🇲🇾 Malaysia or 🇵🇭 Philippines
Which one, honestly
Malaysia leads on food, cities and getting around. Philippines leads on the sea.
A normal day costs about $75 in Malaysia and $85 in Philippines.
Side by side
- 🇲🇾 Malaysia🇵🇭 Philippines
- Jan, Feb, MarBest monthsJan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Dec
- $75A normal day$85
- 13h to Kuala LumpurNonstop from London14h to Manila
- Very goodBeaches and seaExceptional
- Very goodCities and cultureNot the draw
- ExceptionalFoodGood
- ExceptionalNature and hikingExceptional
- ExceptionalValue for moneyExceptional
- Very goodEasy to get aroundNot the draw
- Cheap flights, good trains and buses, one of the easiest countries in AsiaGetting aroundDomestic flights and ferries, cheap but often delayed, leave slack
- The east coast islands from November to February, when most of them closeWhen to avoidThe typhoon months, roughly August to October
Pick by what you want
🇲🇾 Choose Malaysia if
you want Thailand's food and beaches with a fraction of the crowds, and everything running slightly more smoothly.
🇵🇭 Choose Philippines if
you want water and islands above everything else, on a small budget, and you can handle slow travel days.
Full Malaysia guide →Full Philippines guide →
And what the world thinks
🇵🇭 Philippines leads by 5 votes.
Compare something else
Written and checked by hand. Nothing here about visas or entry rules: those change often and depend on your passport, so check an official source.