In 2023, I booked a round-trip ticket to the Philippines for 4 million, at the point of paying the price jumped to 5 million:) later I only found out because I was added to the box to buy additional insurance, the reason I do not like using an intermediary app is that, there are a lot of options + pre-selected options, sometimes there will be vouchers with less discount but I prefer to book directly through the company.

Many times afterwards I checked the cheapest return ticket was 7 million so I have not gone.

This year, I booked a ticket with Air Asia, 2,700 outbound, 1,800 return from April.

The airline kept changing my Philippines flights — photo 1
The airline kept changing my Philippines flights — photo 2

In May, I received a mail with a change of flight, and the scenery in Manila, I'm okay.
New Fly-Thru Flight Time
Flight number : Z2 780
Departure Date : 7-Sep-2026
Depart from Cebu (CEB): 6:25, local time
Arrive in Manila (MNL) : 7:45, local time

Flight number : Z2 840
Departure Date : 7-Sep-2026
Depart from Manila (MNL): 17:30, local time
Arrive in Hanoi (HAN) : 19:40, local time
---
In June, I received an email that my outbound flight was changed and my return flight was cancelled.
New Fly-Thru Flight Time
Flight number : AK 517
Departure Date : 29-Aug-2026
Depart from Hanoi (HAN) : 08:55, local time
Arrive in Kuala Lumpur (KUL) : 13:10, local time

Flight number : AK 584
Departure Date : 29-Aug-2026
Depart from Kuala Lumpur (KUL) : 18:00, local time
Arrive in Manila (MNL) : 22:10, local time

I found a direct flight Hanoi - Manila of Cebu Pacific 2tr3, cheaper 400k so I canceled both flights of Air Asia. I texted the bot to choose another date, but the airline cancelled all flights to the Philippines for the month.
The airline kept changing my Philippines flights — photo 3
I was worried the flight home would get more expensive, so I booked Vietnam Airlines for 4 million đồng and moved my return back three days. A few days later I found a Cebu Pacific flight for nearly a million less, but there wasn’t much I could do by then :) Credit card cashback brought my round trip down to 5.8 million đồng.
Sim I bought on Trip 10 days, every day 2 GB 9.36 $, the morning of the flight I installed eSim in Vietnam, when landing turned on Roaming and use it.
Schedule:

Philippines. 1996 🛫✈️🛬

500$ 13.145k

Day 1: 29/8 Manila

  • Cebu Pacific 8:25 AM - 1.15 PM 91$ MSB 2489k
  • Check in at BuenaSentro Hostel

Day 2: 30/8 Manila

  • Intramuros
  • National Museum of Fine Arts

Day 3: 31/8 Boracay

  • check out
  • Manila - Boracay 12:35-13:35 Philippines AirAsia, Z2 225 (1465 PHP) 664k (453) MSB
  • Check in at Chill out hostel

Day 4: 1/9 Boracay

  • Walking around Boracay
  • Snorkeling

Day 5: 2/9 Palawan

  • check out
  • Boracay to Palawan (Puerto Princesa City) with Philippine Airlines.
  • 12:15-13:15: Caticlan-Cebu PR2360
  • 16:00-17:30: Cebu-Puerto Princesa PR2347 seat 05A
  • 2981 PHP 1362k (457) UOB
  • Check in at Goofy ants hostel

Day 6: 3/9 Palawan

  • Immaculate Conception Cathedral
  • Old public market

Day 7: 4/9

  • check out
  • Palawan-Cebu 1729 PHP 784k (453) Cebu Pacific
  • 5J 228 17:45-19:05
  • Check in Balai Balai Capsule Hotel Cebu

Day 8: 5/9 Cebu city

  • Basilica del Santo Nino
  • Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral
  • Walking around the city
  • aboan Public Market

Day 9: 6/9 Malapascua island

  • Check out
  • Malapascua island
  • Cebu North Bus Terminal (SM City)
  • Ceres / Vallacar Transit to Maya port ₱258-₱320 (110k-135k) 5h
  • Boat + environmental + terminal: ₱380 (5 AM - 6 PM) 40’
  • Malapascua Budget Inn
  • Sunday Mass at 4 PM (Virgen de los Desamparados Parish)

Day 10: 7/9 Malapascua island

  • Bounty Beach
  • White sand beach

Day 11: 8/9 Malapascua island

  • Check out
  • Airport at noon

9/9

  • Cebu - Hanoi: VNA MyTrip 4058k 5:00-7:50
  • Cashback 6% 243k
  • Cashback of 300k
I'm just preparing and keeping a note on my iPhone, so if customs asks, I can show them my phone.
With the itinerary above I have booked flights Manila-Boracay, Boracay-Palawan, Palawan-Cebu and hostel I also booked and paid in advance.
Currency:
I exchanged 500$ 13tr 145k at BIDV, need Booking round-trip ticket + payment information, should print in advance and bring passport + ID to the desk. I exchanged three days before the flight and the bank didn't allow me to return the next day, a little bit of trouble, but a good exchange rate.
At Ninoy Aquino airport I exchanged $200 for 12400 PHP, when I returned it was more than 970 PHP.
Near the day of departure, in the fb group there are many customs articles requesting a return ticket with the same company, some people were held by customs cancelled the return ticket and bought a new ticket with the same company, I went a lot and no country has such a request. I also risked not cancelling VNA to buy a ticket with the same airline, until then it counts.
The airline kept changing my Philippines flights — photo 4
Before flying 2-3 days, the Cebu Pacific app reminds you to declare eTravel, I downloaded the eGovPH app to declare one night before I got there, was asked by customs to do it again. She took her plane ticket, went out to call someone, went in to get her passport, and now she thinks she's really in trouble, but she didn't do anything wrong, so she's not afraid. I couldn't hear it clearly so I asked her again and she googled the translation and told me to re-enter and showed an attitude of kicking me out to let someone else enter.
I got out of the line to re-declare so I waited in a long queue, around many people were arrested to re-declare but still standing next to the line:)
I declare again no different one word, when it comes to entry, still the same position but a different woman, more comfortable, speaks English also clearly, asks the purpose of the trip with the return ticket and passes.
The airline kept changing my Philippines flights — photo 5
From the trip Philippines. Read the Vietnamese original on Blogger