The airline IrAero has resumed direct flights to the Philippines from cities in Siberia and the Russian Far East. Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft will fly from Irkutsk and Khabarovsk to Kalibo airport once every ten days throughout the entire winter season, until April 2027. En route, a technical stop is planned in the Chinese city of Hefei for refueling, and passengers do not need a transit visa for it.
At the same time, the Philippine embassy in Moscow and the Civil Aviation Board are negotiating the launch of direct flights from Moscow and St. Petersburg to Manila and Cebu. For now, residents of central Russia can reach the islands with a connection, for example on Emirates flights. Tour operators buy up blocks of seats on them, so a flight as part of a tour can turn out cheaper than buying a ticket independently. Russian citizens do not need a visa to travel to the Philippines for stays of up to 30 days.
Travel companies already offer ready-made programs for the winter season, including for the New Year holidays. The cost of a package tour per person with a departure at the end of December starts at about 235,000 rubles. This price usually includes flights, accommodation, some excursions and festive dinners. A separate ticket on a regular flight from Moscow to Manila or Cebu in winter costs from 116,000 rubles round trip.
The Philippines is an archipelago of hundreds of islands. Tourist routes usually include several of them. The island of Boracay is known for its beach of white coral sand, which does not heat up in the sun. On the island of Bohol one can see the "Chocolate Hills," more than a thousand cone-shaped hills that dry out in the dry season and take on a brown tint. The same island is home to tarsiers, among the smallest primates in the world.
In the south of Cebu island, in the village of Oslob, tourists swim alongside whale sharks, large fish that feed on plankton and are safe for humans. The Palawan archipelago attracts travelers with limestone cliffs that rise straight out of the water, concealing lagoons and beaches. Near Coron island, divers explore Japanese ships sunk during the Second World War. A novelty of this season is called Davao on the island of Mindanao, where one can see rare birds of prey, the Philippine eagles, or monkey-eating harpy eagles.
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