16 Days Do The Philippines Adventure (Independent Tour)

Customer Reviews

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  Daniel

  · March 6th, 2025
  The 16 day Philippines Group Adventure Tour is a good way to experience many beautiful islands of the Philippines. Starting with the Pros: Many destinations are visited, and the company provides a tour leader to help coordinate all hotel rooms, transportation logistics (including flights within the country), and tend to miscellaneous concerns. The Tour Guide we had was a genuinely fun and interesting person who contributed to many good laughs and times on the tour. The itinerary had a LOT of fun stuff included with some highlights including surfing, kayaking, island hopping and snorkeling, swimming with whale sharks, canyoneering/ziplining, and access to optional activities (where you have to pay) that are “must do” in my opinion to try to maximize seeing the natural beauty of the country. At the end of the day, it felt very much like the checkbox was ticked in that it was Mission Complete with respect to seeing enough of the Islands of the Philippines. On the negative side: There’s a lot of long travel days, and some of the accommodation was below expectation. As an avid traveler, often to lesser developed countries, I don’t think my expectations are unfairly high; I basically ask for privacy (not share accommodation with strangers which makes me nervous in case of theft etc), and clean hot water to bathe and rinse off swim clothes etc. Unfortunately, it seemed like we fell below this standard not infrequently, including having women share dorms with men, and in addition, accommodation that was very cramped and/or quite loud outside, or extremely basic tents with next to no cushioning. Our group happened to be not particularly big, so perhaps this added cost pressure to this particular trip, but would suggest even upping the trip cost a touch to pass these hurdles would be worthwhile as nights with very poor sleep, or unclean water and not enough time for clothes/towels to dry winds up adding odors to our bags -- it just has a negative impact on our ability to enjoy our days. All that said, I had a really fun time (and was exceptionally blessed with lovely travel mates). As someone who tilts towards travelling to learn the destination’s history, experience culture shock, spending time with locals etc, this trip on paper really wasn’t for me (the Philippines island experience in general seems to be more about people enjoying the tropical weather and partying on the cheap), but I still ultimately enjoyed it, which says a lot.
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  Trip date: February 2025
• 

  Sabrina

  · November 28th, 2024
  We had the absolute pleasure of having Jovain as our local tour guide during our trip around the Philippines, and we couldn’t have asked for a better experience! From the moment we met him, his warm and funny personality made us feel completely at ease. Jovain is not just a guide; he’s a friend who truly cares about the people he takes on adventures. Throughout our journey, he went above and beyond to look after us, ensuring we were comfortable, safe, and always enjoying ourselves. His advice was spot-on, whether it was about the best local spots to visit, trying authentic Filipino dishes, or tackling adventurous activities. He truly made sure every part of our trip was unforgettable. Jovain’s passion for his work and the Philippines is infectious, and his energy and humor kept us smiling and laughing the whole time. His thoughtful and caring nature, combined with his expertise, made this trip not only adventurous but deeply memorable. If you’re looking for a guide who feels like family and guarantees a trip of a lifetime, look no further than Jovain. Thank you for everything, Jovain – this adventure will forever hold a special place in our hearts!
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  Trip date: November 2024
• MS

  Marvin

  · April 30th, 2024
  The Tour was just amazing, everything was well organized and prepared for us. I enjoyed every day of it. Our Tourguide Jovain was excellent, he explained everything well and had always an answer to our questions. Over and all i can absolutely recommend this trip.
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  Trip date: March 2023
• 

  Emma

  · April 24th, 2024
  This trip has been on of a lifetime! Where to begin... everywhere we visited was just pure paradise and the activities were all perfect for each place- it was the perfect balance of relaxation and adventure! Soo many amazing beaches we saw and the expedition took us to some remote islands which were so quiet it felt like a private island tour! Jovain our guide could not do enough for us all, answering any questions and always keeping us up to date on each days itinerary. There was a situation which arose with a fellow traveller where Jovain was getting spoke to very aggressively and he handled the difficult situation very professionally. Alongside this there was an elderly member of the group and he was by her side wherever she needed help being there to assist her and so kind. The accommodation was all clean and the camping was so cool! The food was brilliant along the way with so many options. Really enjoyed this tour and would do it allll over again if I could! Thank you Jovain and do you travel!!!
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  Trip date: April 2024
• DS

  Dimo

  · March 7th, 2024
  The tour could be classified generally as below average. Bad things: The tour guide (Jovain) - this guy is not a real tour guide, but rather a man who likes to travel. He did not provide almost any interesting information about the destinations, instead of this he was talking about his travel to Vietnam, his plans for building his own house and some other random staff. He was always late for the day trips, but all the three times, when we had to catch a plane, we were at least 3.5 hours earlier at the airport with nothing to do there. He have bought a new drone and he took more attention to him than to the group. Accommodation in El Nido was not in El Nido - it was 20 minutes by tricycle from the centre, and despite having a great view to the shore, the place was very dirty and there was no running water. Do not be fooled by the nice pic of the pool in the itinerary. Accommodation in Moalboal - the room smelled like toilet. Generally they choose from the cheapest options for accommodation Expedition - the chosen company was doing the expedition for the first time and it was not very well organised; the boat was very very small and basic, comparing ti the other boats that were doing the expedition for the same time - I guess the simple have chosen the cheapest agency for that. Again don't be fooled by the picture in the itinerary. Good things: Not so much, at least we covered most of the places described in itinerary. Canyoneering was nice and also I liked the 3 ziplines. Things to improve - instead of doing the expedition you must make an island hopping in El Nido and in Coron - otherwise you miss the beautiful lagoons you can see, when writing "Philippines" in google. In Siargao definitely do the land tour instead of the island hopping - it is much better. Also 3 days are well enough for this island. As a conclusion - very beautiful country, but if you decide to visit it please choose another agency.
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  Trip date: February 2024
• A

