Best of the Philippines

Introduction

The Philippines offers a bit of everything, from forests to seaside villages and pristine beaches. This 10-day adventure takes you from lush jungles to idyllic islands. Spend a day with a local Indigenous community, exploring their land and sharing a meal. Sample bold flavors in Manila's Chinatown, then let Palawan dazzle you with the Underground River and El Nido's turquoise waters. This is the Philippines trip you've been dreaming of. Ready to dive in?

• Set off on a Manila Street Food & Jeepney Tour
• Mount Purro Nature Reserve Experience
• Venture into the mangroves to see the night sky illuminate full of fireflies from Puerto Princesa
• Spend the day island-hopping and snorkelling from El Nido

Duration: 10 days

Start/Finish City: Manila to El Nido

Service Level: Standard

Comfortable tourist-class accommodations with character; mix of public and private transport.

Physical Grading: 2 - Light

Light walking and hiking suitable for most fitness levels. Nothing too challenging.

Travel Style: Classic

All of the highlights, culture, access, and I-can’t-believe-we-did-that moments, all at a great price.

Trip Type: Small Group

Small group experience; Max 16, avg 14

What's Included

Your G for Good Moment: Mount Purro Nature Reserve, Mount Purro
Your G for Good Moment: Sibaltan Heritage Community, El Nido
Your Welcome Moment: Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group. Intramuros walking tour. Manila Street Food & Jeepney Tour. Mount Purro Nature Reserve G for Good Experience. Iwahig Firefly Excursion. Puerto Princesa Subterranean River tour. Full day Port Barton Island Hopping tour. Sibaltan Indigenous community experience. Full day El Nido Snorkeling tour. All transport to and from included activities.

What are the main highlights of this trip?

Set off on a Manila Street Food & Jeepney Tour, Mount Purro Nature Reserve Experience, Venture into the mangroves to see the night sky illuminate full of fireflies from Puerto Princesa, Spend the day island-hopping and snorkelling from El Nido

Group Leader Description

All G Adventures group trips are accompanied by one of our Chief Experience Officers (CEO). The aim of the CEO is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. They will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the countries visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. We also use local guides where we think more specific knowledge will add to the enjoyment of the places we are visiting- we think it's the best of both worlds.

How large will the group be?

Max 16, avg 14

Meals Included

9 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 1 dinner

Transport

Walking, jeepney, private vehicle, plane, boat.

Accommodation

Hotel (9nts).

Rooming and "My Own Room" Exceptions

Please note that if you have booked the "My Own Room" option for this tour, you will receive your own single accommodation for all night stops, with the following exceptions: Nights 5 & 6

Joining Instructions

For details of your joining hotel please refer to your tour voucher, G Account, the G Adventures App or contact your travel agent.

If you would like to book an airport Arrival transfer for your tour, please contact our Sales Team or your Travel Agent in advance of travel.
If you have pre-booked an airport transfer please meet the airport representative at the meeting point stated below. Look for G Adventures sign with your name.
Terminal 1 - Bay 5-6
Terminal 2 - Bay 8-9
Terminal 3 - Bay 9

If you have paid in advance for an arrival transfer, a G Adventures representative will be at the airport to meet you. If for any reason you are not met at the airport, please call our local support line. If you are unable to make contact for whatever reason, please make your way to the joining point hotel via taxi.

Please note that day 1 is an arrival day and no activities have been planned on this day.

Upon arrival to your Joining Hotel (note that check-in time will be in the afternoon), look for a note or bulletin board in the reception with a note from your CEO. This note will give the details of your Welcome Meeting on day 1 (usually between 5pm and 7pm), where you will get a chance to meet your CEO and other travellers, as well as learn more about how the tour will run. If you don’t see a note, please ask reception for details!

If you are arriving later and will miss the Welcome Meeting, your CEO will leave a note at reception for you with any information you may need, and with morning instructions for the next day.

Emergency Contact

Should you need to contact us during a situation of dire need, it is best to first call either the G Adventures Local Representative (if one is listed below) or our G Adventures Local Office. If for any reason you do not receive an immediate answer, please leave a detailed message and contact information, so they may return your call and assist you as soon as possible.

AIRPORT TRANSFER
If you have purchased an arrival through G Adventures or if an arrival transfer is included in the cost of your tour, please note that:

Your arrival transfer has been arranged based on flight information provided to us. If you are advised of a flight schedule change or flight cancellation within 48 hours of your scheduled arrival time, please call the emergency contact number to advise of your new arrival flight information. If you do not, we will not be able to rearrange your arrival transfer and you will need to make your own way to the starting hotel at your own expense. If your arrival transfer does not arrive within 30 minutes after you have exited the arrivals area please take a taxi to your start point hotel.

