When Is The Best Time To Visit The Philippines?
Being such a large country with a varied landscape, from volcanoes to dense jungle and beautiful coastlines, the Philippines really has something to offer everyone. With over 7,000 islands, knowing when is the best time to visit the Philippines has no right answer, as it depends on where you’re planning on visiting and what you’re doing there. Being a tropical climate with such a vast landscape, navigating the best time to visit the Philippines can be tricky, so read on to find out the best months to backpack this beautiful country.
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When Is The Best Time To Visit?
In short, the best months to visit the Philippines are December to February, the temperatures are at their coolest and there is little rainfall. However that also directly overlaps with the busiest tourist season for the Philippines, so depending on what type of traveller you are will change when it might be best for you to visit. Something we also didn’t realise before visiting was how vast the Philippines is, so the weather varies between the regions.
August to mid-October is best avoided due to the possibility of typhoons ripping through the country.
So if you’re wondering when is the best time to visit the Philippines for you, depending on where you’re going and what months you have available, read on.
Stats on the Philippines
Driest Month: April. Best month for outdoor activities and beach trips.
Wettest Month: July. Heaviest rainfall across the archipelago.
Typhoon Season: Typically between June and November, the Philippines is prone to typhoons.
Fun Facts:
The Philippines is home to over 7,000 islands, making it one of the worlds biggest archipelagos
It is a major rice producer, which is the most popular food by far
Boracay is the busiest and most popular tourist destination
Mount Apo is the highest peak at just over 10k feet
The Sampaguita is the national flower
Geography Overview
With 7,000 islands there is certainly no shortage of choice on where to travel to, however there are 3 main regions, each of which have the same two seasons but their own slightly different weather system.
Regions Of The Philippines
Luzon: the largest island of them all offering city escapes such as Manila as well as stunning mountain provinces such as Sagada & the famous Banaue Rice Terraces
The Visayas: the central region of the Philippines known for its diving and pristine beaches which draws the most tourists each year. The Visayas are home to Cebu, Siquijor, Bohol and more.
Mindanao: the southernmost group of islands, not often travelled to by tourists from the west
Seasons In The Philippines
Wet (June to October): this is why the Philippines is so green and beautiful! The wet season brings rain most days meaning less crowds
Dry (November to April): blue skies and minimal rain, perfect for relaxing on the beaches
Map Of The Philippines Regions
Best Time To Visit Luzon
Top Destinations In Luzon
Manila - experience the hustle and bustle of the Philippine Capital City, expect chaos at all times
Baguio - a city in the mountains! An incredible sight to see, the drive there and the views are worth it
Banaue Rice Terraces - A UNESCO world heritage site with breath-taking views and amazing hikes
Sagada - One of our favourite regions in the Philippines, much cooler than other regions so you can light a fire after a day hiking. Most famous for Spelunking In Sumaguing Cave and The Echo Valley Hanging Coffins
Best Time To Visit The Visayas
Top Destinations In The Visayas
Cebu - explore the second largest city in the Philippines or visit the famous Moalboal Sardine Run, a perfect destination for adventure seekers.
Siquijor - known as the island of witchcraft by the locals, there are plenty of top things to do on Siquijor from the picturesque Cambugahay Falls to Paliton Beach
Boracay - perfect white sand beaches lined with coconut trees, this really is paradise!
Bohol - tarziers, amazing beaches and the loboc river! Another great adventure destination with adventure parks
Palawan - home to some of the best boat tours in the world, el nido and port barton are gems of the Philippines
Best Time To Visit Mindanao
Top Destinations In Mindanao
Camiguin Island - a small paradise island known for natural beauty with an abundance of white-sand beaches, waterfalls and hot-springs
Siargao - the surfing capital of the Philippines and another one of our favourite places. Catch some waves, go fishing or relax on the beaches
Davao Oriental - exploring enchanted rivers, wildlife sanctuaries and the nearby islands, this province has it all for tourists
Dry Season Months
High Season In The Philippines: along with the driest months and the lowest risk of typhoons bring the highest numbers of tourism with it. If you’re travellers who prefer places to be quiet we recommend the shoulder seasons.
December - this marks the start of the peak season travel, once the risks of typhoons have officially cleared off.
