Day 1-4: North Philippines

You can book an internal flight and fly from Manilla to Cauayan to visit the north. I would definitely recommend it as the landscape is so beautiful and it’s a completely different experience in the mountains compared to the paradise islands in the south. The north isn’t as touristy and is a lot cheaper (A beer was around 50p!) Accommodation was also very affordable and it’s easy enough to book a private driver to get you around the local area. Here’s what I would recommend to see;

• Visit Hapao Rice Terrace & hot springs
• Visit Batad & Mayoyao Rice Terraces – The views are incredible and the terraces are more than 2,000 years old (a UNESCO world heritage site too)
• Hike around Sagada and visit the hanging coffins
• Visit Sagada Cellar Door microbrewery in the mountains – Enjoy a cold craft beer after a day of exploring

Stay

• Banaue Hotel, Banaue
• Japi Hotel, Cayayan

Day 4-6: Nacpan Beach, Palawan

Nacpan Beach is a long 4km stretch of sand lined with palm trees and there’s a viewpoint at the far left end of the beach. It has a laid back, backpacker vibe with a few local hostels and bars for evening entertainment. You can get a cheap tuk tuk ride from the local airport to the beach which takes around 30 mins.

We stayed at this amazing glamping resort called Nacpan Beach Glamping

Day 6-10: El Nido, Palawan

I really fell in love with El Nido! It’s a small beach town in Palawan, filled with sunset bars, tons of great restaurants and surrounded by hundreds of idyllic tiny islands. It’s the gateway to discovering the turquoise lagoons and pristine palm tree beaches that encompass the bay. It has a mixture of high end hotels and budget hostels so there’s something to suit all travellers. The town is famous for island hopping and there are 4 main tours to choose from; A, B, C and D which take you to all the best spots. 

Best places to visit:

• Kayak around the Big Lagoon and Small Lagoon
• Day trip to Snake Island
• Island hopping; There are so many local boat tours in El Nido town that all offer the same standard tours. You can book private or group tours and they all include lunch, shop around to get the best price. If you want to beat the crowds then book a private tour and ask to leave early
• Canopy walk for amazing views of the bay
• Take a tuk tuk to to Las Cabanas beach for a zipline, sunset and cocktails
• Sava beach bar for happy hour 
• The Nesting Table for lunch with a view

Stay:

• El Nido Cuna Hotel

Day 10-12: Coron, Palawan

You can fly from El Nido to Coron which takes about 40 minutes. This is the quickest way to get there but the ferry is also a cheaper option and takes around 3-4 hours. We stayed at The Two Season Coron Bayside in Coron Town on the island of Busuanga. It had the most amazing breakfast buffet and great happy hour cocktails with beautiful sunset views.

Visit:

• Maquinit Hot Springs – It’s a great way to wind-down and relax in the warm hot springs after a day of island hopping.
• Hike Mt.Tapyas – Go here just before sunset and take in the beautiful views of coron town and coron island. 
• Island hopping around Coron Island 
• Swim in the freshwater lakes
• Book a castaway day trip with Red Carabao Coron

Day 13-14: Manilla

There isn’t a great deal to see in Manilla so I wouldn’t recommend spending too much time here. We spent a night there before our flight home and stayed at the City Garden Grand hotel. It’s quite a cosmopolitan city with lots of shopping malls, modern restaurants and a vibrant nightlife.