Wanderworld

2020 rocked us all hard. In a blink of an eye, our “freedom” and simple pleasures such as going to the mall were taken away from us. All because of COVID-19.

Unsurprisingly, the travel industry took the hardest hit, as both local and international travels were banned as a measure to stem the transmission of the virus.

But since the last quarter of 2020, COVID-19 travel restrictions have eased up around the Philippines. The local travel scene has been picking up, albeit very slowly and cautiously.

If you’re among those who just can’t stay home any longer and want to hit the beach, here are some tips on where/how to book Philippine flights and hotels during the pandemic.

Near Manila and without travel requirements

Batangas

If you’re looking for a hassle-free beach getaway near Manila during this pandemic, Batangas is the best place for you.

Based on my own inquiries with different Batangas resorts and accommodations, some don’t require any travel requirements at all such as Canyon Cove and Pico de Loro. They even allow kids and seniors.

You can easily find accommodations here via the trusty Airbnb app. To be sure though, contact the owner of the vacation home or the resort and ask if there are any travel requirements before booking.

However, do note that some areas and resorts in Batangas have different COVID-19 travel restrictions and requirements. In Punta Fuego, a same-day PCR test is required, according to my friend who recently stayed there.

In Anilao, if you wish to dive, you need to provide a negative PCR test result if you’re coming from GCQ and MGCQ areas.

Laiya resorts, meanwhile, strictly follow protocols such as no kids and seniors allowed. Based on my inquiry with a resort there, the policy changes every month, depending on the mayor’s decision, so it would be hard to book in advance. In January, they allowed kids and seniors to travel only until January 31.

Bataan

Unknown to many, Bataan is also home to several decent beaches. Here, you can enjoy fine off-white/cream sand and decent waters, plus the sight of sea turtles, including the babies which are released out into the sea. While it’s also an ideal escape near Manila, there are several travel requirements here, unlike in Batangas.

In La Jolla Luxury Beach Resort where celebrities such as Aubrey Miles and Troy Montero and Gretchen Ho recently traveled, the following are required:

The requirements are basically the same for Playa La Caleta Bataan, which I recently discovered on Instagram. Here you can enjoy cheap accommodations right on the beach, ranging from tents, cottages, tree house, gazebo, and beach lofts.

You can also search for private beach houses or home vacation rentals in Bataan via Airbnb.

Travel packages with airfare

If you’re raring to enjoy some of the best beaches in the Philippines with fine white sand and clear turquoise waters, there’s no choice but to fly to the famous destinations. As of writing, Boracay, Palawan, Bohol, and Siargao are all open to tourists, but with strict travel requirements of course, including a negative PCR test.

Boracay

Since October 2020, Boracay, perhaps every Filipino’s go-to island, has reopened to tourists. Today, several resorts and travel agencies have been offering various Boracay packages, some including airfare already, for your convenience.

In Klook, the travel booking app, you can avail of Crimson Resort and Spa’s 2 nights + 1 night free package which includes breakfast, dining credits, transfers, and spa for Php27,000 per person. Crimson Resort is a 5-star luxury private beach resort in Boracay located in what it dubs as Station 0. Various celebrities have gone here including Solenn Heussaff with her family and Georgina Wilson and family.

Meanwhile, various travel agencies such as BooknTravelPH (find them on Instagram) offer cheap Boracay packages with airfare for resorts such as Hennan Lagoon Resort. Bohol packages with roundtrip airfare and stay at Hennan Alona Resort are also available here.

If work and play is what you’re after in Boracay, on the other hand, Jeron Travel, another travel agency, offers a Work from the Beach Boracay package for a minimum of 7D/6N for Php15,000 per person.

Culion

If you’re like me who’s still hesitant to brave the crowd in the airport in fear of contracting the virus, there are various travel bubble packages you can avail. A new term coined because of the pandemic, travel bubble packages allow you to safely travel “in your own bubble,” in a sense, as the experience is ensured to be private or shared with limited people.

Sunlight Island Resort, the so-called Maldives of the Philippines because of its water villas, offers a Fly + Stay + Dine Travel Bubble package which includes a private roundtrip chartered flight, 3d/2n or 4d/3n stay in a water villa, and dining credits for as low as Php34,000 per person. You can also book the same package via Klook for as low as Php25,400 on select dates. For me, these rates are actually a steal. Before COVID-19, you actually have to shell out this entire amount and more for just a one-night stay in this 5-stary luxury resort.

What’s good about this package is you won’t have to pass through NAIA to take your flight. The chartered flight is via the resort’s own Sunlight Air, which has its private hangar, ensuring your privacy and safety from the crowd.

Among the highlights of the resort is its Sirakan Villa, which boasts clear glass floors so you can see the waters and marine life under. All of the villas also have their private balconies where you can enjoy panoramic views of the beach. The vibrant marine life is also one of the resort’s main attractions.

El Nido

Some El Nido resorts are also offering reasonably priced various packages with chartered airfare in an effort to attract more tourists.

Huni Lio, for instance, is offering a 4D/3N stay in a deluxe room with airfare for only Php22,000 per person for April 1-4. The airfare is via AirSwift, which is the only allowed airline to operate for El Nido during this pandemic.

Huni Lio resort can be found in the private Lio Beach which boasts a long stretch of sand complemented by relaxing mountain views. It is an Ayala-owned property, along with other resorts in the area such as Casa Kalaw, Balai Adlao, and Seda Lio.

Charlie’s El Nido is another resort you can book if you want a flight + accommodation package. Rates start at Php44,000 per person for a minimum of 2 persons, for a stay in the Superior Room. Included in the rates are two rounds of cocktail by the pool, one private island hopping tour, and 10% off on food and drinks as well as spa services, laundry, and mini bar.

Ever dreamed of staying in the luxury Miniloc Resort in Palawan? Now you can at a very low price compared to the rates before the pandemic. Via Jeron Travel, you can book a 4D/3N stay at a Miniloc Cliff Cottage for $45,000 per person. This includes roundtrip airfare via Airswift, transfers, and full-board meals (no buffet).

San Vicente

Although not as popular as El Nido and Coron, San Vicente is easily becoming tourists’ choice in Palawan for its vast expanse of beach with white sand, 14.7 kilometers, to be exact. It’s the longest beach in the Philippines and the second-longest in Southeast Asia. The beach is yet to be populated with resorts, although there are a handful you can book during this pandemic.

If a truly all-in package is what you’re after, don’t miss Airlite Travel’s promo for Lazuli Resort in San Vicente. It includes 4D/3N stay, roundtrip airfare via Airswift, full-board meals, transfers, and most important of all, RT-PCR test. You can enjoy all these for just Php30,000 per person. Pretty neat, right? The travel agency also offers packages for the luxury resorts in Palawan such as the Miniloc Resort.

So that’s it for now! Those are all the beach resorts and travel packages you can book during this pandemic. Do note that I only came across all of these out of my own desire to travel during the pandemic.

Please do share other destinations that you know of in the comments section below! And if you have content suggestions, please also feel free to post! See you next time!