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Philippines: Manila, Taal and the Best of Palawan

10 days from Manila: Intramuros and a Binondo food walk, a day at Taal Lake, the Underground River, three nights in El Nido and two in Coron.

10 days · Round trip from Manila · up to 12 guests

The facts

At a glance

Length
10 days, 9 nights
Start and end
Round trip from Manila
Group size
7 to 12 guests
Activity level

Easy

Two city days on foot in Manila, about 4 to 6 km each in heat and humidity, with a sit-down lunch and an afternoon break between the walks. Then mostly boat days with swimming and snorkelling in a life jacket and short walks on sand and coral rubble; you climb in and out of outrigger boats from the beach or a ladder. The steepest parts are the stairway to the Kayangan Lake viewpoint and the optional climb of a little over 700 steps up Mount Tapyas. Any walk, swim or climb can be sat out in the van, on the boat or at the hotel.

Meals included
9 breakfasts, 8 lunches, 3 dinners
Room of your own
+ CAD 670 (estimated price)
Season
December to May

Highlights

Why this trip

  • Intramuros in the cool of the morning: the old walls, Fort Santiago and San Agustin Church, the oldest stone church in the country
  • An evening food walk through Binondo, Manila's Chinatown, eating dumplings, hopia and noodles from shop to shop
  • Lunch on the Tagaytay ridge looking down on Taal Lake and the volcano in its middle, then the ancestral houses of Taal town
  • By paddle boat into the Puerto Princesa Underground River, a UNESCO-listed cave river that runs out into the sea
  • A private boat for our group in Bacuit Bay, reaching the Big and Small Lagoons as early as we can
  • The fast ferry across open water from northern Palawan to Coron
  • Kayangan Lake, Twin Lagoon and Barracuda Lake on Coron Island, the ancestral land of the Tagbanua
  • Both domestic flights included, so the trip ends in Coron and not on a long road back

What makes this trip different

  • Free time is part of the plan

    Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.

  • Solo without the penalty

    A room of your own is + CAD 670 (estimated price).

Day by day

Itinerary

PALAWANLUZONMINDOROBUSUANGASulu SeaSouth China Sea1234ManilaDays 1 to 4Tagaytay and Taal LakeDay 3Taal townDay 3Puerto PrincesaDays 4 to 5Underground RiverDay 4TaytayDay 5El NidoDays 5 to 8Bacuit Bay lagoonsDays 6 and 7CoronDays 8 to 10Coron Island lakesDay 9

Tap any stop on the map to open that day

Arrive in Manila

Ninoy Aquino International Airport to your hotel near Manila Bay

  • Dinner
  • Stay in Manila

Fly into Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL), where a driver meets you in arrivals for the transfer to your hotel near Intramuros and Manila Bay. Manila traffic is slow at most hours, so allow an hour or more. The day is yours to recover from the flight: sleep, swim if the hotel has a pool, or walk out to the bay front, where the sun sets over the water and families come out as the heat goes. You stay three nights in this hotel, so unpack properly.

Evening

In the early evening your See Sight Tours guide meets the group for a short briefing on the trip: how the Manila days run, the flight to Palawan, what to pack for the boats and how the ferry works. Then we sit down together to a welcome dinner of Filipino dishes, from chicken adobo and sinigang, the sour tamarind soup, to grilled pork and halo-halo for dessert.

Included

  • Pick-up at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL)
  • Welcome briefing with your guide
  • Welcome dinner

Free time: Free until the early-evening briefing

Activity: Arrive any time; the briefing and dinner are in the early evening. If you land late, your guide catches up with you at breakfast.

  1. Manila3 nights
  2. Puerto Princesa1 night
  3. El Nido3 nights
  4. Coron2 nights
  5. Manilaend
  • Overnight stop
  • Day trip
  • By boat or train
Print itinerary

Wildlife and weather: December to May is the dry season. December to February is a little cooler, pleasant for the Manila walks, and can bring choppy seas from the northeast monsoon that delay the ferry; March to May is calm and hot, so the city walks start early. From June to November rain and typhoons make the boat days unreliable, so we do not run then.

