A 12-Day Philippines Itinerary from Australia and New Zealand: Built for Both Seasons (Cebu, Bohol & Palawan)

Introduction: a year-round destination, if you read the seasons

The Philippines has a reputation in Australia and New Zealand for being a 'December to May' trip. That is fair for the absolute peak of the dry season — and for travellers who can take the November to May window, it remains one of the strongest South-East Asian itineraries on the calendar. But the country is more nuanced than the dry-season postcard suggests. May, June and into July sit at the gentle end of the wet season, line up with the AU and NZ winter school holiday calendar, and — travelled with a few simple rules in mind — can be one of the most rewarding times to go.

This guide is built to work across both windows. The same 12-day Cebu–Bohol–Palawan itinerary, with the planning notes that change depending on whether you are travelling in dry season or in early wet season. By the end you should know which window suits your dates, where to be cautious, and the rules that make June or July genuinely workable.

Two seasons, two slightly different trips

The Philippines runs on two clear weather windows. The dry season — late November through May — is the country at its postcard best: calm seas, low rainfall, the most reliable inter-island flight days, and strong marine visibility across much of Palawan and the Visayas. Demand and pricing are at their peak from mid-December through Easter.

The wet season — roughly May through December — is more nuanced than its reputation suggests. Many regions, particularly earlier in the season, experience short, heavy afternoon or evening showers with good breaks of sun in between, although weather patterns become less predictable as July progresses and the Habagat (south-west monsoon) settles in. Typhoon risk rises through August, September and October, then eases again through November.

The implication for AU and NZ travellers: the window you choose determines which regions to favour, what to budget extra time for, and how to think about the buffer day. The destinations and the rough shape of the itinerary stay the same.

Dry-season window — the November to May trip

For travellers with flexibility on dates, the window from late November through to early May is the easiest version of this itinerary. Seas are calmer across both western Palawan and the Visayas, AirSwift runs into El Nido on a more reliable schedule, and the lagoons read at their classic best. Within this window, late November through mid-March is the lowest-rainfall, lowest-typhoon-risk period; April and early May get hot but stay dry.

For AU and NZ travellers, the AU/NZ summer holiday window (mid-December through January) and the Easter break both align cleanly with peak dry season. Demand is high through these peaks — the El Nido island resorts in particular book a few months ahead. The shoulder weeks immediately before and after the Christmas peak (early December and the second half of January through March) tend to be the best balance of weather, crowd levels and pricing.

Where the dry-season trip differs from its wet-season counterpart: pacing sits more comfortably with three-night stops, the itinerary tolerates a single buffer day rather than two, ferry timing is rarely a question, and you can confidently add a Coron extension or a longer dive programme without weather playing havoc with the schedule.

Wet-season window — May, June and July (and the school-holiday brief)

May, June and into July are the most forgiving end of the wet season and the months that line up with the AU and NZ winter school holiday calendar. Rain in this window tends to come in short, heavy bursts in the afternoon or evening, leaving most of the day for the water-based experiences that bring people to the country in the first place — although weather patterns become less predictable as July progresses.

There are real upsides at this end of the year: the landscape is at its most photogenic (lush, dramatic skies), crowds are noticeably down on the dry-season peak in El Nido, Boracay and the Visayas, accommodation pricing is more flexible, and diving conditions can be excellent in some regions, with calmer seas and increased marine activity, although visibility can vary depending on plankton levels.

The trade-off is real but manageable. Habagat winds pick up from late June and through July, particularly affecting west-facing beaches — Palawan and Boracay sit on the receiving end. East-facing islands like Siargao behave differently in the same wind. Inter-island flights become more weather-sensitive, and the buffer-day strategy does more work in this window. Within it, May and early June are arguably the strongest — the closing days of shoulder season, with mostly good weather and noticeably fewer crowds. Late June through July sits in the AU and NZ winter school holiday window and remains very workable. August is mixed — still doable, but adds typhoon-watching to the planning conversation.

The one part of the year this itinerary is genuinely worth avoiding is September and October — the peak typhoon and Habagat months. Activity cancellations are more frequent, sea conditions on the western islands get rougher, and the buffer-day strategy works less well at that point in the year.

The regions to favour — and the ones to be more cautious with

Three regions handle both windows well, and they are the three this itinerary is built around.

