Philippines
The Ocean’s
Best Kept Secret

Welcome to the Philippines

Land in Cebu, clear immigration and hit the road south to Oslob, four hours down the coast of Cebu island. Oslob is a slow, sleepy coastal town where the sea does the talking.

Check in, freshen up, go somewhere good for dinner and call it a night. Maybe? Tomorrow starts early.

Highlight of the Day: That first glimpse of the Cebu coast from the car window and the slow realisation that the next eight days are going to be very, very good.

The 3% Island

Early morning, an optional swim with whale sharks. It’s one of the most debated wildlife experiences in the country, so the full picture is in the FAQs. Not for you? Sleep in and grab a coffee by the water.

Noon ferry across to Siquijor, the Island of Fire, which less than 3% of visitors ever reach. Check in, grab scooters and head straight to Paliton Beach for sunset — white sand, ancient acacia trees and a quiet, warm sea.

Highlight of the Day: Paliton Beach at sunset on your first evening in Siquijor — the 3% destination.

Siquijor, Fully

A whole day on scooters with no fixed schedule. Start at Cantabon Cave, a living cave system where you wade through underground streams, squeeze through narrow passages and emerge into cathedral-sized chambers.

Then Cambugahay Falls, turquoise freshwater tiers tumbling through the jungle, and Salagdoong cliff jumping — two platforms, one reasonable and one that makes you reconsider your life choices. Somewhere in the day, the PTT Secret Experience.

Highlight of the Day: Siquijor giving you a cave, a waterfall, a cliff jump and a secret all in one day.

The Ocean Puts On a Show

A drive and a ferry take you back to Cebu island, then up the coast to Moalboal, a small, laid-back diving town with a coral-fringed coastline and cold San Miguel. Check in and be in the water by noon.

PTT includes a scuba dive straight through the sardine run — millions of fish moving as one around you, sea turtles cruising past. Certified or not, you’re in: an introductory fun dive needs no certification and no swimming ability, and snorkelling is available too.

Highlight of the Day: Being completely inside a sardine run underwater, the fish parting around you, a sea turtle drifting past.

Into the Canyon

Roughly 5 hours+ of jumping, sliding, climbing, wading and swimming through the limestone canyon at Kawasan, with cliff jumps ranging from “manageable” to “absolutely not”. It ends at Kawasan Falls, a three-tiered turquoise waterfall.

Non swimmers are completely covered with life jackets and experienced guides, and nobody is pushed beyond their comfort zone. Evening back in Moalboal for rest, food and the ocean.

Highlight of the Day: That last jump into the turquoise pool at the base of Kawasan Falls, the whole group in the water and the falls thundering above you.

Island Hop

Check out of Moalboal and transfer to Cebu Airport, about three hours by road, for the flight to Coron. Coron from the air is your first hint of what’s coming — limestone karsts rising straight out of turquoise water.

Land, transfer to town and check in. Coron town is small, warm and immediately likeable, with a waterfront main street, bangka boats in the harbour and low-key nightlife. Dinner, cold beers by the water and an early night — tomorrow is the big one.

Highlight of the Day: That first view of Coron from the plane.

The Best Day

The best day of every PTT trip it has ever appeared on. A bangka boat takes you through Coron Bay to Kayangan Lake, Twin Lagoon and Coral Garden for snorkelling among clownfish, parrotfish and sea turtles.

Then a beachside group lunch on a sandbar in the middle of the ocean, and Barracuda Lake after lunch, where the water shifts from warm to scalding within metres. Back in Coron by sunset — nobody wants it to be over.

Highlight of the Day: All of it. Coron’s boat day doesn’t have a highlight. It is the highlight, start to finish.

Home. Or the Beginning of Something Else

Transfer to Coron Airport and fly home with eight days of the Philippines within you.