Discovering the Philippines and its 7,000 beautiful islands
More than 7,000 islands make up the Philippine archipelago and the main regions are Luzon, Visayas, Palawan and Mindanao. *I think Palawan is part of the Visayas, but this island is so beautiful that it deserves its own description.
Luzon: On this island, you’ll find the country’s capital, Manila. It is the commercial and industrial center, in addition to combining Spanish and Asian colonial architecture. Makati is the financial center of the country. The rice fields of Banaue, the lake and the volcano Taal are well-known as beauties of the country.
Visayas: These islands located in the center of the country are made up of several small islands. Among the attractions are Bohol, Cebu and Boracay, the country’s star destination.
Palawan: This island hosts Puerto Princesa, where Underground River, one of the 7 wonders of nature, is located, as well as Coron and El Nido, two beautiful areas very popular with tourists.
Mindanao: This island also has beautiful beaches, as well as volcanoes, such as Mount Apo, but extremist groups are rebelling against the government. This area is not recommended by the Canadian government.
Some general information about the Philippines
Here is some information to know about the Philippines:
The population is about 100 million (12th in the world) and about 12 million are expatriates, from all over the world.
The country was ruled by Spain, followed by the United States and Japan.
The majority of the population (about 80%) is (very) Catholic (thanks to the influence of more than 300 years of Spanish rule). There are also Protestants, Muslims, Buddhists and people with no religion.
The main languages are English and Filipino (based on Tagalog).
The country has a very high biodiversity, and ranks 10th among the megadiverse countries in the world.
Megadiverse countries are a group of countries in which the majority of the Earth’s plant and animal species are represented, and are therefore considered to be the richest in biological diversity on the planet.
Wikipédia
The best time to visit the Philippines is the dry season between December and May.
One must always pay attention to the weather in this country, located in the middle of the Pacific Ring of Fire, often affected by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, typhoons and other phenomena.
In addition to beautiful landscapes, the Philippines are home to a kind and welcoming people. Despite the hardship life throws at them, they are always smiling and friendly. I have never known such a lovely people.
My itinerary in the Philippines
Quebec – Montreal – Beijing – Manila – Davao
This first part of the trip looks like a marathon:
The bus from Quebec City to Montreal airport (3h30) and the wait of more than 3 hours on site;
The 14-hour flight from Montreal to Beijing;
The challenge of finding information at the Beijing airport (there was even a sign telling us to go left, but we had to go right) and the nearly 6-hour connection;
The 5-hour flight to Manila;
The 6-hour wait at Manila airport (almost everything was closed) and the change of terminal in the middle of the night with a shuttle that went through strange places (the 4 terminals are far from each other);
The 2-hour flight to Davao.
Davao
Davao is a city on the island of Mindanao. We went there because my brother-in-law is married to a Filipino woman and they have a house there.
When we arrived, in front of the house, there was a sign with our pictures, welcoming us. The poster was signed: Your family in the Philippines! Super cute!
We stayed in Davao for a week to get to know the family.
We did some activities, including gift distribution (for them) and karaoke, which is really the national passion in the Philippines. The gang arrived Friday night and left early Sunday evening. We never once were less than 20 people.
For an only child like me, it was quite a family experience!
Their house is in a super nice complex inhabited mostly by foreigners. It is a barricaded mini-neighbourhood, with a guardhouse at the entrance, where security guards indeed work. The houses are very beautiful, far from the reality of the rest of the country. There is a club, with gym, sports fields, infinity pool and restaurant. We felt a bit like in the South (wealth next to poverty).
We went for massages several times, shopped in nice malls and tried some great restaurants. We even went to the local « Costco », which is called S&R and is exactly like here.
We had a family mani-pedi-hair experience: there were 6 of us at the lounge and it cost about $10 per person (for about 3 hours). This was a first for me.
In Davao we visited :
Crocodile Park. It’s a super sad place, and I regret the visit. Attractions where animals are visibly suffering should not exist.
Eden Nature Park, a huge park, very beautiful and pleasant.
The island of Samal. My brother-in-law chartered a boat for the whole family to spend the day. We were able to swim and snorkel there (there were many starfish). On the way back, he told us that this was the island where foreigners (including 2 Canadians) had been kidnapped (and beheaded) in 2015, by a Filipino Islamist extremist group called Abu Sayyaf. I don’t know if I would have had such a great day if I had known before.
Fun fact
The girls said I looked like a Filipino singer, and as a result, they were always near me, taking pictures! 😀
$255ⓘMilesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$255Total$255Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Milesopedia first-year estimateⓘFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$255Total$255Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Apply with confidence — no impact on your credit scoreⓘApply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).
