- Tour code
PHLADV02
- Start
Manila
- End
Bohol Island
- Min. age
16 years old
- Group size
Max 6-16 travellers
- Trip style
Explorer
- Trip pace
Active
- Language
English
The Philippines is made up of thousands of islands, and this route picks a handful that show off very different sides of the country. One night you're sitting by a bonfire on a beach with only your group for company; a few days later you're balancing on a paddleboard for yoga on the jade-green Loboc River.
From Clark you fly to the turquoise water and rainforest of Palawan for two nights in beach tents on a privately owned island, then sail on to El Nido for its Big and Small Lagoons and a free day to dive or take the canopy walk. Bohol brings a riverside resort in the forest, a village visit with coconut wine and rice planting, sunrise over the Chocolate Hills and three nights on Panglao's beaches.
The pace swings between action and rest on purpose. There's snorkeling, kayaking, quad biking and cycling, but also massages, lazy resort afternoons and whole days to spend however you like. Food runs through all of it: a barbecue lunch on the boat, coconut wine in a village, and a hands-on ceviche session with a local chef.
Your Soca Islands Host travels with the group throughout, so the logistics of hopping between islands are handled while you get to know a small group of fellow travelers, many of them joining solo.
Why This Journey
Island-hopping in the Philippines is beautiful and slow to organize: small planes, ferries, private boats and resorts that are only reached by water. This trip links them in the right order, so the travel days feel like part of the adventure rather than time lost.
It suits travelers who want real escape, a private island, quiet lagoons and a river in the forest, without giving up comfort or company. The mix of wellness, food and gentle adventure makes it a good fit for solo travelers and friends traveling together. Groups are small, from 6 to 16 travelers.
Where You'll Stay
Clark (1 night): Park Inn by Radisson Clark. Private island near El Nido (2 nights): beach tents on a privately owned island. El Nido (3 nights): Lime Resort El Nido, on the beach at Corong Corong. Loboc, Bohol (2 nights): Loboc River Resort, on the river. Panglao (3 nights): Amorita Resort, above Alona Beach. Proposed accommodation (or similar), subject to confirmation. Prices are based on sharing a double room with two beds.
Getting There
International Flights Not Included. International airfare to and from the destination is not included in the package price. Travelers are responsible for arranging their own flights and ensuring their arrival and departure align with the trip itinerary. Fly into Manila (MNL) or Clark International (CRK); arrival and departure airport transfers are included. The trip ends on Bohol, so please check your departure airport with our Customer Experience team before booking. Please share your confirmed flight details with Soca Islands so we can coordinate applicable arrival and departure arrangements.
What you will see and do
Spend a night in a tent on the sand of your own private island
Watch the sun rise over the Chocolate Hills, then tour them by quad bike
Pick the day's catch with a local chef and learn to turn it into ceviche
What's included
All activities mentioned on the itinerary
Accommodations in double rooms
Experienced Soca Islands Host with you throughout the trip
One farewell group activity when possible
Max 16 travellers per group
Arrival and departure airport transfers
Group transportation
What's excluded
- International flights (travellers arrange their own)
- Travel insurance (required)
- Meals not listed in the itinerary, including the open evening in El Nido
- Optional activities, including diving and the El Nido canopy walk
- Single room supplement (single rooms on request, subject to availability)
- Extra hotel nights before or after the trip
Group itinerary
Land at Manila (MNL) or Clark International (CRK) and a private transfer brings you to your hotel in 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 at the stars. 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 take your departure transfer to the airport for your onward flight, suntanned and fully recharged.
Accommodations
Here's a glimpse of the hotels we selected for this adventure.
Park Inn by Radisson Clark
A modern city hotel beside the SM City Clark mall in the Clark Freeport Zone, a convenient one-night base close to Clark International Airport before flying on to the islands.
Room sizes and the official website are still to be confirmed.
Lime Resort El Nido
A beachfront resort on Corong Corong bay, just outside El Nido town, looking out towards the limestone islands of Bacuit Bay.
