Kimkim Trip Reviews for Philippines

My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed our rice terraces hike in the Ifugao and Mountain Provinces. Our guide with Uncharted Philippines, Jody, was knowledgeable about the area and had local connections in the villages. The itinerary had to be flexible so soon after Super Typhoon Uwan, and Jody and Cami, our Kimkim representative, worked together to make a safe ad memorable experience. We highly recommend Ki.kim and Uncharted Philippines for a unique, one of a kind experience.

My wife and I arranged a hiking trip to visit the rice terraces in Ifugao and Sagada. We worked with Cami at KimKim and she always answered our many pre-trip questions promptly and accurately.

Our trip followed the devastating 2025 typhoons that greatly impacted the roads and hiking trails in the region. Though people were still digging out and repairing the damage, our trip was still a success. We had to adapt to some minor changes in the itinerary, follow different hiking trails, and stay at a couple of guest houses that still did not have electricity and water. Still, things worked well. Our guide, Jody, and the rest of guides/drivers were very professional. We would highly recommend this trip to other adventure- minded travelers.

Cami did a great job at planning our trip and organizing rides/transfers from the airport and to our excursions! All we knew for sure we wanted to do was go to El Nido and go island hopping, and Cami did all of the legwork! The Belmont Hotel and Seda Lio were great to stay at, she set us up with special honeymoon suites. Overall, we felt much safer having help with booking and planning, would recommend.

Hotel Reviews

Seda Lio

El Nido

We had a great stay and had a very spacious room! Even though the pool was closed for construction, there was still access to other pools if wanted (we didn't bother, we spent time in the ocean). They had a great breakfast buffet, and there is a bunch of other great restaurants walking distance.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Belmont Hotel Manila

Pasay City

It was a great stay that was close to the airport! It was our honeymoon and they had towels set up with swans/roses and dessert for us when we arrived. The transfer to the airport was very smooth. The breakfast buffet was great, but we probably wouldn't recommend their dinner/restaurant, we found out on our last day there are street food vendors just down the street we would've preferred to eat at.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Island Hopping in El Nido - Tour B

El Nido

The island hopping was probably the highlight of our trip!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Island hopping in El Nido - Tour A

El Nido

We had a great time with our private island hopping tour, they even provided an authentic lunch!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sarah was great during the planning process (we had a lot of iterations). She was also helpful during our trip - one of the drivers didn't know where to go for the Pagsanjan Falls excursion and another day, there was miscommunication with our driver and instead of viewing the Taal volcano, we went to the city of Taal. It worked out because we went on another day to view the Taal volcano and were also able to go on a boat ride which we really enjoyed. All of our drivers were excellent and we arrived safely to all our destinations (including when one of the vehicles broke down on the way to the airport - they quickly provided another vehicle to pick us up). Our tour guides were great. Glen, who did the tour of Intramuros and China Town was very enthusiastic. He also had us try some food along the way. Andre who guided us to the Taal volcano was very accommodating. We wanted to try balut and he took us to a place we could try it. Overall, we enjoyed everything we did. The negatives included going to the city of Taal by mistake and wasting time, the waterfall we were taken to after viewing the Taal volcano was disappointing (I wouldn't call it a waterfall, it was nowhere near the pictures on their site and the path there was through people's living spaces), we ended up canceling the hike to mount Daraitan because we realized it would be more difficult than we were anticipating after further research and lastly, we cancelled our food tour because we didn't want to return to China Town again when we were already there a couple days earlier.

We started our trip in Manina for 1 night. The driver that picked us up from the airport was there waiting and ready. But he dropped us off at the wrong hotel. Luckily the right one was across the street. Day 2 Jonathan picked us up and drove us to Ilocos Sur. Jonathan was great. But our hotel Staylite Candon Hotel was not good at all. The water was cold, they provided 1 towel for 2 people, the bathroom was covered in mold, the only gave us 1/2 a roll of toilet paper. We were supposed to stay 2 more nights but we stayed with family instead. Staylite would not give us a refund. Jonathan made some suggestions and took us to Vigan and a US military memorial. I found my uncles name on the wall that fought in WWII and was missing in action for 30 years. His remains were eventually found and he is buried at Arlington. None of my family knew that he was memorialized in the Philippines.
Day 5 Jonathan drove us back to the Manila airport. We took a plane and ferry to Boracay. There was someone there at every step to help us through. That was very nice.

Boracay was nice. But very crowded. The Hennan Park Resort was great. Loved the pool and massage poolside. But too many screaming splashing kids ruined it a bit. Also, guests had their clothes drying out in front of their hotel rooms on a rack and all over chairs and bushes. It made the hotel looked a little trashy.

Day 6 we did a boat tour. We really enjoyed that. The water was so warm. We had to find our way back after the tour. No driver.

