Using Slow Travel to Visit the 81 Provinces of the Philippines
An introduction to the Slow Travel Movement and some reflections on visiting 14 provinces in 5 months
Midway through 2021, I decided to apply for a visa to work in Australia. It has always been my dream to live abroad, but strangely, I felt a pang of guilt: it felt unfair for me to live in another country without fully experiencing and appreciating my own.
So at the onset of 2022, I set a goal to visit all 81 provinces of the Philippines before I leave to work in Australia.
Since then, I’ve been catapulted into a traveling frenzy that’s brought me to 14 provinces in 5 months (the first 3 months of the year were spent planning). At the time of writing, I’ve been to a total of 35 of the country’s 81 provinces.
Impressive? Well, I’m not even halfway there and I feel exhausted.
I’m not writing to reason out why I can’t achieve my goal, though.
Instead, I’m writing to reflect on my approach.
So far, my strategy has been to:
- plan a week-long stay in the province,
- research the top things to do in the province, and
- map out the most cost-efficient and time-efficient way to visit as many as possible, then
- do everything within my power to make reality meet expectations.
Although, yes, this approach of chasing after “what to do in Masbate,” “best places to eat in Siargao,” or “top things to do in El Nido” has allowed me to accumulate dozens of “Instagram-worthy” content worth boasting to friends and family, it feels as though I’m gaining a limited sense of appreciation for my country.
On our second day in Bohol, for example, I set out an elaborate itinerary for my group to (1) dive early in the morning, (2, 3, 4) visit three cave pools before a quick lunch, then (5) visit waterfalls, (6) rice terraces, (7) the chocolate hills, and a (8) man-made forest on our way back home. We did 4 out of 8, and I went home with mixed feelings. I felt happy to have seen so much, but this happiness was tainted with the frustration of not having done everything. I decided to mask the frustration by planning more for the coming days. The cycle would repeat itself throughout my trip: anxiety would drive me to see as much as I could, then I’d rush into it with adrenaline before crashing at the end of the day.
This was all fun and exciting at the moment, but looking back now, my experiences feel a bit empty. At the same time, I can’t seem to get rid of this feeling in the back of my mind that I need to be planning my next trip. I’m stuck in this loop of nagging discontent and excited anticipation.
This is not why I set out to travel.
I mistakenly assumed that to maximize appreciation was to maximize the things I could see, do, and try.
In contrast, I am taken back to my first solo trip: a week-long stay at Catanduanes. For 5 days, I stayed on Puraran beach with the singular goal of learning to surf. Because you can only surf for so much in a day, I had a lot of free time. This free time allowed me to get to know the story of the resort I stayed in, learn more about how the small town coped in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Rolly, and go on spontaneous trips with both locals and fellow travelers.
I didn’t do much on the trip, but I fell in touch with the small town of Puraran.
I’ve done some research and it seems there’s a name for the type of travel I unknowingly did in Catanduanes. It’s a growing movement called Slow Travel (inspired by the Slow Food movement of 1989).
My goal stays the same: to visit the remaining 46 provinces before I leave for Australia. But I’m adding a second layer to that goal: to visit these provinces with intention, time, and curiosity.
If you want to learn more about Slow Travel, I’ve included some of the best resources I’ve found and summarized their key ideas below.
What is slow travel?
From Nathaniel Drew on There is a Better Way to Travel The World (My Secret)
“Slow Travel” is something I define as “traveling at a reduced pace that allows for deeper immersion.”
From Travelinmad on The Power Of Slow Travel (How To Experience More When You Travel Slow)
“It’s immersing yourself in the local culture, going a little deeper and connecting with people through traditional local food, customs, and other unique travel experiences you’ll only find there.
… Traveling slowly one-on-one turns us all into temporary insiders and allows us to simply be in the moment, feeling connected to that place, and ultimately less exhausted and craving more in the end — for the kind of transformative, deep travel that stays with us long after we’re home.
… It’s a mindset of slowing down the pace of your traveling and looking for a richer, more meaningful experience along the way rather than just having a whirlwind tour of an entire country in a short amount of time.”
From Sloww on What is Slow Travel? (+ 3 Slow Travel Myths)
“It’s intentional and immersive — allowing you to go deeper on the things that matter most to you while traveling. It’s conscious and connected — connected with yourself, those around you, and the world.”
From Remote Year on What is Slow Travel? And How to Do It
“Slow travel is an approach to travel that emphasizes connection: to local people, cultures, food and music…
This is not just a way to travel, it’s a mindset. It’s the outlook that the quality of your experience is more important than the quantity of your experiences when you travel.
