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Planning a trip to Philippines? Here you'll find our day-by-day itinerary (Island hopping: Palawan, Coron, Bohol and Cebu), plus all the practical info to organise your journey: currency, visa, e-SIM, health, plugs and useful numbers.
Tropical climate, hot and humid all year. The dry season (roughly November-May) is the best time for the islands and the sea; the rainy and typhoon season runs roughly June to December, with possible flooding, cancelled flights and rough seas. Typhoons can upend plans: leave buffers between internal flights and follow the weather bulletins (PAGASA).
Updated: June 2026
You need a passport valid for at least 6 months from arrival and a return or onward air ticket (checked at check-in and at the border). Many nationalities, including EU citizens, do not need a visa in advance for tourist stays up to 30 days: an entry stamp is given on arrival - other nationalities should check their own entry rules. It is MANDATORY to fill in the online 'eTravel / e-Arrival Card' at etravel.gov.ph within 72 hours before departure (you get a QR code to show). An airport departure tax may apply.
The currency is the Philippine peso (PHP). The Philippines is a very cash-driven country, especially on the islands and in small towns: cards are accepted in cities, malls, hotels and larger restaurants, but you need cash elsewhere. ATMs are common in cities but scarce on smaller islands (withdraw before moving on, and mind per-withdrawal limits and fees). The GCash app is widely used. You may not import/export more than 50,000 PHP in local currency; foreign-currency amounts over USD 10,000 must be declared at customs.
The official languages are Filipino (based on Tagalog) and English. English is extremely widespread and used routinely on signs, menus, transport and in offices: communicating is easy almost everywhere - a real advantage over many other Asian destinations.
No mandatory vaccine except yellow fever, required only for those arriving (or who transited an airport) from at-risk countries. Being up to date with routine vaccinations is recommended (including a polio booster), and discuss hepatitis A/B and typhoid with your doctor. DENGUE is endemic and very widespread, even in residential areas: protect yourself from mosquitoes day and night (repellent, covering clothing). Public healthcare is inadequate even in major cities; private clinics are better but expensive and REQUIRE proof you can pay before admitting you, even in an emergency. ALWAYS take out insurance with high medical cover and air repatriation. For divers: the best-known dive spots often have NO nearby hyperbaric chamber, so weigh this carefully.
The main operators are Globe and Smart, with good 4G/5G coverage in cities and tourist areas, patchier on remote islands. A local tourist SIM (sold at the airport and in towns, ID required) or an eSIM bought before departure is the best option: roaming with non-local SIMs is expensive outside their home region. On small islands expect moments with no signal: download maps and bookings offline.
Power is 220V/60Hz, with sockets mainly type A and B (flat 'US-style' pins), plus European type C in many places. WATCH the unusual combination: the plug is US-style but the voltage is 220V, so 120V-only devices (typical in North America) need a converter, not just an adapter. European two-round-pin plugs often fit; bring a universal adapter to be safe.
The Philippines is at UTC+8 all year (no daylight saving time).
💡 Treat the Philippines as an archipelago, not a single country: it runs on internal flights and boats, so always leave a day's buffer before your international flight home, and travel in the dry season (Nov-May). Bring cash for the islands, good anti-dengue repellent and solid health insurance: private clinics want proof you can pay before treating you.