Day 7 we were picked up and went to the airport for two flights to Puerto Princesa. Our flight was delayed and we were rerouted. I got in touch with the tour guide and the driver was waiting when we eventually arrived. We missed the firefly and dinner cruise that night. The tour guide gave us a cash refund. But we were still disappointed to miss it. We stayed at the Hue Hotel and resort. It was very nice.
Day 8 we did a bat cave river tour and saw a few monkeys. That was a lot of fun. We would have liked to stay in Puerto Princessa longer. It was the cleanest place on the trip.
We drove to our next hotel Lime Resort in El Nido. The hotel was very nice. We did 2 boat tours. Tour A we were not clear on where to ren Masks and snorkel. We thought it would be on the boat. There was no mention that we had to get them from someone on the beach. Luckily we were able to borrow some on the boat or it would have been a total dud for us.
Tour B the next day we found rentals. The water was great. But one stop (where we saw a lot I'd fish we quickly saw a lot of jelly fish and jumped out of the water.

Day 11 we took a 4 hour ferry to Corona. Again we had someone walk us through every step and a driver was waiting for us to take us to the next hotel The two seasons. The hotel was great. But their tv and tablet were down. So the bathroom had clear glass walls and Zero privacy. My boyfriend and I got to know each other much better.

Both boat tours were great both days. However the last one we rented a kayak, snorkel gear and fins. We were never told anything about how much it would be and were told at the end that it was 1650 pesos. Luckily we had it. The guide promised change for 2000 and we got off the boat and he was gone.

The next day we flew back to Manila and then the next day we flew home. Drivers were ready and waiting for us along the way.

Overall we had a great time on the trip. There are some changes that I would have made.

Considering how inexpensive everything was in Philippines, I think that we paid way too much for the whole trip. I liked the convenience of having it planned out and scheduled and booked for us. But I could have done it for less than half the cost we paid.

Sarah from The KimKim was great and very responsive. The travel agency service was exceptional.

We felt great in the planning process and leading up to our arrival.

1) However, our experience was different. We did not feel like you appreciated or respected our time. Specifically: you had us cross Cebu island TWICE. Moalboal should have happened first and then Oslob for whale sharks should have happened on the FIRST leg and would have put us close to ferry point to go to Siquijor. Instead we spent multiple days sitting in a car going from one place to the next. We trust YOU to guide us on the logistics. Do you think sitting in a car is a fun way to enjoy your vacation? Another example: returning to Dumaguete from Siquijor instead of staying on Siquijor island - especially since our hotel was not close to anything.

2) We wish you had given us all the available options for transportation. For example, we would have paid what it cost for business class on OceanJet business in order to be able to go outside. Additionally, we spent 3 hours on a ferry on one leg to Siquijor when our return was 40 mins - so there was a faster option versus sitting on a slow moving boat.

3) Ethical business partners: for the scuba diving trip, the guide that took Nick repeatedly touched and damaged coral reef.

4) Guides: our guides were very friendly and very nice and professional. However, they had very limited ability to communicate and very limited ability to share local knowledge and culture. We were dropped off at places with little information. Additionally, we didn't have much, if any opportunity to learn on the long car rides.

5) We appreciated responsiveness from travel agent on the ground, but the change in start times on multiple dates was frustrating.

While hotel locations were not great, the hotels themselves were clean and good value.

Hotel Reviews

Moalboal Tropics

Moalboal

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Henann Tawala Resort

Tawala

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lighthouse Point Hotel

Dumaguete

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Harold’s Evotel

Cebu

Clean rooms, friendly staff

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Moalboal Scuba Diving Adventure

Moalboal

Fabulous instruction, very good equipment. One of our 3 guides repeatedly touched coral, thereby damaging it.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Whale Sharks and Kawasan Falls

Philippines

Loved the canyoneering experience. However, we didn't get to Oslob (because of the driving route being so long) to see whale sharks which is reason for overall review.

Quality of Experience

This is only for the canyoneering experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Excellent and very helpful staff on canyoneering experience

Transport

Bohol / Panglao: Island Hopping and Dolphin Watching Tour

Philippines

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Nice friendly staff, but didn't stop at one of the islands on the agenda and then was not helpful with snorkeling - kind of just gave us the gear and told us to go while they waited.

Transport

Bohol Country Side Tour

Philippines

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Nice friendly staff, but wasn't able to share any information about places we visited or about the area and culture.

Transport

Siquijor Island Tour & Cambugahay Falls from Dumaguete City

Dumaguete

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had an absolutely incredible experience working with Sarah to plan our 2-week trip to the Philippines! From start to finish, she went above and beyond to ensure our trip was perfect. She took the time to listen to our preferences and customized an itinerary that included all the locations and excursions we wanted, plus a few amazing surprises we hadn't even thought of. Every part of our trip was well-organized, and the logistics were seamless.

What stood out the most was how easy it was to communicate with Sarah. She was always quick to respond to any questions we had, no matter the time difference, and her suggestions were spot on. We never felt lost or confused about the next step in our journey because she had everything mapped out for us.

Overall, we couldn't be happier with the service and planning that Sarah provided. If you're looking to visit the Philippines, we highly recommend working with her—you won't be disappointed!

Cami was great to work with. She did a wonderful job booking everything we needed.

Our tour guide, Rich, was so fun and told us all about the island of Palawan. He even bought different foods for us to try.