  Anonymous

  · March 7th, 2024
  The tour could be classified generally as below average. Bad things: The tour guide (Jovain) - this guy is not a real tour guide, but rather a man who likes to travel. He did not provide almost any interesting information about the destinations, instead of this he was talking about his travel to Vietnam, his plans for building his own house and some other random staff. He was always late for the day trips, but all the three times, when we had to catch a plane, we were at least 3.5 hours earlier at the airport with nothing to do there. He have bought a new drone and took more attention to him than to the group. Accommodation in El Nido was not in El Nido - it was 20 minutes by tricycle from the centre, and despite having a great view to the shore, the place was very dirty and there was no running water. Do not be fooled by the nice pic of the pool in Expedition - the chose company was doing the expedition for the first time and it was not very well organised - I guess the simple have chosen the cheapest agency for that. Good things: Not so much, at least we covered most of the places described in itinerary. Canyoneering was nice Things to improve - instead of doing the expedition you could make an island hopping in El Nido and in Coron. In Siargao do the
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  Trip date: February 2024
• 

  Michelle

  · March 7th, 2024
  Lexias Hostel and Workspace El Nido: The water at the sink did not work. The shower was turned off from 7pm to 7am. And there were rats and rat droppings in some of the rooms. The tour guide (Jovain) was late every day and subliminally tried to push through his own interests, which was very exhausting in the long run. His information about the length of the trip to the next attraction was always wrong. In contrast to other places, the stay in Siargao was relatively long, perhaps 1 - 2 days should be deducted there and distributed to other places. Nature: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ General organization: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Expedition: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Gilligan's Barton Harbor: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Restaurant selected by the guide: ⭐⭐
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  Trip date: February 2024
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  Aisling

  · December 8th, 2023
  This was a fantastic tour and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking to travel in the Philippines with a group tour! The itinerary was extremely well planned out and the activities planned exceeded all of my expectations, we got to see all of the biggest attractions that the Philippines has to offer along with many more that would not have been possible without going with a tour group. For anyone wanting to do as much as possible in a short space of time, this is the tour for you. The fun, excitement and friendly dynamics of the group would not have been the same without the hard work of our tour guide Jovain who made sure that everything ran seamlessly. I cannot thank him enough for sharing his beautiful part of the world with us and making sure that all of us always had a smile on our faces. I picked this tour because it was one of the longest trips to the Philippines available for the best price, my only complaint is that it should have been longer! There was a great mix of organised activities and free days to relax, and I made some friends that I will stay in contact for many years to come. The accommodation as a whole was well located, clean and safe, with some nights spent beachside camping and in huts on the expedition from El Nido to Coron (bring a battery operated fan, no aircon!!!) which made the experience truly feel like an adventure. I cannot recommend it more and would do it all again in a heartbeat. Thank you DYTravel and Jovain ??
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  Trip date: November 2023
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  Nicole

  · December 5th, 2023
  Your location Opens 360 view Do You Travel Photo Photo Photo Photo Photo Photo Photo Photo Photo More photos Street View Do You Travel 4.8 6 reviews Tour operator  Directions  Call  Save  Share 747 Anzac Parade, Maroubra NSW 2035 Floor G · Pacific Square Open 24 hours dytravel.com.au 0488 385 115 365Q+HG Maroubra, New South Wales Learn more about plus codes Photos 52 Photos Add a photo Add a photo Review summary 5 4 3 2 1 4.8 6 reviews "This was a memorable experience, indeed." "It’ll exceed your expectation and it’s a great value for your money." "Jovain is the best tour guide I've ever had the pleasure of travelling with." Your review Nic 17 reviews · 10 photos a week ago One of the best experiences of my life! Do you Travels' 16 day Adventure Tour was most definitely one huge adventure! The itenary is well thought out and covers alot of the Phillipines most beautiful attractions and coolest activities, though I'm sure the Sardine run could be added in ;) Jovain is the best tour guide I've ever had the pleasure of travelling with. Him and our entire group will now be life long friends, despite the age gaps! I'm so thankful for Jovains help beyond the tour too 🙏🏽 For those who aren't cut out for down and dirty travel, I suggest you read the itenary closely. As we had 1 guest who almost ruined it for everyone with her negative outlook and 5 star living/ 1st world expectations, thankfully she ended up leaving. The Port Barton camping and Palawan Island Hopping Expedition were a huge highlight for me, along with the 3 optional ziplines and canyoneering but honestly it's so hard to put a favourite on so many amazing memories! I'm definitely one very satisfied traveller that's for sure 😊
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  Trip date: November 2023
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  MaPier

  · November 29th, 2023
  Everything was good just very disappointed of the last flight who was booked for 8am and made an 8-10 hours return home a 26hours return and the back office didn’t seem to care but other than that the trip was great!
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  Trip date: November 2023