Escapism in the Philippines

Land at Manila (MNL) or Clark International (CRK) and a private transfer brings you to your hotel in downtown Clark, a handy jumping-off point for the islands.

Tonight your Soca Islands Host gathers everyone for a welcome meal. It's the first chance to put names to faces and raise a glass to the next twelve days.

Today you swap the city for the sea. A small propeller plane carries you to a corner of turquoise water and rainforest, and you stop for lunch at a local café before a private boat takes you out to a privately owned island.

Home tonight is an open mesh tent pitched right on the beach, made for lying back and looking up. The afternoon is yours. When the light fades, there are cocktails at sunset, a bonfire, and dinner cooked by a private chef at the water's edge.

Wake to the sound of the waves and wander across to the far side of the island, tea or coffee in hand, to catch the sunrise.

Then it's back on your private boat, loaded with snorkel gear, kayaks and a barbecue lunch, to hop between nearby islands. Later in the afternoon a professional massage helps you slow right down.

This morning's private session introduces you to hilot, the traditional Filipino healing massage, and the techniques used to ease tension and restore the body.

You then sail back toward El Nido, stopping at islands on the way, with lunch on Tacling Island. By the afternoon you're checked into a beachfront resort with the sea a few steps away.

An early start pays off today. You head out to El Nido's famous Big Lagoon and Small Lagoon while the water is still quiet, gliding between limestone walls in the calm of the morning.

Back on shore, the evening is open. Many groups end up sharing dinner and drinks in town, at your own pace.

No schedule until sundown. Divers can explore some of the country's best underwater scenery, or you can take on the canopy walk for views across the bay.

In the evening the group reunites for cocktails and a seafood dinner with Filipino flavors, and plenty of stories from the day.

A flight to Cebu and a ferry across to Bohol bring you to a resort tucked into the forest on the banks of the Loboc River.

After a relaxed lunch, the rest of the day is for settling in. Dinner is traditional, and afterward your terrace is the place to sit back and listen to the wildlife after dark.

Start the morning on the green water of the Loboc River with a stand-up paddleboard (SUP) yoga session, followed by lunch beside the river.

In the afternoon you visit a local village, where you'll taste fresh coconut wine, try your hand at planting rice the traditional way, and learn to crack open a coconut properly. Useful skills for island life.

Be up early to see the sun come up over the Chocolate Hills, then climb onto a quad bike and ride out through the surrounding countryside.

Afterward you transfer to Panglao Island and check in to a hotel looking out over its best-known beach. Spend the rest of the day between the infinity pools and the beach bars.

An easy morning bike ride follows Panglao's coast roads.

Next, a local chef shows you three different ways to prepare ceviche, with a tasting of each. The day finishes with a private cocktail masterclass led by a trained mixologist, just in time for an after-dinner drink.

Your final full day has no plan at all: the resort pool, the beach, or a bit of both.

As the sun goes down, the group comes together one last time for a farewell dinner.

Enjoy breakfast and say your goodbyes, then head to Bohol Airport (TAG) for your onward flight, suntanned and fully recharged.