The American Express Cobalt® Card is the best credit card from American Express, whether you want points for travel or cash back.
American Express Cobalt® Card welcome offer
The welcome bonus is paid out monthly over your first 12 months. You earn 1,250 Membership Rewards points for each monthly billing period in which you charge $750 in net purchases to your card, in any category (1X, 2X, 3X or 5X). That adds up to 15,000 Membership Rewards points over the year, a welcome offer we value at $255.
Earning the full bonus means $9,000 in net purchases spread across 12 monthly billing periods. This offer rewards steady monthly spending rather than one large purchase.
You can use these points as statement credits on everyday or travel purchases, at the same rate either way: 1,000 points = $10.
You can also transfer them to Aeroplan, Avios (British Airways and Qatar Airways), Flying Blue, Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton Honors. With the full welcome bonus, that is a choice between:
Here is what the card gives you, starting with the benefits cardholders use most.
5X points on eligible eats and drinks in Canada: groceries, restaurants and bars, home food delivery and convenience stores. A spend cap applies.
3X points on eligible streaming subscriptions in Canada.
2X points on eligible gas, public transit and ride sharing purchases in Canada.
1 additional point on eligible hotel and car rental bookings made through American Express Travel Online.
1X point per dollar on everything else, with no category restrictions.
Points that hold the same value either way: 1,000 points = $10 as a statement credit, or a 1:1 transfer to several airline and hotel loyalty programs.
No minimum income requirement, as with every American Express Canada card.
Additional cards at no extra cost: the first and every other supplementary card is $0.
The Hotel Collection: a room upgrade when available, 12pm check-in and late check-out when available, and up to $100 USD in hotel credit on amenities charged to the room for a stay of two or more consecutive nights, booked through American Express Travel.
Front Of The Line® presale and reserved tickets for concerts and theatre performances, plus offers and events curated for cardmembers through Amex Experiences.
A soft credit check before you apply: you can see whether you will be approved with no impact to your credit score. This applies to American Express personal card applications.
The 5X rate is the reason most people carry this card. In Canada it covers four kinds of merchants:
Groceries: Metro, IGA, Sobeys, Super C, Safeway, Whole Foods.
Restaurants and bars: sit-down meals, takeout and drinks.
Home food delivery.
Convenience stores: Couche-Tard, 7-Eleven.
The 2X rate covers gas stations such as Esso, Shell and Petro-Canada, along with public transit and ride sharing.
With the American Express Cobalt® Card, you earn between 1 and 5 points per dollar:
Category
Points per dollar
Grocery (Metro, IGA, Sobeys, Super C, etc.)
5
Home food delivery
5
Restaurants and bars
5
Convenience stores
5
Streaming services
3
Service station
2
Transport
2
Travel
1
Other
1
That works out to a 1 to 5% return on those purchases. For example, if you spend $1,000 per month across groceries, restaurants and food delivery, you earn $50 back per month, or $600 per year from that category alone. Transfer the points to a program such as Aeroplan instead and the return can be higher.
The card comes with a broad insurance package. The amounts below are the coverage limits; conditions, age limits and exclusions are set out in the certificate of insurance linked in the Insurance section above.
Travel insurance
Emergency medical: up to $5,000,000 for the first 15 days of a trip.
Travel accident: accidental death and dismemberment of up to $250,000 for you, your spouse and dependent children under age 23 when travelling on a common carrier (plane, train, bus or ship) and the tickets are charged to your card. Supplementary cardholders and their families are covered too.
Flight delay: up to $500 for necessary hotel, meal and sundry expenses bought within 48 hours when you are delayed or denied boarding for four hours or more and no other transportation is available. This $500 is an aggregate limit per occurrence, shared with missed connection and delayed baggage coverage.
Delayed baggage: up to $500 for essential clothing and sundries bought within four days when your outbound luggage is delayed six hours or more. This $500 is an aggregate limit per occurrence, shared with missed connection and flight delay coverage.
Lost or stolen baggage: up to $500 per occurrence for all insured persons combined, for checked or carry-on baggage and personal effects in transit, when the airline tickets are charged to your card. Within that limit, jewellery is capped at $300 per occurrence and golf clubs, including golf bags, at $250 per occurrence.
Hotel and motel burglary: up to $500 against the loss of most personal items if your hotel or motel is burglarized, when the stay is charged to your card.
Rental car insurance
Theft and damage coverage is included for a rental car with an MSRP, for its model year, of up to $85,000 excluding all taxes, for rentals of up to 48 days. To use it, decline the Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) or any similar option from the rental company and charge the full rental to your card. There is no cost for this coverage, and it replaces the daily insurance the rental company charges, usually $16 to $23 per day.
