Philippines highlights

Arrival in airport, pick up and transfer to hotel. Time free and walking around. Overnight in Manila. 

Morning pick up at 09am , you'll visit the charms of old Manila. Start at Luneta (Rizal Park), where you'll see the monuments for nine national heroes. Rizal Park is a vast complex often named one of the best parks in Asia. Your guide will tell you about its founding and the history of the monuments within. Continue to the walled city of Intramuros, the oldest district and historic core of Manila. Note the Spanish colonial buildings as you walk through the walled city. Next, visit Fort Santiago, a citadel first built by Spanish conquistador Miguel López de Legazpi, then continue to the Manila Cathedral. And visit Rizal Park and Fort Santiago. You might want to bring a hat or cap, sunglasses, and a cooling neck wrap. Lunch in local restaurant. After lunch, take a rolling tour of Bangko Sentral, the Cultural Center, Convention Center, and Coconut Palace. You will also visit the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, which is the largest American Memorial in Asia Pacific. Transfer back to hotel. Overnight in Manila .

Morning pick up at 08am and drive around 2.5 hours south to the old town of Pagsanjan. Upon arrival, you board a dugout canoe for the trip to the falls. As your boatman rows you the 20 minute journey upstream to the first fall the stunning lush greenery and towering cliffs unfold before you. At the second, main fall (another 25 minutes rowing, not reachable at high water), the water comes from 70 ft above. A bamboo raft will take you underneath this waterfall. An awesome experience . Your trip back downstream is an exciting experience as you “shoot the rapids”!! Your boatman will skilfully manoeuvre the boat between the rocks & boulders until you reach the calm waters of Pagsanjan. Time to change into dry clothes and enjoy your lunch. After relaxing we drive to Manila for second night.

An early 06:00 start for the long drive to Banaue. Banaue is part of The Cordilleras, a mountainous area in Northern Luzon, up to 2900 meters encompassing numerous remote provinces. On the way we pass small towns in Nueva Ecija & Nueva Vizcaja before stopping for lunch in a local restaurant.  Depending on traffic we arrive at Banaue (approximately 16:00 depending on traffic) where you will stay for two nights. 

Morning we have an early breakfast and then depart for Batad, it is approximately 16 kms away, the first 14 kms of which will be traveled by our privately chartered local jeepney. The rest of the distance is on foot using a mountain trail. The trip to Barangay Batad in Banaue, to witness the amphitheater shaped terraces located at 3600 ft., takes only a 30 minutes hike. After lunch, we stop at the panoramic Banaue viewpoint at 4800 Ft. that provides a perfect experience of the enormity & extent of the terraces followed by a visit to the Banaue Museum. Banaue Museum features decades-old books by anthropologist Otley Beyer and Igorot artefacts collected by his son William. The museum is on two floors featuring weaponry, jewellery, traditional dress and photographs of Banaue 100 years ago. Visit the market and local shops which have colourful weavings and beautiful carved woodwork for sale.  Overnight in Banaue

We leave at 08:00 after breakfast for the drive to Manila, stopping for lunch en route and arriving in Manila by around 16:00 to 17:00, depending on weather and traffic conditions. Time free and overnight in Manila

Morning transfer to airport for flight to Caticlan , the gateway to Boracay island in The Visayas island group. On arrival in Caticlan airport, pick up and transfer by boat for the 15 minute boat ride to the famous 7 km long stretch of White Sand Beach. You will then be escorted to hotel where you will stay for two nights

Relax on the beach with a good book and a cold drink !! Alternatively, Boracay offers many activities such as scuba diving , sailing, surfing, boat rides etc. Overnight in Boracay. 

Morning after breakfast we pick you up in the morning from your hotel for the short journey to Caticlan Airport. Boat and land transfers will be already arranged for your convenience. After your short flight from Caticlan to Cebu you will be greeted on arrival at Cebu Airport and brought to your hotel. Our English speaking tour guide will meet you at 13:00 for a half day excursion. We visit centuries old churches and colourful markets, impressive church facades, and religious shrines. The final stop today is Carcar Town, alive in a blend of Spanish architecture seen in ancestral homes and local artistry in crafts such as shoe making, basket weaving and local delicacy cooking. Experience authentic village life in a water buffalo ride and a tricycle ride to the market and drink some fresh coconut wine before being brought back to your hotel for overnight stay. Overnight in Cebu

After breakfast we leave for the pier for an 1 hour and 45 mins fast ferry ride to Bohol island. On arrival into Bohol island’s capital Tagbilaran you will be met and escorted to Panglao Island. It is here where you spend a relaxing day on the beach. Overnight in Panglao Island
 

Today we will take full day of countryside sightseeing, the first stop, the Blood Compact Site, a historical site depicting the friendship of two nations represented by Datu Sikatuna (Philippines) and Legazpi (Spain) where both made a cut on their left arm with a dagger and poured their blood into a cup filled with wine, which they both drank in honor of their friendship. Not far from the site is the historical Baclayon Church, one of the oldest churches in the country and the first seat of Christian settlement in Bohol. Just beside it is the Baclayon museum where relics and old artifacts are on display. For the brave hearts, you will get to visit the Bohol Python and see how they are being taken cared of. Also be entertained there by Marimar, the ultimate performer. Pay a visit to the Bohol Tarsier, the smallest living primate, as they are being kept and cared for at a local sanctuary. Take a deep breath and enjoy a relaxing view cruising in an hour boat ride while having lunch on Loboc River. This is one activity one shouldn't miss while in Bohol. You will be served sumptuous Filipino cuisine cooked and served the Boholanos way. Be sure to fill an empty stomach as you are just halfway through the tour. You can also see the man made forest as you pass by the border of Loboc and in the town of Billar, its a 2 km. stretch of Mahogany trees densely covering the skyline. As you travel up the road, you will reach the famous Chocolate Hills, there are about 1,260 hills scattered in the towns of Carmen, Sagbayan and Batuan but they are mostly seen in Carmen. Enjoy the majestic scenery at its viewing deck and understand the tales of how they were formed. Lastly, we stop at the Hanging Bridge, where you can buy souvenirs and see where the famous Buko King lived. At the end of afternoon transfer back to hotel. Overnight in Panglao Island

After breakfast, exact time depending on your flight departure time,  we transfer back to Tagbilaran airport for your short flight to Manila airport.