{
  "name": "Bakasyon Philippines Travel Friction Index 2026",
  "date_modified": "2026-09-23",
  "scope": "A logistics-complexity comparison for selected Philippine leisure destinations. It measures how much coordination a typical independent traveler may need for arrival, schedule timing, final-mile transfers, weather-sensitive transport, and getting around after arrival. It does not rank destination quality, beauty, safety, or value.",
  "methodology": "Bakasyon assigns five editorial planning scores from 1 (low friction) to 5 (high friction): gateway simplicity, schedule dependency, final-mile complexity, weather sensitivity, and on-destination mobility. The five scores are added without weighting. Scores are based on documented transport structure and access information from the cited official, government, airport, tourism, or first-party sources checked on 2026-09-23. The index is a planning model, not an operator guarantee: routes, schedules, fares, weather, and local transport can change. Travelers should verify time-sensitive details before travel.",
  "score_scale": {
    "1": "Low friction: simple, flexible, or ordinary city/road logistics",
    "2": "Some friction: a routine transfer or modest extra coordination",
    "3": "Moderate friction: meaningful transfer time, fixed schedules, or dispersed local movement",
    "4": "High friction: multiple scheduled legs, sea crossing, or strong disruption sensitivity",
    "5": "Very high friction: several dependent legs or unusually limited/weather-sensitive access"
  },
  "dimensions": [
    {
      "key": "gateway_simplicity",
      "name": "Gateway simplicity",
      "description": "How direct the normal arrival chain is from a major Philippine gateway."
    },
    {
      "key": "schedule_dependency",
      "name": "Schedule dependency",
      "description": "How strongly the trip depends on fixed departures or missed-connection-sensitive transport."
    },
    {
      "key": "final_mile_complexity",
      "name": "Final-mile complexity",
      "description": "How many additional transfers are usually needed after the main gateway."
    },
    {
      "key": "weather_sensitivity",
      "name": "Weather sensitivity",
      "description": "How much the normal arrival chain depends on boats, smaller airports, mountain roads, or other weather-sensitive transport."
    },
    {
      "key": "local_mobility",
      "name": "On-destination mobility",
      "description": "How much planning is usually needed to move between common visitor areas once there."
    }
  ],
  "bands": [
    {
      "min": 5,
      "max": 8,
      "label": "Low"
    },
    {
      "min": 9,
      "max": 12,
      "label": "Low–moderate"
    },
    {
      "min": 13,
      "max": 16,
      "label": "Moderate"
    },
    {
      "min": 17,
      "max": 20,
      "label": "High"
    },
    {
      "min": 21,
      "max": 25,
      "label": "Very high"
    }
  ],
  "records": [
    {
      "destination": "Puerto Princesa",
      "region": "Palawan",
      "primary_gateway": "Puerto Princesa International Airport",
      "typical_arrival_chain": "Flight → short city road transfer",
      "gateway_simplicity": 1,
      "schedule_dependency": 1,
      "final_mile_complexity": 1,
      "weather_sensitivity": 2,
      "local_mobility": 2,
      "total_score": 7,
      "friction_band": "Low",
      "evidence_note": "Puerto Princesa City Tourism says the airport is about 2 km east of the city center and lists tricycles, hotel pickup, jeepneys, and rental vehicles as common ways to move around.",
      "source_name": "Puerto Princesa City Tourism — How to Get There and Around",
      "source_url": "https://www.puertoprincesatourism.com/howtogetthere",
      "source_type": "Local government tourism",
      "related_guides": [
        "https://bakasyon.ph/puerto-princesa-travel-guide-low-stress-planning/"
      ]
    },
    {
      "destination": "Cebu City",
      "region": "Cebu",
      "primary_gateway": "Mactan-Cebu International Airport",
      "typical_arrival_chain": "Flight → bridge/road transfer into Cebu City",
      "gateway_simplicity": 1,
      "schedule_dependency": 1,
      "final_mile_complexity": 2,
      "weather_sensitivity": 2,
      "local_mobility": 2,
      "total_score": 8,
      "friction_band": "Low",
      "evidence_note": "MCIAA lists the airport roughly 15 km east of Cebu City and operating 24 hours; the airport is connected to Cebu City by road bridges from Mactan Island.",
      "source_name": "Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority — Data Sheet / Profile",
      "source_url": "https://mciaa.gov.ph/data-sheet/",
      "source_type": "Airport authority / official",
