Start Here: Planning Your First Trip to the Philippines

The things to sort out before a first trip: entry rules, the free eTravel form, money, a local SIM, the seasons, getting between islands and staying safe. Every practical fact on this page was checked against the official or news source listed at the end on November 1, 2026.

Before you fly

• Visa-free stay. Visitors from visa-waiver countries can stay up to 30 days for tourism or business. You need a passport valid at least six months beyond your stay and a return or onward ticket. To stay longer, apply to the Bureau of Immigration before the 30 days run out.
• Recent exceptions. Since 8 June 2025, Indian nationals get 14 days visa-free (30 days with a valid US, Japan, Australia, Canada, Schengen, Singapore or UK visa or residence permit). Since 16 January 2026, mainland Chinese nationals get 14 days, entering only through NAIA (Manila) or Mactan-Cebu. Check your own nationality with the Department of Foreign Affairs before booking.
• eTravel is required and free. Every arriving passenger registers atetravel.gov.ph or in the eGovPH app, within 72 hours before arrival. Sites that charge for eTravel are scams; the Bureau of Immigration warned about them again in April 2026.

Money

• The currency is the Philippine peso (PHP). Foreign currency worth more than USD 10,000 must be declared on arrival.
• Cards and e-wallets are common in cities, but cash still matters: in 2025 about a third of retail payments were still made in cash. ATMs are easy to find in cities and scarce in rural areas and small islands, so carry enough pesos before you leave the city.
• Use ATMs inside banks or busy, well-lit places; card skimming is a known problem.

Phone and data

• Every SIM in the Philippines must be registered. Tourists register with their passport (photo page and entry stamp), proof of a local address such as a hotel booking, and a return or onward ticket. A tourist SIM works for 30 days.
• The networks are Globe, Smart and DITO. Globe, for example, sells SIMs in airport arrival areas and a 30-day traveller eSIM in its GlobeOne app.

When to go: seasons and typhoons

• PAGASA, the national weather agency, describes two seasons: rainy from June to November and dry from December to May (cool and dry December to February, hot and dry March to May).
• About 20 tropical cyclones enter the Philippine area each year; the peak is July to October, but storms can come in any month. Warnings use Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals #1 to #5, raised for whole provinces.
• In 2026 the northeast monsoon (amihan) began on 27 October. It brings cooler air and rougher seas on exposed coasts, which can cancel boat trips.

Getting between islands

• Boats stop for storms. The Coast Guard suspends sea trips in areas under Signal #1 or higher, even when the sky looks clear. In the rainy season, leave a spare day before any flight home that depends on a boat.
• Manila airport (NAIA) changed in 2026. Passenger flights use Terminals 1, 2 and 3; Terminal 4 closed in November 2024 and will not reopen. Several airlines changed terminals on 29 March 2026 (AirAsia's international flights moved from Terminal 3 to Terminal 1), so check your terminal with your airline.
• Some island flights leave from Clark, not Manila. Since 29 March 2026, small-plane (turboprop) flights no longer use NAIA. Philippine Airlines' turboprop flights to Coron and Siargao, Cebu Pacific's turboprop flights to Coron and AirSWIFT's flights to El Nido leave from Clark International Airport in Pampanga, north of Manila. Check the departure airport on your ticket.
• NAIA's terminal fee rose on 14 September 2025 to PHP 950 for international and PHP 390 for domestic departures.

Staying safe

• Emergency number: 911, nationwide, for police, fire, ambulance and rescue. The Department of Tourism's visitor line is 151-8687.
• Government advisories (US, UK, Canada) warn against travel to the Sulu archipelago and parts of western and central Mindanao. Popular areas such as Siargao, Camiguin and Davao City are treated differently; read your own government's advice for the latest map before you book.
• In big cities, use hotel transport, official airport taxis or a ride-hailing app rather than taxis flagged on the street, and avoid overcrowded boats.
• Never enter a volcano's permanent danger zone (for example Taal Volcano Island, or within 6 km of Mayon).

Travelling with children

Our guides that focus on families, from Panglao to Lake Sebu, are gathered on one page:The Philippines with kids.

Where to next

• Manila & Nearby
• Luzon
• Palawan
• Visayas
• Mindanao
• Hidden Gems
• Nightlife
• Food & Culture