SIM/eSIM, Cash & Tipping for Couples

Travel days feel lighter when your phone connects fast, your wallet has the right bills, and tipping is simple. Here’s a couple-sized guide to staying online, paying smoothly, and saying thanks in a way that feels natural on the islands.

SIM or eSIM—what actually works

• eSIM is perfect if your phones support it: install while on Wi-Fi, land, toggle on data, and you’re live. Keep your home line for banking codes.
• Physical SIM still wins for older phones: bring a SIM tool and screenshot your APN settings before swapping.
• Couple hack: one of you runs the heavy-data eSIM and hotspots the other during boat days; switch if someone needs more battery.

Set up in 10 minutes

1. Install eSIM on hotel Wi-Fi (or at the airport).
2. Toggle “data only” on the travel line; leave your home line voice/SMS-only.
3. Download offline maps for each island.
4. Test a quick video call at the lobby before you head out.

Coverage rhythm
Signal is strongest in towns and main beaches; it thins on remote coves and sandbars. Plan boat days early when water and networks are friendlier; island timing tips help you pick calm months and lighter crowds—handy for signal, too: choose months island by island.

Cash & cards—what to expect

• Cards work at many hotels and mid-to-higher-end restaurants; small cafés, trikes, market stalls, and island fees are cash.
• ATMs are common in hubs; withdraw mid-day (machines are freshly stocked) and carry mixed bills (₱20/₱50/₱100/₱200).
• Daily pocket: keep a “soft cash kit” of ₱1,000–₱2,000 in small notes for tips, terminal fees, and trikes.
• Ferry/van days eat small bills—routes and timings are here for easy planning: flights, boats, and private transfers without friction.

Nice-to-have

• One low-fee travel card, one backup.
• Screenshots of hotel addresses and contacts (in case signal dips).
• A zip pouch for coins and terminal stubs.

Tipping, made effortless

Tipping isn’t mandatory, but it’s warmly appreciated—especially in tourist hubs. Keep it simple with these ballparks (per couple):

Special moments where cash helps

• Shoreline dinners time with tides; have small bills for permits and gracious extras while a beach crew plates under lantern light—many couples lean on kitchen teams who work right on the sand.
• Mini shoots at blue hour—carry crisp notes for a warm thank-you when a short session makes the evening: browse island photographers who chase that last light.
• Hands-free logistics on transfer-heavy days—tipping stays tidy when one organizer handles vans, boats, and timing; couples often tap route-savvy coordinators so they can just show up.

Messaging, hotlines & battery

• Favorite chats: keep one app with low-data mode for weak-signal coves.
• Local contacts: save your hotel, boatman, and driver numbers.
• Battery kit: 10k–20k mAh power bank, short cables, and a waterproof pouch for boat spray.

Quick scripts you can copy

• Bank travel note: “Traveling to the Philippines on; please expect card-present and ATM transactions.”
• Hotel message for SIM pickup: “May we receive an eSIM QR / SIM card at front desk under, late arrival?”
• Boat day tip jar: discreet envelopes labeled for crew members (handed at the dock).

Common snags, easy fixes

• eSIM won’t activate: reboot, toggle airplane mode, re-enter APN, try a different spot with stronger signal.
• Card declines: try chip-and-pin, then another card; have cash ready for boat/ferry cutoffs.
• No small bills: break larger notes at pharmacies or supermarkets early in the day.

Zooming out

If your dates are floating and you want both sunshine and smoother seas for signal and boats, start with the timing map above and layer in flexible routing. For a bigger-picture look at budgets, island pairings, and 7–14 day templates, the countrywide overview lives here: your Philippines honeymoon guide.

Carry kindness, small bills, and a battery—everything else tends to fall into place.