Here’s the upside about being young and fervently working: your newfound buying power.

Despite the extra cash, we are still hesitating about adopting the luxe life and are always looking for steals—it’s easier to say yes to inexpensive adventures (a weekend music festival out of town under P2k? Sign usup!)

We gathered eight budget-friendly travels. Bon voyage!

Compiled by Guia Galvez
Photos courtesy of Kit Singson and Yam Otarra
Kit Singson on Anilao, Batangas

Perfect For:

The mermaid at heart. “If you’re a water-baby, you won’t run out of things to do in Anilao,” Kit enthuses. You can indulge in swimming and other water sports, but the best thing you can do is go scuba diving. You can hit several diving sites in Anilao.

Your Stay:
Overnight or two full days

Budget:
P2500-P4000

Your Itinerary:

• Watersports! Windsurfing, snorkeling, kayaking, jet-skiing, and sailing. “There are several resorts that offer windsurfing lessons, like Anilao Beach Club and Janao Bay Inn,” Kit notes.

• For the altitude-adrenaline junkies, go mountain climbing. “Gulugod Baboy, known in the area as a little Mt. Pulag, is situated about 20 minutes via land from most of the resorts. Your weekend could easily be a sea-to-summit getaway.”

• Dive underwater. You can choose from any of the 30 dive sites in the vicinity. Kit’s faves? Sombrero-Batok, Ligpo and Twin Rocks for free divers and scuba divers.

Yam Otarra on Camiguin, Mindanao

Perfect For:

The romantics who are looking for their very own Blue Lagoon. “Experiencing the sunset while on the back of a motorbike was one of the best moments of my Camiguin trip,” Yam shares.

Stay For:
Two days, one night

Budget:
P3000

Your Itinerary:

• Tour the island at your own pace by hiring a motorbike for P400—cheap for a 24-hour rental.

• Camiguin is home to many waterfalls, both big and small. While there are popular ones like Katibawasan Falls, the less-known ones like Tuawasan Falls are as beautiful. Yam adds, “You don’t have pay any fee to see it.”

• Feast on fresh seafood and play chef by cooking your own food before heading for Mantigue “You can buy fresh fish and grill it on the island itself!”

• Trail through a small tropical jungle on Mantigue Island. You can also go snorkeling nearby. “You’ll get to see huge, live clams,” Yam says.