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The Best Places to Travel to in the Philippines during the Lean Season
Know of the places to visit when the lean season and gloomy weather begin!
By: Patricia Marie Prado | June 28, 2018
An uncrowded Palawan beach
If you’re fond of travelling, you might have heard or used the term “peak season” a lot, but have you heard of “lean season”? It is exactly the opposite of peak season; it means there are fewer crowds at your favorite beach or fewer people at popular resorts, which would result in cheaper rates on accommodations and activities in popular places to visit.
June is usually the start of lean season in the Philippines. Starting this month, you can enjoy some of our country’s top tourist destinations without encountering a swarm of people taking up all the space. If you’re thinking of squeezing a quick vacation during the lean season, here are some of the best places to travel to in the Philippines.
1. Fortune Island
Enjoy the serenity of Fortune Island.
Image: Nicole Villaceran
Fortune Island, which is located in Nasugbu, Batangas, received a lot of buzz a couple of years back for its famous ruins that will make you feel like you’re in Greece. Thanks to social media, the once-quiet island quickly became a favorite destination in Batangas.
If you’d like to see the sights yourself without the hassle of cramped crowds, now is the perfect time to visit Fortune Island! Book your own boat to the place, bring your own food and water, set up a tent, and spend a night in seclusion during this lean season to enjoy the island by yourself. Just make sure to check the weather as waves around the island can get pretty strong.
2. Bellaroca Island Resort and Spa
Itching for a literal escape this June? Head to Bellaroca Island Resort and Spa.
Image: Bellaroca Island Resort and Spa
You can find another Grecian-inspired getaway in Buenavista, Marinduque in the form of Bellaroca Island Resort and Spa. The resort sits on an entire island, giving guests a relaxing escape while still indulging in luxurious amenities and facilities.
While Bellarocca is a great getaway spot during peak season, you can also enjoy it during lean months when it usually rains. They have a number of pools inside the island and even in their private villas and their many casas if the sea is not safe. They also have various facilities which include a library, a spa, and a meditation sanctuary so you can keep your mind at peace for days.
3. Palawan
You can visit secluded places in El Nido through a motorbike while no one else is around!
Image: Joyce Gagarin
Whatever month of the year it may be, there’s always a sunny side of Palawan for you. Although it can also rain here, Palawan is a great place to visit during lean months since it’s always packed with tourists both foreign and local alike anytime else.
No matter where in Palawan you are, island hopping tours are always a popular choice for tourists. But if it’s raining, you can also try other adventures, like eating crocodile meat in Puerto Princesa, wandering around El Nido through a motorbike, or bathing at Maquinit Springs in Coron.
See More: What To Do on a Rainy Day in Palawan
4. Rizal
Antipolo can be your newest favorite art spot this June.
Image: Pintô Art Museum
If you prefer to escape to somewhere closer to the capital, Rizal is a place that is worthy of your time. The province is home to a number of incredible natural resources including mountains, rivers, and falls that will surely fill your weekends with memorable experiences.
But if it’s too rainy to experience the outdoors, Rizal is also home to Pintô Art Museum in Antipolo. The museum was named such because of its many doors. These lead to various rooms where you can view different types of artworks and creations made by both budding and veteran Filipino artists. Pintô also has its own lush garden that becomes even more vivid when it’s raining!
5. Tagaytay
Visit Tagaytay and enjoy a hot bulalo soup at Mahogany Market.
Image: Celestia Travel MNL
Tagaytay has become an urban dweller’s favorite hideaway for quick relief during the hot summer season. But since it’s the rainy season, perhaps you can get more than your money’s worth when you eat bowl after bowl of Tagaytay’s best bulalo (beef shanks with soup) in their famous cold, snuggly weather!
Mahogany Market is known to make one of the best bulalo in Tagaytay for a much cheaper price compared to the fancier restaurants around the city. If you’re not inclined to visit a public market, then head down to other well-known restaurants like Bulalo Point, Leslie’s, and Josephine’s Restaurant to have other great versions of bulalo.
Check out our list of bulalo restaurants in Tagaytay or browse the Dining & Leisure category of the ShoppersGuide Directory.
6. Manila
Would you rather spend your weekends in the metro? Then maybe you’d want to pay a visit to the National Museum.
Image: Rob Gaspar
If the weather is not permitting you to make long escapades, you can still take advantage of the season by visiting the sights and sounds in Manila. One particular spot worth visiting in this busy city is our National Museum.
The National Planetarium and National Museum of Anthropology, National Museum of History, and National Museum of Fine Arts have all been renovated and are now open to the public for free! Study the country’s history, discover its remarkable resources and treasures, and learn a thing or two about the planets and beyond by spending lazy, rainy afternoons here.
7. Cebu
Make it a trip to remember in Cebu.
Image: Katie Diaz
If you’ve been wanting to visit Cebu for a long time, now would be the perfect time to do just that. Not only are we in lean season, Cebu is also rarely hit by typhoons, so you’re sure to be welcomed by a sunny day when you visit anytime of the year.
You can explore the beaches of Northern Cebu, including Bantayan Island and Malapascua, or have an adrenaline-filled adventure at Southern Cebu by going on the ever-popular canyoneering activity in Badian. You can also hop on a ferry boat and visit nearby provinces like Bohol or Dumaguete for a photowalk or an exquisite food trip.
Check out our list of island resorts in Cebu and Bohol or browse the Travel & Transportation category of the ShoppersGuide Directory.
Enjoy the lean season and experience your favorite places in the country minus the crowd this lean season. Let us know in the comments section which of these places you will visit soon!
About Patricia Marie Prado
Patricia came from the field of business and accounting but is now pursuing her dreams of being a writer. She is a self-confessed introvert and is passionate about reading, travelling, writing, movies, coffee and God. When she's not writing, she loves discovering new coffee shops/cafe and doing TV-series marathons.
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