Mobile device insurance
Your device is covered for up to $1,000 per occurrence when it is charged to the card, for up to two years from the date of purchase. The payout is based on the depreciated value of the device, which falls by 2% of the purchase price for every completed month, less a 10% deductible. Theft and accidental damage coverage starts on the 91st day after purchase, because the first 90 days are covered by purchase protection.
Purchase protection and extended warranty
Eligible items charged to your card are insured against accidental physical damage or theft for 90 days from the purchase date, up to $1,000 per occurrence for all items combined. The card also extends the original manufacturer’s warranty by up to one additional year on eligible items, with indemnification limited to $10,000 per insured item and $25,000 per Cardmember per policy year for all items combined.
American Express Cobalt® Card fees
Card fee: $15.99 per month, which equals $191.88 per year, for residents outside Quebec. Quebec residents are billed $191.88 per year.
Additional cards: $0.
Purchase interest rate: 21.99%.
Cash advance interest rate: 21.99%.
Foreign transaction fee: 2.5%.
Minimum income required: none.
Because the fee is billed monthly rather than in one annual charge, you can stop and restart the cost in step with how much you are actually using the card.
Legal
American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information, click the Apply Now link. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, we may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment.
Annual fee
Primary card$191.88
Additional card$0
Annual income required
Individual$0
Household$0
Conversion fees
2.5%
Earning rate
5xRestaurants
5xGroceries
5xConvenience
3xStreaming
2xTransit
2xGas & EV
1xAll spending
Value
1st Year Value$1,828
2nd Year Value$799
Transfer partners
AeroplanAirline
British Airways ClubAirline
Cathay Asia MilesAirline
Etihad GuestAirline
Flying BlueAirline
Hilton HonorsHotel
Marriott BonvoyHotel
Travel insurance
Travel medical (under 55)Up to $5,000,000 / 15 days
Travel medical (55-64)Up to $5,000,000 / 15 days
Delayed BaggageUp to $500
Lost BaggageUp to $500
Flight DelayUp to $500
Hotel BurglaryUp to $500
Travel AccidentUp to $250,000
Purchase protection
Purchase ProtectionUp to $1,000 / 90 days
Extended Warranty+1 years
Mobile DeviceUp to $1,000 / 2 years
Auto Rental Collision (primary)Up to $85,000 / 48 days
Davao – Cebu
Along with my brother-in-law, sister-in-law, her sister and her niece, we flew to Cebu, the country’s second oldest city. My sister-in-law’s other sister was waiting for us at the airport with a van. Quite a service!
We spent the day visiting the city:
Monument to Lapu-Lapu (a national hero who resisted the Spanish colonists);
Monument to the Battle of Mactan (the place where Lapu-Lapu and his men defeated the Portuguese navigator Fernando de Magellan (Fernão de Magalhães in Portuguese);
Taoist temple of Cebu (where you have a nice view of the city);
SM Seaside City Cebu (huge mall next to the sea – our malls are pitiful compared to malls in Asia!)
Chapel of San Pedro (opposite the mall);
Lantaw Restaurant, near the mall. We loved it!
Colonial downtown:
Basilica of the Holy Child of Cebu (Santo Niño);
Magellan’s Cross (brought by Spanish explorers in 1521, marking the beginning of Christianity in the Philippines);
Cebu Heritage Monument (monument that shows the history of the city from the conversion to Christianity to modern times);
Yap-Sandiego ancestral house (historical house built in the 17th century);
Fort San Pedro (Spanish stone fortress from 1738);
The ferry terminal, to buy tickets to Tagbilaran (Bohol Island).
My sister-in-law’s sister is a nun in Cebu. We had dinner where they live, with all the nuns. Another different experience!
Anecdote:
Since travel shapes youth, anecdotes are an essential part of our adventures.
At the mall, we entered a shop. I told the saleswoman that I didn’t know what Asian size I should wear. She said to me: « I would recommend XL, sir, because you are very tall » (I am 5’8 / 1,73m…).
I told her that it was not me who was tall, but she who was short. We both started to laugh.
Cebu-Tagbilaran-Panglao-Bohol
We took a ferry to Tagbilaran, on the island of Bohol (about a 2-hour trip).
On arrival, a van was waiting for us. It’s a good thing my sister-in-law had organized the trip. Although many people in the Philippines are fluent in English, communication was sometimes complicated, with our accents and theirs.
We stayed in a charming little hotel near the beach of Alona, on the island of Panglao. We took a tuk-tuk to go to the beach. This was our first experience with this charming transport.
