I would go back to the Philippines

Fourteen days later, with the suitcase still not fully unpacked, the question we kept asking ourselves wasn't whether the Philippines had been worth it. We'd known that since El Nido. It was, flat out, when we were going back.

It's a country you can't cover entirely in a single trip, no matter how hard you try — with more than 7,000 islands, any itinerary, however good, leaves out far more than it shows. We knew, even before landing back in Spain, that southern Palawan, Bohol, and dozens of other islands we hadn't even considered for this particular route were still left to discover.

The best part is almost never what you had written down in the day's itinerary. That kind of trip leaves its mark in a different way than a perfectly controlled one.

What stayed with us most, more than any single lagoon or beach however beautiful, was the country's rhythm: accepting that ferries run late, that plans change, and that it almost always turns out better that way.

If you ask me whether the Philippines is a "once in a lifetime" destination or one you come back to, my answer after this trip is clear, without any doubt: it's the second kind.

A second trip

If it were a second time, I suppose I'd do other islands, but I loved the route so much that I don't know if I'd change anything. When I went I was exhausted those weeks, and I feel I didn't make the most of my stay in El Nido, so I have to go back to make up for it.

What I miss most about the country's pace is the calm, the kindness of the people and the food. If you're going, the best time is December to May, and you'll find the details in the best time to visit the Philippines. And to organize the route, what to see in El Nido and where to stay in El Nido and Coron.