Things to do in  Philippines

Pagsanjan Falls was the highlight of the tour for me. The canoe ride up the river in the lush canyon was beautiful. Going under the falls was a cool unique experience. The weather wasn't good for the optional boat tour by Taal Volcano. Only in the morning do the boat operators find out if they can go out that day. The tour guide, Daniel, was informative and kind. He answered my many questions about the Philippines and gave me guidance on how to get across the city using oublic transport and Jeepneys. During the drive to Taal Volcano, we stopped at a Starbucks to grab food and use the bathroom. He offered to stop at a good lunch spot which was very tasty and gave a good view of a local rice field. My friend bailed on me, so during the Pagsanjan Falls canoe ride, Daniel joined me and took lots of photos of me and the other group which was so nice!

Overall it was a great tour. The caves are a must-see and worth the wait at the dock. Our guide Roman advised us that if the line was long we would be taken to our “plan B” activity so we’re not just waiting at the dock for hours. Our driver Erwin then took us to these activities while Roman waited for us at the dock. We had the option to do either a mangrove tour for ~350php per person or a zip line for ~550php per person. We opted to do the zip line even though we had done them before and frankly were kind of bored by them. Turns out it was a great decision as it was a zip line over the ocean, which was a unique experience and quite beautiful (they also said it was the longest in the Philippines?). At one point we hovered just over the water as the waves came in (there were bigger waves that day). Once we were done, we were expecting to go to lunch but plans changed as the waves were getting bigger that afternoon due to the winds and so we went to the dock to try to get out to the caves quickly. We first boarded a motorized boat (quite noisy but did the job). Once we got to the site, we got on land, got our hard hat helmets and walked inland to the next set of boats which were paddle boats, paddled by a guide who pointed out features in the caves, which were incredible. There’s a reason it’s a UNESCO heritage site. Whenever I’ve gone to a UNESCO heritage location I’ve never been disappointed and this was no different. This is a great tour and a can’t miss. I appreciate Roman our guide for being thoughtful and Erwin our driver who got us safely there and back, and helped point out things too when Roman had to be away to deal with the queue. I would give it 5 stars if I could except that the pick up of all the hotel guests in the morning ended up taking an hour. It’s not something that can be helped, but I do wish the agency can find a way so that we’re not spending the first hour driving and waiting around for others.

Having a private tour guide to coordinate all the details of this experience was well worth the money alone. We would have never known that my senior mother was able to skip all the long wait lines for sign up (a perk for seniors in the Philippines). We were also able to relax before hand instead of being stressed out sitting in the hot for hours just waiting to be called. Our guides knew exactly what to do and keep an ear out for our turn. Not to mention the amazing support they gave my elderly mom trying to experience this with me. Yes its a tourist attraction here but seeing the whale sharks here is something my mom and I will never forget!

This was the best decision we made on our trip to Philippines. Kawasan falls was shut during the time we were in Cebu hence we chose the trip with pescador island hopping and it was totally worth it. Yes, it's a long day but a must do if you have just a day or two in Cebu as you cover the highlights. The day started at 4AM sharp with a 2.5 hour drive to Oslob. The drive here was SCARY. The driver was too fast and way above the limit, overtaking vehicle ahead from all sides. It was like he was in some sort of a race. I was unable to get any sleep as I was very scared the whole time. This aside, the rest of the trip was smooth and amazing. The hostess with us was so helpful, she held on to our stuff, clicked some lovely photos and was do helpful the whole time. We only had to pay 50 pesos for the bike ride to Tumalog falls and this was clearly called out on the tour description. We had no other additional payments to be made. We had to pay extra for the GoPro rentals and this was optional and something we chose to do. The boat men take some lovely underwater photos and videos. We paid 600 pesos for the GoPro at Oslob and 800 pesos at Pescador. It was totally worth it. The photos were transferred on to our phones (iPhone & Android) Every person on the trip was polite and helpful, the hostess, the driver, the boatmen. My husband and I were vegetarians so we made a special request and they served delicious garlic pasta. 100% recommend The only