Once again, my sister-in-law organized our visits:
Monument of the blood pact (Between the Spanish and the Filipinos in 1565);
Baclayon Church (Partially destroyed by the 2013 earthquake);
Tarsier Sanctuary (The tiny primate with huge eyes) – Another place to carefully consider. They say they take care of the tarsiers. The animals (very small and hard to see) were free-ranging (in captivity, they get stressed and kill themselves) and looked well cared for. If you decide to go there, you must not make any noise, nor take pictures with flash and especially not try to touch them.
Very anxious, tarsiers are stressed by the human voice, a hand getting close or the flash of a camera. This can be enough to plunge them into distress and even end their lives. They stop breathing and die slowly. If you put them in a cage, they want to get out, so they bang their heads against the cage, and it cracks because their skull is so thin.
Wikipedia
Church of St. Peter (Destroyed almost entirely. We did not enter);
Xzootic Animal Park – We didn’t want to go, but apparently it was part of the package and we had no choice. The animals looked like they were asking for help. Some of them were in cages or in concrete prison-like cells. 🙁
Floating Restaurant – Loboc River Cruise: A quaint but very typical activity. At the end, we were treated to a performance by local children. I hope the money we leave is well spent;
Butterfly Sanctuary – This one looked okay. It was more like a park;
Chocolate Hills – This geological formation consists of 1268 cone-shaped hills of similar sizes. These hills are spread over more than 50 square kilometres. Very interesting;
Man-made Forest – A road with trees on both sides. A quick stop for a photo;
Sevilla Suspension Bridge (a bamboo suspension bridge) – On the other side, there is a small market for trinkets. They are waiting for you! Some people begged us to buy something. It’s heartbreaking;
Parish of Saint Augustine;
Nova Shell Museum (a museum of shells);
Hinagdanan Cave (you can bathe or just visit. We bathed);
Mag-Aso Falls (we bathed in the turquoise water);
Church of Our Lady of Assumption (partially destroyed);
Bohol Bee Farm Resort (for dinner overlooking the sea).
Cebu-Boracay (Caticlan)
After our stay in Bohol, we took the ferry back to Cebu. My sister-in-law was already at the ferry terminal with the van, to drive us to the airport.
My brother-in-law and the family went back to Davao and we took a flight to Boracay, the star island of the Philippines.
When you get off the small boat, you can: take a tuk tuk, walk or take the hotel shuttle.
The main beaches in Boracay are White Beach, Bulabog Beach and Puka Shell Beach.
White Beach is the main beach, where the vast majority of hotels, restaurants and shops are located. It is divided into 3 stations:
Station 1: more quiet, with a beautiful beach and more refined hotels;
Station 2: busier, with restaurants and bars;
Station 3: quieter and more affordable.
Bulabog Beach is the beach for kitesurfing and windsurfing. It is not very good for swimming.
Puka Shell Beach is a large, sandy beach in the north of the island. It is accessible by tuk tuk, but there are excursions that stop there as well.
We chose station 3, which is quiet, affordable and within walking distance of the other stations.
Our hotel was super nice, affordable and all the rooms had doors facing the pool. The hotel is H-shaped, and the pool is in the middle.
This is a hotel that, like many in Boracay, has one entrance from the street and another from the beach. The restaurant’s terrace overlooked the beach. It was nice to have breakfast outside every morning.
One day, we were approached by a young boy at the beach. He was looking for clients for companies. He suggested we go for Island Hopping the next day. We agreed, on the condition that we pay the next day (you know, with so many dishonest people, you end up not trusting anyone).
In the end, everything went well and we had a great day. We visited:
Puka Shell Beach;
The we stopped for diving;
We had lunch at the beach;
Crystal Cove Island (You could choose between visiting the place or staying at the beach).
We were back at the hotel in time to get ready for the sunset, which is beautiful in Boracay.
Another day, we took a tuk tuk to go around the island. We visited:
Bulabog Beach;
Mount Luho (to have a nice view of the island and take a quaint picture in a heart made of flowers);
Ilig-Iligan Beach;
Puka Shell Beach;
Diniwid Beach;
Virgin Mary statue at Willy’s Rock, Station 1, where you can also see the famous sand sculptures with the word Boracay (tip the people before taking pictures);
We got off at D Mall Boracay, an outdoor mall, looking for a place to eat.
At the end of the day, it was fun to walk on the sand from Station 3 to Station 1, and on the way back, see the sunset at Station 2 and then look for a restaurant or bar with chairs on the sand for drinks or dinner.
There are often presentations by local artists, who are trying to make a living, as best they can. Remember to encourage them!
For whoever might be interested: at Station 2, they rent out mermaid tails for photo shoots. No, I didn’t do it.
$255ⓘMilesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$255Total$255Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Milesopedia first-year estimateⓘFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$255Total$255Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Apply with confidence — no impact on your credit scoreⓘApply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).
