Travel with Just Your Philippine Passport: Visa Free Countries for Filipinos

Travel with Just Your Philippine Passport: Visa Free Countries for Filipinos

By Kenneth Ephraim Surath

Do you have a serious case of wanderlust but the thought of going through a lot of documentation and the high probability of having to skip a day from work is adding stress to your travel planning?

Having a Philippine Passport is somewhat a challenge when we talk about traveling around the world. The typical need for a visa is enough to dampen your enthusiasm to fly.  Still, there are many countries where Filipinos like us can go visa free or with visa upon arrival and blogs are a good source for information such as this.

To help you choose your next insta-travel destination, here are 10 visa-free or visa upon arrival countries you can consider for your dream spontaneous trip.

SRI LANKA

Visa on arrival. Validity: 30 days

Visa on arrival but highly recommended to get an E-Visa Authorization before traveling to skip the typical queue.

If you miss being surrounded by nature, Sri Lanka is an easy getaway for you. Feast your eyes on green my surroundings. If you are heading to Sri Lanka, try to get out of Colombo and visit Kandy, one of its major cities in its central provinces. Here, you can experience its culture by watching traditional dances, visit temples and even watch the elephant bathe along the river.

KYRGYZSTAN

Visa on arrival. Validity: 30 days

If you find yourself booking a trip here, which will definitely surprise a lot of your friends, go around and observe as people live in a post-communist city.  A local friend here once said, “If you see us not smiling with our faces, we are smiling in our hearts.” You’ll be amazed that you cannot find any McDonalds or Starbucks, not just in the city, but the whole country.  Go to a local restaurant and try their specialty laghman noodles and kumiz.

Tucked in the middle of Central Asia, Kyrgystan is a country composed of mountain ranges. You can take a quick trip away from the city and go mountain climbing or, you may simply admire the beauty of snowcapped peaks from a far. Due to the country’s nomadic heritage, you can still see yurts around the plains in some parts of the country and if you’re there at the right season, you can even sleep in one of these yurts.

Travel with Just Your Philippine Passport: Visa Free Countries for Filipinos

THAILAND

Visa free. Duration: 30 days

Thailand has long been a famous destination for almost every Filipino, because of its easy distance from the Philippines. You can also take stopovers on your Dubai to Manila trips.

Considered as the backpacking capital of the South East Asia, it is not surprising that almost everything there is cheap whether it’s food, accommodation, nightlife, etc.  Just a short drive away from Bangkok, you’ll find the most beautiful beaches in the world.  If you are brave enough, try getting a bag full of friendly insects along Khao San Road.

For the places I have yet to visit, some of my friends who have also been bitten by the travel bug have pitched in. Here are their recommendations –

GEORGIA

Visa on arrival (free for UAE residents). Visa Validity: 90 days

“What I like about my trip in Georgia are its people. They are one of the most hospitable people I’ve ever met. I really enjoyed the sceneries there specially my visit to Kazbegi region where Gudauri Ski Resort is located. It is picture perfect in every angle.”

– Joy Caasi  (@iamjhoysi)

MOROCCO

Visa free. Duration: 90 days

“What I like about Morocco is that it’s like I’m like living my Pantone dream.  I also love their architecture. Marrakech is painted with pink while Essaoura is with white and blue. You can see colors everywhere – from pastel doors to colorful floor tiles. I also like how their culture is so rich.”

– Hannah Magsayo (@hannahmagsayo)

VIETNAM

Visa free. Duration: 21 days

“Rather than to go to Saigon or Hanoi, I went to the old town of Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage site. I loved seeing the well-preserved streets and structures of this 15th century trading port! Apart from the gorgeous streetscapes, here is where I had the most delicious banh-mi I have ever tasted! Anthony Bourdain recommended.”

– Nikki Dela Paz (@nikkidelapaz)

BRAZIL

Visa free. Duration: 90 days

“I love the laid back atmosphere in Rio de Janeiro, the fusion of old and new in Sao Paulo, and the breathtaking view of Iguazu Falls in Iguaçu. Brasil is certainly not a once in a lifetime experience as one will surely be enticed to revisit someday.”

– Gelo Santos (@iamdocgelo)

PERU

Visa free. Duration: 183 days

“Peru is magical and enchanting! Cusco and Lima drew me to read and learn a bit about Peruvian history and culture. It does make a difference to read and know about Machu Picchu and the Incas. Otherwise it’d simply look like another famous tourist spot to serve as backdrop for selfies and social network profile pics.”

– Gelo Santos (@iamdocgelo)

ARMENIA

Visa on arrival. Visa Validity: 3-21 days

“Armenia is very cheap and affordable! Everyday we dined at fine dining restaurants for 4 days and 3 nights. I only spent AED750 for food and tours. Aside from that, people are really friendly. Places to visit are Lake Sevan, Garni, Geghard, Tsaghzador and the capital, Yerevan”

– Debbie Fortes (@debbiefortes)

INDIA

E-Tourist visa. Visa Duration: 30 days,

“We visited India to do the famous Golden Triangle Tour. Our tour kicked off in Delhi, the bustling capital of India. Then, we went to Jaipur, known as the Pink City. Saving the best for last, our third destination was Agra, home of the world-famous Taj Mahal. India is indeed incredible and we have just seen only parts of it.”

– Lady Abit (@ladyandhersweetescapes)

Aside from these 10, we Filipinos have at least 50 more countries which we can visit. It means 60+ reasons for us to book a flight and pack our bags.  Let’s go!

Want to stay longer or for good?  Here’s A Filipino Expat Guide for Settling Abroad –

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KENNETH SURAT

Is part of the growing tribe of global nomads who just seem to live anywhere and everywhere in the world.  After almost a decade in Dubai, this travel blogger has decided to pack up and embark on his biggest adventure yet – letting life take him where it may. Along with his friends in the blogosphere, Kenneth takes us on a trip to some countries that we Filipinos can actually make a spontaneous visa-free trip to.