January - cool temperatures making for a comfortable family holiday with not too much humidity
February - not as busy as January for tourism with similar temperatures and little rain
March - this is the month things start to warm up across the Philippines, temperatures climb but are still comfortable
April - hot and dry, sightseeing in these temperatures gets uncomfortable, especially sitting on a scooter all day to the top tourist attractions
May - the shoulder season between the dry and wet, May is a good month to visit for slightly less busy attractions but not too much rain
Wet Season Months
Low Season In The Philippines: daily rainfall means much less tourism across the Philippines. We recommend not visiting from August to mid October due to the high risk of Typhoons, however the other months in the wet season are great if you like less busy spots. Most days you will experience a downpour but either side will be sunshine.
June - the wet season kicks off with a bang, during our stay in June it rained most days with some tropical thunderstorms. It usually rains heavily in the afternoon and is blue skies for the rest of the day
July - the northern region of Luzon has heavy rainfall however the Visayas are still okay to visit
August - the start of Typhoon season with heavy rainfall, we don’t recommend visiting in August
September - typhoon season! Don’t visit and if you do make sure you have good travel insurance
October - coming to the end of typhoon season however there is still a chance, not worth the risk in our opinion after seeing photos of Siargao after a huge typhoon hit
November - shoulder season, where the sunshine starts to come back out and the risk of typhoons falls. This is a good month to visit before all of the tourists arrive in December
Pros & Cons Of Visiting In The Wet vs Dry Season
Dry Season (Dec-May) | Wet Season (Jun-Nov) | |
Pros | Less chance of rain Great temperatures Not too humid Not many mosquitos | Less crowds The shoulder months allow for good weather and less tourists Cheaper prices on tours and hotels |
Cons | Very busy with tourists, meaning the most popular attractions might be overcrowded Higher prices on tours and hotels | Typhoons! (Aug-Oct) The mosquitos come out! Rain most days, so you might need longer in each place |
Essential Travel Items You Need
 | Lifestraw - Filtered Water Bottle Allowing you to fill up water whenever and wherever with peace of mind plus you’re helping the environment! |
 | Jungle Formula - High Deet Mosquito Spray The weak sprays will not work! Make sure to bring a high deet percentage spray made for the tropics. We also use Mosquito Wipes. |
 | Water Shoes - Lightweight with Protection Stay protected from Sea Urchins with these, also useful for snorkelling, waterfall hikes and more. We also love our Microfibre Towels and Dry Bag. |
 | Universal Travel Adaptor With Multiple USBs Life while travelling will never be the same again! Charge multiple devices all at once in any country... game changer. |
Top Tips For Travelling The Philippines
If you’re visiting the Philippines here are our top travel tips:
Book flights in advance - they can become expensive if you leave it last minute… oh and check your luggage allowance to skip expensive check in fees at the airport. Don't forget your Apple Airtags to track your bags
Agree on taxi prices upfront - when getting into a tuk-tuk, tricycle or taxi, make sure you agree on a price or they have a meter, so many tourists get ripped off with a huge price tag at the end of the ride.
Take it slow - don't feel the need to see all the islands, we recommend picking a few and doing them properly. See the island in full, find some locals and sing Karaoke..
Embrace the chaos and get stuck in, the locals are friendly and love to help and share information about their home!
For a checklist of what's needed to pack for your trip, read: How to Pack for Backpacking to South East Asia: Backpacking Essentials and Accessories
We love our DJI Mini for all of our drone shots!
Our Experience
We visited the Philippines from April to June meaning we went during the shoulder season, just before the wet season fully kicked in. We would only recommend visiting during these months, it was less touristy than Jan/Feb but also not as much rainfall as Jul/Aug, the perfect combination. It’s also worth noting that when it rains, it pours! The tropical thunderstorms are no joke, so make sure to bring a good Raincoat.
Final Thoughts On The Best Time To Visit The Philippines
We don’t recommend visiting in Typhoon season from August-October! However any other months of the year will be okay, we personally prefer the shoulder seasons to visit the attractions when they are less busy. If you prefer blue skies for a two week holiday, then the dry season is definitely your best bet.
Overall it comes down to preference of how you like to travel!
Travel Tools To Help You Plan
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Thank you for reading and enjoy your Borneo adventure. Reach out to us over on Instagram @KateandMikesTravels. We always love to hear from people who read our blogs!
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