The American Express Cobalt® Card is the best credit card from American Express, whether you want points for travel or cash back.
American Express Cobalt® Card welcome offer
The welcome bonus is paid out monthly over your first 12 months. You earn 1,250 Membership Rewards points for each monthly billing period in which you charge $750 in net purchases to your card, in any category (1X, 2X, 3X or 5X). That adds up to 15,000 Membership Rewards points over the year, a welcome offer we value at $255.
Earning the full bonus means $9,000 in net purchases spread across 12 monthly billing periods. This offer rewards steady monthly spending rather than one large purchase.
You can use these points as statement credits on everyday or travel purchases, at the same rate either way: 1,000 points = $10.
You can also transfer them to Aeroplan, Avios (British Airways and Qatar Airways), Flying Blue, Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton Honors. With the full welcome bonus, that is a choice between:
Here is what the card gives you, starting with the benefits cardholders use most.
5X points on eligible eats and drinks in Canada: groceries, restaurants and bars, home food delivery and convenience stores. A spend cap applies.
3X points on eligible streaming subscriptions in Canada.
2X points on eligible gas, public transit and ride sharing purchases in Canada.
1 additional point on eligible hotel and car rental bookings made through American Express Travel Online.
1X point per dollar on everything else, with no category restrictions.
Points that hold the same value either way: 1,000 points = $10 as a statement credit, or a 1:1 transfer to several airline and hotel loyalty programs.
No minimum income requirement, as with every American Express Canada card.
Additional cards at no extra cost: the first and every other supplementary card is $0.
The Hotel Collection: a room upgrade when available, 12pm check-in and late check-out when available, and up to $100 USD in hotel credit on amenities charged to the room for a stay of two or more consecutive nights, booked through American Express Travel.
Front Of The Line® presale and reserved tickets for concerts and theatre performances, plus offers and events curated for cardmembers through Amex Experiences.
A soft credit check before you apply: you can see whether you will be approved with no impact to your credit score. This applies to American Express personal card applications.
The 5X rate is the reason most people carry this card. In Canada it covers four kinds of merchants:
Groceries: Metro, IGA, Sobeys, Super C, Safeway, Whole Foods.
Restaurants and bars: sit-down meals, takeout and drinks.
Home food delivery.
Convenience stores: Couche-Tard, 7-Eleven.
The 2X rate covers gas stations such as Esso, Shell and Petro-Canada, along with public transit and ride sharing.
With the American Express Cobalt® Card, you earn between 1 and 5 points per dollar:
Category
Points per dollar
Grocery (Metro, IGA, Sobeys, Super C, etc.)
5
Home food delivery
5
Restaurants and bars
5
Convenience stores
5
Streaming services
3
Service station
2
Transport
2
Travel
1
Other
1
That works out to a 1 to 5% return on those purchases. For example, if you spend $1,000 per month across groceries, restaurants and food delivery, you earn $50 back per month, or $600 per year from that category alone. Transfer the points to a program such as Aeroplan instead and the return can be higher.
The card comes with a broad insurance package. The amounts below are the coverage limits; conditions, age limits and exclusions are set out in the certificate of insurance linked in the Insurance section above.
Travel insurance
Emergency medical: up to $5,000,000 for the first 15 days of a trip.
Travel accident: accidental death and dismemberment of up to $250,000 for you, your spouse and dependent children under age 23 when travelling on a common carrier (plane, train, bus or ship) and the tickets are charged to your card. Supplementary cardholders and their families are covered too.
Flight delay: up to $500 for necessary hotel, meal and sundry expenses bought within 48 hours when you are delayed or denied boarding for four hours or more and no other transportation is available. This $500 is an aggregate limit per occurrence, shared with missed connection and delayed baggage coverage.
Delayed baggage: up to $500 for essential clothing and sundries bought within four days when your outbound luggage is delayed six hours or more. This $500 is an aggregate limit per occurrence, shared with missed connection and flight delay coverage.
Lost or stolen baggage: up to $500 per occurrence for all insured persons combined, for checked or carry-on baggage and personal effects in transit, when the airline tickets are charged to your card. Within that limit, jewellery is capped at $300 per occurrence and golf clubs, including golf bags, at $250 per occurrence.
Hotel and motel burglary: up to $500 against the loss of most personal items if your hotel or motel is burglarized, when the stay is charged to your card.
Rental car insurance
Theft and damage coverage is included for a rental car with an MSRP, for its model year, of up to $85,000 excluding all taxes, for rentals of up to 48 days. To use it, decline the Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) or any similar option from the rental company and charge the full rental to your card. There is no cost for this coverage, and it replaces the daily insurance the rental company charges, usually $16 to $23 per day.
