Survivor Philippines
Embark on a memorable desert island Philippines adventure, where you’ll not only survive but thrive, learning new skills, embracing the local culture, and creating unforgettable memories in one of the most unique castaway holidays available. You will share the island with the Palawan monitor lizard. Growing up to 2 meters and weighing up to 70kg, this is the second largest lizard in the world after the Komodo dragon, adding a unique aspect to your island castaway in Asia journey.
In addition to the precious palm trees, there are mango, star-fruits, and also plenty of cashew trees which are a joy to roast! (April /May), enhancing your castaway experience with natural delights.
This destination is all about local culture. Co-run by Palawan’s finest instructor Don Coron and Eddie the outstanding local chef, you will really get a feel for local culture and cuisine, immersing you in a genuine bushcraft adventure in Asia.
Perfect weather conditions mean almost no biting insects. With almost no sandflies and only mosquitoes in the jungle, most of the castaways avoid getting bitten at all on their expedition, making your survival in the Philippines more comfortable.
The Trip:
Days 1-6: Arrival & 5-day Training Phase: World-class bushcraft instructors are here for you
Your instructors will meet you at Busuanga/Coron airport. After the briefing and lunch, we make our way to our traditional outrigger boat and head to your new home, where we will start the training phase.
We explore the expansive beach, choose the location for our camp, and string the expedition hammocks. Typically after a couple of days, everyone on the island reconnects with their circadian rhythm and rises a little after sunrise. So we use the mornings to learn the 4 key elements of survival: Shelter, Fire, Water, and Food. We explore different methods for each element.
Afternoons are for exploration, trekking through the jungle and rocks, mastering fishing skills, or simply enjoying paradise.
Evenings are for gathering and connecting with your new tribe around the campfire, eating a communal meal we all helped catch and cook, telling stories, or enjoying the open sky. During this phase, a local chef is around to spoil us with amazingly delicious and fresh local food.
Days 6-9: 3-day Survival phase: Your instructors are gone!
After completing your training phase, you and your new tribe will move to a different part of the island to put into practice the skills learned. You will experience the wilderness with little more than a machete, knife, essential fishing equipment, medikit, and satellite phone. But don´t worry; we have an invisible safety net in place!
For many, this is one of the toughest psychological and physical challenges they have ever endured: the reality of survival sinks in, and new highs and lows are encountered as hunger, thirst, and discomfort are offset by the euphoria of success starting a fire or finding food. And simultaneously, this is an experience that leaves the most incredible sense of achievement and deep gratitude.
Day 10: Celebrating the achievement in grand style: Rescue & Return
After completing your survival phase, speedboats are sent in the morning to bring you to the hotel to eat and rest. That night we jump into tuk-tuk and head into town for our decadent survival banquet and maybe even karaoke.
Best time to go: Jan-May
Group size: Max 15
* Contact us for dates & rates and private trip availability. (DesIslSur)
