I recently went on a very cheap holiday to the Philippines and it was up there with one of the best trips I’ve ever been on.
Had you asked me 3 weeks ago what comes to mind when someone mentions the Philippines, I would have said corruption, shady characters, assassinations and lots of ladyboys.
And of course, incredible aqua blue waters – which, by the way, was the purpose of our trip.
I figured diving the dozens of spots around Sabang and wading the waters of Boracay was worth the risk of being pick-pocketed, jailed, shot point-blank or felt up by a transgender at 2am.
But now, sitting here in Manila International Airport, awaiting my journey home after 11 days exploring, I feel embarrassed that I had such a media-brainwashed view of this beautiful country a mere 3 weeks earlier.
In fact, I didn’t witness one single assassination (attempted or successful) and there were no known attempts by any strangers to extract contents from my pockets.
I’m told that this improvement in Filipino culture is a result of a recent change in leadership, focused on making the Philippines safer and wiping out corruption.
Apparently it’s working quite well.
I was right about the ladyboys though; albeit severely underestimating the high ratio of this friendly nocturnal fraternity and their eagerness to “make love” (among other things).
It seems that my pleasant and sincere “hello” suggested to them that intimate relations should follow.
I quickly learnt how the system works, but thankfully not the hard way (pun not intended).
Aside from that, all in all, the very large majority of Filipinos will go above and beyond to assist travellers to ensure you enjoy your experience. Hotel staff, airport personnel, transport providers and the man walking down the street will do whatever they can to help. We were treated very well and we were two guys travelling. If you are travelling with family, you are likely to be treated even better. Filipinos are very family orientated. In saying that, understand that the man on the street will usually expect compensation for pointing you in the right direction.
REWIND…….
So, how did I get to the Philippines? And why was I there without my family?
My best mate and his beautiful girlfriend live and work all over the world as Digital Nomads (FulltimeNomad.com).They’ve been doing this for more than 3 years. The things you can do without kids, hey?!
When he first set off years ago, I assured him that I would come and visit him at some stage. It had been 4 years since I had been overseas, which is painfully long for someone that loves to travel.
So, around 18 months ago I began putting aside $40 each week.
Anyway, now that our boys are somewhat manageable 3 and 1 year olds, my amazing wife agreed to let me travel overseas for a dive trip. I have promised to be indebted to her for the remainder of the year.
The best part was that all I needed to save was a mere $40 each week to accumulate $3,000 and have one of the greatest trips of my life. And it can easily be done cheaper than I did it.
Check out below what I got up to each day in the Philippines and how little my total vacation trip cost.
DAY 1
I flew out of Australia on an overnight plane to Kuala Lumpur, where I had a 5 hour stopover before flying on to Kalibo Airport, Philippines.
| Item | Cost (AUD$) |
| Air Asia Airfare | $654 |
Tip: Air Asia is a low-fare discount airline to the Philippines. Pay the $30 extra for a ‘hot seat’ providing extra leg room. It’s worth every cent.
Highlight: Landing at each place safely
DAY 2
At 4pm I arrived in Kalibo Airport, Philippines and was met by hundreds of people who wanted to drive me to the Caticlan Jetty. How convenient, that’s exactly where I needed to go to meet my friend!
We then caught a ferry across to Boracay.
Hotel Pool, Boracay
Dusk, Boracay
| Item |
Cost (AUD$) |
| 2hr Shared Van to Caticlan Port |
$4 |
| 15min Ferry Across to Boracay |
$7 |
| Shared Motorbike to Hotel |
$3 |
| Check into Hotel (Accom and Breakfast 3 Nights) |
$255 |
| Dinner |
$5 |
| Mandatory 1st Night Drinking Into the Early Hours |
$36 |
Tip: Try to share travel as much as possible. It’s significantly cheaper than riding a taxi or private car and can be safer sticking with other travellers.
Highlight: The drive from Kalibo Airport to Caticlan Port was awesome, seeing all of the small villages along the way and children EVERYWHERE! They sure know how to breed in the Philippines.
DAY 3
Whoaaa…. slept in until about 10am. Much needed after so much travelling (and a little drinking!). Waking up to the site of Boracay Beach was the perfect way to begin the holiday.
