Recommended Adventure Tours in the Philippines

Philippines Adventure Travel FAQs

1. What are the top adventures in the Philippines?

Diving in the Philippines is an ever-popular activity. Here you can go skin diving, snorkeling, scuba diving, wreck diving, and much more. The Philippines is also one of the world’s top destinations for wreck diving, with hundreds of ancient Spanish ships wrecked off the western coasts. You can explore wrecks from as shallow as a few dozen feet, all in crystal clear waters.

Who doesn’t want to swim with whale sharks? The Philippines is home to plenty of whale sharks, known locally as the “butanding”, and some of the best places to encounter them are off the coast of Palawan, in Donsol Bay in the Bicol Region, and several other places. The whale sharks tend to aggregate in the coastal areas from November to May, with the best time to swim with whale sharks in the Philippines in April and May.

When it comes to surfing, there is nothing like Siargao Island for the best surf in the 7,000+ islands. Dubbed the “Surfing Capital of the Philippines”, the island is home to the infamous “Cloud 9”, a hollow right-hand reef wave they named after a popular chocolate snack bar.

Caving or spelunking, is a popular activity in the Philippines. If you want a little underground adventure, there are some outstanding caves you can visit in the Philippines. Puerto Princessa has an amazing underground river you can travel through, and the Sumaging-Latipan-Lomyang Crystal Cave is a cave filled with colorful rock formations and amazing columns.

Canyoneering may be relatively new in the Philippines, but there are already a few good places to try. The best locations are El Nido in Palawan, Ternate in Cavite, and Moalboal in Cebu, with several more locations around the country.

Even though it is not known for its high mountains, there are still some great places to go mountaineering and trekking in the Philippines. The best mountaineering destinations in the Philippines are Mt. Guiting-Guiting in Romblon, Mt. Pinatubo in Zambales (a dormant volcano), and the ultimate, Mt. Apo in Davao, the highest mountain in the Philippines.

2. What are the best places to dive in the Philippines?

Coron Island, in northern Palawan, is known as the wreck diving capital of the Philippines, and as well as Spanish galleons, you can dive on WWII Japanese military wrecks that were bombed off the coast in 1944.

Palawan is generally regarded as the best place in the Philippines for scuba diving since the waters are crystal clear, the shores are shallow, and the whole area is surrounded by protected coral reefs.

Anilao in Batangas is the best diving place near Manila. Just a short drive south of Manila, the most prominent wreck is the Daryl Laut, once a floating casino, that can be found between Maricaban and Caban islands.

Puerto Galera in Occidental Mindoro is a great place for wreck diving, scuba, diving, and just about any other kind of diving, including with whale sharks. Wrecks lie as shallow as 18 meters in clear blue waters, and the area is known as the Coral Triangle, so scuba diving around the reefs is also popular.

3. Is it dangerous to swim with whale sharks in the Philippines?

Much as it may seem dangerous, swimming with whale sharks is not as dangerous as you might think. They do not bite, as the whale sharks filter plankton out of the water instead, and if you go with an organized tour, you will have an experienced guide to aid you.

The general rule of thumb is to stay around 3 feet away from the head and 10 feet away from the tail, and always swim alongside the whale shark. Please remember that never swim at the head or tail, and not above or below. And never try to touch them, as they are still wild creatures.

4. What is the best volcano hike in the Philippines?

There is really only one place to hike on an active volcano in the Philippines, since Mt. Pinatubo is currently deemed to be dormant, and that is on Taal Volcano, in Batangas, Southern Luzon.

A day trip to hike around the Taal volcano, which runs from Tagaytay, the town on the edge of the volcano.

However, at this time, due to increased volcanic activity over the past 2 years and multiple eruptions, all treks around the Taal Volcano have been suspended until further notice.

5. How to plan an adventure tour in the Philippines

While planning an adventure tour to the Philippines, you first need to know what you want to experience and where you you want to visit. Once you confirm your destination, you can work out how to get there.

Since most countries outside Asia do not have direct flights to the Philippines, you will need to check the connection, flight times, and layovers for getting there.

Before departure, you should also make sure you have got all your travel documents, including a valid passport with at least 6 months validity remaining and a visa, if you need one. To travel to the Philippines, you also need to have travel insurance that covers your trip, including COVID-19. For more latest travel restrictions in the Philippines, please feel free to contact us.

The best option for a first-time adventure tour in the Philippines is to travel with a local travel agency that can arrange everything you want in a pre-arranged tour. With years of experience in operating trips to the Philippines, we can customize a Philippines adventure tour for you based on your needs.