Mobile device insurance
Your device is covered for up to $1,000 per occurrence when it is charged to the card, for up to two years from the date of purchase. The payout is based on the depreciated value of the device, which falls by 2% of the purchase price for every completed month, less a 10% deductible. Theft and accidental damage coverage starts on the 91st day after purchase, because the first 90 days are covered by purchase protection.
Purchase protection and extended warranty
Eligible items charged to your card are insured against accidental physical damage or theft for 90 days from the purchase date, up to $1,000 per occurrence for all items combined. The card also extends the original manufacturer’s warranty by up to one additional year on eligible items, with indemnification limited to $10,000 per insured item and $25,000 per Cardmember per policy year for all items combined.
American Express Cobalt® Card fees
Card fee: $15.99 per month, which equals $191.88 per year, for residents outside Quebec. Quebec residents are billed $191.88 per year.
Additional cards: $0.
Purchase interest rate: 21.99%.
Cash advance interest rate: 21.99%.
Foreign transaction fee: 2.5%.
Minimum income required: none.
Because the fee is billed monthly rather than in one annual charge, you can stop and restart the cost in step with how much you are actually using the card.
Legal
American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information, click the Apply Now link. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, we may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment.
Annual fee
Primary card$191.88
Additional card$0
Annual income required
Individual$0
Household$0
Conversion fees
2.5%
Earning rate
5xRestaurants
5xGroceries
5xConvenience
3xStreaming
2xTransit
2xGas & EV
1xAll spending
Value
1st Year Value$1,828
2nd Year Value$799
Transfer partners
AeroplanAirline
British Airways ClubAirline
Cathay Asia MilesAirline
Etihad GuestAirline
Flying BlueAirline
Hilton HonorsHotel
Marriott BonvoyHotel
Travel insurance
Travel medical (under 55)Up to $5,000,000 / 15 days
Travel medical (55-64)Up to $5,000,000 / 15 days
Delayed BaggageUp to $500
Lost BaggageUp to $500
Flight DelayUp to $500
Hotel BurglaryUp to $500
Travel AccidentUp to $250,000
Purchase protection
Purchase ProtectionUp to $1,000 / 90 days
Extended Warranty+1 years
Mobile DeviceUp to $1,000 / 2 years
Auto Rental Collision (primary)Up to $85,000 / 48 days
Boracay-Puerto Princesa
We took the hotel shuttle, to take the small boat towards the airport of Caticlan. Destination: Puerto Princesa.
My brother-in-law and sister-in-law had already arrived in Puerto Princesa, but this time the van booked by my sister-in-law was not there. We asked for help from the tourist police, to call my sister-in-law and take a taxi to the hotel she had booked.
The next day, we went on a tour, organized by my sister-in-law:
Mangrove of Sabang (a nice man made us visit the area, in a small boat);
Undeground River – The 8.2 kilometre long underground river has breathtaking cave formations, stunning limestone cliffs and crystal clear waters. However, only a portion of the river, about 4.3 km, can be explored by tourists. You must not be afraid of waves, monkeys and bats – We take a boat to the starting point of the tour, there are monkeys there and hundreds of bats in the cave.
Puerto Princesa-El Nido
Afterwards, we took a van to El Nido. It was a terrible 6-hour trip in a crowded van with no headrests.
In addition to having a flat tire, the driver often stopped to talk to people on the road, offer them a lift and he even stopped at his house to pick up something. We only had one stop, to go to the bathroom and get something to eat quickly.
That was part of the adventure, but it was far from pleasant. Travel experience! Always remember that travelling is a good education for the young! hahaha
El Nido is a fishing village. You should not expect luxury. Everything is very simple around here. For those who might be interested, there are luxury resorts on some islands.
The first day, we took a tuk tuk to go to Nacpan Beach. We were 5 in the tuk tuk!
He put gasoline on the way (gasoline is sold in one-liter Coca Cola bottles). He said it was right next door, but we drove a good half hour.
The beach is very beautiful and we spent a nice afternoon. The tuk tuk driver waited for us.
In the evening we had dinner in a restaurant by the sea, where you choose the meat/fish you want, before entering. They give us a poster with our order number.
After dinner we walked around a bit, to see the little shops. We met by chance a couple from Quebec that we had met in the check-in line at the Montreal airport.
Fun fact
In El Nido, we ended up at the police station after an argument with the hotel owner. At first, there was no water in the bathrooms. When the water arrived, it was black.
We complained to the reception and the next day the man was yelling at the employees. We didn’t understand it all, but my sister-in-law understood the part where he mentioned certain clients (meaning, us).
