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Philippines travel guide

Best time to visit from the UK, weather, festivals, flights from London and FCDO travel advice.

El Nido, Palawan
El Nido, Palawan. Photo: Kalithecat00, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
13h 30mflight from London
Philippine pesocurrency
No visafor UK passports
Type A, B, Cplugs

7,000 islands of limestone lagoons and white sand

Don't miss

  1. Palawan
  2. Boracay
  3. Chocolate Hills
Good forBeachesIslands

Best time to visit Philippines from the UK

Best value: May, Nov. Dec–May: dry season. Busiest and priciest: Dec–Apr.

23.5 C24°J24 C24°F25.4 C25°M27.2 C27°A27.9 C28°M27.1 C27°J26.3 C26°J26.2 C26°A26.2 C26°S25.8 C26°O25.2 C25°N24.3 C24°D
Best valueBusy and pricierQuietAverage temperature in Manila, °C, 2001–2025 (NASA POWER).

Each bar is the average temperature in Manila for that month, and its colour shows the season for visitors: best value (good weather, fewer crowds and lower prices), busiest and priciest, or quiet (off-peak, sometimes because the weather is poorer).

  • Our pick: May and NovemberThe warmest of the best-value months (25–28°C), with fewer crowds than peak season.
  • Peak season: Dec–AprUsually 24–27°C. The busiest time, so book flights and rooms early and expect higher prices.
  • Quiet season: Jun–OctAround 26–27°C. The cheapest and least crowded time, though often because of rain or heat.
  • Warmest: May (28°C) · coolest: January (24°C)Temperatures barely change through the year, so the season matters more than the weather.
Temperatures as a table
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
23.52425.427.227.927.126.326.226.225.825.224.3

Festivals and events

  • Sinulog Jan · Cebu
  • Ati-Atihan Jan · Kalibo
  • MassKara Festival Oct · Bacolod
  • Panagbenga Flower Festival Feb · Baguio

Festival dates move from year to year: check before you book.

Getting there from the UK

Flight time
About 13h 30m
Distance
10,755 km
Main airport
MNL

Flight times are straight-line estimates for a direct flight from Heathrow; journeys with a change take longer.

Add Philippines to your bucket list Search flights to MNL

Practical info and travel guidance

Philippine pesoCapital: Manila
Type A, B, C · 220VBring a UK adapter
Drive on the rightOpposite to the UK
911
EmergencyPolice, fire, ambulance
Drink bottledOr treated water
  • FCDO adviceAdvises against travel to parts of PhilippinesCheck which areas before you book.
  • VisaNo visa neededUp to 30 days
  • HealthcareNo free healthcareYou pay for treatment, so travel insurance with medical cover is essential.
  • LGBT+ travellersLegal, but attitudes can be conservativePublic affection may draw attention.
  • Women travellersFCDO warns of sexual assault or harassmentTake extra care at night and with drinks.

For British passport holders, summarised from the FCDO's advice for Philippines, checked October 2026. FCDO page last updated 15 July 2026. Rules change: read the official FCDO travel advice for Philippines before you book and again before you go.

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