What to pack for the Philippines in March/April
If you’re visiting The Philippines in March then you’ll be arriving at the start of the dry season – which is short, lasting only from March to May. So although you might experience some showers, and the weather can change from one region to the next, March is usually a pretty good time to visit the Philippines, weather-wise.
We sailed from Coron to El Nido and had perfect sunshine with a little bit of cloud in some places for the whole 10 days. During the day temperatures ranged from 30-36°c. Even at night, it’s hot in The Philippines, with lows around 21°c in the evenings. So you can save on your baggage allowance and pack fairly light.
Things I would have done differently:
Brought more light, long-sleeved layers as bite protection in the evenings.
Had just one pair of daytime trainers and one pair of sandals.
Not brought any dressier clothing as it’s not necessary in the Philippines (definitely don’t bring heels!)
Brought my own sun cream in checked baggage – it’s not much cheaper in Coron than at home.
Here’s what I packed for 10 days in Palawan at the end of March.
My ten day Palawan, Philippines packing list
On top:
Two t-shirts
Three vest tops
Three dresses
One jumpsuit
Two sports bras (styles that could be worn as crop tops if needed)
Make sure to pack loose, light styles that won’t soak up sweat or make you feel hotter. It can be very humid so you won’t want to wear anything too tight-fitting.
It’s also a pretty laid-back place so there’s no need for anything too dressed up. In fact, I tended to wear the same kind of casual clothing day and night.
For layers:
A long sleeve top
A plaid shirt (which I didn’t wear)
A light waterproof jacket (in case of rain, but it wasn’t needed)
The one thing you will need a layer for is protection against mosquito bites. So pack a couple of lighter long-sleeved layers you can put on in the evenings.
I wish I had brought more than one as the heat and dust means you won’t find yourself rewearing anything like you might in cooler countries.
On the bottom:
Four pairs of shorts (including pairs for exercise/hiking)
Two pairs of loose cotton trousers
One skirt
Loose linen trousers are ideal for protecting your legs against insect bites in the evenings without feeling too warm. I brought a skirt for evenings out but there’s no need as very few people are dressed up in casual towns like Coron and El Nido.
For my feet:
One pair of sandals (Birkenstock Evas which are waterproof)
Two pairs of trainers (white hi-top Converse, black Adidas Spezials)
One pair of trainers for running and hiking (Adidas UltraBoost)
I actually only ended up wearing my Birkenstocks and my Converse. It’s too hot to run during the day in the Philippines so exercise was off the cards. But I was packed for three months of travel so I had to bring all four pairs.
Don’t bring heels to the Philippines. Not only is the vibe way too casual, but the roads are often in bad condition and sometimes are more like gravel tracks. So you’ll want flat shoes that you can walk in easily.
Accessories etc:
Sunglasses
Two hats (one cap and one bucket hat for more coverage)
A hair wrap
A beach cover up
5 bikinis
10 sets of underwear
5 pairs of socks (I only wore socks once)
A backpack (also to be used as carry-on luggage)
A small daytime/evening bag (I used the Uniqlo bumbag)
A canvas tote bag (useful as a beach bag and for keeping worn clothes separate)
Toiletries:
Toothbrush + paste + floss
Face wash/cleanser
SPF face cream
Reusable face pads/flannel
Deodorant
Body butter/moisturiser
Hair brush (I use a Tangle Teezer that’s a handy size for travel)
Scrunchie + hair ties
Lip balm (with SPF if possible)
Sanitizer and hand cream
Enough pills and other medications, if needed
A block of shampoo + conditioner – the sun and sea really dries out your hair
Enough period products, if needed
A lot of high SPF sun protection
Everything else:
Passport
Travel insurance
Vaccine proof (if needed)
Travel adaptors + chargers
Microfibre travel towel
Pocket blanket (lighter and easier than a beach blanket)
Air tags (one for checked luggage, one for day bag but you could use one for both)
Laptop + charger (but only if you need it)
Books or an e-reader + charger
Battery pack + charger
Water bottle
Dry bag (if you’re doing any boat tours, snorkelling, or other water activities)
First aid kit (including antihistamines and bite cream, sleeping tablets, pain killers, plenty of plasters, antiseptic wipes, and gauze)
Find out more about our trip to The Philippines here.