I don’t provide feedback often, although in this case it is definitely worth. The tour content is as good as described on the web and the logistics very well manage by the tour operators ( information about optional additional cost upfront, share driver contact number day before, answer specific questions, etc… ). Beside the trip itself, the staff make it fabulous and magical. They as simply amazing! It is all about kindness and friendliness. They are caring at all time : - I stay in Mactan ( island next to CEBU city), my driver, Obet, was here to pick me up 30 mins earlier than expected with smile and positive energy. The journey to Oslob is about 3h30 but along the way there is nice local scenes to discover by the windows. Also Obet speaks good English which is good to get some information about Philippines culture. - Once arrived at Oslob, Julie Ann, my guide for the first part of the day was waiting for me. She is a sunshine ! She brings me to breakfast and debrief me about the agenda which consists of seing the Whaleshark, visite the Sumilon bar ( small island 15 mins by boat) then take a motorcycle to visit the Tumalog fall and eventually eat lunch. Julie Ann makes the entire experience enjoyable, helping with the photo, making sure I’m comfortable and safe, advising on what best to do to experience the situation the best. - After lunch back to road (1h30) with Obet to visit the Kawasan Falls with canyoning option ( please do not let got the option !! It is only 1200 pesos and a lifetime experience). This time Arjay was waiting for me : a young man with lots of energy, and once again, full of heart and kindness. After a short motorcycle ride to climb the mountain, the trail start (3-4hours). A little bit of walk with beautiful surroundings, then you reach the falls : a preserved environment that only the Typhon has slightly damage. From there it is lot of enjoyment with sources water, jumping cliffs from 5 to 12 meters, swimming racing against Arjay ( too fast for me ! ). Arjay helps with the picture but also we had a great connection which makes is converse all the way about our respective life. Once again, like for Obet and Julie, Arjay level of english is very good which makes it easy to create a good relationship. - Eventually the day has to have a ends, and i meet once again Obet who was waiting for me, for the ride back to my hotel ( with the evening traffic, took 4h30) Something worth to mention : all the people who take care of me were full of candour and kindness; they are not looking for money, they simply want to do their job the best they can. I was lucky to have a perfect weather but even with some rain, i’m sure this day trip is worth the money. I understand they adjust with alternative experience in the same area. Thank you to the tour operators but most importantly to Obet, Julie Ann and Arjay for your kindness and professionalism. You were all the real sunshines of my day !

The tour was great, the driver and the tour guide were friendly and personable. Their English was very good as is the case with most people in the Philippines. I got to see beyond the usual metropolitan area and got a history lesson on the country and the national hero Dr. Jose Rizal.

Manila was a port on our cruise itinerary that we probably were unsure of but this half day tour with Don’t Skip Manila certainly changed our minds and it became our favourite port of call. The tour takes in most of the same things a cruise ship tour will but with a locals insight, Ann our guide was an enthusiastic advocate for Manila. It’s mainly a walking tour with a short drive to the start point and back to the ship but the pace is relaxed and we got to see way more than the ships tour who we saw being regularly hearded on and off of coaches and rushed around attractions. Anna’s enthusiasm was infectious and we learned so much about the history of Manila and the Philippines under different rulers and the love they have for Jose Rizal, we were also able to visit Casa Manila which was a fascinating insight into the way people lived in Manila years ago. Don’t miss Manila and certainly don’t miss this tour!

Our tour guide Richard was excellent. He was very knowledgeable about Manila and the history of the Philippines. First stop was the American Cemetery. It is beautiful and serene. It's humbling to see the markers and know how great the sacrifice of Americans and Filipinos was during the Second World War. The drive to the American Cemetary through the Forbes Park area isn't that spectacular. The houses are walled and gated so there's not much to see. Next stop was Rizal Park. It's quite a place. It's quite large and there wasn't enough time to walk the entire perimeter. You do get to see the monument to Dr. Jose Rizal, the national hero. The park is well maintained. It was raining at this point so the park wasn't very lively but that's ok. Then we went off to Fort Santiago and Intramuros. There was some renovations works ongoing so parts of the park were closed down. What was open is a nice step back in history. I'm sure one the renovation works are complete, the area will be exceptional. You can get some good views of the Pasig river and bordering cities from the old fort walls. There are several restored buildings where you can see a movie on Filipino history. Last stop is the Church of San Agustin. It's an impressive piece of architecture and certainly worth a tour around. The reason I didn't give the tour a five, even though our guide almost warranted a five himself, was the renovations works, the relative lameness of Forbes Park and the rain.

Our guide and driver picked us up at our hotel on time. We were given a tour with one other couple in an air condition small van with large windows. The guide had in depth knowledge of history of the area. He was able to answer any questions concerning the history, economics, and politics of the Philippines. Having a separate driver helped tremendously. We were able to see and experience Manila in the limited time we had available.

Best tour we’ve done in the Philippines! Swimming with whale sharks is unforgettable and Tumalog falls were magical. Kasawan Falls was closed from the entrance but you could get there by canyoneering. This was offered at an additional 1,000 pesos per person. So glad we did it! The canyoneering was the highlight of the falls. Our guide Paula was great, everything went smoothly. Sandbar was just okay for us, but we live in Guam where the beaches are unmatched.