Ana, in Manila, was quieter, but still a great guide.
Our trip was really fun and everything ran smoothly

Hotel Review

The Funny Lion

Puerto Princesa

It was really quiet and no beach

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Staff was wonderful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Pangsanjan Falls & Tagaytay

Philippines

Loved this excursion

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Puerto Princesa Underground River Day Tour

Philippines

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The entire trip was great. It was well planned an well executed. We enjoyed every activity. We also had great service. Every pickup was on time. We will definitely use Kim Kim again. Great job by Cami to set it up and Ana for making it happen.

Sarah did a great job organizing all transportation and our great activities in the Philippines. She identified reliable transport partners and provided a wonderful list of tours and activities that fitted well our desires and expectations.

Activity Reviews

Coron: Dugong Watching with Sea Turtle and Coral Garden tour

Coron

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coron Island Super Ultimate Tour: Kayangan Lake, Barracuda Lake, Twin Lagoon, Balinsasayaw Reef

Coron

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coron Town Half Day Tour

Coron

The first part of the tour with the visit to the Mountain Cross was the best. The tour became too long and we enjoyed the hot springs less. Souvenir shop was OK. Overall was long and very challenging traffic around town

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very flexible and helpful

Transport

Bohol / Panglao: Island Hopping and Dolphin Watching Tour

Philippines

Great boat tour, go to see the dolphins and snorkel with turtle and fish in Balicasag Island and walk around the beautiful Island.

Quality of Experience

Small rating discount because Virgin Island was not in the program and no previous warning that it would not be

Guides, Drivers and Staff

No issues

Transport

Bohol Country Side Tour

Philippines

The great highlights of the tour was visiting the amazing primate Tarsier in its sanctuary (only found here in Bohol), the beautiful river cruise with local dance and the awesome chocolate hills.

Quality of Experience

Very unique especially the Tarsier, chocolate hills and river cruise

Food

Philippines food is very different

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very flexible to our desires, high professionalism

Transport

Great private driver

I enjoyed a very pleasant trip to the Philippines.
the itinerary was well balanced and all the timings worked well.

Hotel Reviews

Isla Amara Boutique Resort

El Nido

Great location, super beach, nice pool, charming staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Henann Tawala Resort

Tawala

Exceptional hotel, well appointed comfortable rooms. the pool is in the centre courtyard so does not offer any views.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cebu Seaview Dive Resort

Moalboal

This beach side hotel is well positioned and comfortable. It's primary purpose is to provide for the divers and it does this very well. The staff are all extremely helpful and the resort is very well managed.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Maayo Hotel Cebu

Pleasant hotel in a good location, a little tired but well appointed none the less.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Island hopping in El Nido - Tour D - group tour

El Nido

As mentioned in my previous review.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Diving in El Nido

El Nido

Well organised and super diving.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Island hopping in El Nido - Tour A - group tour

El Nido

Good for snorkelling and seeing what the local islands have to offer.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

El Nido via ferrata

El Nido

A short steep climb up a metal structure takes you to the top of a hill with good views of the town.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bohol Island Day Tour

Philippines

A nice trip however the views in the wet season are underwhelming compared to the summer months when the hills are brown.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Diving in Pamilacan Island - 3 dives

Panglao Island

Well organised and great diving.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Diving in Balicasag Island (2 dives)

Philippines

Well organised and great diving.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayaking with fireflies

Philippines

A pleasant trip along the river to view fireflies. Very peaceful and enjoyable.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Diving in Moalboal and Pescador Island (3 dives)

Moalboal

Well organised and great diving.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Canyoneering in Kawasan Falls

Moalboal

Fantastic guide, super location, lots of fun.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Diving in Moalboal - 3 dives

Moalboal

Excellent organisation and diving.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cebu Countryside tour

Philippines

This was the worst part of the trip. While I apricate nothing can be done to avoid bad traffic the the attraction at the designation was very disappointing. We saw a local man climb a palm tree and milk the flower. Rode around in a cart driven by an buffalo. Watch a man make a basket. It took two and a half hours to get there, an hour participating in the three activities mentioned and another 2 and a half hours to return.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cebu City and Mactan Island day tour

Philippines

The tour offers little to see, I felt like I was being driven around a city constantly battling traffic.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cami did an amazing job of organizing our family trip to the Philippines. Every detail was taken care of, which allowed us to enjoy a stress-free vacation. The trip summary was detailed and included day-to-day instructions, so we knew what to expect. Ana and her husband, John, were gracious hosts in Manila. They picked us up to the airport, took us to our hotel to check in and freshen up, then drove us to view different areas of Manila. Our favorite was walking the streets of Intramuros. The next day they drove us to Pagsanjan Falls for a memorable and beautiful canoe ride amongst the forested cliffs and spectacular waterfalls - a unique experience that we will never forget. The Huni Lio Hotel in El Nido was perfect for us! It was situated right on the beach next to many restaurants within walking distance. The sunsets on Lio Beach were one of the most beautiful we've seen! We chose to take the private Tour D to beat the crowds - to our surprise, we were the only ones canoeing in the Small Lagoon for quite a while. Our stay in Discovery Coron was also wonderful with a white sand beach, baby blue water, good food, and another incredible tour of several beautiful beaches and snorkeling spots. Thank you, Cami, for helping us experience a trip of a lifetime!

