What I learned about money in the Philippines

Between scarce ATMs, cards that don't always work, and prices that vary a lot from one island to another, managing money in the Philippines has more nuance than I expected before going, honestly. Here's what we learned over 14 days between Manila, El Nido, Coron and Siargao.

First off: cash rules far more than we're used to back in Spain. In El Nido, Coron and Siargao there are places that flat out don't take cards, and ATMs aren't always where you need them most — sometimes you have to plan your day around where to get cash, not the other way around like you'd expect.

Second lesson: prices vary more than you'd think between islands. Coron, for example, has less competition in certain areas, and it shows in the price of food and water during excursions. Bringing some of our own fruit and water on the boat tours saved us from overpaying more than once.

We also learned to value "all-inclusive" tours differently: an island-hopping tour that's a bit pricier but includes food and drink usually works out more cost-effective in the end than a cheap one where you end up paying for every extra separately on the spot.

Having your budget split across several places gives you a lot more peace of mind to enjoy the day without constantly worrying about it.

And maybe most important of all: carry your money spread out, not all in one place. Between boats, scooters and beaches, the risk of losing something is higher than on a conventional city trip, and it's better not to risk it.