Palawan (El Nido and Coron) is the strongest regional pick across both seasons. Palawan is generally less exposed to direct typhoon impacts than Luzon, though weather systems can still affect sea conditions, and the calm seas through November–April and again through May–June make for excellent island-hopping days. The major lagoons — what the country is best known for — are here.

Bohol and the Central Visayas (Panglao Island) are more sheltered than the northern Philippines, with brief and predictable rain patterns even in early wet season. The mix of beach and inland is what makes the region — Chocolate Hills, the Loboc River cruise, Balicasag reef snorkelling. Logistically it is easier than Palawan, which is part of why it is such a strong family pick.

Cebu works well as a flexible base. Centrally located, well-connected by domestic flights, and easy to pivot from if weather shifts the plan. The Moalboal sardine run is genuinely year-round; Pescador Island's reef systems are known for turtles and schooling fish; Kawasan waterfalls inland.

A fourth region worth flagging is Siargao. Wet season overlaps with surf season (July–November), though rainfall is generally higher than in Palawan or Cebu. Worth knowing for travellers who want a tropical wet-season vibe and don't mind the trade-off, and for serious surfers — Cloud 9 is at its world-class best in this window. Siargao is east-facing, so it behaves differently to Palawan when Habagat is in play.

The places to be more cautious with in wet season are Luzon (including Manila and northern regions), which carries higher typhoon exposure as the season progresses, and Boracay, which still functions but sees rougher seas and less consistent beach weather as the Habagat settles in. Both are better suited to the dry-season trip.

A note on diving windows specifically: thresher sharks are a Malapascua experience (Monad Shoal, off the northern tip of Cebu), not Moalboal — the two are often confused in itinerary copy. April through September is the conventional Malapascua peak. Moalboal is the sardine run (year-round), with Pescador's reef systems, turtles and schooling fish nearby.

Days 1–4: Cebu and Bohol — diving, river and Chocolate Hills

Fly Sydney, Melbourne or Auckland to Manila or Cebu (Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, or Air New Zealand connecting via Singapore or Hong Kong). Cebu City is the smoother arrival — your driver meets you, and within an hour you are on the south coast at Moalboal, ready for the sardine run that anchors most dive itineraries here.

Stay 2 nights at a Moalboal mid-tier dive lodge. Mornings are an in-water shoal experience that is genuinely unlike anywhere else in South-East Asia. Afternoon: a second dive around Pescador Island's reef systems, known for turtles and schooling fish, or a sunset paddle along Panagsama beach. Worth flagging for travellers chasing thresher sharks: those are at Malapascua further north, not Moalboal. In wet season, schedule the dive in the morning and keep the afternoon for the shore-based plan.

Day 3, transfer to Bohol via the Cebu–Tagbilaran ferry (1h45). Two nights at Panglao gives you Alona Beach as a base for two day-trips: the Loboc River cruise and the Chocolate Hills inland, and a Balicasag dive or snorkel on the second day. The hills are at their greenest through May–July; in dry season they take on the brown tone they're named for. Ferry schedules — Cebu–Bohol included — can be weather-dependent in rougher conditions, so a morning departure is the safer call in wet-season months.

Days 5–8: Bohol to Palawan — the lagoon-hop

Day 5, fly Tagbilaran to Puerto Princesa via Manila (4 to 6 hours total with the layover; book a morning departure, particularly in wet season). On arrival, the El Nido transfer is the single most-discussed logistical question on the trip — the road north is 5 to 6 hours by van and the alternative is the AirSwift turboprop direct from Manila or Cebu. AirSwift's turboprop services into El Nido are convenient but can be more sensitive to weather and visibility conditions than jet services into larger airports — El Nido itself has a short runway. A morning slot maximises the chance of an on-time run.

Three nights at one of the El Nido island resorts is the heart of this trip — full-board, with island-hop tours included. Boat tours run on most days, though coast guard restrictions can occasionally pause routes if sea conditions pick up. The classic itinerary covers Tour A (Big Lagoon, Small Lagoon and the central Bacuit Bay sites — more sheltered) and Tour B (Snake Island, Pinagbuyutan — also reasonably protected); Tours C and D head further out (Hidden Beach, Helicopter Island, Cadlao, Nat Nat) and are more exposed, so they are the more likely to get reshuffled in less settled weather. A four-night stay buys you a swap option if a boat day gets weathered.

