees (environmental ₱300 / terminal ₱100 / boat ₱25, roughly £5.50 total) for the 10-minute bangka to Caticlan/Cagban. On arrival, check into a budget guesthouse a 3-5 minute walk from Station 2 — you get the same beach without the station-1 hotel markup. Spend the late afternoon walking the 4km of White Beach powder sand, then grab a sunset drink at one of the beach bars and dinner at D'Talipapa wet-market (pick your fish, pay a cook to grill it — about £6-8 for a feast).
🚌Flight to Caticlan (MPH) or Kalibo (KLO), then bangka ferry from Caticlan Jetty Port (£5.50 in port fees). On-island: e-tricycles ₱20-30 per short hop.
🛏Budget beach guesthouse/hostel near Station 2, White Beach (dorm £8-12 or private fan room £14-18)
- →Walk White Beach from Station 1 to Station 3
- →D'Talipapa market seafood dinner
- →Sunset drinks on the beachfront
Island-hopping: Coral Garden, Magic Island and a sunset paraw
Boracay
Join the standard shared island-hopping bangka trip — boats leave from Station 1 or Station 3 around 09:00 and every guesthouse can book you on one for ₱1,200-1,500 pp (£15-19), including lunch and snorkel gear. The loop covers Coral Garden (coral gardens teeming with fish), Magic Island with its 3-10m cliff-diving platforms, and Angol Point for a second snorkel. Back on shore, book a paraw (the traditional double-outrigger sailboat) for the 17:30-18:15 sunset sail — shared boats are ₱500-800 pp (£6-10) and it's the single best thing to do on Boracay. Evening: karaoke and cheap rum-coke on the beach.
🚌Shared bangka boat for island hopping (included in activity cost). Sunset paraw sail booked at the beach the same day.
🛏Same guesthouse near Station 2
- →Shared island-hopping trip: Coral Garden + Magic Island + Angol Point snorkelling
- →Cliff diving at Magic Island (3-10m platforms, optional)
- →Sunset paraw sailing
Boracay to Cebu — flight, then Mactan Island
Cebu
Morning bangka back to Caticlan and flight to Cebu (CEB). Direct Caticlan-Cebu flights on Cebu Pacific/Philippine Airlines run most days from about £38-55 one-way; if nothing direct fits, fly via Manila (£35-50). From Mactan-Cebu International you're right on Mactan Island — stay in Lapu-Lapu City near the airport (hostel/guesthouse £14-20) rather than a resort, and use the afternoon to sort the next day's ferry and eat at a local lechon house (Cebu lechon is the national obsession, ₱250-350 for a plate — about £3.50-4.50). Grab a Mactan airport transfer by Grab (£3-5) rather than a metered taxi.
🚌Bangka back to Caticlan (£1.50), flight Caticlan (MPH) to Cebu (CEB) approx £38-55, Grab from airport £3-5.
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Lapu-Lapu / Mactan area (dorm £8-12, private £15-20)
- →Flight-hopping day
- →Try Cebu lechon
- →Sunset walk along Mactan shoreline
Cebu City heritage walk, then ferry to Bohol
Cebu to Bohol (Panglao)
Do a self-guided Cebu City heritage loop in the morning: Magellan's Cross and the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño are next door to each other and free (Basilica donations welcome), then Fort San Pedro a short walk away (₱30 entry, under £0.50). Take a Grab between them (£1-2 each hop) or the jeepney if you want the local experience for ₱13. Around midday head to Pier 1 and take the 1.5-2hr fast ferry to Tagbilaran or Tubigon (OceanJet or similar, ₱500-900 / £7-12 depending on class, booked online or at the pier). At Tubigon/Tagbilaran, hop a tricycle or van to Panglao — 45-60 min, ₱200-300 (£2.50-4). Check into a guesthouse in Panglao town or near Alona Beach and have a relaxed dinner.
🚌Grab/jeepney around Cebu City (£1-2), fast ferry Pier 1 to Tagbilaran or Tubigon £7-12, tricycle/van to Panglao £2.50-4.
