The Philippines
I’ve travelled to quite a few places over the years. Some I’ve loved, some I’ve enjoyed and some I’m perfectly happy to have experienced once.
The Philippines is different.
I’m not entirely sure there was one particular moment when it happened. Somewhere between the islands, the scooter rides, ridiculously blue water, late nights, random conversations and the occasional situation I probably should have thought through a little more carefully, I fell in love with the place.
And I keep wanting to go back.
It isn’t because I think the Philippines is perfect. It isn’t. Travel there can be chaotic. Getting between islands can take considerably longer than expected. Plans don’t always survive contact with reality. And I’ve made more than a few mistakes of my own along the way.
But strangely, that’s part of why I like it.
It’s the people I’ll remember most
The scenery is obviously spectacular. Some of the beaches and islands I’ve seen in the Philippines are among the most beautiful places I’ve ever visited.
But when I think about why I keep talking about the Philippines, I don’t immediately think about a beach.
I think about people.
People I’ve met for five minutes who somehow ended up becoming part of the story. People who’ve laughed with me — and occasionally at me. Conversations with complete strangers. Nights that started with absolutely no plan and somehow became some of my favourite memories from travelling.
There’s a warmth and sense of humour I’ve experienced in the Philippines that I find incredibly easy to connect with.
For somebody who’s naturally quite introverted, that’s probably one of the things I appreciate most.
Travel has a strange way of making conversations with strangers easier. And in the Philippines, I’ve had a lot of them.
Bohol changed things for me
I’ve visited different parts of the country, but Bohol and Panglao are particularly special to me.
It had a little bit of everything I enjoy about travelling: beautiful scenery, scooters, nightlife, ridiculous situations, quieter moments and people I still remember long after coming home.
Some things went brilliantly.
Some things didn’t.
There was a puncture in the middle of nowhere. A slightly unexpected massage experience. Tarsiers. Nightclubs. A tattoo that meant I couldn’t drink afterwards. And at one point I somehow acquired the temporary job title of fake boyfriend.
Pretty standard holiday, really.
But that’s exactly why I remember it.
The best travel stories aren’t always the days where everything goes perfectly. They’re usually the ones where something happens that you couldn’t possibly have planned.
There’s still so much I haven’t seen
Perhaps that’s the other reason the Philippines keeps pulling me back.
I don’t feel remotely finished with it.
Every time I look at the map, there’s another island, another road, another town or another slightly questionable activity that looks worth investigating.
And in November 2026, I’m going back again.
This time I’ll be travelling through El Nido, taking a multi-day boat journey to Coron, heading across to Siargao and eventually making my way through parts of Northern Luzon.
Some of it is planned.
Some of it deliberately isn’t.
That’s increasingly how I like to travel.
More than a holiday
Ordinary Wanderer exists partly because travel has changed the way I look at my own life.
I’m still an ordinary bloke in his 40s with a full-time job in the UK. I haven’t sold everything, quit work and magically become a full-time traveller.
But travelling has made me want to see more, experience more and occasionally push myself into situations that the version of me from a few years ago probably would have avoided.
The Philippines has been a big part of that.
So this part of the website isn’t going to be my attempt at creating the definitive guide to the Philippines.
There are plenty of people far more qualified to do that.
This is simply my Philippines.
The places I’ve visited. The people I’ve met. The things I’ve learned. The mistakes I’ve made. The experiences I’d happily repeat and a few I probably wouldn’t.
And, as I keep exploring the country, I’ll keep adding to it.
Because somehow, despite all the other places in the world I still want to see…
I keep coming back to the Philippines.
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