10 Days Across the Philippines — Self-Launched
10 days · Philippines (Boracay, Cebu, Palawan)
H and H Holidays Travel and Tours charges £1,655
No-markup version: ~£700 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of H and H Holidays' 10-day Philippines island-hopper: Boracay's white sand and island-hopping boats, Cebu's whale sharks and waterfalls, the Underground River at Puerto Princesa, and El Nido's Big Lagoon. You book the same domestic flights yourself (often cheaper direct with Cebu Pacific/AirAsia/Philippine Airlines), stay in hostels and budget guesthouses instead of 3* hotels, and join the very same public island-hopping boat tours that group operators resell. Everything is bookable independently — mostly on the spot at the pier, or via Klook/GetYourGuide for the Underground River permit and Oslob whale sharks. Costs are approximate backpacker rates in GBP and assume dorm or budget double rooms.
Day-by-day
Fly Manila → Caticlan, settle into Boracay
Boracay
Arrive Manila and take a domestic flight to Caticlan (Godofredo P. Ramos Airport) — Cebu Pacific, AirAsia and PAL all fly this route hourly-ish; book direct for roughly £30-50 one way if you book a month or two ahead. From Caticlan it's a short tricycle to the jetty, a 10-15 min outrigger ferry to Caticlan Jetty Port/Cagban, then an e-tricycle to White Beach. Check into a hostel in Station 2 or Station 3 (dorms are cheap; private fan/cold-water rooms are a small step up). Spend the late afternoon walking White Beach and catching sunset at Station 1 — one of the best free shows in Asia. Register at the Boracay visitor registration desk on arrival (small environmental fee).
🚌Domestic flight Manila–Caticlan ~£35-50 one way; tricycle + ferry + e-tricycle ~£4 total
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, Station 2/3, White Beach (approx £12-18)
- →White Beach sunset walk
- →Station 1 sunset viewpoint
- →Settle in and book tomorrow's boat tour at the beach directly
Boracay island hopping — Puka Beach, Crystal Cove, snorkelling
Boracay
Join a standard Boracay island-hopping boat trip (boatmen sell seats right on White Beach or at the Cagban jetty; ~£15-20 per person with lunch, or charter a small boat and split it with fellow hostel guests). Typical route: Puka Beach for the quiet end of the island, Balinghai or Ilig-Iligan Beach, snorkelling stops at Coral Garden and Crocodile Island, optional cliff-jumping at Magic Island and the sea caves/viewpoints of Crystal Cove (small entrance fees, ~£2-4 each). Lunch is usually a beach BBQ — or grab grilled fish and mango shakes back on White Beach. Afternoon free for a massage on the sand (~£8) or paddleboarding.
🚌Walk or e-tricycle to jetty ~£1; boat tour includes pickups
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, Station 2/3 (approx £12-18)
- →Boracay island-hopping boat tour (Puka Beach, Balinghai/Ilig-Iligan)
- →Snorkelling at Coral Garden & Crocodile Island
- →Optional cliff jump at Magic Island
- →Optional Crystal Cove sea caves & viewpoints
Boracay → Cebu City
Cebu City
Morning ferry/tricycle back to Caticlan and fly to Cebu (direct Caticlan–Cebu flights exist with Cebu Pacific/PAL; otherwise route via Manila, which is cheap but eats the day). Land, take a Grab or MyBus from Mactan-Cebu airport into Cebu City (~£2-3) and check into a hostel around IT Park, Fuente Osmeña or near Colon. Depending on arrival time, do a self-guided walk of the old town: Magellan's Cross, Basilica del Santo Niño, Fort San Pedro and Colon Street. Dinner at a local eatery — lechon, sutukil or puso rice — for under £5.
