Head to head

Philippines or Tulum?

Tulum, clearly — 65 vs 56 across the year.

These read as different trips more than rivals: Tulum is built for beaches, plus history and temples, Philippines for beaches, plus easy family travel. On timing Tulum wins comfortably — 65 vs 56, ahead 10 of 12 months with Philippines never leading — so let the vibe choose, then aim for Tulum's peak (February, 79) or Philippines's (February, 72).

Month by month

When to go

Pick a month. The line shows each place's score across the year; the figures below are that month's averages.

Philippines Tulum

In October, Tulum is the better bet — 66 vs 53.

Score

High / low

30° / 25°

31° / 24°

Rain

265 mm

134 mm

Sunshine

8.6 h

9.8 h

Philippines: Monsoon easing — typhoons still likely

Tulum: Storm risk eases late — Day of the Dead nears

At a glance

Side by side

Philippines Tulum

Timing & weather

Year-round score56/10065/100

Best monthFebruary (72)February (79)

Months it leadsNoneFeb–May and Jul–Dec

Cheapest monthsJun–OctMay and Sep–Oct

Driest monthMarch (39mm)April (40mm)

Wettest monthJuly (447mm)June (259mm)

Hottest monthApril (34°C)August (34°C)

Best for

BeachesBoth are beach destinations — compare the months above for when each is warmest and driestEvenEven

Culture & festivalsPhilippines has the deeper festival calendar (6 vs 5 major events)Stronger—

Off-peak monthsPhilippines has more shoulder and low-season months (9 vs 7), when rates and crowds easeStronger—

Practical

Main airportNinoy Aquino International Airport (Manila)Tulum International (Felipe Carrillo Puerto)

CurrencyPHP (Philippine Peso)MXN (Mexican Peso) — USD widely accepted

LanguageFilipino (Tagalog) & English — English very widely spokenSpanish (English widely spoken)

Time zonePHT (UTC+8)Eastern EST (UTC−5)

ClimateTropical (Köppen Aw / Am) — figures shown: Manila / western LuzonTropical wet-and-dry (Köppen Aw)

VisaVisa-free entry for 30 days for most nationalities (US, UK, EU, Australia, etc.) with a valid passport and onward ticketVisa-free for up to 180 days for most Western nationalities (US, Canada, UK, EU, Australia); fill in the FMM entry form on arrival or online.

SafetyLow risk for tourists in the main destinations (Palawan, Cebu, Bohol, Boracay, Siargao, Manila). Government advisories recommend avoiding the far western Mindanao / Sulu Archipelago. Main practical risks are typhoons, strong sea currents and petty crime in cities.Tourist areas are generally safe; the main concern is petty theft along the beach road and in crowded venues at night. During June–November, heed hurricane and tropical-storm alerts and keep flexible plans.

Named storms nearby nowNASA EONET, checked hourly. Not a forecast.None tracked within 1,000kmNone tracked within 1,000km

Your trip

Which should you pick?

PickPhilippines

Pick Philippines if you want beaches, plus easy family travel — its strongest stretch is around February (72).

Philippines full guide

PickTulum

Pick Tulum if you want beaches, plus history and temples — it leads in Feb–May and Jul–Dec and peaks in February (79).

Tulum full guide

Plan your trip

Hotels, flights and more

Switch between the two. Hotel prices are for a week in each destination's best month.

Book Philippines

$$ · Island-hopping, lagoons, the iconic Philippines

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Questions

Good to know

Is Philippines or Tulum better to visit?

Tulum is the clearer pick — 65 vs 56 on the Atlas Ranger Score, our 0–100 measure of weather, crowds, value, and timing across the year. It leads most of the year, though the month-by-month chart still shows the other's stronger windows.

Which has better weather, Philippines or Tulum?

Tulum averages a higher weather score (60 vs 50). Weather is the biggest input to the score, but both have strong months and weak months; the month-by-month chart shows exactly when.

When is it cheapest to visit Philippines or Tulum?

Philippines is cheapest in Jun–Oct; Tulum is cheapest in May and Sep–Oct. Those are the low and shoulder months, when hotel rates and crowds ease — usually because the weather is less reliable, so check the month-by-month scores above before you book.

Can I visit both Philippines and Tulum in one trip?

Often yes — many travellers pair them. The smart move is to time each leg to its own best months. Check each destination's full guide (linked below) for the month-by-month detail, then sequence your trip so each stop lands in its strong window.