We used KimKim for two parts of our Philippines trip - canyoneering in Cebu and a city tour in Manila.

The canyoneering tour was great. The driver was fine. He did a good job driving but didn’t interact with us or tell us much about the country. The drive itself was intense - few street signs or lights, lots of people and animals in the road, people driving in the wrong lanes - it was not for the weak of heart.

The canyoneering tour guides were incredible. We had 5 guides for our group of nine. It seemed like a lot in the beginning until we got in the canyon and needed every one of them to help lead us through. They did an excellent job navigating us through and taking so many awesome pictures. They’re clearly professionals because they knew all the good spots for pictures! That tour was a highlight.

The city tour of old Manila wasn’t great. Ana was very nice and accommodating. She took us to the hotel to drop off our bags and then drove us to a local restaurant to get lunch. She was very helpful in helping us order at the restaurant and making recommendations. But when it came to the actual tour of the old city I don’t think it hit the mark. She essentially just walked us through the different locations. They was very little sharing of the story of the country or the importance of the buildings and what they meant to the country or to the people. We had to ask her questions to get an understanding of what we were seeing and the resemblance. Ana was in a difficult situation because our group consisted of different age groups though and varying levels of interest. So she may not have known how to read our group and the appropriate way to guide us.

Overall our trip was amazing and would definitely recommend KimKim for the planning to others.

Hotel Reviews

Shangri-La Mactan

Beautiful hotel, slightly dated though.

Authenticity & Character

Loved the charm and decor.

Location

Awesome location, on the beach, lots of chairs at the pool and beach

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

A/C was clutch!

Paolyn Houseboats

Coron

The house boat is spectacular. The accommodations were better than I expected and the service was as good as any 5 star resort. The location can’t be beat though. Truly a memorable experience that defined our trip.

Authenticity & Character

Location

In the middle of a beautiful lagoon with clear waters

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our boat was the best and it felt pristine inside. Everything was perfect.

Conrad Manila

Pasay City

I wouldn’t stay here again. Although the service and rooms were incredible, they were very strict about their Hilton Honors rules which are different from other Hiltons. I’m a Diamond member and typically get free breakfast for the guests in the rooms that I reserve but here they only allow two people the free breakfast, regardless of paying for two rooms. It was disappointing that their rules were so different because I would have stayed somewhere else if I knew.

Authenticity & Character

Very charming and well decorated for the holidays.

Location

Conveniently located next to the Mall of Asia. Not too far from the airport.

Staff

Superb service, everyone is very friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Manila Day Tour

Philippines

The city tour of old Manila wasn’t great. Ana was very nice and accommodating. She took us to the hotel to drop off our bags and then drove us to a local restaurant to get lunch. She was very helpful in helping us order at the restaurant and making recommendations. But when it came to the actual tour of the old city I don’t think it hit the mark. She essentially just walked us through the different locations. They was very little sharing of the story of the country or the importance of the buildings and what they meant to the country or to the people. We had to ask her questions to get an understanding of what we were seeing and the resemblance. Ana was in a difficult situation because our group consisted of different age groups though and varying levels of interest. So she may not have known how to read our group and the appropriate way to guide us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

More engagement, ability to share the history and culture of the country.

Transport

Great driver!

Canyoneering in Kawasan Falls

Philippines

The canyoneering tour was great. The driver was fine. He did a good job driving but didn’t interact with us or tell us much about the country. The drive itself was intense - few street signs or lights, lots of people and animals in the road, people driving in the wrong lanes - it was not for the weak of heart. The canyoneering tour guides were incredible. We had 5 guides for our group of nine. It seemed like a lot in the beginning until we got in the canyon and needed every one of them to help lead us through. They did an excellent job navigating us through and taking so many awesome pictures. They’re clearly professionals because they knew all the good spots for pictures! This tour was a highlight.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kept us safe, expert at navigating those roads!

The whole process using Kim Kim and Cami was amazing. The minute we arrived and picked up everything went smoothly. We enjoyed all the hotels, tours and islands we visited! A perfect plan, day of rest and then a tour day. We will definitely use Kim Kim again in the future.

Ana Santos, the tour leader was extremely helpful in addressing any questions we had during our tour. Cami Sarmiento did an excellent job organizing our trip. The hotels were great. We were picked up and dropped off on scheduled on every occasion. The local guides were always on time and they did an excellent job ensuring we engaged in the activities for which they were responsible. Local guides always answered ur questions with the appropriate level of detail.

It would be helpful if, in the future, you provide tour participants guidelines for who should be tipped during the tour and the percent or amount that is appropriate. We have traveled extensively with organizations such as National Geography, Overseas Adventure Travel, Kensington Tours and Insight Travel. And, these organizations typically provide this type of information to avoid confusion and surprises.

