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Manila & Puerto Princesa — Heritage and Firefly Escape

Manila & Puerto Princesa — Heritage and Firefly Escape

5 Days

5D4N | Manila history (Intramuros, Fort Santiago, Destilería Limtuaco) + Puerto Princesa city tour (Cathedral, Plaza Cuartel WWII memorial, Mitra's Ranch, Baker's Hill) + evening Firefly Watching on the Iwahig/Sicsican River (thousands of fireflies pulsing in mangroves in perfect synchrony).

5D|4N
Manila

2 days in

Manila

1/5
+1
Day01

Day 1

Arrival in Manila — First Impressions & Rest

TRIPGULLAK ground team at NAIA with name board — no app downloads, no confusing taxi queues. Private transfer through elevated expressways into Makati. Day 1 deliberately unhurried: check-in, freshen up, let jet lag negotiations begin gently. Step outside at own pace — nearest café strip for first encounter with Filipino urban energy (warmth of servers, fried garlic smell, improbable cheerfulness of rush-hour Manila). San Miguel Pale Pilsen on hotel terrace as city lights come on. Nothing scheduled tonight — deliberate. Overnight Manila.

Check In

14:00

1N 🌙

Check Out

11:00

  ST GILES HOTEL MAKATI - 1

Standard Room

1 Room

Standard Room • CP - Continental Plan
✓ Included
3
Makati Avenue, corner Kalayaan Ave, Makati City, 1210 Metro Manila, Philippines

Private Transportation

Transportation details to be confirmed

Day02

Day 2

Manila City Tour — Intramuros, History & Destilería (B, L)

Puerto Princesa

2 days in

Puerto Princesa

1/5
+1
Day03

Day 3

Manila → Puerto Princesa — City to Jungle (B)

Day04

Day 4

Puerto Princesa City Tour & Firefly Watching — Day Into Dark Magic (B, D)

Manila

1 day in

Manila

1/3
Day05

Day 5

Departure — Puerto Princesa → Manila → Onward (B)

What's inside the package?

Inclusions

  • • 4 nights hotel (2N Manila + 2N Puerto Princesa) twin/double
  • Daily hotel breakfast throughout
  • • Indian lunch on Day 2 (Manila City Tour) • Local dinner on Day 4 (after Firefly Watching Tour)
  • Private roundtrip airport transfers in Manila (Day 1 & Day 5)
  • • Private Manila hotel-to-airport transfer for domestic flight (Day 3)
  • Private airport-to-hotel transfer Puerto Princesa (Day 3)
  • Private hotel-to-airport transfer Puerto Princesa (Day 5)
  • Full-day private Manila City Tour — all Day 2 sites
  • Destilería Limtuaco Museum visit with wine & spirits tasting
  • Shopping tour accompaniment in Manila
  • Shared Puerto Princesa City Tour: Cathedral Plaza Cuartel Baywalk Mitra's Ranch Baker's Hill Crocodile Farm or Butterfly Garden
  • Evening Firefly Watching Tour — Iwahig / Sicsican River (shared by bangka)
  • All applicable entrance fees on tour days
  • DOT-accredited English-speaking guide on all tour days
  • Daily bottled water during tours
  • TRIPGULLAK dedicated WhatsApp coordinator

Exclusions

  • ✕International airfare • Domestic airfare Manila ↔ Puerto Princesa
  • ✕Visa fees
  • ✕visa processing documentation charges
  • ✕Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
  • ✕Tipping for drivers guides boat crew coordinators
  • ✕All personal incidental expenses
  • ✕Early check-in / late check-out charges
  • ✕Optional add-on tours activities or upgrades
  • ✕5% GST (Indian residents) bank transfer & credit card processing charges
  • ✕Any services not explicitly mentioned under Inclusions

Best Time to Visit

Nov–early Mar optimal (dry season + peak firefly activity). Moon phase matters — new moon weeks offer darker skies & dramatically more firefly visibility (TRIPGULLAK notes lunar cycles when you enquire). Dec & Jan magical but peak surcharges. Feb = sweet spot (quiet, affordable, clear, fireflies most spectacular). Jun–Oct: Manila typhoon season can disrupt flights; PPS east coast more sheltered than west but heavy rainfall dilutes firefly experience (river banks less accessible). Avoid without flexibility in wet season.

What to Pack

Lightweight breathable fabrics (humidity constant in both cities); light cardigan for AC restaurants & aircraft; modest clothing for church visits (Intramuros sites + PPS Cathedral — covered shoulders & knees); comfortable closed-toe shoes (Intramuros cobblestones — avoid sandals on full city tour days); smart-casual outfit for hotel restaurants or Makati evening venues. FIREFLY WATCHING: dark-coloured clothing ONLY (white/bright reflects moonlight & disturbs fireflies); DEET insect repellent or strong citronella (river banks at dusk active mosquito territory); small dry bag/zip-lock for phone (river moisture & light mist from bangka); NO FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY under any circumstances (causes fireflies to disperse immediately); quiet patient mindset (firefly watching rewards stillness more than any gadget). Sun: SPF50+; UV sunglasses & wide-brim hat. Documents: PHP Peso cash; Type A/B adapter; power bank (no charging on bangka); oral rehydration salts.

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Manila & Puerto Princesa — Heritage and Firefly Escape

Fare Breakdown

60,962Price (Per Adult) for minimum 2 Travelers

Trip Details

5 Days / 4 Nights
1–10 Travelers (More than 10 travellers? contact us)
60,962
Per Adult