      "related_guides": [
        "https://bakasyon.ph/cebu-city-travel-guide-first-timers/"
      ]
    },
    {
      "destination": "Panglao / south Bohol",
      "region": "Bohol",
      "primary_gateway": "Bohol-Panglao International Airport",
      "typical_arrival_chain": "Flight → road transfer on Panglao Island / toward Tagbilaran",
      "gateway_simplicity": 1,
      "schedule_dependency": 1,
      "final_mile_complexity": 1,
      "weather_sensitivity": 2,
      "local_mobility": 2,
      "total_score": 7,
      "friction_band": "Low",
      "evidence_note": "CAAP/DOTr project material places Bohol-Panglao International Airport in the Municipality of Panglao; Bohol tourism identifies Panglao as one of the province's principal visitor areas.",
      "source_name": "Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines — Bohol-Panglao International Airport project",
      "source_url": "https://www.caap.gov.ph/bohol-panglao-international-airport-public-private-partnership-ppp-project/",
      "source_type": "Civil aviation authority / official",
      "related_guides": [
        "https://bakasyon.ph/bohol-travel-guide-chocolate-hills-tarsiers/"
      ]
    },
    {
      "destination": "Tagaytay",
      "region": "Cavite",
      "primary_gateway": "Metro Manila road network",
      "typical_arrival_chain": "Road trip / bus or van → local road transport",
      "gateway_simplicity": 1,
      "schedule_dependency": 1,
      "final_mile_complexity": 2,
      "weather_sensitivity": 1,
      "local_mobility": 3,
      "total_score": 8,
      "friction_band": "Low",
      "evidence_note": "Tagaytay City lists the city about 56 km south of Manila and connected by national highway to Metro Manila, while its attractions are spread across ridge and local-road locations.",
      "source_name": "Tagaytay City Government — Quick Facts",
      "source_url": "https://www.tagaytay.gov.ph/quickfacts.html",
      "source_type": "Local government / official",
      "related_guides": [
        "https://bakasyon.ph/tagaytay-travel-guide-2025/"
      ]
    },
    {
      "destination": "La Union (San Juan)",
      "region": "La Union",
      "primary_gateway": "San Fernando / MacArthur Highway corridor",
      "typical_arrival_chain": "Direct road/bus corridor → short local transfer to San Juan",
      "gateway_simplicity": 1,
      "schedule_dependency": 1,
      "final_mile_complexity": 2,
      "weather_sensitivity": 1,
      "local_mobility": 2,
      "total_score": 7,
      "friction_band": "Low",
      "evidence_note": "The Provincial Government describes San Fernando as a 24-hour transit point about 270 km from Metro Manila, with a typical five-to-six-hour land trip, major bus terminals, jeepneys, and tricycles; San Juan is in the same central tourism circuit.",
      "source_name": "Provincial Government of La Union — City of San Fernando / Central Circuit",
      "source_url": "https://launion.gov.ph/la-union-circuits/central-circuit/",
      "source_type": "Provincial government / official",
      "related_guides": [
        "https://bakasyon.ph/la-union-travel-guide-first-timers/",
        "https://bakasyon.ph/manila-to-la-union-options-time-cost-tips/"
      ]
    },
    {
      "destination": "Coron",
      "region": "Palawan",
      "primary_gateway": "Francisco B. Reyes (Busuanga) Airport",
      "typical_arrival_chain": "Flight → shared/private van to Coron Town",
      "gateway_simplicity": 2,
      "schedule_dependency": 2,
      "final_mile_complexity": 2,
      "weather_sensitivity": 3,
      "local_mobility": 3,
      "total_score": 12,
      "friction_band": "Low–moderate",
      "evidence_note": "Coron's local destination portal describes Busuanga Airport as the main air gateway, notes daylight-only airport operations, and gives about 25 minutes for the normal airport-to-Coron Town van transfer.",
      "source_name": "Coron.ph — Coron by Air",
      "source_url": "https://coron.ph/by-air/",
      "source_type": "Destination / first-party local portal",
      "related_guides": [
        "https://bakasyon.ph/coron-travel-guide-adventures/"
      ]
    },
    {
      "destination": "Siargao (General Luna)",
      "region": "Surigao del Norte",
      "primary_gateway": "Sayak / Siargao Airport in Del Carmen",
      "typical_arrival_chain": "Flight → island road transfer to General Luna",
      "gateway_simplicity": 2,
      "schedule_dependency": 2,
      "final_mile_complexity": 3,
      "weather_sensitivity": 3,
      "local_mobility": 3,
      "total_score": 13,
      "friction_band": "Moderate",