Very happy with Kimkim service. Our trip to the Philippines was made special. Leo planned everything according to our budget . Allowing time for us to chill and rest when needed so Everything was planned perfectly well. All our guides were very nice and friendly. The drivers tours and guides were always on time. Also our guide kept in touch to make sure all was going well. The hotels chosen all had good standard. All our day tours for the island hopping were amazing. I highly recommend kimkim for their professional services! Definitely five stars ⭐️

I had heard good reviews about kimkim but our Philippines experience was not very great. The lack of professionalism was reflected in the communication and our itinerary. Time frames and location details were not clearly mentioned before. A lot of room for improvement at Philippines kimkim team..

Day 1 Arrival: We especially enjoyed the prompt and efficient pick-up service at the airport. The transportation to the hotel was comfortable as well.
Areas for Improvement:

Accommodation: While we understand the need for efficient logistics, MJ Suites Hotel fell short of our expectations. The hotel seemed dated and lacked amenities. Fortunately, our short stay minimized any inconvenience.

Transportation: We requested a comfortable bus for the entire group. Traveling in 3 cramped vans caused discomfort, especially with limited legroom. A larger, more comfortable van with ample legroom would have been greatly appreciated.

Itinerary Planning: We began planning our itinerary in January 2023 and booked flights in August 2023. We were disappointed to learn upon arrival that the whale shark watching activity couldn't be done on Sundays. Perhaps including Paullete, who is based in the Philippines and familiar with local restrictions, in the planning stages could have helped avoid this scheduling conflict. Additionally, considering the travel time for those arriving from Australia (approximately 12 hours flying time + 4 hours transit) and the limited sleep in the hotel MJ suites (around 20 minutes), a slightly later start time on the first day would have allowed for more rest and a smoother transition into the trip.

Day 2 & 3 Positive Feedback:

Guide: We truly appreciated our guide, Raymond. He was friendly, jovial, and approachable, making the experience enjoyable.
Canyoneering: The safety precautions and assigning one guide per person for canyoneering exceeded our expectations and highlighted MangoTiger's commitment to safety, which is commendable, especially in Asia. The lunch was delicious with special mention to the extra sweet mangoes. 
Hale Manna Resort: We were happy with the spacious rooms, ample luggage storage, clean and well-equipped bathrooms, a nice pool, and good food at Hale Manna Resort.
Areas for Improvement:

Transportation: Traveling in 3 cramped vans with limited legroom on Day 2 was quite uncomfortable, especially for a long distance in spacious roads. A comfortable, larger bus would have significantly improved the experience. Additionally, the driving style of two of the drivers was aggressive, adding to the discomfort.

Accommodation:

While Hale Manna Resort was good, St. Mark's rooms lacked sufficient space for luggage storage. While the lift, breakfast, and proximity to attractions were appreciated, the rooms themselves fell short of our expectations.
Itinerary Planning:

We encountered some resistance from Paullette regarding using the pre-booked rooms for the photographers when some guests from Dubai did not join. These rooms were already paid for, and Paulette shouldn't have objected.
Similarly, there was hesitation from Paullette to simply adjust the photographers' accommodation for the whale shark watching activity in place of the absent guests.
Suggestions:

Including Paullete, who has local knowledge, in the earlier stages of itinerary planning might help avoid scheduling conflicts like the whale shark watching on Sunday.
Offering a larger, more comfortable van or bus option for longer journeys would greatly enhance the travel experience.

Day 4: Cebu City to Bohol Island & Bohol Scuba Diving
Transportation: The comfortable, spacious luxury bus with push-back seats for the Cebu to Bohol transfer significantly improved the travel experience compared to the previous day's vans.

Ferry: We enjoyed the ferry ride itself; however, there was a discrepancy regarding luggage fees. The itinerary contract stated that all domestic transfers, including ferry tickets, were included in the trip cost. Yet, upon boarding the ferry, Paulette and Raymond requested additional payments for luggage (100 PHP for large bags and 50 PHP for small bags, totaling over 2500 PHP). This unexpected expense felt like an attempt to extract extra money and contradicted the terms of the contract. Finally Raymond and Paullette agreed to follow the contract as per the itinerary since we objected.

Accommodation: Our stay at Twin Tides Panglao unfortunately fell short of our expectations. While we appreciate the polite and helpful nature of the receptionist and kitchen staff, several aspects of the hotel detracted from our overall experience.

Room Size and Amenities: Both the double and triple rooms were quite small, creating a cramped feeling for our group, especially considering we had two absent members. Since we had already paid for their room, we discussed with Paulette utilizing that space for the photographers. She initially agreed.

However, due to the congestion in the triple rooms, we still required two additional rooms to comfortably accommodate three extra guests. While we understood this might have been a MangoTiger planning oversight, we were surprised when they only offered one additional room. This meant asking the photographers to vacate the room we had already paid for, causing them inconvenience..

Air Conditioning: The outdated window AC units lacked proper thermostats, forcing us to keep them running even when not in the room. Additionally, the lack of a second key card meant relying on reception to switch on the AC during our absence.