He was not happy to see us and rushed aggressively towards my brother-in-law. He said he was going to complain to the police (I don’t know why, because he was the one who tried to hit us…).
Finally he arrived and the chief of police made a sort of courtroom at the entrance, in the garden, where the parties could speak. The gentleman decided to leave. The police chief told us that they often had problems with him. Some merchants have told us the same thing.
We had an excursion and we were already late. We were afraid the man would do something with our things at the hotel. The people at the tour company even offered to hold our bags, just in case. Finally we left them at the hotel. Apparently no one entered our rooms.
To end the story, the chief of police invited us to dinner with all the police officers in the village. We didn’t want her to pay, but she insisted. It was a great evening with the police!
Excursions
The excursions to El Nido are offered by letter (tour A, B, C and D). I had read that tours A and C were the best, and that’s what we chose. Almost all companies offer the same service. These are day trips, with dinner on the beach included. It cost about $30 per person.
Whatever your choice, you will see beautiful landscapes.
Puerto Princesa-Davao
After seeing some beautiful scenery in El Nido, we took the infamous van back to Puerto Princesa, where our flight to Davao was leaving, with a connection to Manila.
This time we didn’t get charged for the carry-ons (although they were a bit heavier than before, because of souvenirs), but the checked suitcase stayed in Manila. I was given a big $50 settlement.
We went to the airport with my sister-in-law’s brother (I know, it’s getting complicated, with a big family) to get the suitcase, the next day.
We stayed with our family in Davao for a few days before flying to Hong Kong, where we spent a few days, before returning to Manila to catch our flights home.
I will soon do an article on Hong Kong and Macau.
My opinion on the Philippines
It is still a little known country, because there is no mass tourism, as in Thailand. The main tourists are Chinese, Japanese and Korean.
I really recommend going there, before it becomes too commercial. This transformation has already begun. This can be seen in Boracay with the construction of resorts everywhere. The island even remained closed to tourists for a few months in 2018 so they could fix a problem with the hotels’ sewage.
Except for the suitcase episode at the Manila airport, I never felt like I was seen as a dollar sign on the streets. I found the salespeople to be very honest and unobtrusive.
People are poor and trying to make a living. They work very hard to get there.. They are not used to tips, and sometimes, they refused to accept them. I emptied my suitcase before leaving. I left all my clothes there and made a lot of people happy (even the hotel slippers, which were two inches longer than the feet of the person who took them). I only brought back the souvenirs I bought.
I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating: the people are lovely (except for the hotel owner in El Nido). However, time is not an important factor there. You have to be patient,because things move slowly. It took me half a day to manage to buy a SIM card in a shopping center.
The Philippines: friendly people, breathtaking landscapes, without exceeding the budget. It is a beautiful and affordable country. Despite the poverty, we never felt in danger. The locals say that you have to be careful in Manila, but we didn’t go there (only for connecting flights).
Marriott, Accor, Hilton and Best Western are starting to open in the Philippines, but most of the hotels were unknown to me.
If you want tips on how to get free hotel nights in the Philippines with Marriott Bonvoy, check out this article:
Our transportation
Quebec City-Montreal: Bus (120$ return);
Montreal-Beijing-Manila: Air China ($853 return);
Manila-Davao: Air Asia ($82 one way);
Davao-Cebu: Cebu Pacific (54$ one way);
Cebu-Tagbilaran: Ferry (27$ one way);
Tagbilaran-Cebu : Ferry (27$ one way);
Cebu-Boracay (Caticlan): Cebu Pacific (95$ one way);
Boracay (Caticlan)-Puerto Princesa: Cebu Pacific (243$ one way);
Puerto-Princesa-El Nido : Van (about 20$ one way);
El Nido-Puerto Princesa: Van (about 20$ one way);
Puerto Princesa-Davao: Cebu Pacific (158$ one way);
Davao-Manila-Hong Kong: Philippine Airlines;
Hong Kong-Macau: Ferry;
Macau-Hong Kong: Ferry;
Hong Kong-Manila: Philippine Airlines;
Manila-Beijing-Montreal: Air China;
Montreal-Quebec City: Bus.
All the airlines used are excellent. We flew economy class. For domestic flights, we bought all the extras available.
Rental cars
I do not advise it. The traffic is chaotic and the adrenaline is pumping pretty fast. Look for private drivers or tours.
Conclusion
This 4-week trip (Feb/March 2017) was fully paid for. No points were redeemed.
I didn’t know Milesopedia yet and their best credit card offers in Canada, unfortunately, but I thank them for the opportunity to share my experiences.
Feel free to share, comment or check out my other stories:
$255ⓘMilesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$255Total$255Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Milesopedia first-year estimateⓘFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$255Total$255Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Apply with confidence — no impact on your credit scoreⓘApply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).
