Philippines
Register eTravel, keep pesos, and download maps before moving between islands
Complete the free eTravel form only at etravel.gov.ph within 72 hours before arrival, then save its QR code offline.
The essentials
What to know before you go to Philippines
Current government advice warns against travel to parts of Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago, so check the exact itinerary and insurance rather than treating an available flight or ferry as proof that a route is safe. Typhoons, floods, landslides, earthquakes and volcanic activity can disrupt transport with little notice; monitor PAGASA and your operator. Cards work at many hotels, malls and larger restaurants, but cash remains necessary for small businesses, local transport and many islands. GCash is optional, not universal: its GTourist account currently accepts only US +1 numbers and lasts 30 days.
Allow generous time for Manila traffic, airport terminal changes and ferry connections. Save tickets, hotel pins and emergency contacts offline; call 911 for fire or medical emergencies and 117 for the police operations center.
Ride Hailing
GrabEssential
The broadest visitor-friendly car app, with tracked rides and live service across Manila, Cebu, Davao and many regional cities.
Angkas
A major motorcycle-taxi app for Metro Manila and Cebu, with other coverage depending on current local authorization.
inDrive
A car-hailing alternative in selected Philippine cities where riders can compare offers or propose a fare.
JoyRide
Books cars, taxis and motorcycle taxis in Metro Manila, Cebu and selected cities, often below Grab's car quote.
Move It
Grab's separate motorcycle-taxi app for short urban trips in Metro Manila, Cebu and Cagayan de Oro.
Green GSM
An electric taxi app concentrated in Metro Manila, useful for comparing availability and price with Grab and JoyRide.
Maxim
A useful provincial backup listing service in many cities, including Cebu, Davao, El Nido, Puerto Princesa and Tagbilaran.
Food Delivery
GrabFoodEssential
The visitor default inside Grab, with wide restaurant delivery coverage and cash, card, GrabPay or PayPal where shown.
foodpanda
The main delivery comparison app, often with different restaurants, vouchers and provincial coverage from GrabFood.
Pick.A.Roo
A smaller Metro Manila service for restaurants, groceries and retail, including some merchants not found on the larger apps.
Payments
GCash
An optional local QR wallet whose 30-day GTourist account currently supports only visitors with a US +1 mobile number.
Messaging
MessengerEssential
The main local channel for hotels, tours, restaurants, drivers, small businesses and personal contacts in the Philippines.
Viber
A useful second local messenger for Philippine businesses, professional contacts and communication during a Messenger outage.
Navigation
Google MapsEssential
The best all-purpose map for Philippine places, walking, driving and downloadable offline areas across cities and islands.
Waze
A strong live-traffic and driving companion for Metro Manila and other actively mapped Philippine urban areas.
Organic Maps
A free account-free offline map for backup walking and road orientation where island or provincial coverage is weak.
Transit
Sakay.phEssential
A crowdsourced NCR planner for trains, buses, jeepneys, UV Express and ferries, useful as a first route estimate in Metro Manila.
beep™
The companion for a physical beep card, with balance, transaction, NFC loading and selected QR-ticket functions.
Travel & Booking
Philippine eTravelEssential
The official free web form required for arriving passengers, completed within 72 hours before arrival with a saved QR code.
Agoda
A strong international accommodation app for Philippine hotels, resorts, guesthouses and island properties.
Klook
An optional English-language marketplace for Philippine attractions, tours, transfers and selected transport products.
Language
Google Translate
An optional offline Filipino and camera-translation backup; routine tourism usually works in English without it.
Intercity Transport
Cebu Pacific
The main low-cost domestic airline app for direct booking, check-in, baggage, seats, flight status and disruption notices.
Philippine Airlines
The official PAL and PAL Express app for booking, online check-in, flight status and managing domestic or international trips.
AirAsia MOVE
The official place to manage Philippines AirAsia flights, with booking, check-in, boarding passes and live updates for supported trips.
2GO
The official app for booking longer 2GO passenger sailings between major Philippine ports and viewing travel products.
OceanJet
The official booking website for important fast-ferry routes in the Visayas; no verified passenger mobile app is available.
Utilities
PANaHONEssential
PAGASA's official weather app with local forecasts, radar, warning maps and alerts for cyclones, thunderstorms, heavy rain and floods.
HazardHunterPH
An official browser map for checking earthquake, volcanic, flood, landslide, tsunami and other hazards at a Philippine location.
Internet in Philippines
Mobile internet eSIM Best option when traveling
Guac
RecommendedReliable mobile internet at better prices than most travel eSIMs, with polished iOS and Android apps and support for making and receiving phone calls.
Airalo
One of the biggest travel eSIM brands, with a very large destination catalog.
Holafly
Known for unlimited-data plans in many destinations, at a higher price per gigabyte.
Buying a local SIM card ID registration required
- Registration requires your passport plus a photo, fingerprint, or other biometric check.
- Typical prepaid offers include around 131GB, while starter prices begin near 2,000 PHP (~$34).
- Buy at an official carrier counter at the airport or at an official city store, and test the SIM before leaving.
- Airport prices are usually higher than city or online prices.
- A travel eSIM is the simpler option and avoids local SIM registration steps.
A tourist-registered SIM can expire automatically even when data or credit remains; check the legal validity period.
Local carriers
Globe
Tourist-friendly choice with a straightforward purchase process.
Smart
Best choice for broad coverage, including rural areas.
DITO
Good-value option when price matters most.
Frequently asked questions
What are the must-have apps for traveling in Philippines?
The essential apps for Philippines are Grab, GrabFood, Messenger, Google Maps, Sakay.ph.
How many travel apps does Philippines have?
We've curated 29 apps across 10 categories for traveling in Philippines, including 7 essential apps.
What is the best ride hailing app in Philippines?
Grab. The broadest visitor-friendly car app, with tracked rides and live service across Manila, Cebu, Davao and many regional cities.
Keep exploring
Also traveling in Southeast Asia?
Singapore
Fast, English-friendly travel where cards work widely, but local QR still needs care
Thailand
Grab for rides, LINE for local contact, and official rail tools for longer journeys
Vietnam
Grab, Green SM and cash make Vietnam easier, while local QR still needs planning
Indonesia
Use official entry portals, keep cash, and match each island with the right app
Cambodia
Use local ride apps, official entry portals, and current border advice
Laos
Compare rides by city, keep Lao kip, and expect the official railway app to be fallible