Before coming to the Philippines, we were repeatedly told that renting a scooter is the most convenient and budget-friendly way to get around. And maybe it is — if you’re comfortable riding one, weaving through chaotic traffic, and navigating uneven rural roads.

We aren’t scooter people.

When walking wasn’t enough, public transportation became our trusted travel partner. This turned out to be an adventure in itself — not just logistically, but in how we experienced the country.

We are a recently retired couple and experienced travelers who prefer to slow travel — staying long enough in one place to see, experience, and feel it. Public transport in the Philippines often feels intimidating: there are many moving parts to figure out, unfamiliar systems to decode, and sometimes unusual ways of travel to brave. But we’ve found that stepping outside your comfort zone is often the moment when you stop being just a tourist and start becoming a traveler. This approach works best if you’re curious about the world and its people, and don’t mind exchanging some comfort for new experiences.

What We Learned by Using (Almost) Everything

Over several weeks, we tried almost every common way to get around — from airport transfers to improvised rural transport. Here’s how each one actually felt in real life.

Private Driver / Van

We only used this once, from the airport to Dauin, when we were too tired after a long-haul flight to negotiate fares or decipher jeepney routes.

It is definitely the most convenient, the most expensive — and honestly, the most boring option. But there are times when “boring” is exactly what’s needed:

• if you’re new to traveling and feel intimidated by a new country or language, or are concerned about safety, especially late at night

• if you’re exhausted after a very long journey (like we were), or traveling with health issues, small kids, or a lot of luggage

• if luxury and convenience are your primary travel values and money is not a constraint

If you book your transfer online with a larger company, you may be able to pay by card. Most of the time, though, payment is in cash.

Tricycles (or Pedicabs)

These became our daily workhorses.

Tricycles are everywhere, great for short distances, and surprisingly flexible when buses don’t go exactly where you need. But quality varies wildly:

• Some are modern and reasonably comfortable

• Others are old, rattling contraptions welded together on top of a motorbike in ways that defy engineering logic

In those, you simply hold on, trust physics, and hope nothing important falls off before you do.

Still, tricycles got us almost everywhere — and provided many of our best “local life” moments.

We would not use a tricycle for longer rides. They aren’t very comfortable and become expensive as distance increases. But for short trips, they are golden.

Talking about comfort: we found tricycles quite cramped for the two of us. Imagine our astonishment when we saw tricycles carrying four or five passengers, some of them practically hanging halfway out. That’s when we realized that comfort is a very subjective concept. Sometimes it’s better to endure a bit of discomfort while moving than to wait forever for a bus — something we learned firsthand during a day trip in Anda, Bohol.

We initially tried to negotiate tricycle prices, assuming drivers were overcharging us as foreigners. In reality, prices are usually standardized at the local level, and negotiation rarely works. Payment is always in cash.

Jeepneys

The most iconic form of transportation in the Philippines — originally made from WWII surplus jeeps and now an entire cultural institution.

Inside, two long benches face each other. “Filipino-sized” is an accurate description: we had to bend nearly in half to reach the seat, and once inside, knees touched knees and personal space evaporated.

A jeepney never leaves until every single spot is filled.

Just when we were packed elbow-to-elbow and thought the vehicle was full, some magic trick produced three additional wooden stools for the aisle. Suddenly, six more people materialized and sat on them. But even this wasn’t enough — one more person rode standing on the rear step, holding onto the roof.

Payment is simple: you hand your fare to the person nearest the driver. The money travels hand-to-hand until it reaches him, and your change returns the same way. Cash only, fixed price, no negotiation.

Chaotic? Yes.
Communal? Absolutely.
Memorable? Always.

Buses

After experiencing jeepneys, buses felt almost luxurious.

Roomy seats, a bit of airflow, and no surprise aisle stools. They cost slightly more but are still very affordable, especially for longer distances. Prices are distance-based, and payment is made in cash on the bus — we never encountered ticket offices in terminals.

The main downside is frequency: buses run on schedules rather than constant availability, so you plan your day around them instead of hopping on spontaneously.

Bus service also varies greatly by island. Of the three islands we visited, Negros Oriental — the largest — had by far the best service. Bohol, a medium-sized island, had slower and less frequent buses. We were never able to find reliable schedules online or at stations. Staff would say, “They leave on the hour,” only for the bus to leave 20 minutes early or 15 minutes late.

You learn to accept this as part of the experience. Just make sure you don’t rely on a bus to catch a flight.

Still, everything is relative. After Siquijor — the smallest island we visited, with no bus service at all — Bohol’s infrequent routes suddenly felt almost generous.

Habal-Habal (Motorbike Taxis)

This was the most extreme form of transport we tried — and not something we’d choose daily.

You sit behind the driver on a motorcycle, cling with your arms and knees, and hope your internal balance mechanism is stronger than you think. One moment you’re admiring the views; the next, you’re frantically trying not to slide off the seat.

Half an hour is thrilling.
Hours of this would be… a lot.

From what we experienced — and from what we observed on the roads — helmets are very optional. They’re often not offered at all. On our one ride, there were no helmets for us or for the drivers, which seemed common. Even when helmets were present, they were frequently unfastened. Filipinos appear very casual about this aspect of safety.

Would we use habal-habal again? Yes — but only if we really needed to get somewhere and had no other option. As mentioned earlier, we are not scooter people.

We used habal-habal only once and were unable to negotiate the price. Payment was in cash after the ride.

So… Was Public Transportation Worth It?

For us, absolutely yes. Public transportation is part of Philippine culture — something better experienced once than read about a hundred times. Traveling this way allowed us to observe local life up close and even have small conversations along the way. Some of our most vivid memories came from these journeys.

If your goal is to see as many sights as possible, renting a scooter is probably the better choice. But if your goal is to understand the country, the culture, and the people, public transportation offers an experience you simply can’t find in any museum.