Me, pretending not to pose, Boracay
Time for a drink? Oh, okay then…
| Item |
Cost (AUD$) |
| Big Lunch |
$4 |
| Beach Swim |
– |
| Coffee |
$3 |
| Relax |
– |
| Dinner |
$5 |
| Mandatory 2nd Night Partying into the Early Hours |
$50 |
Tip: Each bar has different ‘happy hours’. Bar hop at the beginning of your night to save on drinks. After 9pm, it’s pretty much full price ($1.50 per drink) everywhere.
Highlight: Soaking up the sun of Boracay Beach, enjoying a sunset dinner and early evening Caipirinha’s
DAY 4
Today was a chill out day, cruising up and down the beach and swimming.
Red tourist tan, Boracay
| Item |
Cost (AUD) |
| Breakfast |
– |
| Beach |
– |
| Big Lunch |
$5 |
| Beach/Pool |
– |
| Early Dinner |
$5 |
| Final Night of Drinking |
$50 |
Tip: Book a hotel that occupies a section of the beach. Such hotels provide you with deck chairs all day (for comfort and safety of your belongings). They then setup a beach restaurant in the early evening for you to enjoy dinner.
Highlight: Jumping on the back of a motorbike at 1am weaving in and out of traffic en route to a popular beach bar 5 minutes up the road.
DAY 5
Time to leave Boracay. It was fun, but now to move on to the main purpose of the trip – diving the coral oceans of the Philippines. First though, an overnight cruise with 2GoTravel to get us there, with on-board karaoke.
Waiting it out with my mates to see if our boat is cancelled due to an impending typhoon
| Item |
Cost (AUD$) |
| Breakfast |
– |
| Check Out |
– |
| Lunch |
$5 |
| 20min Motorbike to Boracay Jetty |
$6 |
| 15min Ferry to Caticlan Port |
$7 |
| 10hr Overnight Cruise to Batangas Port (including dinner) |
$45 |
Tip: Be sure to book at least a shared bunk room or a single room on the ferry, otherwise you will find yourself in a massive open plan sleeping room on a 3-level bunk with literally hundreds of other people, as this boat is used by everyday Filipinos as a standard mode of travel for work, etc. not just for travellers and tourists.
Highlight: Being told that our overnight Ferry might be cancelled due to a Typhoon expected to hit a section of our route, only to be told 2 hours later that it should be fine and the Typhoon has died off. Okay, so now you expect me to sleep on this thing tonight? Righto!
DAY 6
We arrived safely at Batangas Port and immediately caught a boat to Sabang Beach, Puerto Galera for 3 days of diving.
First sight of Sabang, Puerto Galera – ready to dive
Hotel @ Sabang, Puerto Galera
| Item |
Cost (AUD) |
| Arrive at Batangas Port at 8am |
– |
| 1hr Ferry to Sabang Beach |
$5 |
| Check into Hotel for 3 Nights |
$201 |
| Late Big Breakfast |
$4 |
| 3pm Scuba ‘Refresher Dive and Training’ |
$93 |
| Dinner and a Few Quiet Beers |
$14 |
Tip: If you plan on diving Sabang, Action Diving is highly recommended. Very professional setup, up-to-date equipment and friendly dive masters.
Highlight: Getting used to scuba diving again for the first time in more than 3 years.
DAY 7
Time to get serious. With 2 dives today, it’s time to shine. This is why we came to the Philippines and the spectacular diving didn’t disappoint.
Sh*tting bricks – first dive in 3 years
As always, photos do no justice for the beauty that lies beneath (the coral was nice too)
| Item |
Cost (AUD) |
| Breakfast |
$5 |
| 9am Scuba Dive – 45 mins |
$37 |
| Coffee |
$3 |
| 12pm Scuba Dive – 45 mins |
$37 |
| Massive Lunch |
$6 |
| Chill Out/Town Walk |
– |
| 1hr Massage |
$13 |
| Dinner and a Few Quiet Beers |
$14 |
Tip: Massage staff will stand out the front of the shop to encourage you to come in. If they try to lure you in with a “hi sexy” or “hi baby” (or even sexies or babies – obviously plural given there were two of us), then you can be pretty sure that it’s not going to be your standard massage. But hey, that might be your thing. If you want a more reputable massage shop, look for places where the girls out the front are not trying to seduce you.