🚌Tricycle + ferry back to Caticlan ~£4; flight Caticlan–Cebu ~£35-55 (or via Manila ~£30-45)
🛏Hostel in Cebu City, IT Park/Fuente area (approx £10-15)
- →Self-guided Cebu old town walk: Magellan's Cross, Basilica del Santo Niño, Fort San Pedro
- →Lechon dinner
Oslob whale sharks, Sumilon Sandbar & Tumalog Falls
Oslob / Cebu
Book an Oslob whale-shark day trip through Klook or GetYourGuide (approx £35-55 including transfers from Cebu City, or do it independently: bus from Cebu South Bus Terminal to Oslob ~3.5 hrs, ~£3, plus the whale-shark interaction fee ~£20-25). Book the earliest slot you can — crowds build by 8am. Note: the Oslob operation is a feeding-based encounter; if that's a concern, choose a licensed boat that keeps distance, or skip it for Moalboal's sardine run instead. Afterwards, take a motorbike taxi (~£3-4) to Tumalog Falls for a swim, optionally hop to Sumilon Sandbar, and on the drive back stop at Simala Church and Carcar market for chicharon and lechon. Return to Cebu City in the evening.
🚌Shared van/bus Cebu–Oslob ~£3 each way (or included tour transfer); habal-habal to Tumalog ~£3
🛏Hostel in Cebu City, IT Park/Fuente area (approx £10-15)
- →Oslob whale shark encounter
- →Swim at Tumalog Falls
- →Sumilon Sandbar stop
- →Simala Church & Carcar market food stop
Cebu → Puerto Princesa
Puerto Princesa
Fly Cebu to Puerto Princesa (direct flights with Cebu Pacific/PAL, ~£40-60; book ahead as this route is limited). From the airport, a tricycle or Grab to the city centre is ~£2. Check into a guesthouse near Rizal Avenue. Afternoon: walk the Puerto Princesa Baywalk, visit the Cathedral, and — importantly — sort your Underground River permit tonight. Permits are capped daily and best booked online in advance (via the official booking site or a Klook tour that includes pickup, permit and lunch). Then eat at the Kinabuchs tamilok-and-crocodile-adjacent menu or a simpler local karinderya.
🚌Flight Cebu–Puerto Princesa ~£40-60; tricycle from airport ~£2
🛏Budget guesthouse/hostel, Puerto Princesa city centre (approx £10-15)
- →Puerto Princesa Baywalk
- →Cathedral visit
- →Confirm Underground River permit for tomorrow
Puerto Princesa Underground River day trip
Sabang / Puerto Princesa
Join the standard shared Underground River day tour (Klook/GetYourGuide ~£28-40, or DIY: van/bus to Sabang ~£4 each way, plus permit and paddle-boat fees ~£12-15). You'll ride a paddle boat through the limestone cave system with a local boatman-narrator, seeing the cathedral-like chambers and swiftlet colonies. Lunch is usually a buffet at a Sabang restaurant (included on most tours, or ~£5 DIY). Optional add-on: Sabang mangrove paddle-boat tour (~£5) or the zipline across the bay. Back in Puerto Princesa by late afternoon — early night before the El Nido journey.
🚌Shared van Puerto Princesa–Sabang ~£4 each way (or included in tour)
🛏Budget guesthouse/hostel, Puerto Princesa city centre (approx £10-15)
- →Puerto Princesa Underground River paddle-boat cave tour
- →Sabang mangrove paddle boat (optional)
- →Sabang beach time
Puerto Princesa → El Nido
El Nido
Take a shared van (UV Express) from Puerto Princesa to El Nido — 5-6 hrs on a good road, ~£10-13 per seat; book through your guesthouse or at the transport terminal the night before. Opt for an early departure so you arrive by early afternoon. In El Nido, check into a hostel or guesthouse in El Nido town proper (walking distance to the beach and Artcafe area) and sort your Tour A booking at the beachfront kiosks for tomorrow. Late afternoon: walk to Las Cabanas Beach for sunset, or take a tricycle to Corong-Corong. Dinner of fresh grilled fish and mango shake ~£5.
