The best family holiday in the Philippines
One of the advantages of booking your travel with a travel consultant is getting advice on when to book and when to travel. While most families will want to take their main summer holiday during the UK school summer holiday period, late July through to the end of August, this does not always represent the best time to go away to particular destinations, and certainly does not offer value for money. Holiday providers generally hike their prices up substantially during the summer months, so it can make excellent sense to consider taking the main family holiday at Christmas or Easter. It will still be as expensive, but not quite as expensive, and for many destinations, the weather will be better.
A great example of this is the Philippines, whose summer runs from March through to June. Let me illustrate this with a fantastic two week holiday in the Philippines for a family of four over the Easter Holiday, 2019.
Holiday Plans
You will depart from Heathrow (other UK departures are available) on the evening of Saturday 13thApril on a direct flight to Manila, arriving on the following evening. There are of course indirect flights, which will take slightly longer, but will be significantly cheaper.
Manila
You could stay at the Conrad Manila, a Hilton Hotel, which is about 15 minutes from the airport by private transfer. I would recommend organising a transfer from the airport to the hotel in advance for all but the seasoned traveller to the Philippines. You will almost certainly travel by taxi, and the taxis waiting at the airport can be a little unscrupulous with unsuspecting tourists.
Many travellers to the Philippines are tempted to transit straight through Manila and head straight off to some of the best beaches in the world, but I always think that this is a mistake. There is plenty to see and do in Manila, and I like to offer as much variety and interest in my holidays as possible.
The Conrad has fabulous rooms, two very good restaurants and bars. It boasts a great infinity pool, 24 hour fitness suites. And then of course there is the view of the Bay.
Manila has hotels to suit every budget, and I will be featuring some of these in future blog posts.
But what to do it Manila? Have a look at this : https://www.holidayinthephilippines.co.uk/project/manila/
Bohol
On Wednesday 19thApril, we will take a private transfer to the airport to fly to the Island of Bohol. We will stay 4 nights at the Henan Alona Resort. This is the biggest beach resort in Panglao Island and is right on Alona Beach. This will be about getting some tranquillity after the hustle and bustle of Manila. One of the many things that I love about the Philippines and especially their beaches is that they rarely seem busy. Quite why there are not more people about on such incredible beaches is a mystery, but a mystery that I am perfectly prepared to remain unsolved!
The children will of course enjoy the 120 metre beach front and the 3 swimming pools. There are the usual array of activities from diving to paddle boarding to cycling, and the main part of town is only a short walk away.
Have a look at our post on Bohol https://www.holidayinthephilippines.co.uk/project/bohol/
Diving
Now we get to a really exciting part of the holiday. On the 21stApril we are picked up from the hotel and taken to the terminal where we take the Ocean Jet to Dumaguete, and the Atmosphere Hotel and Resort. I have chosen this hotel because it is one of the best places in which the children can learn not just to dive, but also, thanks to the lessons in Marine Biology, what it is that they will be seeing when they are diving. The PADI dive center also offers classes in photography and marine life presentations, and caters for pretty much every level of diving, from beginner to snorkeler, to diving from the beach to off a boat and from day time to night time.
The hotel offers so much more in terms of activities, spas and wellness treatments, great food and drink, and there is a wealth of opportunities to discover outside the hotel.
Sadly, the 26thApril has come round so quickly and it is now time to head back to Manila where we will have one evening, again at the Conrad before returning to the UK on the 27thApril.
The budget for this family of four over the Easter holidays would be in the region of £10,000, excluding the cost of any activities undertaken. For adults, it would cost £2,700 each. The cost could be significantly reduced by taking a non direct flight or staying in less expensive and well known hotels. Most visitors to the Philippines cannot help but be struck by the warm and welcoming nature of Filipinos, and will be more than comfortable in much more basic hotels, freeing up the budget to spend less on fancy soaps and more on unforgettable memories.