Southeast Asia for US travelers. The Philippines gets the most detail. Every tip links to its source.
The essentials for your trip in one source-linked PDF: quick facts, a 90/30/7/3-day countdown, entry rules, eTravel step by step, money basics and a printable checklist. Free when you join the newsletter.
11 pages · US Letter · Printable checklist · Every fact links to its official source · Last checked Oct 17, 2026
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Visa, passport validity, eTravel, currency, time difference, 220V outlets, emergency numbers, water and the current State Dept advisory level, on one page.
What to do 90, 30, 7 and 3 days out, from passport validity and CDC vaccines to eTravel and your eSIM, plus a departure-day list.
The 30-day visa-free stay, the stricter passport-validity rule, the onward-ticket condition, Bureau of Immigration extensions, the balikbayan privilege and the travel tax.
The free official registration, when it opens, what to enter, what the green and red QR codes mean, and how to avoid lookalike sites that charge fees.
Pesos, ATM fees and limits, cards vs cash, declaring cash, and GCash GTourist for visitors.
Every step from the timeline on one page you can print and tick off.
The full edition is in the works. It has everything in the free planner, plus flights from the Midwest with Columbus (CMH) connection strategies, phones, eSIMs and getting around, safety by region, health, when to go, a packing list, 7-, 10- and 14-day itineraries, a chapter on visiting a Filipino spouse, partner or family in the provinces (balikbayan boxes, pasalubong, etiquette, Cauayan and Northern Luzon), a Tagalog and Ilocano phrasebook, a budget worksheet, more printable checklists and an emergency card.
Newsletter subscribers get first access and a launch discount. Sign up above to get the free planner now and hear first when the full edition is ready.
Sections marked "In the free edition" are in the free planner. Page numbers refer to the full 38-page planner.
The same approach as everything on Mabuhay & Beyond: each fact links to the US State Department, the Philippine Bureau of Immigration, eTravel, TIEZA, CDC or another public source. Anything that changes often is marked "check before you go," and the planner never invents prices, fees or schedules. It's written by a US-based founder with family in the Philippines who makes the trip about once a year.
Yes. Enter your email above and we'll send you the link to the free PDF. You'll also get our Southeast Asia travel updates, and you can unsubscribe anytime.
An 11-page PDF, sized for US Letter paper. Every source tag is a clickable link, and the checklist is designed to print.
Everything was checked against the linked official sources on October 17, 2026. Entry rules, fees and schedules change, so the planner links to each source and marks fast-changing items "check before you go."
The First-Timer Checklist is a one-page summary. The free planner explains each step with its source: the full timeline, entry rules and extensions, eTravel and money, plus a printable countdown checklist.
It's coming soon. Newsletter subscribers will hear first and get a launch discount.
No. It's general travel information from official sources. For your own situation, check with the Bureau of Immigration, the DFA, a Philippine embassy or consulate, or a qualified professional.
11 pages · Printable checklist · Last checked Oct 17, 2026
Subscribers get the free PDF link by email. You'll also get Southeast Asia travel updates. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
General travel information, not legal or immigration advice. Rules change; confirm with the official source before you travel.
Just getting started? Try the free Philippines First-Timer Checklist (printable version) and the PH Trip Planner page.