Rice Terraces & Sand & Sea of the Philippines

Today you will fly to Manila, which is the capital of the Philippines and is the home to many significant architectural and cultural landmarks of the country. On arrival, your guide will welcome you at the arrival hall and transfer you to your hotel with a private car and driver. 

You will take a transfer from Manila to Banaue.

Meet your guide after breakfast and drive north to the Banaue Rice Terraces (8-10 hours). Along the way, break up the trip with stops at noteworthy sites to learn about local traditions and culture. You will also stop for lunch to enjoy some of the regional delicacies. 

Over 2000  years old and still in use today, the Banaue Rice Terraces are UNESCO protected and are an impressive example of ancient man's ingenuity and connection with nature.

You will depart by local jeepney for a tour of the rice terraces as well as a local village.  Banga-an is a traditional village nestled in a panoramic valley of terraces.  The 20 minute walk on a descending trail permits a closer look of the Ifugao world.  Visit a typical home to see their way of life.  Proceed to the viewpoint to witness the Rice Terraces, acclaimed as the "8th Wonder of the World" and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site built over 2000 years ago. 

Leaving Banaue behind,  continue north to Sagada (3-4 hours).The journey through the mountains is nothing short of spectacular and there will be plenty of opportunities to stop for photographs, including a stop at the Bontoc Museum.Discover Sagada's history and learn about its ancient culture long before the Philippines' colonial influences were present.   You'll get to explore the Lumiang Burial Cave and Sumaguing Cave and visit the coffins hanging on the side of a cliff in Echo Valley.

Enjoy your free time until your guide comes and escort you to the airport in Cauayan for your onward flight.

Today you will fly to Bohol. On arrival, your private guide will welcome you at the arrival hall and transfer you to your hotel with a private car and driver. Your guide will help you with luggage and hotel check-in and ensure your arrival is worry-free.

Hop on board and join this shared tour of Bohol’s popular countryside attractions. From a centuries-old Spanish-era church to the Chocolate Hills, this trip is for nature lovers and those who enjoy cultural and historical sites. Join us on this whole day Bohol countryside tour to get a glimpse of the best attractions:

See the world's smallest primate inside the Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary

Drive through the Bilar Manmade Forest - a 2 kilometers long Mahogany forest in the province of Bohol

Be in mesmerized by the view of the famous Chocolate Hills in Bohol

Enjoy a lunch as you cruise through Loboc River

Panglao is a well-known tourist destination in the Philippines with white sand beaches, clear blue waters, cliff diving sites, and world-class diving sites. It is also accessible to other natural attractions and tourist spots of Bohol such as the Chocolate Hills, Hinagdanan Cave, Bohol bee farm, and more!

On this half-day Panglao island hopping and Dolphin Watching tour, you’ll get to see three of the most beautiful islands in the Bohol region. Discover what makes Bohol such a favorite tourist spot for locals and foreigners with a visit to Balicasag Island and Virgin Island.

Begin the day with an early wake-up call and pick up at your hotel, immediately followed by departure for your first stop of the day, Balicasag Island. This Panglao beach is like a huge outdoor swimming pool with crystal-clear blue waters, colorful corals, and abundant marine life! If you’re an adrenaline junkie, you can enjoy watching the dolphins at the reef, and then get close encounters with the fishes and more with some snorkeling and fish feeding. End the tour by heading over to Virgin Island and strolling along the beautiful white sand sandbar before going back to your hotel.

Today we will pick you up and transfer you to Bohol Port for taking a join fast boat to Cebu Ferry Terminal. It will take 2 hours by boat.Upon arrival, your private driver will pick you up and transfer you to your hotel in El Nido.

Start your day with an early morning pickup from your hotel. Relax on the drive in an airconditioned car with coastal and scenic mountain views on the way to Oslob. Upon arrival in Oslob, a light breakfast will be served with a short orientation by the local guide. 

Take a small boat out to where the whale sharks are active. Jump into the water with the snorkel and swim alongside these gentle giants in their natural habitat. These whale sharks are locally called as "butanding" and they are the largest fish in the world.

After swimming with the whale sharks, take a trip to the scenic Tumalog waterfalls where you can go for a swim or snap some pictures.

Next, visit the gorgeous Sumilon Island with its stunning beaches and cerulean blue water. See the famous and beautiful white sand bar of Sumilon Island up close.

Enjoy your free time until your guide comes and escort you to the airport for your onward flight.

Today you will fly to Puerto Princesa. On arrival, you will take a private transfer to your hotel for check-in.

