The term island hopping is redundant in the Philippines. This archipelagic nation spans roughly 7,641 islands (the count shifts with the tides), 2,000 of which are inhabited. Stay anywhere more than a city break and you are booking shuttles, flights, ferries, and multi-day tour boats whether you planned to or not. Those logistics are part of why Philippine tourism numbers trail its Southeast Asian neighbors. With patience and a padded transit budget, though, island hopping here rewards the effort.