Wonders of the Philippines - Private Tour

On arrival in Manila, you'll be met and transferred to your hotel to freshen up. Later join your group for dinner.

If you are arranging your own international flights, free airport transfers are available and included in the price. Transfers need to be booked with us at least two weeks before the tour starts and you will need to provide your inbound and outbound flight details.

After enjoying breakfast at your hotel, embark on a city tour of the colonial history of old Manila. Experience the Walled City of Intramuros a reminder of Spain's conquistadores, before stopping at Fort Santiago, an old Spanish fortress, and the setting of many great moments of Philippine history. Stroll around gardens set amidst the historic ruins and bulwarks, admiring the skyline of old Escolta and watching freight boats sail by along Pasig River.

Travel through cobbled streets to San Agustin Church which is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the country's oldest stone church, to view its wide collection of ecclesiastical icons, vestments and other religious articles. Next, enjoy a short walk to Casa Manila, an exquisite reproduction of a 19th-century house equipped with oriental and European decor, as well as Philippine antique furniture. Enjoy a delicious lunch. In the afternoon, experience Ayala Avenue, the financial and commercial centre of Makati and the city's own version of 'Wall Street' and the famous Ayala Triangle, a junction that connects the city's three main streets.

Proceed to the Ayala Museum and browse its exquisite collection of pre-colonial gold treasures, ethnological and archeological artifacts, meticulously crafted dioramas of Philippine history, and exhibitions of classical and contemporary artworks. Next, take a short walk along the Greenbelt Area, before returning to Ayala Avenue for your dinner and then onto your hotel for the night.

Begin today's drive towards Banaue past the flat and fertile landscape of the Central Plains of Luzon. En-route, witness the haunting San Guillermo Church in Bacolor, which still stands half-buried in lava from Mount Pinatubo's 1991 eruption.

Continue your journey past verdant rice fields being tended to by farmers, water buffalos immersed in mud pools, herons foraging for food, and fields of green and gold stretching far and wide. Along the way, encounter townsfolk selling their wares and goods out of native bamboo and nipa palm huts, lining the side streets of Nueva Ecija. Cross the southern gateway of Cagayan Valley, zigzagging across the Caraballo Mountains, before beginning the 1300m climb to the mountainous town of Banaue.

Stop halfway in Lagawe, the capital of Ifugao and home of the 'People from the High Mountains', known for their woodcarving traditions. Arrive at your hotel in Banaue in the late afternoon and enjoy dinner.

Board a local jeepney to explore the breathtaking scenery and fascinating traditional culture of Banaue. By the roadside near the local church, a 10-story house built on the mountain slopes shows the Ifugaos' engineering skills and adaptability to their surroundings. Several twists and turns along the main road lead you to rice terraces with ample stops for picture-taking. Catch a glimpse of the magnificent terraces from the Barangay Viewpoint, where a sign declares the Banaue Rice Terraces a UNESCO World Heritage Area and an international historic civil engineering landmark. Hike down to have lunch and mingle freely with the villagers. Visit the village of Batad with amphitheater-like terraces built amid a majestic mountain valley. Return to Banaue to explore the market and have dinner at the hotel.

Embark on a scenic drive inland on the mountain trail of Mt. Polis, snaking through a narrow highway bordered with thick undergrowth of moss-laden forest trees and shrubs for our first Bontoc village stop in Bay-yo. View the picture-perfect mosaic of vegetable and rice terraces built close to the crystalline waters of the Chico River, and small thatched-roof huts called allang.

Visit the Bontoc Museum for an insight into the lifestyle of the Igorots, the native settlers of Bontoc and the fiercest headhunters of all mountain tribes. Browse through an interesting collection of pictures, old maps and artifacts of the mountain tribes in the region, including a replica of an ili-village.

Continue onwards to the limestone valley of Sagada, best known for its people's unique burial practices where the dead are placed in pine coffins and buried in caves or lodged between ridges of limestone cliffs. Witness the Lumiang Cave entrance, a sacred burial ground where the ancient pinewood coffins can be seen. Drop by the Sagada Weaving House to learn about hand-loom weaving and products made by local women.