If you have pre-booked an airport transfer please meet the airport representative at the meeting point stated below. Look for G Adventures sign with your name.
Terminal 1 - Bay 5-6
Terminal 2 - Bay 8-9
Terminal 3 - Bay 9

If you have any transfer complications on arrival in Manila, please call on the number below:
G Adventures Transfer provider directly at +639178458109, +639171778109 or +639194365184
G Adventures Bangkok office: +66 92 338 9222.

EMERGENCY CONTACT NUMBERS
G Adventures Regional Office
From outside Thailand +66 (0) 92 338 9222
From within Thailand (0) 92 338 9222

If you are unable for any reason to contact our local office, please call the numbers listed below which will connect you directly with our Sales team who will happily assist you. Hours of operation by region can be found here.

Toll-free, North America only: 1 888 800 4100
Calls from UK: 0344 272 0000
Calls from Germany: 0800 365 1000
Calls from Australia: 1 300 796 618
Calls from New Zealand: 0800 333 307
Outside North America, Australia, New Zealand, Germany and the UK: +1 416 260 0999

Finishing Point Instructions

If you would like to book an airport Departure transfer for your tour, please contact our Sales Team or your Travel Agent in advance of travel.

Packing List

Documents:
• Flight info (required) (Printouts of e-tickets may be required at the border)
• Insurance info (required) (With photocopies)
• Passport (required) (With photocopies)
• Vouchers and pre-departure information (required)
• Visas or vaccination certificates (With photocopies)

Essentials:
• Toiletries (required) (Shampoo, bodywash, soap, etc.)
• Binoculars (optional)
• Camera (With extra memory cards and batteries)
• Cash, credit and debit cards
• Day pack (Used for daily excursions or short overnights)
• Ear plugs
• First-aid kit (should contain lip balm with sunscreen, sunscreen, whistle, Aspirin, Ibuprofen, bandaids/plasters, tape, anti-histamines, antibacterial gel/wipes, antiseptic cream, Imodium or similar tablets for mild cases of diarrhea, rehydration powder, water purification tablets or drops, insect repellent, sewing kit, extra prescription drugs you may be taking)
• Flashlight/torch (Headlamps are ideal)
• Fleece top/sweater
• Footwear
• Hat
• Locks for bags
• Long pants/jeans
• Moneybelt
• Outlet adapter
• Personal entertainment (Reading and writing materials, cards, music player, etc.)
• Reusable water bottle
• Shirts/t-shirts
• Sleepwear
• Small travel towel
• Sunglasses
• Swimwear
• Watch and alarm clock
• Waterproof backpack cover
• Windproof rain jacket

Health & Safety:
• Hand sanitizer (required)
• Face masks (Clients will be only be required to wear a face mask where it is mandated by local regulations.)
• Pen (Please bring your own pen for filling out documents.)

Warm Weather:
• Sandals/flip-flops
• Shorts/skirts (Longer shorts/skirts are recommended)
• Sturdy water shoes/sandals
• Sun hat/bandana
• Swimwear

Visas and Entry Requirements

Please note that visas are the responsibility of the individual traveller. The visa requirements for your trip vary depending on where you are from and where you are going. We keep the following information up to date as much as possible, but rules do change. It is important that you check for yourself with the Embassy. Please, keep in mind that all countries require passports valid for at least 6 months from the moment of departure from the country.

Visa information specific to your destination and nationality can be found in our Important Pre-Departure Information page here

Tipping

It is customary in Asia to tip service providers such as waiters, at approximately 10%, depending on the service. Tipping is expected - though not compulsory - and shows an expression of satisfaction with the people who have assisted you on your tour. Although it may not be customary to you, it is of considerable significance to the people who will take care of you during your travels. There are several times during the trip where there is opportunity to tip the local guides or drivers we use. You may do this individually, or your CEO will offer to collect the money and tip as a group. Recommendations for tipping drivers and local guides would range from $1.5-$3.5 USD per person per day depending on the quality and length of the service; ask your CEO for specific recommendations based on the circumstances and culture. Also at the end of each trip if you felt your G Adventures CEO did an outstanding job, tipping is appreciated. The amount is entirely a personal preference, however as a guideline $20-25 USD per person, per week can be used.

Optional Activities

El Nido
- Taraw Peak Hike
- Kuyawyaw Falls

Minimum Age

You must be 18 to travel unaccompanied on a G Adventures tour. For minors travelling with a guardian over 21 years old, the minimum age is 12.

International Flights

Check-in times and baggage allowances/restrictions vary by airline and can change at any time. For the most up-to-date information for your flight, please contact your airline. We recommend checking in online in advance to avoid potential delays at the airport.

LGBTQ+ Safety

The safety and well-being of all of our travelers is a priority at G Adventures and that includes our travelers who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community. We recognize that there are specific concerns and questions you may have about your adventure in terms of safety and security. We encourage you to visit our LGBTQ+ page for useful resources to ensure you feel safe and comfortable throughout the duration of your trip. The Equaldex tool linked on this page can be of particular help when deciding where you may want to visit next.