Convenience: The unavailability of room phones and a lift made communication with reception and luggage transportation inconvenient.

Breakfast: The limited set breakfast menu with few choices did not offer the variety we were hoping for.

Positive Aspects:

Hotel Staff: We appreciate the receptionist's politeness and helpfulness, as well as the kitchen staff's willingness to prepare breakfast early on our check-out day.

Social Gathering: The hotel staff kindly allowed us to use the reception hall and pool area for socializing, as the rooms themselves lacked space.

Laundry Services: The lack of laundry services at the hotel was an inconvenience for a three-night stay .

Scuba Diving: The highlight of our stay in Bohol was the amazing scuba diving experience. The organizers prioritized safety standards, which we truly appreciate, and we thoroughly enjoyed every bit of it.

Overall: While we appreciate the surprise birthday dinner and cake arranged by MangoTiger, the accommodation at Twin Tides Panglao significantly impacted our experience during the longest leg of our trip to a beach town. We believe a more suitable beachfront hotel option could have significantly enhanced our overall satisfaction. However, the exceptional scuba diving experience saved the day!

Day 5, 6 & 7 .
Positive Feedback:

Transportation: The continued use of the comfortable luxury bus for these days was much appreciated.
Guide: We enjoyed having Emilu as our guide. He was intelligent, joyful, pleasant, and approachable, making the experience more enjoyable.
Loboc River Cruise Lunch: The cruise lunch on the Loboc River was a highlight – it was super awesome, and we thoroughly enjoyed it.
Balicasag Island: The island hopping trip and dolphin watching were good experiences. The brunch served on Balicasag Island was particularly appreciated for its variety, including seafood specialties like seaweed, sea urchin, crab, shrimp, and delicious mangoes and other fruits.
Domestic Flight: The foresight to include extra check-in baggage allowance for the domestic flight from Bohol was a valuable addition and helped avoid any last-minute issues.
Areas for Improvement:

Bohol Tarsier Conservation:  While we understand the importance of keeping time to reach the river cruise, a slightly longer time allocated for shopping at the souvenir shop would have been appreciated as it seemed to have a good selection.

Snorkelling Equipment:  Unfortunately, a few members of our group experienced faulty snorkeling equipment, preventing them from fully enjoying the snorkeling activity. It would be beneficial to ensure all equipment is properly checked before each use.

Overall:

Days 5, 6, and 7 offered a good mix of activities and experiences.  The comfortable transportation, Emilu's guidance, and the enjoyable meals made these days memorable.  We appreciate the effort to include the extra baggage allowance for the flight.

Day 8 & 9 , Trasure mountain and Mount Pinatubo.

Transportation:

We understand a large bus might not be suitable for the final stretch to Treasure Mountain due to the narrow road.

However, our disappointment regarding transportation continued. Despite the spacious roads on Manila airport to Clark ( 3 vans) and to Mount Pinatubo , we were again assigned two cramped vans ( instead of 3 ) for 16 guests. This caused significant discomfort, especially considering our lack of sleep and exhaustion from the early morning start for Mt. Pinatubo.  These vans were of such poor quality that they seemed better suited for short-distance hotel shuttles, not long journeys.

The situation worsened upon returning from the trek.  Exhausted and yearning for rest after minimal sleep the previous night, we were further inconvenienced by the third vehicle provided.  A small MPV like a Toyota Innova lacked the space to accommodate the luggage of 18 people (both check-in and carry-on).  Many suitcases were left outside the vehicle.

Reaching out to MangoTiger contacts yielded no immediate response.  The absence of a guide on this day further compounded the problem.  Finally, after contacting a driver who provided a different contact number, we were promised a replacement van (a solution that seemed like basic common sense).  However, this resulted in a frustrating wait of 1 hour and 45 minutes in the hotel lobby, adding to our fatigue from the trek.

We also believe the itinerary planning could have been optimized.  Clark has an international airport with connections to various destinations.  Since we booked our return flight from Manila after receiving the itinerary, a more experienced travel planner like Thao could have suggested a return flight from Clark. This would have saved us a long unnecessary travel back to Manila, allowing for much-needed rest at the same hotel upon returning from Pinatubo.  
Mt. Pinatubo Tour:

Despite the transportation issues, the Mt. Pinatubo trek itself was an amazing experience that we thoroughly enjoyed. The Aeta community guides and drivers were very friendly and helpful. The base camp guide was knowledgeable but could have benefited from additional training. The packed breakfast and lunch were satisfactory
Accommodation:

The room at Clark was outdated but offered sufficient space and had a good bathroom. However, the lack of a lift might be inconvenient for some guests..
Treasure Mountain:

Schedule: The activities at Treasure Mountain seemed poorly timed.  Ideally, they could have begun after 3:30 PM to avoid the hottest part of the day.  Unfortunately, they closed at 3:30 PM when the sun became cooler, preventing our participation.

Facilities:  The tents were good, but the additional 30 PHP charge for mobile phone charging felt like an unnecessary expense in this day and age.  The bathrooms were clean and sufficient in number.

Food: The dinner and breakfast were satisfactory.

