Wondering what to wear in the Philippines or what to pack? Then you’ve found yourself in the right place. We spent two months island hopping and traveling the Philippines, it was our first backpacking trip and we didn’t know what to bring or what to wear for the tropical climate. After reflecting on what we stuffed inside our trusty Osprey Backpacks we have shared our top picks of what to take to the Philippines. We think this is everything you’ll need and hopefully our downloadable list will stop you from over packing as there’s nothing worse than carrying a heavy bag in the heat.
Although we share what we’ve packed for The Philippines, we then went on to backpack Borneo, Indonesia, Thailand and Sri Lanka and because the climates are similar we were all set with this Philippines Packing List!
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The Important Stuff: Backpacking Philippines Essentials
Travel Insurance For The Philippines
We use SafetyWing which is a travel insurance company specifically designed for nomads. Whether it’s crashed scooters, broken ankles or lost luggage, something is always at risk of going wrong during a trip to the Philippines.
Best Apps For Backpacking The Philippines
Here are some of our favourite apps for travelling the Philippines: Grab (taxis), 12Go (busses & ferries), Rome2Rio (routes not on Google Maps), Google Translate, Currency Converter, Revolut (low fees travel card), Amex (airline miles), Booking.com & Agoda
Spare Debit, Credit Cards & Cash
Something we always had with us was a Waterproof Important Document Holder, this had an Apple Air Tag in it and the following: passports, international drivers licenses, spare debit card, spare credit card, cash (US dollars) and our UK SIM cards. We then had passport photocopies in our rucksacks and digital copies accessible offline, hopefully ready for a worst case scenario.
🗺️ Your Ultimate Philippines Map
On our way, we created a Google Pinned Map with all the places we visited in The Philippines. Grab your Pinned Map today and start planning your adventure!
Climate & Activity Overview
Being a tropical climate there are a few main things you’ll battle on your trip: the heat, rain and high humidity. We’ve prepared a full Philippines Packing List that should help you with everything you need to bring for the world class boat trips, snorkelling, hikes and general day-to-day travelling.#
What To Pack For The Philippines
Filtered Water Bottle
This is the number one item for a reason, it is an absolute lifesaver on all our trips. You cant even trust the filtered water when travelling, add these to your Philippines packing list!
- A reusable filtered bottle is absolutely necessary when travelling through Asia
- Cheap when compared to the cost of food poisoning due to bad water (even from the official water dispensers)
Microfibre Towels
For backpacking, a microfibre towel is a great choice. Not only are they quick drying but also sand proof, lightweight and pack away very small.
- Sand-proof
- Lightweight and small
- Fast drying
- Includes a small zip pocket for valuables at the beach
Apple Air Tags
Perfect to locate lost luggage or keep valuables safe.
- Small and lightweight
- Put one in every piece of luggage (including your Important Document Holder)
- Huge peace of mind when you lose your bags as you can immediately check the app
Chest Opening Backpacking With A Day-Pack
The Osprey 55L Farpoint For Men and Fairview For Women are by far the best backpacks to take on your travels in our opinion.
- Chest opening for easy access
- Detachable day pack
- Lightweight and well built
Bag Rain Covers
You’re visiting the tropics, make sure to come prepared! On travel days when moving accommodation you never know what the weather is going to be like.
- Waterproof even in heavy downpours
- Keeps all your belongings dry on travel days
- Volume range 50-75L
- Bonus get one for your day pack too!
The Best Insect Repellent
Don’t do what we did… turn up with non-tropical mosquito spray! This is the spray we used in the jungle and it worked!
- Use a strong spray that smells nice so you’ll apply it everyday
- Better safe than sorry
- We also use Mosquito Wipes as well as the Spray
Reef Safe Sunscreen
The Philippine Islands are surrounded by some of the richest marine ecosystems in the world, an abundance of vibrant corals can be found in both Port Barton and El Nido’s Boat Tours. In order to minimise your impact on the reefs, we recommend choosing a reef safe sunscreen.
- Environmentally friendly
- Water resistant
- 50 SPF
Padlocks
Having your bags padlocked is unfortunately needed on travel days and when leaving your apartments, you’re always better off safe than sorry.
- Protection from petty thefts
- TSA Approved meaning airport security can access it if needed
Leatherman Tool
We took our Leatherman tool to fix anything that inevitably broke and needed fixing while travelling. It was also super useful to have the day-to-day handy tools in one place such as scissors and a bottle opener. Just make sure you put this in your checked in bag!
- Screwdriver
- Scissors
- Pliers
- Can opener
- And so much more!
Important Documents Holder
In order to keep our passport and any important visa papers safe we kept everything in a Waterproof Document Holder which also worked great for spare cards and cash.
- Waterproof
- Space for multiple passports, international drivers licenses etc.
- Room for spare cards, cash and an Apple Air Tag!
Lightweight Rain Jacket
If you know you’ll be travelling in the rainy season, make sure to come prepared! Many people opt for full body ponchos which look ridiculous but keep you and your backpacks dry. We chose to bring lightweight rain jackets and backpack covers as it also meant we could hike with them such as the Marlboro Hills in Sagada for the Sea Of Clouds.
- Waterproof to keep dry in the frequent jungle downpours
- Sustainable – Made from recycled fabric
- Lightweight for hiking and trekking plus making it perfect for backpacking
Waterproof Phone Case
The Philippines is all about getting in the water. Whether you’re exploring The Best Waterfalls In Siquijor, Cave Spelunking In Sagada or The Best Beaches In El Nido you’re bound to be in the water. Make sure you’re able to capture all of the memories without damaging your phone.
