Of the many islands that form the Philippines, we decided to visit Bohol and Coron, an island in Palawan. Since nearly all international flights are through Manila, we stayed there for two (non-consecutive) nights as well. Bohol is a well developed island with a lot to do, nice beaches, and something resembling a nightlife, so it was perfect that we traveled there with friends. Coron, on the other hand, is incredibly remote, with a tiny main "town" center. Activities more or less exist within and around your hotel, and typically involve sailing the area around the island. You'll swim in the crystal clear lakes that appear from absolutely nowhere in the middle of the ocean, bordered by massive rock formations. Don't miss snorkeling the Coral Gardens (we almost did), a shallow reef so insanely colorful that it nearly looked fake. Coron is truly one of the most beautiful and majestic places I have ever been. It was absolutely worth the expedition to get there.
Where to Stay: We really loved the hotels we stayed at in the Philippines. In Bohol, stay on Panglao Island on or near Alona Beach--this is where the center of the action is in terms of hotels, bars and restaurants. If you stay anywhere else, I suggest renting a scooter to get around. The island is very spread out and finding taxis on demand can be difficult. The Amorita Resort, where we stayed, is phenomenal. The oversized rooms have a very luxe feel, and the resort has beautiful, quiet pools overlooking the ocean. In Coron, we stayed at Busuanga Bay Lodge. I cannot imagine staying anywhere else. The hotel has a gorgeous lobby with an infinity pool looking over the vast collection of island-mountain hybrids that are characteristic of Palawan. I won't mention restaurants or bars in Coron, since we had all of our meals and drinks at the hotel. The food was lovely, and the rooms are like private little apartments, all with floor to ceiling windows looking out onto the bay. To get there, they offer private seaplane service directly from Manila. During our stopover in Manila, we stayed at the stately Manila Hotel in the bay area. It is an absolutely gorgeous hotel, with a grand entrance and lobby and fantastic service. The hotel was built in 1912, and retains much of it's historical feel while also being impeccably updated and upscale. For a more centrally located option, we also stayed at the Peninsula in the Makiti area. The hotel is beautiful, and you'll be close to many museums, restaurants and shopping. If you find yourself in Makati, stop by the Greenbelt Mall and visit Adora, a great department store with smaller upscale brands as well as big name labels such as YSL and Anya Hindmarch. Also in the mall is AC+623, a quirky and well curated home decor shop.
Where to Eat: In Bohol, we enjoyed the Bee Farm, a local, organic lodge style restaurant on the central coast of Panglao Island with beautiful views. The shop associated with the restaurant produces a wealth of natural products, including beeswax lip balm, bee pollen capsules, and obviously, phenomenal honey. They also have another, smaller location on Alona Beach. In Manila, we had a great lunch at the upscale Blackbird Restaurant in Makati, and a great dinner (with enormous portions) at hipster-esque Locavore in Pasig.
Where to Play: In Bohol, there is a stretch of low key bars along and close to Alona Beach. We spent quite a bit of time at Rockaway Cafe, with a small but fun crowd and lots of free Sambuca shots. If you want to party with Manila's Gossip Girl crowd (20-something well-heeled locals and expats), start out at the The Pool Club and then head next door to Valkyrie as the night goes on.
