We tell travellers that in the Philippines, getting there is part of the trip. To test that, one of our team set off with a small bag for a week across the Visayas: four islands, two flights, two fast craft and a bangka. Here is how it went, and what it taught us about connecting the archipelago.
Day 1: Manila to Cebu
The day started at 4am, as many domestic travel days do. Morning flights are the most likely to leave on time, because delays build up through the day. The flight to Cebu took about an hour and a half. The longest part was the traffic to the airport in Manila.
Lesson one: always take the first flight of the day if you can, and never plan a tight connection between an international and a domestic flight.
Day 2: Cebu to Bohol by fast craft
From Pier 1 in Cebu City, the fast craft to Tagbilaran in Bohol takes around two hours. You buy your ticket, pay a small terminal fee, check in your bag like at an airport, and choose between economy and a slightly more comfortable business class.
Lesson two: arrive at the port at least an hour early. In high season and around holidays, ferries sell out, so we always book ahead for our travellers.
Days 3 and 4: Bohol by land and by bangka
In Bohol, the best way to get around is with a private driver: the Chocolate Hills, the tarsiers and the Loboc River in a day. The next morning, a bangka, the traditional outrigger boat, took us to Balicasag Island to snorkel with turtles.
Lesson three: bangkas are wonderful, but they are not covered. Waterproof bags are essential, and so is flexibility, because boats do not go out when the sea is too rough.
Day 5: Bohol to Siquijor
The fast craft from Tagbilaran to Siquijor usually takes around two hours, sometimes with a stop in Dumaguete on the way. That day, the sea was choppy and the crossing took longer. The Philippine Coast Guard suspends sailings when the weather is bad, sometimes at short notice.
Lesson four: keep a free day in your schedule on any route that relies on the sea.
Days 6 and 7: Siquijor to Dumaguete, then home
From Siquijor, ferries to Dumaguete, on Negros, take around an hour and leave several times a day. From Dumaguete, there are direct flights back to Manila. On the last day, the flight was delayed by an hour and a half, which is quite normal.
Lesson five: always spend your last night in Manila, or near your international departure airport, before the flight home.
What we learned
- Flights are the fastest way to cross long distances, but most routes go through Manila or Cebu, so two islands that look close on the map may need a connection.
- Domestic airlines have strict baggage limits, often 7 kg in the cabin, with checked bags paid separately. Pack light.
- Fast craft and ferries are excellent in the Visayas, but are weather-dependent.
- Bangkas are perfect for short hops and island-hopping, and they are part of the magic.
- Private transfers between airports, ports and hotels save hours and a lot of stress.
- A good rule: one travel day for every three or four days on islands.
How we plan it for you
When we design your trip, we choose the order of the islands to minimise backtracking, book the first flights of the day, add buffer days for sea crossings and arrange a driver or boat at every arrival. You will still see the bangka and the fast craft, but you will not have to worry about them.
