Honeymoon and couples ideas for the Philippines

A good Philippine romantic trip is two islands, not five. Pick a pairing, give each place three nights and leave room for weather.

Pairing one: Palawan alone

El Nido is the strongest choice for couples. Hire a private bangka for the day, which for two people is commonly estimated at ₱7,000 to ₱10,000 for the boat, and sail early to enter Big Lagoon and Cadlao Lagoon before group boats arrive. The crew grills seafood for lunch on a quiet beach. Add the ₱400 eco-tourism development fee (valid 10 days), ₱200 for Big Lagoon and kayak hire of ₱300 to ₱600. The El Nido tourism site explains licensed routes. For stays, compare El Nido hotels or consider private-island resorts such as El Nido Resorts at Miniloc and Pangulasian, which offer stilt cottages over the reef and beach dinners by candlelight.

Pairing two: Boracay and a sunset sail

Boracay has the paraw, a double-outrigger sailboat with coloured sails, and a 30-minute sunset sail for two to four people is about ₱1,500 to ₱2,500 as a boat rate. The best months are roughly November to April; during Habagat from June to November, surf on White Beach is rougher and captains judge conditions on the day. Boracay needs a flight to Caticlan and a brief boat ride, and visitors pay a ₱300 environmental fee once plus ₱150 at the jetty each way.

Pairing three: Bohol and Siquijor

For a slower trip, link the Visayas islands by fast ferry. Cebu to Bohol is about 2 hours, ₱880 tourist class, and Bohol to Siquijor is about 2 hours with two sailings a day; check oceanjet.net . Siquijor offers Cambugahay Falls and Paliton Beach. On Bohol, walk up to the Carmen Chocolate Hills deck early (about 08:30 opening), where non-resident adults pay ₱150.

Pairing four: Manila weekend with a spa

Not every couple wants a beach week. The Farm at San Benito in Lipa, Batangas, is a 52-hectare wellness retreat about 90 minutes south of Manila, with hydrotherapy pools, couples programmes and plant-based meals.

Practicalities

• Safety: bangkas must carry life jackets, and the Coast Guard can ground boats at short notice in typhoon season. Check coastguard.gov.ph .
• Keep a spare day or two before international flights.
• Carry cash; island resorts take cards, but boat crews and markets do not.
• Most visitors get 30 days visa-free, and the free eTravel form at etravel.gov.ph is needed 72 hours before landing.

Verdict: for a honeymoon, choose El Nido and one resort night on a private island. For routes that join more places, see the multi-day trips page .

• Philippines
• Southeast-Asia
• Guides