The 15 1-Day Tours in the Philippines That Earn Their Price

1.Underground River Full-Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 1,460 reviews · 8 - 10 hours · from $48Our pick

Travel from Puerto Princesa to Sabang, ride a pump boat and paddleboat into the Underground River, and spot monkeys, monitor lizards, bats, and birds. Guides such as Jeff, Reggie, Sky, and Ate Ara are praised for friendly local insight. Lunch is included, with optional zipline, mangrove, and massage add-ons.

“The tour was fantastic! Our guide (Josh) was not only funny but also made sure we were well taken care of the whole time. The underground river? Absolutely breathtaking - definitely a once-in-a-lifetime kind of wonder. Just remember to bring some cash for the 150 PHP fee. The buffet food… well, let’s just say it filled the stomach, not the soul.”

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2.Underground River Day Trip from Puerto Princesa City

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 261 reviews · from $50

Travel from Puerto Princesa to Sabang, cross the water by local boat, and paddle through the UNESCO-listed Underground River with a guide. The regular cave visit lasts about 30 to 45 minutes. Lunch, permits, hotel transport, and an air-conditioned van are included. Optional zipline and mangrove tours add variety, but may lengthen the day.

“We lucked out that we didn't have to wait to experience the underground river, but we have heard of very long wait times. The cave audio tour is fun and tLunch was a nice, big buffet and the zipline experience was so fun! I am usually scared of such an activity and I had a great time, it was managed very well.”

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3.Underground River Guided Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 167 reviews · 9 hours · from $41Best value

Travel from Puerto Princesa to Sabang, then ride by boat into the UNESCO-listed Subterranean River National Park. You’ll see limestone formations, bats, forest, and coastal scenery with an English audio guide. Guides such as Echo, Shy, Jeff, and Mario are praised for keeping the day organized. Optional ziplining and mangrove trips may add waiting time.

“Today we went on the Underground River Tour. What an experience! We were picked up on time , collected the other participants on the way and had a lot of fun . Echo, our guide, was absolutely outstanding. Not only was he able to tell us something about almost everything we passed, he was also a warm, very lively, courteous and funny guide. No matter what questions you had, if he could help you further, it was obvious to him. Price performance more than top. Highly recommended! Have fun and many thanks for the great day :) Übersetzt mit DeepL (https://www.deepl.com/app/?utm_source=ios&utm_medium=app&utm_campaign=share-translation)”

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4.Port Barton & Island Hopping Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 72 reviews · 15 hours · from $90

Travel from Puerto Princesa to Port Barton for a long but rewarding island-hopping day. You will snorkel at Turtle Spot and Twin Reef, visit up to four islands, look for sea turtles and starfish, and enjoy a local BBQ lunch. Shared van transfers, boat transport, gear, a guide, and entrance fees are included.

“alors activité moyenne dans l'ensemble.Le transport e van partage etait totalement horrible à l'aller:le chauffeur conduisait tres vite et etait anxiogèn.Un trajet stressant et horrible.Pour le retour,un peu mieux mais les chauffeurs conduisent vraiement trop vite. concernant l'activité,je n'ai ete pris en compte par aucun guide,juste placer parmi un groupe de personnes. Sur le tour en lui meme,pas trop mal mais les étoiles de mer ont l'air morte et nous n'avons pas vu ou tres peu vu de tortues. bref,beaucoup de routes et de grosses prises de risques pour une activité moyenne.A eviter ou à faire directement depuis Port Barton.”

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5.Day Trip to El Nido and Island Hopping

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 33 reviews · 20 hours

Leave Puerto Princesa before dawn for El Nido’s Bacuit Bay. After the five-hour van ride, board a boat for up to five stops, usually including Secret Lagoon, Shimizu Island, Seven Commandos Beach, and Big Lagoon. Kayaks, snorkel gear, lunch, entry fees, and hotel transfers are included, but expect a very long day and possible crowds.

“NO RECOMIENDO LA ACTIVIDAD. Nos vinieron a recoger al hotel de Puerto Princesa a las 3am, dejándonos en la playa del Nido a las 8am. Después de 1,30h esperando en la playa a que el barco zarpara, finalmente el barco salió con más pasajeros de los permitidos. El tour por el Nido estuvo bien, pero el precio del tour si se reserva ahí mismo es de 20 euros por persona, por lo que el precio ofrecido por Corazon es excesivo. Para acabar esta nefasta experiencia, cuando la actividad finalizó a las 4pm, nos dejaron tirados en la playa del Nido. Llamamos a la agencia y nos vino a buscar el…”

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6.Osmeña Peak and Kawasan Falls Canyoneering Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 32 reviews · 10 - 12 hours · from $142

Spend 10 to 12 hours exploring Cebu’s mountains and waterfalls. You’ll make a short Osmeña Peak hike, then tackle three hours of Kawasan Falls canyoneering with a helmet, life jacket, trekking shoes, and local guides. The service has included drivers such as Albert and Jepoy, plus canyon guides Joel, Raven, and Anthony.