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Get the day-by-day itinerary by email, or ask us anything about this trip. A trip planner replies the same or next business day.

Before you book

Right for you?

Good for you if you want

  • First-time visitors who want Manila's history and food as well as Palawan's islands, without planning flights and ferries themselves
  • Swimmers and snorkellers, from nervous to keen, who like a life jacket and a boat to climb back onto
  • Travellers who would rather have a private boat and time in each lagoon than a crowded shared tour
  • A mix of guided days and free afternoons

Not for you if you want

  • Travellers who only want beaches: with 8 days, the Palawan-only trip suits you better
  • Scuba divers who want to dive the Coron wrecks every day (ask us about adding dive days)
  • Travellers who cannot get in and out of small boats from a beach or ladder, or who struggle with long walks in humid heat
  • Travel from June to November, the wet and typhoon season

Book flights after we confirm your seat.

9 nights

Where you'll stay

Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.

  • Manila3 nights
  • Puerto Princesa1 night
  • El Nido3 nights
  • Coron2 nights

One price

What's in the price

Included

Accommodation

  • 9 nights: 3 in Manila, 1 in Puerto Princesa, 3 in El Nido and 2 in Coron
  • Central hotels of a 3-star-plus standard with air-conditioning and private bathrooms; we name each hotel when we confirm your dates
  • Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement

Transport

  • Pick-up at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) on day 1
  • Our own air-conditioned van and driver in Manila, on the Taal day and on Palawan
  • Flights from Manila to Puerto Princesa and from Busuanga (Coron) to Manila, with a checked bag
  • Fast ferry from El Nido to Coron, with porterage
  • A private boat and crew for the group on the three boat days
  • Transfers between hotels, harbours and airports

Your guide

  • A See Sight Tours guide with the group from day 1 to day 10, including on the flights and the ferry
  • Local boat crews in El Nido and Coron, and local site guides where a site requires them

Activities

  • Manila: Intramuros walk with Fort Santiago, Manila Cathedral, San Agustin Church and museum, and Casa Manila, with entries
  • Manila: Binondo food walk with Binondo Church and Ongpin Street
  • Tagaytay: Taal Lake and Taal Volcano from the ridge
  • Taal: the Basilica of St Martin of Tours and the Agoncillo ancestral house
  • Sabang: Puerto Princesa Underground River permit and boat trip
  • Puerto Princesa: Plaza Cuartel and the Immaculate Conception Cathedral
  • Taytay: Fort Santa Isabel
  • El Nido: full-day private boat to the Big and Small Lagoons, Shimizu Island and Entalula Island, and a morning private boat to Hidden Beach, Matinloc Shrine and Helicopter Island
  • El Nido eco-tourism fee and lagoon fees
  • Coron: Mount Tapyas at sunset
  • Coron Island: Kayangan Lake, Barracuda Lake and the Twin Lagoon, with Tagbanua community fees
  • Snorkelling at the Skeleton Wreck
  • Snorkel gear, kayaks and life jackets on every boat day

Meals

  • 9 breakfasts
  • 8 lunches: Intramuros, Tagaytay, Sabang, Taytay, Coron and three grilled on the beach on boat days
  • 3 dinners: a welcome dinner in Manila, the Binondo food walk and a farewell dinner in Coron

Not included

  • International flights to and from Manila
  • Visa, if your passport needs one
  • Travel insurance
  • Meals not listed
  • Drinks
  • Tips for your guide, drivers and boat crews
  • Optional activities: the Iwahig firefly trip, Maquinit Hot Springs, Taraw Peak, kayak or paddle board hire
  • Extra baggage on the domestic flights
  • Scuba diving
  • Personal expenses

Extras

Room of your own
CAD 670 (estimated price)

When you can go

Dates and prices

Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.

Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.

Before you book

Booking terms

Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.

Business addresses

See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584

Guest reviews

What guests say

Reviews from guests on our day tours.

Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
google

5/5

Parminder did a great job guiding us around, giving us tips & teaching us the history of the falls. A great experience!