- Cheap compared to repairing a damaged phone
- Compact and lightweight
- Touch Screen & Allows you to take clear photos
GoPro
For the more adventurous underwater activities such as Snorkelling In Port Barton or Diving In Moalboal Sardine Run you’ll want a GoPro. Capture the rich marine life that the Philippines has to offer in 4k to show family and friends back home.
- Great camera for underwater adventures
- 4K resolution
- Up to 10 meters waterproof
Dry Bag
Whether you’re visiting the Best Beaches El Nido has to offer or planning on visiting The Best Surf Spots In Siargao, a reliable Dry Bag will come in handy for keeping all of your valuables safe from the sea water.
- Great camera for underwater adventures
- 4K resolution
- Up to 10 meters waterproof
Water Shoes
The rich underwater life also means a lot of sea urchins lie on the coasts of the Philippine Islands. If you’re planning on visiting the Best Snorkelling Spots on Siquijor, you’ll want to be safe rather than sorry, as stepping on a sea urchin could ruin your trip. We use these Water Shoes which are the best we’ve ever been able to find.
- Sturdy and ‘Shoe-Like’
- Thick rubber sole
- Compact for a backpack
Snorkel
If you can spare the room in your suitcase or backpack then we recommend bringing your own snorkel, the Philippines is full of the best snorkelling spots. It’s also safer as you’ll avoid any diseases from them not being washed properly.
- Save money by not renting
- Avoid any diseases from other people snorkel’s
- Go snorkelling before rental shops open and after they close
Travel Adaptor
A universal travel adaptor is a game-changer! We wish we bought one years ago, many of the budget hotels and hostels only provide one plug so to be able to charge multiple devices at a time is great.
- 2 usb charging ports & one main charging port
- 3 different pin types, supporting 150+ countries
Battery Bank
We used our Travel Power Banks every single travel day without fail and having the backup power was necessary in the jungle.
- Can hold up to 4 full chargers
- Used in the jungle where we had no access to power
- Great for travel days when you need to use Google Maps
Leave-in Conditioner
The water in the Philippines is very hard and is commonly known to cause hair to fall out, this leave-in conditioner will keep your hair as strong and healthy as it can be until you get home.
- Keeps your hair healthy
- Avoids sun and sea water damage
- The water in the Philippines caused our hair to fall out!
Packing Cubes
We both use packing cubes for our clothes when backpacking as it helps with organisation which is essential when you have limited space.
- Keep organised in a small space
- Prevent overpacking
- Find items in your bag easily
Bum Bag
One of the best things we brought with us to the Philippines was Kate’s bum bag which held all of our passports, visa docs, wallets and boarding passes in a zipped compartment on travel days. With an Apple Air Tag inside, this gave us peace of mind that our valuables were safe.
- Great passport storage for travel days
- Easy access to all of your essentials
- Great when paired with an Apple AirTag
DJI Mini
Seeing The Philippines from the sky will take your trip to the next level, particularly The Bays of El Nido On The Boat Trips. Vibrant blue water contrasted to the lush green jungle on top of the limestone cliffs crates such a dramatic and beautiful scenery.
- 4K filming & photos
- Portable and lightweight
- No need for had to get licenses in most countries due to the weight
Head Torch
A reliable headtorch is needed for any hiking or cave exploration, such as Cantabon Cave on Siquijor or the Bohol Sea Of Clouds. The cave tours usually have them available to rent however we chose to bring our own rechargeable head torch.
- Rechargeable battery
- Red Light for Night Walks
Final Thoughts on a Philippines Packing List
Being a tropical climate, some items such as Strong Mosquito Spray & lightweight clothing are essential for your trip, if you’re travelling around the rainy season you’ll also need a rain jacket and backpack cover or poncho. The activities are primarily water focused meaning a Dry Bag, Water Shoes and GoPro will really come in handy for El Nido’s Boat Trips or Siquijor’s Waterfalls.
The most important things in your Philippines Packing List will be around your important documents: passports, visas, spare cards and cash. We kept all of these in a Waterproof Important Document Holder with an Apple Airtag in every piece of luggage for peace of mind.
We hope this extensive packing list will be helpful for your trip, what we found more difficult than thinking of what to bring was deciding on what not to bring! We recommend not overpacking your luggage and staying as lightweight as possible with each item having as many uses as possible such as a Multi-Tool. We hope you have the best trip to the stunning country of The Philippines, full of undiscovered waterfalls, pristine underwater marine life and the friendliest locals.
Top Tips For Travelling The Philippines
If you’re visiting the Philippines here are our top travel tips:
- Book flights in advance – they can become expensive if you leave it last minute… oh and check your luggage allowance to skip expensive check in fees at the airport. Don’t forget your Apple Airtags to track your bags
- Agree on taxi prices upfront – when getting into a tuk-tuk, tricycle or taxi, make sure you agree on a price or they have a meter, so many tourists get ripped off with a huge price tag at the end of the ride.
- Take it slow – don’t feel the need to see all the islands, we recommend picking a few and doing them properly. See the island in full, find some locals and sing Karaoke..
- Embrace the chaos and get stuck in, the locals are friendly and love to help and share information about their home!
