Philippines

This is a relatively easy hike up to Mt. Tapyas. You can either walk to the base of the hill/mountain that is located near the town center, or you can take a tricycle. Timing depends on how in shape you are; however, it is all paved stairs, a little bit more than 700 steps, so keep that in mind. Rest assured, the view from the top is stunning and you should definitely take in a sunrise or sunse...

This version of the Kibungan Circuit is a 2 day, closed loop trek. Starting in the town of Tanap at 920 MASL (meters above sea level), the path cuts through rice paddies, gradually descending until reaching a long hanging bridge.  After crossing the bridge and passing through a small village, you’ll start a steep ascent that eventually leads to Upper Buga, a campsite with incredible views and a...

The best way to get to Liloan is with your own ride. So if you don't have a car rentals range around 3000 PHP. But if you don't get a car, it's not impossible! Check out how these backpackers did it. A four hour drive from Tacloban City and  just over the Liloan Bridge is a small parking lot to the left that'll be where your boatmen picks you up for a day of straight chillin'. When you rent the...

When going to the Philippines, people often think about going to beautiful tourist destinations like El Nido on Palawan Island, but if you're looking to be budget friendly and more local the providence of Zambales in Central Luzon can still give you crystal clean waters, green mountains, and a ton of sun for totally affordable. Camara and Capones Island are the closest from Pundaquit Beach. Cam...

From the outer edge of this cove to the beach it took about 10 minutes to ride in and when you look out towards the sea, you only see the sea! You're surrounded by the mountains on both sides and it's just the beach and yourself. So if you're looking for soft (but really hot) sand, clear waters, hiking, and more... you'll find it at Nagsasa. With no electricity or phone connection, you can even...

First, I'd recommend calling the resort ahead of time (+63 977-354-5692) to see if you can reserve a beach cottage. We had rolled up after a two hour drive to find out there were no more cottages available, BUT my roommate and I were two Americans with a Filipino family and for some reason that convinced them to let us use a table under a shade tent. I'd still recommend calling though... From T...

Looking for a serious weekend getaway with no electricity and no city noises? Well an hour long boat ride will take you to this little island right in between Leyte and Cebu where the water isn't as salty and you can fall asleep with the waves crashing right next to you. Whether you choose to make this a day trip or stay the night - Kalanggaman welcomes you! There are a lot of great places just...

To start with, there are quite a few stairs at the beginning going down, and then right at the end as you climb back up to the parking lot. Other than that, nothing to be concerned about in terms of difficulty.  This is a cool spot because you get a bit of variety. At the parking lot there is epic views over the jungle and out over the water. As you descend down to the river level you get to cr...

There are dozens of places you can rent scooters all over the Philippines, all are very similarly priced, and pretty cheap. We did scooters/mopeds for 5 hours for 300 pesos, about $6 (USD). It is buy your own gas, so absolutely fill up your tank. Not only is it cheap, but it gives you far more range to explore without having to worry. There are not a lot of gas stations once you get outside Cor...