ATV Ride: The ATV ride itself was an amazing experience despite the age and stiffness of the vehicles.

Guide: Our guide, Neu, appeared to be a last-minute replacement and lacked essential knowledge about the itinerary and activities. This significantly impacted our experience.

Day 10: Last Day in Manila

Positive Feedback:

Accommodation: We appreciate the last-minute upgrade to LubD Hostel, which exceeded our expectations for a hostel. The rooms were clean and comfortable.

Farewell Dinner: The surprise dinner arranged by Adam the night before our departure was a delightful and delicious way to end our trip.

Areas for Improvement:

Breakfast: Although we appreciate the upgrade to LubD Hostel, there was a discrepancy regarding breakfast. We were initially promised breakfast included on the check-out day, but upon arrival, we were charged 300 PHP each. It would be helpful to ensure clear communication regarding what's included in the accommodation package to avoid any surprises.

Itinerary Planning: As mentioned previously, considering Clark has an international airport, the itinerary planning could have been optimized to include a return flight from Clark instead of Manila. This would have saved us a day of unnecessary travel back to Manila, allowing for more rest and a smoother conclusion to the trip.

Overall:

Despite the minor breakfast confusion and missed opportunity for a more efficient return travel option, we appreciate the last-minute upgrade to a better hostel and the surprise farewell dinner. These gestures positively impacted the final impression of our trip.

Additional Thoughts:

Overall Experience with MangoTiger Tours:

Overall, we had a memorable experience in the Philippines with MangoTiger Tours. While there were a few areas for improvement, particularly regarding transportation choices, communication on some occasions, and missed opportunities for itinerary optimization, the positive aspects like the friendly guides, some of the accommodations, and the unforgettable activities outweighed the shortcomings. We would recommend MangoTiger Tours to others with the suggestion of considering these areas for future improvements, especially regarding transportation options and clear communication throughout the planning and execution of the itinerary.

Regards
Saneej

Hotel Reviews

Z Hostel

Manila

Did not satyed

Clarkton Hotel

Clark

The room at Clark was outdated but offered sufficient space and had a good bathroom. However, the lack of a lift might be inconvenient for some guests

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Twin Tides Panglao

Bohol

Our stay at Twin Tides Panglao unfortunately fell short of our expectations. While we appreciate the polite and helpful nature of the receptionist and kitchen staff, several aspects of the hotel detracted from our overall experience. Room Size and Amenities: Both the double and triple rooms were quite small, creating a cramped feeling for our group, especially considering we had two absent members. Since we had already paid for their room, we discussed with Paulette utilizing that space for the photographers. She initially agreed. However, due to the congestion in the triple rooms, we still required two additional rooms to comfortably accommodate three extra guests. While we understood this might have been a MangoTiger planning oversight, we were surprised when they only offered one additional room. This meant asking the photographers to vacate the room we had already paid for, causing them inconvenience.. Air Conditioning: The outdated window AC units lacked proper thermostats, forcing us to keep them running even when not in the room. Additionally, the lack of a second key card meant relying on reception to switch on the AC during our absence. Convenience: The unavailability of room phones and a lift made communication with reception and luggage transportation inconvenient. Breakfast: The limited set breakfast menu with few choices did not offer the variety we were hoping for. Positive Aspects: Hotel Staff: We appreciate the receptionist's politeness and helpfulness, as well as the kitchen staff's willingness to prepare breakfast early on our check-out day. Social Gathering: The hotel staff kindly allowed us to use the reception hall and pool area for socializing, as the rooms themselves lacked space. Laundry Services: The lack of laundry services at the hotel was an inconvenience for a three-night stay .

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

St. Mark

Cebu

St. Mark's rooms lacked sufficient space for luggage storage. While the lift, breakfast, and proximity to attractions were appreciated, the rooms themselves fell short of our expectations.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hale Manna Resort

Moalboal

We were happy with the spacious rooms, ample luggage storage, clean and well-equipped bathrooms, a nice pool, and good food at Hale Manna Resort.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

MJ Suites

Cebu

MJ Suites Hotel fell short of our expectations. The hotel seemed dated and lacked amenities. Fortunately, our short stay minimized any inconvenience. Avoid this hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Travel from Treasure Mountain to Clark

Clark

Bad vans, crampy ride

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Flight Bohol - Manila, Transfer to Treasure Mountain

Philippines

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Island Hopping & Dolphin Watching Day Trip

Bohol Island

Nice.Some snorkelling gears were defective

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bohol Countryside Tour

Bohol Island

ATV was good

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bohol Scuba Diving

Bohol Island

Safe and good

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Oslob Whaleshark and Aguinid Falls Tour

Cebu City

Nice one

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kawasan Falls Canyoneering Adventure

Moalboal

Canyoneering: The safety precautions and assigning one guide per person for canyoneering exceeded our expectations and highlighted MangoTiger's commitment to safety, which is commendable, especially in Asia. The lunch was delicious with special mention to the extra sweet mangoe