🚌Shared van Puerto Princesa–El Nido ~£10-13
🛏Hostel/guesthouse, El Nido town proper (approx £12-20)
- →Las Cabanas Beach sunset
- →El Nido town evening stroll
- →Book Tour A at the beachfront
El Nido Tour A — Big Lagoon, Secret Lagoon, Shimizu Island
El Nido
Do El Nido's classic Tour A on a shared bangka (outrigger) — bookable at the beachfront for ~£22-30 with lunch, or via Klook/GetYourGuide. Route typically covers the Small Lagoon, the famous Big Lagoon (kayak rental ~£8-10 extra, worth it), Secret Lagoon, Shimizu Island snorkelling and Seven Commandos Beach, with a beach picnic lunch under the coconuts. Bring reef-safe sunscreen, a dry bag and cash for the Eco-Tourism Development Fee (~£4, valid 10 days — keep the ticket). Back in town by 4-5pm for a beer on the beach.
🚌Walk to the beach; boat tour from El Nido town beach
🛏Hostel/guesthouse, El Nido town proper (approx £12-20)
- →El Nido Tour A island hopping
- →Kayaking in Big Lagoon
- →Secret Lagoon
- →Snorkelling at Shimizu Island
- →Seven Commandos Beach
El Nido free day — beaches, viewpoints or Tour C
El Nido
A full free day. Options: hike to Taraw Cliff (guided scramble, ~£12-15 — do not attempt unguided) for the best view in Palawan; take a tricycle to Nacpan Beach (~£4 each way) for four kilometres of empty sand and beach-shack food; or add El Nido Tour C (Hidden Beach, Matinloc Shrine, Helicopter Island, ~£25-32). Cheapest option: rent a scooter (~£7-8/day) and explore Corong-Corong, Marimegmeg and Lio Beach on your own. Book your flight out tonight and confirm tomorrow's airport transfer — El Nido Lio Airport is 20-30 min from town by tricycle/van (~£2-4).
🚌Scooter rental ~£8/day or tricycle to Nacpan ~£4 each way
🛏Hostel/guesthouse, El Nido town proper (approx £12-20)
- →Nacpan Beach day trip
- →Optional Taraw Cliff sunset hike
- →Optional El Nido Tour C
- →Lio Beach and Corong-Corong by scooter
Fly El Nido → Manila
El Nido → Manila
Morning flight from El Nido Lio Airport (AirSwift, ~£55-90 one way — no budget carrier on this route, so book early) or the cheaper alternative: shared van back to Puerto Princesa (~£10-13) and a cheaper flight from there (~£30-45), which requires starting the day much earlier. Fly into Manila, transfer to the international terminal by Grab (~£4-7) and either connect home or spend a night in a Makati/Ermita hostel (~£12-18) if your international flight is next day.
🚌Tricycle/van to Lio Airport ~£3; flight El Nido–Manila ~£55-90 (or van to Puerto Princesa + flight ~£45-58)
🛏None included (or Manila hostel ~£12-18 if you stay the night)
- →Fly out to Manila
- →Optional Manila layover: Intramuros walk if time allows
Self-launched vs. H and H Holidays Travel and Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | H and H Holidays Travel and Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£700 | £1,655 |
| Duration | 10 days | 10 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £955 per person (58%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more H and H Holidays Travel and Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£700
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 10 Days Across the Philippines — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £700 per person for 10 days in Philippines (Boracay, Cebu, Palawan). 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 H and H Holidays Travel and Tours?+
Yes — H and H Holidays Travel and Tours charges around £1,655 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £700 — a saving of roughly £955 (58%) per person.
How long is the Philippines (Boracay, Cebu, Palawan) trip?+
This itinerary runs 10 days, covering 10 day-by-day stops through Philippines (Boracay, Cebu, Palawan).
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 backpacker, beaches, adventure trip through Philippines (Boracay, Cebu, Palawan), 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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