Jane
October 06, 2026
gyg

5/5

Good views of the surrounding area of Halifax in a comfortable minivan

Susan
October 06, 2026
gyg

5/5

June was brilliant- made good contact beforehand and really attentive and knowledgeable. Made me feel like I was special- something only experience can do. Thank you June.

Tom L
October 05, 2026
tripadvisor

5/5

Our host was very knowledgeable, friendly and even provided some humor.

MandL83
October 05, 2026
tripadvisor

5/5

Peter was a very good guide, giving us insight into the various parts of the Park, including parking lot congestion details, trail and viewing location suggestions.

Darren O
October 05, 2026
tripadvisor

5/5

Excellent morning spent with my guide Nancy. Very knowledgeable and friendly. Thoroughly enjoyed my trip

4.7/5 from 38,601 guest reviews

Good to know

Questions

Prices in these answers apply from Jan 1, 2027. Black Friday offer: 9% off the small-group price for requests received by Dec 1, 2026. From CAD 3,575 per person. Dec 2 to Dec 31: from CAD 3,775. From Jan 1, 2027: from CAD 3,930.

What does the Manila and Palawan trip price include?

Nine nights in central hotels, 9 breakfasts, 8 lunches and 3 dinners, both domestic flights, the El Nido to Coron ferry, our own van in Manila and on Palawan, a private boat on all three boat days, your See Sight Tours guide throughout, and every visit in the day plan, including Intramuros entries, the Underground River permit, lagoon and lake fees and snorkel gear.

How big is the group?

The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 guests, against 16 to 22 on larger operators' versions of this route. Twelve fits one private outrigger boat comfortably, one table on the Binondo food walk, and one van on the Taal day.

Who leads the trip?

A See Sight Tours guide travels with the group from your arrival in Manila to the last flight, including the ferry and both domestic flights. Local boat crews run the boats in El Nido and Coron, and local site guides join where a site requires them, such as the Underground River.

How fit do I need to be?

An easy level suits most people who walk regularly. The Manila day is about 4 to 6 km on foot in the heat, with a break after lunch. The steep parts are the Kayangan Lake stairway and the optional 700-plus steps of Mount Tapyas. Every swim is in a life jacket and any stop can be sat out.

I am travelling solo. Do I pay a single supplement?

Only if you take a room of your own, from CAD 670 more, about 17 percent of the trip price. Solo travellers join the same departures, boats and tables as everyone else, and the supplement is shown up front, before you request to book, so there is no surprise at checkout.

When is the best time to visit Manila and Palawan?

December to May, the dry season. December to February is a little cooler, good for the Manila walks, but can bring choppy seas that delay the ferry; March to May is calm, sunny and hot. June to November brings heavy rain and typhoons, which cancel boat days, so we do not run then.

Can we visit Taal Volcano?

We see it from the Tagaytay ridge, looking down on the lake and the volcano island, but we do not go onto the island, which is closed to visitors. We check the PHIVOLCS bulletins before the day; if the alert level rises, we keep Taal town and swap the ridge for a Manila visit.

Is Manila worth three nights?

We think so, because most Palawan trips skip it. Day 2 covers Intramuros and ends with a Binondo food walk for dinner, and day 3 goes out to Taal Lake. Staying in one hotel near Intramuros means no repacking and short drives to the old city.

What happens if the El Nido to Coron ferry is cancelled?

The Coast Guard cancels sailings in rough seas, most often from December to February. If it happens, we rebook the next sailing and rearrange the Coron days, and your guide stays with you throughout. The fallback plan is confirmed with you before you travel.

Do I need a visa for the Philippines?

Canadians and many other nationalities can visit visa-free for up to 30 days, with a passport valid for 6 months beyond the stay. Every traveller must register on the government's eTravel website within 72 hours before arrival. We confirm the rules for your passport when you book.

How does booking work, and can I choose my own dates?

Send your preferred dates as an enquiry. We check availability and provide the final quote, itinerary and booking terms before you accept. No payment is taken when you send the request. For your own dates, choose the private trip for your party only, or ask us from the dates section for an independent quote using the same hotels, boats and flights.

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