Highlight: Two amazing dives within the same day. Scuba diving is so relaxing and quite meditative due to slow, controlled breathing.
DAY 8
The weather isn’t fantastic today, so we thought one dive would be enough. The drizzly afternoon was spent in the main bar playing pool and getting some local knowledge from the expats.
Trademark ‘hand on hip/distant look’ pose – 23 mtrs below
| Item |
Cost (AUD$) |
| Breakfast |
$5 |
| 9 am Scuba Dive – 45 mins |
$37 |
| Lunch |
$5 |
| Afternoon Beers at the Pub and Playing Pool |
$11 |
| Dinner, Beers and Trivia Night |
$11 |
| Night Out At The Main Bar |
$20 |
Tip: Always tip hospitality staff about 10%. Also, don’t see every potential purchase as a chance to barter. Most of the time street merchants will quote a reasonable price and it’s a bit sad if you’re trying to negotiate a $1.30 discount from someone who could do with it more than you. Leave your capitalism at home. I’m not saying to pay top dollar everywhere, but just pay what is reasonable to you. You will find Filipinos to be much less pushy than the merchants in say, Bali or Thailand.
Highlight: A great feed and a somewhat strange, yet enjoyable trivia night with some expats who were very welcoming of us to their regular game.
DAY 9
Today was unbelievable; scooting around the island in nothing but shorts, a singlet and a helmet from Toys “R” Us. The landscape of the Philippines is postcard perfect, even more so outside of the main tourist areas.
Scooting around Puerto Galera
| Item |
Cost (AUD$) |
| Breakfast |
$5 |
| Check Out |
– |
| Souvenirs |
$13 |
| Hire Scooter to Explore the Island for 5 Hours |
$8 |
| Lunch and Coffee |
$7 |
| Motorbike Ride to Next Destination “White Beach” |
$8 |
| Check in For 1 Night Accommodation |
$30 |
| Dinner |
$6 |
| Quiet Night of Beers and Watching Fire Dancing |
$14 |
Tip: When buying souvenirs, try to avoid souvenir shops and instead look for something hand made for your friends and family.
Highlight: Winding in and out of traffic and around the mountains of Puerto Galera and Oriental Mindoro all the way to Tamaraw Falls and Ponderosa Golf Course.
Personalised, hand-made souvenirs for my boys
DAY 10
Our final day before heading home. Up to the big smoke of Manila, a walk through the city and a night out on the town.
Makati, Manila
| Item |
Cost (AUD) |
| Check Out |
– |
| Breakfast |
$3 |
| 2hr Ferry to Batangas Port |
$5 |
| 2hr Bus Trip to Manila |
$5 |
| Short Taxi Ride to Hotel |
$4 |
| Check in for 1 Night Accommodation Incl Breakfast |
$47 |
| Lunch and Coffee |
$8 |
| Walk Around Manilla |
– |
| Game of Pool and Beers at Hotel Bar |
$4 |
| Dinner |
$11 |
| Night Out Drinking “ Last Drinks” |
$83 |
Tip: If you want to travel from Batangas to Manila (a common route if you have been exploring the Philippines and flying out of Manila), be sure to catch an ‘express’ coach. Get on a coach that is as full as possible, because they won’t leave without a minimum amount of people. We paid less than AU$5 for our ticket, compared to a private car or taxi that would have cost AU$55 and not been any faster, plus you get a movie and wifi on the coach.
Highlight: Discovering the bars and nightlife of Manila.
DAY 11
Sad to be leaving, but so excited about seeing the family again. The past 10 days has felt like a month.
A tearful goodbye to a wonderful part of the world
| Item |
Cost (AUD) |
| Check Out |
– |
| Taxi to Airport |
$8 |
| Food/Coffee Waiting for Plane |
$12 |
| Flight Home From Manilla, via Kuala Lumper |
$858 |
Tip: Remember to pack any toiletries above 100ml into your check-in luggage. I forgot about this and had about $40 worth of toiletries thrown away.
Highlight: Walking into the waiting arms of my gorgeous wife and two little soldiers.