“We did the Osmeña Peak and Kawasan Falls with Zip Line. Highly recommend both. The peak had a lot of clouds but we stuck around and saw a beautiful view after the clouds parted. The hike was short but very slippery. I would highly recommend using hiking boots. You can rent walking sticks there, which I would recommend as well. Kawasan Falls and the Zip Line were a blast. Definitely do the Zip Line. Just a heads up, you need to hop on the back of a motorcycle in order to get up to the Zip Line. It is pretty short so I wouldn't worry too much about it. Our…”

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7.Moalboal Island Hopping and Mantayupan Falls Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 19 reviews · 8 hours · from $112

Spend about 8 hours combining Moalboal’s famous turtle and sardine snorkeling with a visit to Mantayupan Falls. A private vehicle, local guide, boat trip, entrance fees, mask, and life jacket are included. Bring food, a towel, dry clothes, cash, and a waterproof bag. GoPro rental costs Php 600 to 800.

“Underbar upplevelse rekomenrat stsrkt men billigare att boka på plats. Vår chaufför var fantastisk”

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8.Private Linapacan Island Day Trip with Buffet Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 16 reviews · from $240Top rated

You’ll leave El Nido at 8:00 am for a private 8 to 9 hour island trip to Maosanon, Magransing, Cobra, Cagdanao, and Culaylayan. Expect white-sand beaches, snorkeling gear, a beach buffet with drinks, air-conditioned hotel transfers, and a licensed guide. Ask ahead for an English-speaking guide.

“Make sure you get a English-speaking guide! Very underwhelming from rxpectations. Food was good. Crew friendly but NO communication ability”

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9.Hidden Valley Springs Resort Day Trip from Manila

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 14 reviews · from $170

Travel from Manila to Alaminos for a guided walk through Hidden Valley’s 110-acre volcanic crater, rare plants, warm pools, and waterfall. Omar or Oswald may lead the day. A Filipino buffet lunch, air-conditioned transport, and selected hotel pickup and drop-off are included. Bring swimwear, a towel, sunscreen, and walking shoes.

“I booked for a Friday in July where I turned out to be the only person on the trip, and fortunately there were very few people there already. They have a nice new locker and shower room and a rustic yet clean dining area with a buffet and freshly-baked and tasty stickRead more”

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10.Puning Hot Spring Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 12 reviews · 8 hours · from $126

Travel from Metro Manila to Puning Hot Spring in a private vehicle with an English-speaking driver. The day combines a rough 4x4 ride across Mount Pinatubo’s lahar country, a warm volcanic sand spa, ash mud treatment, and mineral-rich pools. The $126 price covers transport and a driver, while entry may cost extra.

“Next time inform the entire package especially the entrance fee, they just announced it the night of our tour especially telling us to pay in cash. Overall still a great experience”

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11.Private Day Trip Cebu to Bohol w/ Chocolate Hills & Loboc Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 11 reviews · from $285

Travel from Cebu to Bohol by ferry and private air-conditioned vehicle with a guide such as Rio. Visit the Blood Compact Monument, Baclayon Church, a tarsier sanctuary, Chocolate Hills, and the Loboc River, where lunch is served aboard a floating restaurant. Optional ATV riding, butterflies, and wildlife stops can extend the day.

“We were very disappointed when we found out the ATV tour was an additional P1000. I had been online and the "live chat" told me that the ATV was included. They even advertise the ATVs in the pictures. Bohol was an interesting island but I would prefer to do water activities in Philippines”

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12.Inambakan, Kawasan, and Mantayupan Falls Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 9 reviews · from $105

Travel from Cebu City to three waterfalls in one day with an English-speaking guide, private air-conditioned car, entrance fees, safety gear, and swimming stops. Inambakan offers five tiers and cliff jumping, Kawasan has turquoise pools and bamboo rafts, and Mantayupan brings a tall cascade in a tidy park. Bring lunch money, sturdy shoes, and a towel.

“We were only able to visit Mantayupan and Kawasan Falls. We found out just before departing Kawasan that the remaining waterfall was undergoing cleaning. We asked for a partial refund and received a £6.91 refund. So we paid £143.82 to visit 2 waterfalls. Wasn't happy.”

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13.Villa Escudero Coconut Plantation Day Trip from Manila

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 9 reviews · from $140

Leave Manila for Villa Escudero, an 800-hectare coconut plantation south of the capital. Your day includes an air-conditioned ride, carabao-drawn cart, cultural museum, Filipino buffet beside Labasin Dam, and time in spring-fed pools. Guide Nori is praised for his history knowledge, though museum time and show schedules can vary.

“This is a wonderfully, relaxing day. My only area of growth for this tour is to allow much more time in the museum with more specific information being shared or a guide that seems really interested in answering what is important to that partRead more”

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14.Day Trip to Bohol Highlights

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 8 reviews · 8 hours · from $190

Travel from Cebu to Bohol by fast ferry, then tour the island’s key sights in a small group of up to eight. You’ll see the Blood Compact Monument, Baclayon Church, tarsiers, Bilar Man-Made Forest, and Chocolate Hills, with a buffet lunch and music on the Loboc River. Guide Manuel has led some departures.

“Fantastyczny przewodnik, rzeczowy z poczuciem humoru, krótkie ale w pełni satysfakcjonujące postoje, urozmaicony program, ciekawe miejsca warte obejrzenia, dobrze zorganizowane.”

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15.Bohol Island Highlights in One Day

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7 reviews · 14 hours · from $154

Leave Cebu or Mactan before dawn for a guided Bohol day trip limited to 12 people. You’ll ride the high-speed boat, visit the Chocolate Hills, meet tarsiers, walk through the Man-Made Forest, cruise the Loboc River with a Filipino buffet, and see Baclayon Church. English and Japanese guide service is available, with an optional ATV ride.

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