Trying to decide between the Philippines and Bali for a holiday? Well, our head-to-head breakdown should help you make up your mind on which country to visit.
We like to be impartial and have broken down life in these places into fourteen categories that are relevant to most visitors. That way you can make an informed decision before you book your flights.
Bali Basics: What’s Bali Like?
Bali is a tropical island famous for its diving and surfing, welcoming culture, gorgeous beaches, rainforests, volcanoes, spectacular sunsets and more.
Most of all Bali is best known for its welcoming people and wonderful attitude to fun.
It’s been a firm favourite with a broad range of travellers for decades now and has established itself as a highlight of a trip to this part of the world.
Philippines Basics: What’s The Philippines Like?
The Philippines is a large country that consists of many thousands of small islands and a few large ones too.
The people are also famed for their friendliness and while the food has a reputation for being a little poor (and we disagree with this reputation as you will see below) it too has great waves for surfers, snorkeling, and other island highlights.
It also has a rich and varied culture and though it’s not always cheap, a Philippines vacation is usually cheaper than one in the West.
Bali Vs Philippines Head-To-Head Comparison
We believe that the best way of deciding which spot in Southeast Asia to visit is by comparing places based on the feedback of many travellers in categories relevant to holidaymakers.
So, we’ve broken this head-to-head down into 14 separate categories to help you choose between the gorgeous beaches and stunning islands in a way that matters for you and the people you travel with.
We’d also like to stress that both places can be great destinations for a trip and you might decide to spend a week or two in both rather than choosing between them.
Visas For Bali Vs Philippines
Bali takes an early loss in this category. You have to pay 500,000 IDR (\$35 USD or \$50 AUD) for a tourist visa to Bali and you also have to pay an individual tourist tax of 150,000 IDR (\$10 USD or \$15 AUD) on top.
This visa can then, for a fee, be extended for a maximum of 30 more days.
You can pay for your visa in advance online and this does get you use of the e-gate system (which means no long queues at immigration) however, which is really nice when you land after long flights.
The Philippines, on the other hand, offers most people who visit a free visa-on-arrival which lasts for 30 days and which can then be extended (at various intervals for various fees) for up to three years!
There’s no arrival tax in the Philippines but some destinations do charge an exit tax. This can be as much as 1,600 PHP ($32 USD or $48 AUD).
Overall, there’s no doubt that the country that wins this category is the Philippines. They offer a visa regime comparable to most other countries in the region with Indonesia being the outlier.
However, you may find that when you fly the cost of your flights to Bali are lower than the cost of flying to the Philippines and it may surprise you to learn that you can save more than the cost of the visas and tourist tax.
Accommodation In Bali Or The Philippines?
Bali storms back in this category, however. Not only does Bali have the most \$1,000 or more per night hotel rooms in the world, it has a huge array of high-quality accommodations in every category.
If you want to stay near gorgeous beaches in a cheap hostel, it’s easily done (even when island hopping from the mainland) and there’s no shortage of comfortable places to lay your head at every price point.
Homestays are also a great option in Bali that don’t really exist in Filipino culture.
The Philippines is much worse value for money. It has some of the most expensive accommodations in Southeast Asia and you will find many booking sites also charge additional fees and taxes after you book, which means that the price you pay is even higher than you thought it would be.
And on a like-for-like basis, the interiors, furnishings, etc. are simply lower quality than you would find in any part of Indonesia and especially in Bali.
Bali easily wins this category, there’s really no comparison. If you want value for money for your hotel or villa costs, Bali will deliver it.
Bali’s Beaches Vs Philippines’s Beaches
urfers and sun seekers will find there are plenty of spectacular beaches and sunrises to be found in both places.
However, as Bali is an island and the Philippines is an archipelago of many islands, you may have to go island hopping in the Philippines to find the extraordinary beach, waves, snorkelling, etc. that you want.
For example, there are no great beaches around Manila and you will have to travel quite a way out of Cebu to find a beach at all.
On the other hand, there’s no doubt that some of the beaches in the Philippines are the best in the world and can outshine Bali’s beaches for attractiveness.
Overall, we think this category is a tie. Everyone who visits Bali can easily find a beautiful beach to enjoy and won’t have to travel too far to do so. Whereas there are more beaches in the Philippines but it’s not as easy to get to them and you may even have to change islands to do so.
Safety In Bali Vs Safety In The Philippines
Bali is often considered to be as safe as anywhere in the developed world, if not safer than some inner city spots.
Violent crime is a rarity and the only real threat to visitors is petty crime such as bag snatching or pickpocketing.
The Philippines doesn’t do as well by comparison and has a nasty reputation for violent crime and even drug wars.
