A typical first trip here runs about $350 to $475 per person for 7 days at a mid-range style, before flights. Get your own number from the Budget Calculator.
- Adobo, meat braised in vinegar, soy, garlic, and bay leaves; the unofficial national dish
- Sinigang, sour tamarind soup with meat or seafood; deeply comforting
- Lechon, whole roasted pig with crackling skin; the centerpiece of every fiesta
- Halo-halo, shaved ice dessert with beans, fruits, leche flan, and ube ice cream
- Balut (fertilized duck egg), a street food challenge for the adventurous
- Sinulog Festival (Cebu, January), spectacular dancing and street party
- Panagbenga Flower Festival (Baguio, February), stunning floral floats
- Ati-Atihan Festival (Aklan, January), Philippines' "Mother of all Festivals"
- Fiesta culture, every town celebrates its patron saint with food and dancing
- Christmas is celebrated longer here than anywhere, from September!
Filipino (Tagalog) and English are both official. English is widely spoken throughout the country, Filipinos are among Asia's most English-proficient populations.
The Filipino people are renowned for warmth and their infectious joy (bayanihan spirit).
- Filipinos are incredibly warm, reciprocate their hospitality generously
- "Po" and "opo" are used to show respect to elders, Filipinos appreciate this
- Tipping 10% is appreciated in restaurants
- Inter-island travel requires planning, ferries and flights connect 7,000+ islands
Latest for Philippines
Updates for Philippines will appear here as they are published. Every update cites official sources, so you can plan on it.