Travelling to the Philippines need not be expensive. With a good backpacker’s travel guide, you’ll surely get to visit this chain of islands on a budget, when travelling with family, friends or solo.
Usually, just like any other place, people in the Philippines take long weekends and enjoy outings with their family and loved ones. This means that you can expect all the tourist spots crowded, and there is high demand for accommodations and tour packages. Hire the demand, costlier the things will be.
Travel costs
The Philippines is a chain of islands, and thus one cannot take a cheap bus to travel around. For travelling around in the Philippines, one needs to take planes or ferries which up the cost. If you are travelling during the holiday season, then you can expect to be charged more for your stay and travel. However, you could visit Bookaway.com to save some money on your travel tickets.
Accommodation
Unlike other places in the Southeast Asia, accommodation in the Philippines can be expensive, especially if you stay in a hotel or resort. Staying in hostel can help you save a lot of money. Some of the hostels charge $10 to $20 per night, which is way cheaper than any other option. You can either choose to share a hostel room or stay in dormitory.
Transportation
Getting around via buses, tricycles, or on rented bike is quite cheap, but taking ferries to travel from one island to another can be very expensive. You can save a few bucks by booking ferry ticket through BookAway. They sell tickets online across over 2k unique sea routes. They allow you to compare rates charged by local transport services and choose the best option for you.
In short, if you want to visit these islands on a shoestring budget, then you must plan your transport well. You could visit BookAway website to get all the information you need to travel from one location to another in the best and cheapest possible way.
Food and Beverage
Eating local will always help you save money. The local cuisine is not only cheap, but also delicious. You can binge on street BBQ chicken for just $1. There are many other mouth-watering dishes that you can try within $1. Local beverages are also quite cheap you can easily quench your thirst within $2.
Expensive vs. Cheap places in the Philippines
While Jagna in Bohol is the cheapest place to visit, Boracay is the most expensive one. It is jam packed during the peak season and the prices of everything is soaring high. Cagayan de Oro stands second in the list of the most expensive places in the Philippines.
Travel during off season
Booking early and booking during the off season are two different things. Most of the companies promote their business during the dry season by offering huge discounts. This is the right time you need to make your travel reservations.
Hidden Charges
Some companies do not include the service charge or tax while quoting the prices online. However, they do include these in your final bill in fine print at the bottom. Thus, always check the fees before you book your holidays.
While you’re here, also check out these awesome Vietnam travel tips (learnt the hard way).
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