Travel from Puerto Princesa City through rural areas to the village of Sabang, then hop in a canoe and explore the world’s longest navigable underground river.Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is one of the most impressive cave systems in the world, considered one of the New 7 Wonders of the World and a World Heritage Site at UNESCO. The park offers spectacular limestone karst landscapes, untouched natural beauty, intact virgin forests and unique wildlife.Cruise inside the cave.The trip goes about 1.5 km upstream into the cave. To reduce the impact on the environment, we organise this trip with a shared boat. It is possible to go 4.3 km into the underground river with a special permit and for an extra charge. Hiking The surrounding rainforest is part of the Subterranean River National Park and offers world-class hiking and birding opportunities. On the private tour, you can take a boat from the pier in Sabang to the cave entrance or hike 5 km along the Jungle Trail (also known as the Monkey Trail). There is an extra charge for the jungle trail.Then transfer to El Nido hotel.

Tour A is most beloved because it will bring you to see not one but two of three beautiful lagoons located around Miniloc Island: either Small Lagoon or Big Lagoon, and Secret Lagoon.  Swimming and snorkeling there is just amazing.  Clear water, numerous fishes… you name it! Tour A will then take you to Shimizu island, where you can snorkel and see corals and/or relax on the white sand beach. This is also where, most of the time, your boat will stop for lunch. With its great limestone cliffs covered with vegetation, a representative of the geological beauty of El Nido. At the end of the day, the tour will stop of 7 Commando Beach, which has a long white sand beach, and where you can also find a little bar that will serve you refreshing drinks. While snorkeling there, you may encounter a few sea turtles, so keep your eyes open!

Tips:
From 1 Dec. 2018 in El Nido introduced new rules. The number of guests in a Big or Small lagoon per day is limited to 600 people/day. The big and small lagoon (Tour A) can’t be visited now in one day. Also, visiting the lagoons is limited to 15 slots for each agency! An additional ecological fee (200 pesos / person) for tour A is payable on the spot. You can only get to the Big Lagoon on a double or single kayak rented for 250-300 pesos at the entrance. Book your tour in advance! For tour A minimum booking time is 48 hours before the estimated date of your tour (such late booking does not guarantee the reservation.)

What makes Tour B especially enjoyable for every tourist visiting El Nido has to do with the variety of sites it will bring you to.  So let’s have a closer look to everyone of them and make a list of all the fun activities you will have during your day!

El Nido island hopping Tour B starts with the visit of Vigan island, commonly named “Snake island” because of its sandbar.  This site is pretty unique in the Bacuit archipelago, and there is not doubt that you will enjoy the feeling of walking in the middle of the sea!

Your journey will continue with Pinagbuyutan island, which is also known as Ellis island.  This island is mostly made of the famous limestone, which formed 125 millions years ago, but there is a beautiful beach on the side facing Malapacao island.  This is were we will stop, so you can relax on the beach, or jump into the water and enjoy some snorkeling!

On Entalula beach, which is located up north of El Nido, you will discover a long white beach sand borded with tropical vegetations.  Did you say paradise?  Yes, this is!

Tour B will also bring you to Cudugnon caves, an important archeological site where potteries dating from the Sung Dynasty (960-1279) have been discovered.  This site was also used by locals during World War II, to hide from the Japanese invaders.

The last stop of your island hopping Tour B will be decicated to snorkeling.  Just put on your mask and snorkel and be ready to admire the colorful fishes, the corals and maybe even some turtles swimming around!

There is a reason why so many people choose to take Tour C. It’s simply because it really is a great one! This is the island hopping tour locals will recommend you do in priority, along with Tour A.

Tour C starts with a stop on one of the most famous island of the Bacuit archipelago. Its traditional name is Dilumacad island, but it’s more commonly known as Helicopter island because of its shape – although, some think it looks more like a camel, a dolphin or even a dinosaur. You’ll have to see with your own eyes to decide which form it reminds you of the most!

After leaving Helicopter island and its beautiful white sand and rocky beach, we will land on Matinloc Shrine. This place used to host a convent and school which are now abandoned and that you can walk around. The island is now surrounded with legends and the word is that it is haunted with a ghost… Just ask and your guide will be happy to tell you more about this uncanny but charming place!

After lunch, you will be taken to three beaches: Secret Beach, Talisay Beach and Hidden Beach. We won’t tell you there everything about these places, to not spoil the discovery. But be assured that their names aren’t chosen randomly, and that you’ll be amazed by their remoteness and their calm beauty.

A private transfer from El Nido Hotels to El Nido Lio Airport.