In our experience, the reality of the Philippines is that you’re very unlikely to encounter violence in either destination and that petty crime is your chief concern in either place (it’s not that violence doesn’t happen in the Philippines, it just doesn’t happen in or around places that tourists visit).
However, if you’re looking to book a spot in Southeast Asia based on its reputation for safety, there’s no doubt that Bali wins this round.
Things To Do In Bali Vs Things To Do In Philippines
This is a slightly strained comparison. Bali is a single island that is home to around 5-6 million people. Of course, there aren’t as many things to do in Bali as there are in the Philippines.
However, the big advantage of Bali is that there’s a lot to do in a relatively small space and many visitors can spend months on the island without the need for island hopping to other Indonesian islands to find more to do.
Whereas, in the Philippines island hopping is almost mandatory as even big cities like Cebu and Manila don’t have a huge amount of things to do and places famed for their beaches and resorts like El Nido have even fewer things to do.
That makes enjoying the best things in Bali cheap when compared to travelling an entire country made up of small islands to find your entertainment.
So, we’re going to give this to Bali as in our mind, most people want to hit the beaches and do a few day trips, rather than catch flights every other day.
Nightlife In Bali Vs Nightlife In Philippines
Bali is famous for its lively nightlife and that nightlife is very much focused on the tourist market. You’ve got the world’s best beach club, FINNS, night clubs galore and more clubs, pubs and bars than you can shake a stick at and they’re all very close together.
Some parts of the Philippines have good nightlife too and Cebu and Manila have a wide range of places to go for almost any budget.
However, while they’re both to be considered a great place for a party, there’s no doubt that you really have to explore a Filipino city to find the best times, whereas in Bali, it’s the fun is easy to access.
We think most people will prefer the nightlife in Bali to that in the country of the Philippines and while it’s probably cheaper to drink in the Philippines, it’s not as safe as it is in Bali.
Balinese Culture Vs Filipino Culture
Indonesia and the Philippines have incredibly good reputations for kindness and hospitality towards visitors and English is widely spoken in both countries (it’s an official language in the Philippines, in fact).
The two main languages in each country are Bahasa Indonesia and Tagalog and interestingly there’s a broad linguistic overlap between the two as they are both derived from Malay.
Bali, however, has a unique culture when compared to the rest of Indonesia as it is a Hindu enclave in a part of Southeast Asia that is mainly Muslim with a few Christian islands.
The Philippines, conversely, is mainly Christian with a few Muslim islands.
There’s no doubt though that compared to other countries in this region, the Filipino people have not made the history of their islands and beaches as freely available as they do in Indonesia.
For us, there’s no doubt most people consider Bali to be a great place to learn about a unique island culture, and while the Philippines most certainly has cultural highlights it’s much less focused. So, Bali takes this one.
Balinese Food Vs Filipino Food
We agree with Gordon Ramsay that Filipino food is one of the most underrated cuisines in the world and that there’s much more to it than lechon and adobo.
However, there’s also no doubt that vegetables, salads, and even fruit are often bit-part players on the Filipino plate and sometimes not even represented in the entire meal.
Indonesian food, on the other hand, is very tasty and satay is one of the real highlights of eating in the region. Bali also has plenty of authentic and delicious regional dishes like Babi Guling.
And there’s a definite balance of carbs, proteins, and veggies on every plate with a real emphasis on enjoying the local fruits.
It’s closer than you’d expect, but we think Bali wins this round as overall, we think more people enjoy Indonesian food.
Aesthetics: Bali Vs Philippines?
This is not the fairest of questions as both countries have spots of amazing natural beauty. If you swim or go diving off the coast of El Nido or Amed, you’re going to be blown away by the attractiveness of both countries.
Yet, there’s no doubt in our minds that when you compare a country to a small island, that most people are going to find the small island more attractive.
Bali has no sprawling megacities like Manila, even Cebu has more people within the city boundaries than live in the whole of Bali.
And anyone complaining about Balinese traffic hasn’t seen rush hour in Manila.
So, Bali wins this one but we acknowledge it’s not the fairest of comparisons.
The Money Question: Which Is Better Value Bali Vs Philippines?
While you can have fun in both countries, if you’re on a budget, we’d choose Bali every time. While alcohol is more expensive here in Indonesia (mainly due to luxury taxes as Indonesia is a Muslim-majority nation) nearly everything else is cheaper.
And the two most expensive things on most holidays are flights and accommodation and it’s cheaper to travel to Bali from Thailand, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Australia, etc. than it is to the Philippines.
Hotels in Bali on a like-for-like basis can be half (or even less) than the cost of a hotel room in the Philippines and there are no hidden taxes and fees when you book.
Bali wins this competition hands down. You won’t spend a fortune in the Philippines, but you will spend more than you would in Bali for the same kind of experiences.