Days 9–12: a buffer day, then home

Day 9 is your buffer — and in wet season it earns its keep more often than not. If the weather has been good and the diving solid, use it for a second lagoon day, a quieter beach circuit, or a rest day at the resort. If something has slipped (a weather-cancelled boat, a missed AirSwift flight, a stomach bug), this is the day that absorbs it without forcing a change to the international flight home. Coron — a longer extension worth knowing about — sits a separate flight north of El Nido; travellers who specifically want Coron's WWII wreck dives or Twin Lagoon should build that as a dedicated 3-night add-on rather than as a day-trip from El Nido.

Day 10, return Manila for one night. Staying near the airport avoids potentially heavy traffic into central Manila — the city centre transfer can be slow at the wrong time of day. Day 11–12, fly home overnight; most flights arrive Sydney or Melbourne morning of day 12.

Pacing — what's worth allowing for

Twelve days is the comfortable length for this itinerary in either window. Compress to ten and you'll feel rushed at the El Nido leg, with no slack for a weather day. Stretch to fourteen and you can add a Coron extension (dry season makes this easier), a Cebu cultural day, or a second buffer day if the dates allow.

The wet-season planning rule of thumb: aim for 2 to 3 nights minimum per stop, pair regions that are close together (Cebu + Bohol, or Palawan only) rather than crossing the country, book refundable accommodation where possible, and keep one to two buffer days before the international flight home. The dry-season version of the same itinerary sits more comfortably with three-night stops and a single buffer day.

The El Nido room category is also where the itinerary firms up earliest in both windows — the small island properties book 4 to 6 months ahead even outside the dry-season peak, simply because they are small. The decision worth making early is the El Nido tier.

Logistics from Australia and New Zealand

Flights: Sydney, Melbourne or Auckland to Cebu via Manila on Philippine Airlines is the cleanest itinerary. Cebu Pacific has direct Sydney–Manila but timings are awkward. From Auckland, Air New Zealand routes via Singapore or Hong Kong, then Philippine Airlines or Cebu Pacific into Manila or Cebu.

Visa: Australian and New Zealand passport holders both get 30 days visa-free on arrival.

Domestic flights: AirSwift, Cebgo and Philippine Airlines internal. Booking the domestic legs through Pack Ya Bags simplifies the rebooking conversation if a weather cancellation happens — agreements with the carriers sit in one place, which matters more in wet-season months.

Currency: Philippine peso. ATMs are reliable in Cebu, Tagbilaran and Puerto Princesa; less so on the El Nido islands. Take USD, AUD or NZD cash for resort tipping where the property does not auto-charge.

Common variants of this itinerary

Family-friendly (school-holiday version, May–July): keep Cebu, expand Bohol to four nights with kid-friendly programming (Loboc River, Chocolate Hills, snorkel days), and a four-night Palawan island stay rather than three. Tamer overall pace, suits primary-age children, equally workable from Sydney, Melbourne or Auckland.

Honeymoon / couples (any season, dry season ideal): cut Cebu and Moalboal and stay 5 nights at one of the premium El Nido island resorts with day-trips. Total trip 9 days — a more rested version of the itinerary.

Dive-heavy (best Apr–Sep for thresher sharks): keep Moalboal, add 3 nights Malapascua (Monad Shoal thresher dives) before the Palawan leg. Adds a domestic flight and transforms the experience for serious divers.

Surf addition (best Jul–Nov): add 3 nights Siargao (Cloud 9 surf, mangroves, lagoons) before Palawan. Wet season is also surf season, with the trade-off of more rain than Palawan or Cebu. Adds a domestic flight.

Coron extension (best dry season): add 3 nights in Coron after El Nido for the WWII wreck dives and Twin Lagoon. Best built in November–April when seas are calmest.

Need a hand planning — or just inspiration?

Whether you've already settled on a Philippines trip in either window and want someone to help bring it together, or you're still weighing it up against the other South-East Asia options and want a sounding board, Pack Ya Bags can help. Their planning desk works with travellers across Australia and New Zealand and shapes the Philippines around what matters to you — your dates, your pace, the experiences you want at the centre.

A short note is enough to start the conversation — destination, rough timing, anything already locked in. Pack Ya Bags will come back with options or a refined itinerary depending on where you are. Request a tailored itinerary at Pack Ya Bags Travel.