After breakfast, travel through high mountain passes offering spectacular views of the Cordilleras, past deep gorges, and canyons, to reach Cervantes. Continue towards Bessang Pass, once the site of one of the bloodiest battles of World War II. Witness the highland scenery transform into idyllic agricultural towns ringed by rice and corn fields and tobacco-curing barns. Experience the coastal settlements by the Luzon Sea and gray sandy beaches lined with coconut and mangrove trees.

Before arriving in Vigan, enjoy a visit to the village of Santa Maria and explore the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Church of the Assumption, a Baroque church resembling a medieval fortress sitting atop a hill. Access the church via a wide 82-step stone stairway to view its heavily buttressed walls and views of the surrounding countryside.

Continue onwards to Vigan, a town famous for its cobbled street of Mena Crisologo, old colonial houses and horse-drawn carriages called 'calesas'. Witness St. Paul's Cathedral whose bell tower stands separately in Plaza Burgos. In the evening visit the colonial city centre to watch a light and sound show.

Today, travel north towards Paoay stopping en-route to Saint William the Hermit Parish Church, also known as San Guillermo Hermitanio Parish Church. Located 14 km north of Vigan on the way to Laoag, is Magsingal, the Magsingal Church Complex was declared a National Cultural Treasure in 2001. It includes the ruined walls and bell tower of the former Parish Church of San Guillermo de Aquitania, which was built in the 18th century under the Augustinians, a school, the present church, and the old convent.

Proceed to San Augustin church and Malacanang of the North, a former presidential residence overlooking Paoay Lake. Upon arrival in Laoag, explore the Museo Iloko, housed in the old Tabacalera where government-controlled tobacco was stored in colonial times, and view many interesting artifacts related to the province's history and culture. Pass by the Abolition of Tobacco Monopoly Monument at the town plaza and pause briefly at St. Williams Cathedral and its Sinking Bell Tower. Proceed to Laoag Airport for your afternoon flight to Manila.

After enjoying breakfast at the hotel, you'll catch a morning flight to Bohol. Once you arrive, you will transfer to your hotel for check-in and the rest of your day will be at leisure to explore the nearby area and get a feel for the local culture. For lunch, you might want to try one of the local restaurants that offer delicious Filipino dishes and a welcoming atmosphere.

Visit the Philippine Tarsier Foundation, a refuge for the smallest primate in the world, the Tarsier. Observe these rare, nocturnal creatures in their natural habitat and be amazed by their agility as they move about, leaping from one tree to another, swivelling their heads nearly 360 degrees. Proceed to Baclayon for a short stop at the historical Blood Compact site, where Spain's Miguel Lopez de Legazpi and Datu Sikatuna, a native chieftain, sealed their friendship with a symbolic drink. In Baclayon, visit a centuries-old stone church housing a museum containing a collection of religious art, ecclesiastical vestments, as well as librettos of church music inscribed in Latin on animal skins. Pass by the man-made forest of Bilar, a thick undergrowth of towering mahogany trees grown on the fringes of the highway leading to the Chocolate Hills, the country's geological wonder. Hike up to the viewpoint for a bird's eye view of the surrounding area before moving on to Loboc River for a cruise downstream and lunch at a floating restaurant.

Enjoy your day at leisure to explore the island or relax at the beach. An optional tour can be arranged locally for a fee to Panglao Island where you can visit Alona Beach renowned for its white sand and crystal-clear waters. It's ideal for swimming and sunbathing. Discover the Hinagdanan Cave, A fascinating natural wonder on the island made out of limestone cave with an underground lagoon.

Start your day with an early ferry ride over to Cebu, upon arrival take a historical tour of the city starting Fort San Pedro, the first and smallest foreign military defence structure in the country. On to the Basilica Minore del Sto Nino home of the legendary Holy Image of the Child Jesus “Santo Niño,” and Magellan’s Cross, the spot where Christianity was first planted in Cebu. The final stop on your tour will be the Carbon Market, a popular flea market in the city. Enjoy lunch en route to Cebu’s highlands.

Admire the scenery and flower farms nestled in a beautiful valley between the barangays of Babag and Bonbon as you drive up the mountain. Stop at the Adlawon Vacation Farm, a mango orchard and a farm that grows a wide variety of local flowers and orchids throughout the year. Follow bamboo basket making and the production of palm wine from the farm's coconut trees. On your way back to the city pass by the Temple of Leah perched on a scenic hill. This majestic temple was built as a symbol of love featuring towering columns, sculptures and a grand staircase leading to a bronze statue.