There are many other beautiful places in the Philippines outside its capital, but these 5 destinations will let you enjoy weekend trips with great ease.

Contributed by Travel Jock

My first attempt really was to book for Batanes but I struggled to find an affordable airfare so my rebel heart prompted me to look for a nearby country which is Taiwan. Cebu Pacific Air constantly gives promos, and I chanced upon and booked Taipei for ₱4,000 round-trip!
Also read: 8 Tricks to Successfully Grab Cheap Promo Flights in the Philippines
I really don’t have any expectations since I assume that Taipei is just like Hong Kong or Macau, but I was surprised to find Taipei with much richer culture, delicious food and interesting places.


Let me share to you my day-off escape (3 days/2 nights) to Taipei where I spent a surprising below ₱10,000 (a little over US$200).
I was lucky to have an option of visa-free entry so I didn’t spend anything for visa fees. For Philippine passport holders with valid US, UK, JAPAN, CANADA, AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND and/or SCHENGEN visas, you can just get a travel authorization certificate online for free on this website. Other Philippine passport holders should apply for Taiwan tourist visa thru this website for ₱2,100 (single entry).
Once you get a visa or travel certificate, you are good to go!
Here’s my itinerary with little budget information: Taipei Itinerary
Also read: A Filipino Traveller’s Guide to Visiting Taiwan for the First Time
I have a lot of photos in my phone, and here are some of my narcissistic photos I posted online. Please bear with it!
Taipei 101 🇹🇼 #TravelJock #Taiwan #Taipei
A photo posted by Tj Correa (@thetraveljock) on Jan 26, 2016 at 4:05am PST
Formosa 🇹🇼 #TravelJock #Taiwan #Taipei
A photo posted by Tj Correa (@thetraveljock) on Jan 26, 2016 at 4:02am PST
A photo posted by Tj Correa (@thetraveljock) on Jan 28, 2016 at 10:57pm PST
#latepost Chinese architecture on temples and halls. 🇹🇼#Taipei #Taiwan #TravelJock #gloomyweather
A photo posted by Tj Correa (@thetraveljock) on Jan 30, 2016 at 12:42am PST
A photo posted by Tj Correa (@thetraveljock) on Jan 27, 2016 at 10:05am PST
Beitou Hot Spring Thermal Valley 🇹🇼 #TravelJock #Taiwan #Taipei
A photo posted by Tj Correa (@thetraveljock) on Jan 26, 2016 at 7:02pm PST
Other photos worth posting here:







Also read: How to Travel Taiwan on a Budget
Published at
Get our weekly tips and travel news!
There are many other beautiful places in the Philippines outside its capital, but these 5 destinations will let you enjoy weekend trips with great ease.
You don’t have to spend a single peso to enjoy Manila because there are many things you can absolutely do for free!
9 days, 5 destinations and a budget of Php 10,000, here’s your budget travel guide to backpacking the northern region of the Philippines.
Looking for a weekend bonding with the family under ₱500? Head to these places, pronto!
Want to travel abroad? Start at these visa free destinations near the Philippines.
We wanted to experience a little bit of everything during our five days in Zürich!
Tokyo's viral church bar
Travel plans disrupted
Travel alerts and updates
Easier UAE travel