SUMMARY OF TOTAL TRIP COST TO PHILIPPINES
| Day |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
11 |
| Airfares |
$654 |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | $858 |
| Accom |
– |
$85 | $85 | $85 | – | $67 | $67 | $67 | $30 | $47 |
– |
| Other Transport |
– |
$14 | – | – | $58 | $5 | – | – | $16 | $14 |
$8 |
| Food |
– |
$5 | $12 | $10 | $5 | $18 | $25 | $10 | $18 | $22 |
$12 |
| Nights Out |
– |
$36 | $50 | $50 | – | – | – | $37 | $14 | $87 |
– |
| Scuba Diving |
– |
– | – | – | – | $93 | $74 | $37 | – | – |
– |
| Misc |
– |
– | – | – | – | – | $13 | – | $13 | – |
– |
|
Total |
$654 | $140 | $147 | $145 | $63 | $183 | $179 | $151 | $91 | $170 |
$878 |
| Category |
Total Cost $ |
Total Cost as Proportion of Trip % |
| Airfares |
$1,512 |
54% |
| Accommodation |
$533 |
19% |
|
Nights Out |
$274 |
10% |
| Scuba Diving |
$204 |
7% |
| Food |
$137 |
5% |
| Other Transport |
$115 |
4% |
| Misc |
$26 |
1% |
| Total |
$2,801 |
100% |
Look at that! Take away airfares and accommodation, I only spent $750!
As you can see, a very affordable trip – especially considering it was smack in the middle of high-season. And, given that airfares accounted for more than half of my total trip cost, you can do it much cheaper if you find airline tickets to the Philippines on sale.
Remember, all I put aside was $40 each week and, before I knew it I had saved enough to explore the Philippines – memories that will last far longer than some of the other crap I used to waste $40 on each week.
It’s not difficult to save for the things you want. It doesn’t take much of an effort, you don’t need credit cards. The key is small consistent savings incorporated into your household budget.
In my opinion, goal-based budgeting far outweighs traditional budgeting methods. At the end of the day, you don’t need to count every penny you spend, all that matters is that you are putting sufficient savings aside for each of your goals – whatever they may be.
Isn’t it about time you began saving towards your ideal holiday? It really doesn’t take much, just a little bit put aside each week will do the trick. Feel free to grab my 6-Step Budget Cheat Sheet to help you get started.
More About The Philippines
Travelling the Philippines is a very cheap and affordable vacation destination. It’s easy to get cheap flights going to Manila, Cebu or Kalibo International airports in the Philippines.
The cost to travel in or around the Philippines is very reasonable, with a main meal available for as low as AU$4 and all you can eat quality seafood buffets for less than AU$15.
I stayed for 11 days and spent AU$750 (excluding airfares and accommodation). Most of this was blown at the bar, plus I went scuba diving, which isn’t cheap. This just goes to show how affordable travelling around the Philippines can be. Whether you stay for 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks or 4 weeks… it doesn’t matter, because the bulk of your costs will be in your flights over there and the level of accommodation that you are comfortable with (and high/low season).
What is the currency in the Philippines?
The Philippine Peso is the national currency. At time of writing, 1 Australian dollar is equal to 36 Philippine Pesos. Click here for the latest exchange rates.
Where to go in Philippines for vacation?
There are so many places to choose from throughout the Philippines, as it consists of more than 7,000 islands. I only visited 3 destinations, so my experience was very limited. And, as with anywhere in the world, it depends on what you are looking for.
If you’re looking for a family vacation, a trip with friends, or even a romantic getaway, then it’s hard to go past Boracay. Boracay really does cater for everyone’s needs. It’s a safe environment, with a beautiful white beach, crystal clear waters, snorkeling, plenty of dining and a wide range of accommodation options.
After some diving? Well, Sabang Beach in Purto Galera was a great experience. Don’t expect sandy beaches and fancy hotels though. This place resembles more of a small fishing village. However, there are plenty of secluded, picturesque beaches less than a 10 minute drive away. I hear that Palawan is incredible fro diving too, although will require a bit more travel.
We also stayed in Makati. Makati is the financial hub of Manila’s CBD, but is also known for its culture and entertainment. This was a perfect place for us, as we were only there for one night and it was close enough to the airport, plus had many bars and restaurants to choose from.
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