Highlights of the Philippines

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4.9 . Excellent
98%
Travel Style: Array Full on
Physical Level: Walking or physical activity half to most of day - no carrying equipment. Easy
Lodging Level: Mid-range budget with accommodations ranging from comfortable lodges, guesthouses, and homestays to three star hotels. Value (3*)
16 days
From: $ 5,328 $ 333 / day
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Overview

Short Description

Culturally and geographically removed from the rest of Southeast Asia, this green archipelago is best known for its pristine beaches. But, moving inland, there are many other places to visit on your holiday in the Philippines, as our specialists have discovered from their exploratory trips there.

With more than 7,000 islands, it can be hard to decide what to see in the Philippines. You might take a few days in Manila to explore the capital’s heady mix of Asian, Spanish and Middle Eastern cultures. Continue south and you can visit the rumbling slopes of Taal Volcano or the emerald crater lakes of Luzon, while in the north you can discover the vast and ancient rice terraces of Banaue. And, reserving the end of your trip for the Philippines’ telltale white sands, you can enjoy world-class diving through the World War II wrecks off Coron or the bright corals of Malapascua.

Style Private guided tour
See all the highlights and popular spots on a classic tour.
Itinerary Focus Classic Highlights
Mid-range budget with accommodations ranging from comfortable lodges, guesthouses, and homestays to three star hotels.
Lodging Level Value (3*)
Flight & Transport Inclusions All internal ground transport
Start City Manila
End City Manila

Destinations

Philippines

Attractions & Cities Visited

Banaue Manila

Activities & Interests

Adventure & Adrenaline Nature Trekking

N/A
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Itinerary

Day 1 : International outbound flight

Today you begin your journey by boarding your international outbound flight to Manila.

Day 2 : Manila

Upon arrival in Manila you will be greeted by an Audley representative and taken to your hotel.Depending on what time your flight arrives you may wish to do some exploring or simply just have some time to relax after your long journey.

Day 3 : Banaue

This morning you will be collected from your hotel and taken to the airport in time for your flight to Cauayan in the eastern province of Isabella.Upon arrival in Cauayan you will be met by your guide and transferred north to the Ifugao town of Banaue. The area is home to no less than five World Heritage Sites, all of which are spectacular rice terraces dating back over 2,000 years.This evening is free to relax or explore at your own leisure.

Day 4 : Banaue

Today you will explore the stunning rice terrace amphitheatre at Batad before trekking down into the beautiful village of Bangaan.

Day 5 : Banaue

Stray off the beaten track today and visit the hidden terraces of Mayoyao. Not many travellers venture this far and you will be greatly rewarded with towering peaks, small farming communities and nice trekking opportunities.

Day 6 : Manila

This morning you will be collected from your hotel and taken back to Cauayan in time for your flight to Manila.Upon arrival in Manila you will be met by your guide and taken to your hotel. On route you will make a stop in the Binondo district, home to some of the city's most interesting and exciting cuisine. Here you will embark on a short food tour of the area before checking in to your hotel.The rest of the evening is free to relax or explore at your own leisure.

Day 7 : Manila

After breakfast you will enjoy a guided tour around Intramuros, a historic walled city in the heart of Manila. The area is quite well preserved with cobbled streets, colonial buildings and an old fort.The afternoon is free to relax or explore at your own leisure.

Day 8 : Tagaytay

This morning you will journey south from Manila to Tagaytay and the nearby heritage town of Taal. Tagaytay is quite well developed and beautifully situated with wonderful views over Lake Taal and the Volcano. Taal Heritage town is located around 45 minutes away close to the lake's edge and has a vast collection of well preserved colonial buildings. Before lunch you will enjoy a guided tour of the area before having the afternoon at leisure.

Day 9 : Bohol

After breakfast you will journey back to Manila in plenty of time for your flight to Bohol. Upon arrival in Bohol you will be met by your local guide and taken to your beachside hotel.The rest of the day is free to relax or explore at your own leisure.This evening you may want to dine out at Tarsier Paprika, one of the island's best restaurants.

Day 10 : Bohol

Today you will enjoy a full day tour of the island taking in some of the major highlights including the Chocolate Hills, bee farm and tarsier sanctuary. The sanctuary was set up by the 'the tarsier man' and is a wonderful project which allows visitors to see the small primates in a protected environment. If you are feeling active you can accompany the owner on a short trek into the forest where you may be lucky enough to spot the resident animals in the wild.

Day 11 : Bohol

You will have the full day free to relax or explore at your own leisure.There are plenty of world class snorkelling and diving opportunities nearby.

Day 12 : Cebu

This morning you will be collected from your hotel and taken to the nearby ferry terminal for your boat ride across to Cebu.Upon arrival in Cebu you will be met by your local guide and taken to your hotel.The evening is free to relax or explore at your own leisure.

Day 13 : El Nido

Today you will be transferred to the airport in plenty of time for your flight to El Nido. Upon arrival in El Nido you will be met by a resort representative and taken to your hotel on Miniloc Island.Approaching the island by boat you will get your first glimpse of the ruggedly beautiful limestone karst jutting out of the water, white sand beaches and secluded turquoise coves.You will have the rest of the day free to relax or explore at your own leisure.

Day 14 : El Nido

Full day free to relax or explore at your own leisure. El Nido is home to some amazing marine life with numerous snorkelling and diving opportunities nearby.Watch the sunset from the comfort of the beachside bar or restaurant.