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mt. Pinatubo Tour

Manila

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip was outstanding, the planning, Organization. Visits, guides, tours, hotel and flight, recommendations…everything was perfect. Thanks to Cami who is tireless and would immediately reply to my queries and whatever concerns I had. Local guides were wonderful in each location were wonderful. Ana Santos, Cami’s representative and my guide in Manila was exceptional. There was not a single glitch, nor delay nor any problem.
Thank you Cami

Hotel Reviews

Belmont Hotel Manila

Pasay City

Wonderful hotel near the airport. Great location if you want to he near the airport. Excellent breakfast, comfortable bed and pillows. A practical but very busy hotel. Walking distance from a shopping center and surrounded by variety of restaurants

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Two Seasons Coron Bayside Hotel

Coron Town

Lovely hotel in the heart of Coron with a beautiful pool and view esp during sunset. Extremely comfortable and clean.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walking distance to the center but preferable using a tricycle because the road is not good

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Funny Lion El Nido

El Nido

Lovely hotel in the center of El Nido and walking distance from the market and the center. The staff is amazing and very helpful. It is clean and comfortable

Authenticity & Character

Very original and modern

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hue Hotels and Resorts Puerto Princesa

Puerto Princesa

Wonderful and comfortable hotel. Near a shopping mall and restaurants in the area. Very comfortable

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Elysia Beach Resort

Donsol

Lovely hotel and nice location on a beautiful beach. However it is a bit neglected and needs an overhaul . The AC is very noisy and old. However it is comfortable with a beautiful swimming pool.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Staff is wonderful and very attentive and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Marison Hotel

Legazpi

Stayed only one night. The hotel is very central and comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Marco Polo Plaza Cebu

Cebu City

Very comfortable and clean . Has all the modern amenities. Staff very helpful and attentive

Authenticity & Character

Very modern

Location

Not central you need a car to visit

Staff

Very helpful zndxattentive

Cleanliness & Comfort

Extremely clean

Coco Grove Beach Resort

Wonderful resort in Siquijor, the grounds, the rooms, comfort, staff, the beauty of the place is outstanding.

Authenticity & Character

Location

I did not leave the resort as it was my R&R before starting my Philippines escapade

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bayleaf Intramuros

Metro Manila

Very central in Intramuros, walking distance to the touristic sites. Staff extremely helpful and attentive, good breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Location

In the heart of Intramuros the historical center of Manila

Staff

Very helpful and attentive

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable pillows and bed

Activity Review

Manila Day Tour

Philippines

Excellent tour thanks to Ana Santos

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lisa did a fantastic job creating a memorable itinerary for The Philippines full of snorkeling and beautiful water activities! The resorts were great and snorkeling guides (Rap Rap - Palawan) top notch. She was also extremely responsive in following up both before and during the trip, addressing questions or concerns regarding excursions and resort stays.

Hotel Reviews

Seda Lio

El Nido

Loved this property and its location! Rooms were comfortable. Resort was very laid back. Pool and outside restaurant and bar areas near beach were favorites.

Authenticity & Character

nicely developed property

Location

on beach, beautiful sunsets, very laid back atmosphere, close to airport.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

room floors were vinyl so harder to keep clean. I would recommend using tile or possibly steam mops to keep sandy floors clean.

Henann Resort Alona Beach

This place was amazing! Beach, pools, bar area, restaurants all top notch! We loved our Pool Villa and could have stayed here for a few weeks. The spa was also amazing. Very comfortable, good security, great food.

Authenticity & Character

nicely developed and expanded property. pool villas were the best!

Location

on beach - beautiful property

Staff

very accommodating and service oriented

Cleanliness & Comfort

room was great! housekeeping very responsive and kept things clean.

Shangri-La Mactan

Nice large property with pools, activities and good restaurants.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

very accommodating and service oriented

Cleanliness & Comfort

rooms are a bit tired and need updating

Activity Reviews

Balicasag Island Diving and Snorkeling Tour

Bohol Island

Boat was much better for this excursion. Crew awesome. Scenery great. We saw many dolphins, snorkeling phenomenal.

Quality of Experience

comfortable boat, good snorkeling, dolphins, food!

Food

good variety, tasty food. plenty to eat.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

comfortable boat, had restroom. crew was professional and helpful. captain was great.

Whale and Dolphin Watching Tour in Bohol

Bohol Island

very small, uncomfortable and noisy boat considering cost. guide was experienced and accommodating. saw some dolphins. snorkeling added and was good. guide was really awesome. island was okay. lunch good.

Quality of Experience

Food

good hot meal, plenty of food.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

larger more comfortable boat!

Hilutungan and Nalusuan Island Hopping Tour

Cebu City

We actually did not go to areas on itinerary. This issue was addressed by KimKIm with local excursion provider. We were disappointed with the remote island we visited. Guides and boat crew were good.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full- Day Chocolate Hills and Tarsiers Tour

Bohol Island

Tarsiers were interesting but a very limited tour. We could have passed on Chocolate Hills. River cruise with lunch was enjoyable!

Quality of Experience

Food

buffets with lots of people can be challenging

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

small car, not that comfortable.