Shopping: Bali Vs Philippines
A lot depends on what you want to buy. The Philippines is better for electronic items, though it’s not cheap like Kuala Lumpur or Singapore and if you want to take a trip to the supermarket before hitting the beach – there are more Westernized options on the shelves.
Mainly, though, the Philippines is all about big shopping malls and international brands. It lacks the kind of charm that most people want when shopping in another part of the world.
Bali’s boutique culture, art shops, night markets, etc. make for a much more differentiated shopping experience and we don’t think it’s a big surprise that many tourists make a trip to the island just to go shopping.
So, we’re giving Bali this category as we feel that most of the shopping you can do in the Philippines, you can also do without leaving home.
Is Philippines Or Bali Better For Digital Nomads
The Philippines bends over backwards to make it easy to be a digital nomad. The country has a working digital nomad visa and if you’re not bothered about your “legal status” then you can easily stay and work on a tourist visa for 3 years without ever leaving the country.
Yes, there are parts of the country with poor reliability for electricity and internet but there are many places now where you can get a guaranteed connection. There are also a decent number of coworking spaces in most places.
Bali, on the other hand, is very popular with digital nomads and has great coworking and coliving spaces. But the visa regime is nowhere near as friendly.
The long-awaited digital nomad visa still hasn’t been made available. A social visit visa can only be extended for 6 months before you have to leave the country and other options for long stays are very expensive.
If you’re a slowmad then the Philippines is clearly better than Bali for digital nomads and we think it edges Bali for regular nomads too.
Is Philippines Or Bali Better For Expats
The Philippines certainly makes it easier to retire there and work visas aren’t too hard to come by. However, in our experience, a lot of expats find living in the Philippines a struggle and often can’t live the standard of life that they want to.
Bali, on the other hand, has hoards of happy expats and retirees and while the visas are a little harder to come by, it’s not that hard to move to this country if you really want to.
So, while Bali might take second place for digital nomad life, it’s first for expat life.
Overall Bali Vs The Philippines
So Bali wins in the accommodation, safety, things to do, nightlife, culture, aesthetics, shopping and better for expats. The Philippines takes visas and is better for digital nomads and this category was tied: beaches.
Therefore, we have to give our head-to-head comparison to Bali. We’re not surprised about that, mind you, Bali is built for tourism and the Philippines is a large and complex country rather than a small island.
You can have a great time in both places but if you can only visit one country, we’d opt for Bali, Indonesia as it’s easier to have the perfect vacation and to keep your expenses down.
FAQs
Which Is Better To Visit, The Philippines Or Bali?
We think that based on our criteria above Bali is the better place to visit for most holidaymakers, though there’s no doubt that the Philippines has a lot to offer too.
However, there’s no doubt that it’s easier to get to Bali from Thailand, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, etc. than it is to get to Cebu or Manila.
English is widely spoken in both destinations and they both offer beautiful beaches, great surfing, scuba diving, cultural highlights, etc.
Is The Philippines As Cheap As Bali?
In some respects, yes. There’s no doubt that a beer in Manila or Cebu will set you back far less than a beer in Bali.
However, a hotel room in the Philippines, on a like-for-like basis, is going to cost up to twice as much as it will in Bali.
Overall, our experience is that our daily budget for each country would be higher in the Philippines than in Bali, but they’re both still reasonably cheap destinations and you should find that you have a good time in both places.
What Island In The Philippines Is Like Bali?
There’s nowhere quite like Bali. Part of Bali’s attraction is its unique Hindu culture among a huge number of islands with Christian or Muslim populations.
However, there are islands in the Philippines that offer excellent surfing, luxury resorts, decent restaurants, etc. and you will find that El Nido, Puerto Princesa, and Palawan can give a similar vibe for your trip.
Is The Philippines Or Indonesia Cheaper?
Bali is the most expensive part of Indonesia. Once you get on to the other islands of the archipelago, prices fall dramatically.
On a like-for-like basis, we find Indonesia to be the cheaper country to visit when compared to the Philippines.
However, some things may be cheaper in the Philippines than in Indonesia such as beer, diving lessons, electronics, etc.
Final Thoughts On Philippines Vs Bali
The author has lived for several years in the Philippines and currently lives in Bali. Our head-to-head comparison system is based on real work experience of each country.
They’re both great places to live and there are enough islands in the Philippines that your vacation should never be boring.
However, there’s no doubt that of the two big beach destinations Bali is more popular with world travelers and that’s because it’s better attuned to the needs of tourists and it’s not possible to spend time in Bali on a tighter budget.
Read more: Bali Or Thailand: How To Choose Between The Two Most Popular Spots In South East Asia