Day 15 : El Nido

Another full day free to explore the natural wonders around El Nido. You may wish to take a boat trip and do some island hopping. An afternoon swim is also recommended. Enjoy some of the island's fresh seafood for dinner this evening.

Day 16 : International return flight

Bid farewell to El Nido and the Philippines today as you transfer back to the airport in time for your flight home. Your return flight will arrive the same day.

Availability

Checking price
Price From $ 5,328
Price Per Day: $ 333 per day

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3,377 Audley Travel Travel Reviews & Ratings

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Highlights of the Philippines

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We've just booked our honeymoon with…

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We've just booked our honeymoon with Audley. Emily was brilliant at listening to the kind of trip we would like, answered all our questions by drawing on her in-depth knowledge and personal experience, and has put together the perfect itinerary for us. We're so excited! Also, a shout-out to concierge specialist Sofya Jasmine who took our initial query, helped us hone our options and connected us with Emily.
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Thailand tour organised by Suzi

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We have just returned from an amazing holiday in Thailand. Suzi,one of the Thailand specialists ,put the holiday together for us and did a fantastic job. After really asking about our expectations and previous holidays , she put together a bespoke holiday full of activities,tours and plenty of time for relaxation too! The holiday itinerary pack was so useful.I cannot recommend this company highly enough.
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Barbados with wonderful Audley Travel

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We recently visited Barbados through Audley Travel. We have used this company many times visiting South Africa, Mauritius and Borneo to mention a few. We have always felt they are a safe and gentle pair of hands when visiting more exotic destinations. We have never had a problem, all the arrangements and transfers etc were always professionally done and exceptionally smooth. However, through NO FAULT on Audleys behalf, the hotel we had chosen, The Tamarind was awful, filthy with damaged flooring, and not of the standard we have become accustomed to. We had asked for an alternative room, but the one we were offered was inappropriate due to my mobility issues, which they were well aware of. As usual we received an email from Isabelle at Audley, kindly checking that we were happy with our room allocation. I explained the situation and sent her pictures. She was appalled, and this is why we would never, ever contemplate going anywhere without the confidence of have Audley behind us. Amazingly, within 3 hours we were expertly whisked away to our new boutique hotel, the Little Good Harbour (Isabelle's favourite) We had an amazing time, and we are just relieved we took the leap of faith with Isabelle's suggestion. Audley (and Isabelle) are amazing, they not only offer tailor made, bespoke holidays, but have endless patience when arranging travel options, but what is priceless, you have the insurance behind you to know that if anything does go wrong, despite not being their fault, they are like a fairy godmother and will work their magic and place you back in paradise. I cannot thank Isabelle enough, she is an asset to Audley Travel and an amazing representative protecting their reputation as being 'top of the game'. We are looking forward to our next holiday with them to South Africa on safari and then onto Mauritius.
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Sarah was so great and really…

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Sarah was so great and really understood what was important to us about our trip. She was helpful, upbeat and endlessly patient. What great customer service...felt like I'd made a friend and that nothing was too much trouble.
Thank you Sarah...what a star! You made this process easy from beginning to end :)
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So much more than a travel agent

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Where do I start. Twice we have booked with Audley and twice we have reason to thank our lucky stars that we did. The first was a safari trip that had to be cancelled because of Covid. We were offered or money back with no quibbles.
The second and more recent time was on a trip to Vietnam organised by their Indochina expert Ross Cleary.
We were on the final day of a 19 day trip to Vietnam and Cambodia which given the quality the hotels and excursions arranged by Ross was shaping up to be the best holiday we had ever taken.
Unfortunately my wife developed breathing difficulties and I had to take her to hospital. The hospital decided to admit her and we were left very frightened and wondering what to do about our flights which were due to leave in 4 hours time. There is a 7 hour time difference between U.K. and Vietnam so it was the middle of the night in the U.K. However, one phone call to the Audley duty manager had me connected to him via "whatsapp" so that he could update me real time on the situation without the £7 per minute phone charges. The flights were postponed, I was put up in the closest hotel to the hospital and Audley took care of all the minutiae so that I could concentrate on my wife who was diagnosed with pneumonia.
Upon being discharged my wife was told she could not travel immediately. We spent a total of 8 days in a hotel arranged by Audleys local partners Vidotours. A fantastic hotel at a very reasonable price. The hotel bill was covered until I got home and the flights were re-instated for a tiny admin fee.
We don't always use a travel company to book our holidays, but visiting out of the way places where local knowledge and support can be invaluable I would thoroughly recommend Audley.
These guys are so much more than a travel agent.
No prizes for guessing that I will be using them on my next big excursion. Thank you. Pete
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We were quoted an extortionate price…

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We were quoted an extortionate price for a holiday to Ecuador and the Galapagos, which we ended up booking ourselves like for like (if not for better rooms etc.) spending about £10k less than quoted by Audley. When challenged about the initial quote, the agent came up with all the “added value” they claimed to provide, when it had come across clearly to us that the agent knew less about the country than us after having read the Lonely Planet the week end before. In fact it felt like we were giving the agent information about the country/ option rather than the agent advising us. i.e. we were shown a cruise advertised as being suitable for retirees, when in fact we said we were a young couple on their honeymoon.

It might be different for other countries, as we have friends who have been happy with Audley’s service to the US, but we found it completely overpriced but more importantly unjustifiably so as we couldn’t see any added value.
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Details

Flight & Transport Inclusions

All internal ground transport

Group Size

Intimate Group - 12 max

Trip ID#:

audley-travel-39953

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