      "evidence_note": "CAAP identifies Sayak Airport as Siargao's main airport in Del Carmen; the Surigao del Norte government places General Luna on the southern side of Siargao, so most General Luna trips require an island road transfer after landing.",
      "source_name": "Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines — Sayak Airport project documents",
      "source_url": "https://www.caap.gov.ph/area-centers/",
      "source_type": "Civil aviation authority / official",
      "related_guides": [
        "https://bakasyon.ph/siargao-travel-guide-surf-soul-island-calm/"
      ]
    },
    {
      "destination": "Camiguin",
      "region": "Northern Mindanao",
      "primary_gateway": "Camiguin Airport or Benoni Port",
      "typical_arrival_chain": "Direct air when available, or mainland road/sea connection → island road transfer",
      "gateway_simplicity": 3,
      "schedule_dependency": 3,
      "final_mile_complexity": 2,
      "weather_sensitivity": 3,
      "local_mobility": 3,
      "total_score": 14,
      "friction_band": "Moderate",
      "evidence_note": "CAAP lists Camiguin Airport, while the Provincial Government identifies Benoni Port as a major arrival facility and describes airport and port-of-entry infrastructure as core tourism access points.",
      "source_name": "Provincial Government of Camiguin — Tourism / infrastructure information",
      "source_url": "https://camiguin.gov.ph/provincial-administrators-office/",
      "source_type": "Provincial government / official",
      "related_guides": [
        "https://bakasyon.ph/camiguin-travel-guide-planning/"
      ]
    },
    {
      "destination": "Boracay",
      "region": "Aklan",
      "primary_gateway": "Caticlan / Boracay-Caticlan Airport and Caticlan Jetty Port",
      "typical_arrival_chain": "Flight → land transfer → jetty processing → boat → island road transfer",
      "gateway_simplicity": 4,
      "schedule_dependency": 3,
      "final_mile_complexity": 4,
      "weather_sensitivity": 4,
      "local_mobility": 2,
      "total_score": 17,
      "friction_band": "High",
      "evidence_note": "Aklan's official Boracay entry guidance requires travelers to pass through jetty/terminal processing and explicitly references Caticlan and Cagban passenger terminals, confirming a multi-stage land-and-sea arrival chain even when flying to Caticlan.",
      "source_name": "Provincial Government of Aklan — LezzGo Boracay / Terminal Pass",
      "source_url": "https://aklan.gov.ph/lezzgo-boracay/",
      "source_type": "Provincial government / official",
      "related_guides": [
        "https://bakasyon.ph/boracay-travel-guide-first-timers-planning/",
        "https://bakasyon.ph/caticlan-airport-to-boracay-transfer/"
      ]
    },
    {
      "destination": "Bantayan Island",
      "region": "Cebu",
      "primary_gateway": "Hagnaya Port → Santa Fe Port",
      "typical_arrival_chain": "Cebu City bus/drive → Hagnaya Port → ferry → island local transport",
      "gateway_simplicity": 4,
      "schedule_dependency": 3,
      "final_mile_complexity": 4,
      "weather_sensitivity": 4,
      "local_mobility": 2,
      "total_score": 17,
      "friction_band": "High",
      "evidence_note": "Cebu Provincial Tourism says public transport normally involves a bus from Cebu North Bus Terminal to Hagnaya Port, a ferry to Bantayan Island, and local transport after arrival, with about four to five hours total travel time to Bantayan municipality.",
      "source_name": "Cebu Provincial Tourism — Bantayan",
      "source_url": "https://tourism.cebu.gov.ph/explore/bantayan/",
      "source_type": "Provincial tourism / official",
      "related_guides": [
        "https://bakasyon.ph/bantayan-island-cebu-first-timer-guide/"
      ]
    },
    {
      "destination": "Siquijor",
      "region": "Negros Island Region",
      "primary_gateway": "Siquijor or Larena port via Dumaguete/Cebu/Bohol",
      "typical_arrival_chain": "Common Manila path: flight to Dumaguete → road transfer to port → ferry → island local transport",
      "gateway_simplicity": 4,
      "schedule_dependency": 4,
      "final_mile_complexity": 4,
      "weather_sensitivity": 4,
      "local_mobility": 3,
      "total_score": 19,
      "friction_band": "High",
      "evidence_note": "The Siquijor Provincial Tourism site describes the common Manila route as flight to Dumaguete, transfer to Dumaguete Port, then ferry to Siquijor; it also lists ferry-dependent options from Cebu, Bohol, Iloilo, and Mindanao.",
      "source_name": "Siquijor Province — How to Get There",
      "source_url": "https://siquijorprovince.com/how-to-get-there/",
      "source_type": "Provincial tourism / official",
      "related_guides": [
        "https://bakasyon.ph/siquijor-travel-guide-for-first-timers/"
      ]
    }
  ]
}