Hotel websiteLoboc River Resort
A 35-room resort built on stilts along the banks of the Loboc River, its rooms linked by wooden footbridges through the forest, with carabaos, ducks and monkeys around the grounds.
There is a riverside infinity pool, an open-air riverside restaurant serving a breakfast buffet, and a launch for stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking and firefly tours on the river. Room sizes and the official website are still to be confirmed.
Amorita Resort
A clifftop resort at the quieter end of Alona Beach, Panglao's best-known stretch of sand, with infinity pools looking out over the sea and steps down to the beach.
Hotel websiteRooms
You'll stay at Trip Hotel.
- Included
Shared double
Shared with the person you book with, or a fellow traveller of the same sex.
- +$1,550 per person
Single room
A room to yourself, subject to availability.
Room prices are per person for the Apr 8, 2027 departure and can differ on other dates. You choose your room when you book.
Tour FAQS
Fly into Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Manila (MNL), or Clark International Airport (CRK), and out of Bohol–Panglao International Airport (TAG).
Proposed accommodation is Park Inn by Radisson Clark in Clark, beach tents on a privately owned island for two nights, Lime Resort El Nido in El Nido, Loboc River Resort in Loboc and Amorita Resort on Panglao (or similar), subject to confirmation.
International Flights Not Included. International airfare to and from the destination is not included in the package price. Travelers are responsible for arranging their own flights and ensuring their arrival and departure align with the trip itinerary. Please share your confirmed flight details with Soca Islands so we can coordinate applicable arrival and departure arrangements.
Yes. Arrival and departure airport transfers are included. Please share your confirmed flight details with Soca Islands so we can coordinate applicable arrival and departure arrangements.
The trip includes 11 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 4 dinners. Meals not included are at your own cost.
Extra nights can be requested, subject to hotel availability; contact our Customer Experience team for a quote.
There are no scheduled activities on the final day, so feel free to book your departure at your own convenience.
We recommend arriving before 3 pm on Day 1 to make it in time for the welcome event. But don’t worry no matter when you land, we’ll have an airport transfer ready for you.
Please Refer to your government’s travel advice or consult your local consulate. Remember, passport and visa requirements can change, so make sure to stay updated.
Excluding alcohol, we suggest budgeting around USD $40.00 per day for extras.
While we’re not medical professionals, we want to help you prepare for a safe and healthy adventure. Here are some tips:
- Consult with a healthcare professional: Schedule an appointment with your travel nurse or doctor at least eight weeks before your adventure to get any necessary vaccines or medications.
- Up-to-date medical advice:
- US residents: Check the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
- UK residents: Visit the NHS Fit For Travel website.
- Australian residents: Refer to the Smart Traveler Health website.
3. Government travel advice:
- US residents: Consult the US Department of State Travel Advice.
- UK residents: Check the FCDO Travel Advice.
- Australian residents: Visit the Smart Traveler website.
4. Medication tips: If you take prescription medication, bring enough to last the entire trip, plus a few extra days in case of delays. Carry a copy of your prescription in case you need to visit a clinic abroad.
We hope this helps you prepare for a safe and enjoyable adventure.
Please keep in mind that our itinerary, activities, and hotels might change. These adjustments could happen with little notice due to factors like availability, weather conditions, seasonal shifts, or other circumstances beyond our control. Rest assured, we always aim to minimise any impact on your experience. Occasionally, we may tweak the itinerary to try out fresh ideas and keep the adventure exciting.
We believe solo travelers shouldn’t have to pay extra to explore the world. That’s why our group trips are designed around shared accommodation and do not include a single supplement. Solo travelers joining our group trips are paired in twin or multi-share rooms with another traveler of the same sex for the duration of the trip.
Some of our Independent trips are structured differently. For these itineraries, solo travelers will need to book at the single occupancy rate.
Tips are not included in the cost of this tour. Remember, tipping is entirely at your discretion and based on what you feel comfortable with.
Would you like to learn more or customise our Escapism in the Philippines trip?
Have questions about accommodations, accessibility, group preferences, or dietary needs? Complete the form below and our team will get back to you shortly.
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