… You want to find something on this trip that leaves a fingerprint on your soul…”
From Leigh Ronen on The Art of Slow Travel: Things to Know First
The big idea behind slow travel is intention: knowing what your “must-dos” are, versus your “maybe-dos unless more exciting opportunities pop up spontaneously.”
Why slow travel?
From Nathaniel Drew on There is a Better Way to Travel The World (My Secret)
- It is more cost-effective, e.g., getting a metro pass for public transport (short-term travel encourages us to pay for convenience).
- It takes a while to get integrated, e.g., learning to flush a toilet in Italy.
- It is less stressful, e.g., there’s time to take it all in.
- You have an opportunity for a deeper experience, e.g., learning the language and history of a place.
How to slow travel?
From Travelinmad, on The Power Of Slow Travel (How To Experience More When You Travel Slow)
- Leave Gaps In Your Travel Planning
- Stay Local
- Stay Longer In One Place
- Ask Locals For Recommendations
- Avoid The Tourist Attractions
- Buy Local Souvenirs
- Be Flexible
From Remote Year on What is Slow Travel? And How to Do It
- Talk to the people that you meet when you arrive at your destination and find out their favorite places to eat, relax, and learn
- Don’t try to see everything on your list or, better yet, don’t make a list at all, leave a few things up to chance
- Embrace the feelings of discomfort and use your trip as a chance to grow and learn more about how people around the world
- Finally, the idea of slow travel doesn’t have to just apply to ‘other’ places. Once you have grasped this mentality, implement it in a place that you are familiar with, perhaps even your hometown.
Examples of Slow Travel
From Travelinmad, on The Power Of Slow Travel (How To Experience More When You Travel Slow)
- Road Trips, e.g., take your Ford Country Squire station wagon to Florida Beach
- Off-The-Beaten-Path Destinations, e.g., Costa Rica’s northern volcano region or the remote Osa peninsula
- Local Producer And Slow Travel Tours, e.g., Km Zero Tours in Tuscany
- Windjammer And Barge Cruises, e.g., the J. & E. Riggin in Rockland, Maine
- Eating With Locals, e.g., Venice with a local Chef and his wife, a Venetian mask artisan
- Cultural Homestays, e.g., overnight with an indigenous Quecha family on Amantani, a remote island in the middle of Lake Titicaca, Peru
- Freighter Travel
- Farm-To-Table Experiences, e.g., farming boutique Gulf Coast oysters on a boat in Alabama and then eating some for lunch
- Cycling Tours, e.g., a tour of the Venetian island of Santerasmo
Closing Thoughts
From Nathaniel Drew on There is a Better Way to Travel The World (My Secret)
“You have to play an active role, it’s not going to happen itself.”
From Travelinmad, on The Power Of Slow Travel (How To Experience More When You Travel Slow)
“Let’s put it straight — with a 9-to-5 job you can’t see the whole world. When you come to terms with this and stop stressing about ticking off a bucket list, you will start enjoying your travels more.”
“Not that we don’t be doing anything those days, just that there is no set plan. We might choose to visit a museum we didn’t know about, visit a place that was not in the guide books, or just sleep in, do laundry, may be do a spontaneous day trip… choices are endless right?! Also it is good to have a plan but be open to let it go. When you plan every day of your trip with activities and have a set schedule it is difficult to really discover hidden gems.”
From Remote Year on What is Slow Travel? And How to Do It
“ … remember, “there’s always another trip”.
From Leigh Ronen on The Art of Slow Travel: Things to Know First
“It can be easy to conflate slow traveling with not making the most of your time, but the crux is in how you define “making the most.”
… Don’t confuse slow travel with lazy travel… Again, it’s all about your intention.
Think “loose” when you think “itinerary,” don’t be too shy, and check in with yourself if your experience isn’t matching up to your expectations. The amount of money or time you spend abroad doesn’t matter as long as you make time to expect the unexpected. After all, life is full of surprises, but only if you remember to live a little!”
🌠 This piece was inspired by my travels to Catanduanes, Bohol, and Siargao. Follow my journey on Instagram!
🎣 Bonus read! The Brazillian parable of The Fisherman and the Businessman as told by Paulo Coelho is another great reminder to slow down in life.
💡 I would like to thank KT, Lance, Max, and Joanne for all the time and energy invested in reading this piece. Their feedback contributed to improvements I could not have made on my own.
