Spoiler Alert – you can visit Boracay the Philippines safely

I lived, and I’m glad I went!  The Philippines ended up being one of my favorite countries I visited.

They weren’t even on my initial Asia trip plan, but there was so much I wanted to see and do that I stay there an entire month! That’s longer than anywhere else on my trip.

I give a special thanks to a traveler I met, Amanda, from Canada. When I was diving in Sipadan, Borneo – she raved about her experiences there. Then I met Jesper and Louise (from Denmark), and they loved it there too, specifically Bohol.  And on and on.

So are the Philippines really dangerous?  Here’s what you need to know:

Is Boracay and the Philippines really dangerous? 

Let’s break it down. Parts of the Philippines are safe, parts are dangerous. Fortunately it’s easy to go the areas that are safe.

From what I’ve read and heard (details below), the South of the Philippines (the southern third) is actually dangerous and to be avoided. Don’t even pass through.

If you’re still wondering, is Boracay dangerous, let me clear that up. Boracay is not scary. It has very little crime. You still want to be street smart, especially at night (minimal lights when walking back to your hotel/hostel), but it felt fine.

It’s nearly always misleading to declare an entire country as too dangerous to visit. I’ll elaborate on those parts in a moment, but you need to know that the popular parts of the Philippines are both safe and wonderful! Where?

Where are the Philippines safe? Is Boracay dangerous or safe?

The Visayas are likely where you want to go. That’s the center/middle of the Philippines.

I loved Boracay and surrounding islands, and I’ve also heard stellar reviews for Palawan and El Nido in the west as well.

Beaches and nightlife in Boracay Island

Boracay is the beach tourist capital – it’s one of my favorite places for the beaches, the nightlife, and so many reasons. Unlike Thailand’s beach tourist capital (Phuket), Boracay beaches don’t get crowded and are among the best you’ll see. They’re awesome!

Thresher Shark diving in Malapascua Island

I also went to Malapascua for SCUBA diving and see Thresher Sharks.

Whale shark snorkeling in Donsol

Next I went to Donsol to go snorkeling with Whale Sharks,

Beaches, diving, and wildlife in Bohol

Finally, I went passed through Cebu and went to Bohol to see Phillipine Tarsiers and the Chocolate Hills.

I wish I had time to head up north to see the rice patties; I’ve heard it’s beautiful.

Where is the danger in the Philippines?

The most dangerous part of the Philippines is in the south. Comparatively the area near Manila sounds tame. Crime in the south has even included kidnappings. Really?

Tourist Kidnappings in the South??

Ahhhh!  Everything is relative, but friends recommend using lots of caution when visiting Mindanao in the south. Or perhaps completely avoid. Avoid the craziness where tourists actually get kidnapped and held for ransom.

If you have enough time and don’t want to overlook some treasures of the south, please do your homework.

The US and UK have very stern warnings against visiting due to terrorism. There’s lots to know and it sounds like it ‘s to be avoided. More info at the bottom of this page.

Manila and northern Philippines

There’s quite a bit of crime in Manila, but I haven’t heard about any kidnapping at random. With that said, I hear there’s quite a bit of research on specific businessmen with big bank accounts to hold for ransom. They’re not looking for backpackers in Manila. I ended up avoiding altogether, but mostly because of the rich alternatives to explore.

Where are the Philippines located?  

The Philippines are far from everywhere I was visiting in SE Asia. They’re directly east of Vietnam, south of Taiwan, southeast of China, and northeast of Borneo.

Conclusion:  Boracay is safe! The Philippines are mostly safe. But be smart

The areas near Boracay in the center of the Philippines are largely safe. The South is dangerous. Manila and the areas in the North has crime but is ok.

Ok, so Manila is filled with crime, and the south is legitimately scary and dangerous. That leaves a whole lot of awesomeness in the middle to explore. I’ve shared some of my favorite adventure stories from the Philippines on Visit50.com.

To answer, are the Philippines dangerous, I’ve highlighted some more info on the crime in the southern Philippines’ Sulu Islands. Britain’s Foreign & Commonwealth Office suggests you avoid:

• We advise against all travel to south-west Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago because of ongoing terrorist and insurgent activity. We advise against all but essential travel to the remainder of Mindanao for the same reason. There are also ongoing clashes between the military and insurgent groups in the Sulu archipelago including Basilan, Tawi-Tawi and Jolo. See Safety and Security -Terrorism and Safety and Security –  Local Travel.
• Terrorism: There is a high threat from terrorism throughout the Philippines. Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travelers. Such places could include, but are not limited to, airports, shopping malls, places of worship etc.
• Kidnapping: There is a threat from kidnapping in the Philippines, particularly in the southern Philippines. Kidnapping could occur anywhere, including on coastal and island resorts and dive boats and sites in the Sulu Sea. On 12 July two US citizens and a Philippine national were kidnapped from a resort on the island of Tictabon near the southern port city of Zamboanga. On 5 December 2011, an Australian citizen was kidnapped in Zamboanga Sibugay.

[Normally I’d use the US State Dept but their info wasn’t nearly as clear]

Wikipedia on the Philippines

Cover photo is from here.