🛏Guesthouse in Panglao town or near Alona Beach (dorm £9-13, private £18-25)
- →Magellan's Cross
- →Basilica Minore del Santo Niño
- →Fort San Pedro
- →Ferry crossing to Bohol
Bohol highlights: Napaling sardines, Loboc cruise, Tarsiers, Chocolate Hills
Bohol (Panglao)
Rent a scooter (₱400-500/day + fuel, about £5-6) or hire a tricycle/van driver for the day (₱2,500-3,500 total, so £32-45 split between riders) — a scooter gives you total freedom and is the classic backpacker move here. Start early at Napaling Reef in Panglao for the sardine run and coral wall snorkelling (community fee ₱100-200, gear rental ₱200 — under £5 total); a GoPro rental is another ₱500 if you want footage. Then head inland to the Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary in Corella (₱170-200 / £2.50) — go quietly, they're nocturnal and easily stressed. Continue to the Loboc River for the buffet lunch cruise with live cultural performances (₱850-1,000 / £11-13) and finish at the Chocolate Hills viewpoint in Carmen (₱100-150 / £1.50-2), ideally around golden hour when the light is best.
🚌Scooter rental ₱400-500 + fuel (£5-6) or shared tricycle/van (~£3-5 pp split between riders). Rides between Panglao, Corella, Loboc and Carmen.
🛏Same Panglao guesthouse
- →Napaling Reef sardine run and coral snorkelling
- →Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary, Corella
- →Loboc River buffet lunch cruise with cultural show
- →Chocolate Hills viewpoint
Dolphin watch and Balicasag Island reef day
Bohol (Panglao / Balicasag)
Boats leave Alona Beach around 06:00 for the dolphin and whale-shark watch in the Bohol Sea — the shared bangka trip is ₱1,500-2,000 pp (£19-26) and usually bundles dolphin watching, a Balicasag Island stop and a snorkel at the turtle point. Balicasag has some of the best coral in the Visayas; expect turtles, jacks and lots of reef fish. Bring your own mask if you have one (rental is cheap but quality varies). You'll be back on Panglao by early afternoon — spend the rest of the day on Alona Beach or hire a kayak, and eat dinner at one of the local barbecue stalls rather than the resort restaurants.
🚌Shared bangka from Alona Beach (included in the day's activity cost). Local tricycle home from the beach.
🛏Same Panglao guesthouse
- →Early-morning dolphin watching
- →Balicasag Island coral reef snorkelling
- →Turtle point at Balicasag
- →Beach time at Alona
Last Bohol morning and onward flight
Bohol (Panglao)
A relaxed final morning — swim, buy a pasalubong (souvenir) of peanut kisses or Bohol honey, and settle the guesthouse bill. Allow plenty of time for the trip back: tricycle to Tagbilaran or Tubigon (₱200-300 / £2.50-4), then ferry to Cebu (₱500-900 / £7-12), then Grab to Mactan airport (£3-5) for your onward flight. If you're flying Panglao-Bohol (TAG) direct to Manila instead, that's simply a 5-minute tricycle to the airport. Budget a half-day for the transfer chain and don't cut it fine — ferries sell out in high season (Dec-Apr).
🚌Tricycle to Tagbilaran/Tubigon ferry port, ferry to Cebu (£7-12), Grab to Mactan airport (£3-5), or direct flight from Bohol-Panglao International (TAG).
🛏Departure day
- →Final morning swim
- →Souvenir shopping for Bohol goodies
- →Onward transfer to Cebu or Bohol-Panglao airport
Self-launched vs. UME Travel Co. Ltd
| This itinerary (self-launched) | UME Travel Co. Ltd | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£480 | £1,030 |
| Duration | 7 days | 7 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £550 per person (53%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more UME Travel Co. Ltd-style trips? Check them out here.~£480
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does 7 Days Classic Philippines With Boracay (Self-Launched) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £480 per person for 7 days in Philippines. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with UME Travel Co. Ltd?+
Yes — UME Travel Co. Ltd charges around £1,030 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £480 — a saving of roughly £550 (53%) per person.
How long is the Philippines trip?+
This itinerary runs 7 days, covering 7 day-by-day stops through Philippines.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a beaches, adventure, backpacker trip through Philippines, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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