The American Express Cobalt® Card is the best credit card from American Express, whether you want points for travel or cash back.
American Express Cobalt® Card welcome offer
The welcome bonus is paid out monthly over your first 12 months. You earn 1,250 Membership Rewards points for each monthly billing period in which you charge $750 in net purchases to your card, in any category (1X, 2X, 3X or 5X). That adds up to 15,000 Membership Rewards points over the year, a welcome offer we value at $255.
Earning the full bonus means $9,000 in net purchases spread across 12 monthly billing periods. This offer rewards steady monthly spending rather than one large purchase.
You can use these points as statement credits on everyday or travel purchases, at the same rate either way: 1,000 points = $10.
You can also transfer them to Aeroplan, Avios (British Airways and Qatar Airways), Flying Blue, Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton Honors. With the full welcome bonus, that is a choice between:
Here is what the card gives you, starting with the benefits cardholders use most.
5X points on eligible eats and drinks in Canada: groceries, restaurants and bars, home food delivery and convenience stores. A spend cap applies.
3X points on eligible streaming subscriptions in Canada.
2X points on eligible gas, public transit and ride sharing purchases in Canada.
1 additional point on eligible hotel and car rental bookings made through American Express Travel Online.
1X point per dollar on everything else, with no category restrictions.
Points that hold the same value either way: 1,000 points = $10 as a statement credit, or a 1:1 transfer to several airline and hotel loyalty programs.
No minimum income requirement, as with every American Express Canada card.
Additional cards at no extra cost: the first and every other supplementary card is $0.
The Hotel Collection: a room upgrade when available, 12pm check-in and late check-out when available, and up to $100 USD in hotel credit on amenities charged to the room for a stay of two or more consecutive nights, booked through American Express Travel.
Front Of The Line® presale and reserved tickets for concerts and theatre performances, plus offers and events curated for cardmembers through Amex Experiences.
A soft credit check before you apply: you can see whether you will be approved with no impact to your credit score. This applies to American Express personal card applications.
The 5X rate is the reason most people carry this card. In Canada it covers four kinds of merchants:
Groceries: Metro, IGA, Sobeys, Super C, Safeway, Whole Foods.
Restaurants and bars: sit-down meals, takeout and drinks.
Home food delivery.
Convenience stores: Couche-Tard, 7-Eleven.
The 2X rate covers gas stations such as Esso, Shell and Petro-Canada, along with public transit and ride sharing.
With the American Express Cobalt® Card, you earn between 1 and 5 points per dollar:
Category
Points per dollar
Grocery (Metro, IGA, Sobeys, Super C, etc.)
5
Home food delivery
5
Restaurants and bars
5
Convenience stores
5
Streaming services
3
Service station
2
Transport
2
Travel
1
Other
1
That works out to a 1 to 5% return on those purchases. For example, if you spend $1,000 per month across groceries, restaurants and food delivery, you earn $50 back per month, or $600 per year from that category alone. Transfer the points to a program such as Aeroplan instead and the return can be higher.
The card comes with a broad insurance package. The amounts below are the coverage limits; conditions, age limits and exclusions are set out in the certificate of insurance linked in the Insurance section above.
Travel insurance
Emergency medical: up to $5,000,000 for the first 15 days of a trip.
Travel accident: accidental death and dismemberment of up to $250,000 for you, your spouse and dependent children under age 23 when travelling on a common carrier (plane, train, bus or ship) and the tickets are charged to your card. Supplementary cardholders and their families are covered too.
Flight delay: up to $500 for necessary hotel, meal and sundry expenses bought within 48 hours when you are delayed or denied boarding for four hours or more and no other transportation is available. This $500 is an aggregate limit per occurrence, shared with missed connection and delayed baggage coverage.
Delayed baggage: up to $500 for essential clothing and sundries bought within four days when your outbound luggage is delayed six hours or more. This $500 is an aggregate limit per occurrence, shared with missed connection and flight delay coverage.
Lost or stolen baggage: up to $500 per occurrence for all insured persons combined, for checked or carry-on baggage and personal effects in transit, when the airline tickets are charged to your card. Within that limit, jewellery is capped at $300 per occurrence and golf clubs, including golf bags, at $250 per occurrence.
Hotel and motel burglary: up to $500 against the loss of most personal items if your hotel or motel is burglarized, when the stay is charged to your card.
Rental car insurance
Theft and damage coverage is included for a rental car with an MSRP, for its model year, of up to $85,000 excluding all taxes, for rentals of up to 48 days. To use it, decline the Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) or any similar option from the rental company and charge the full rental to your card. There is no cost for this coverage, and it replaces the daily insurance the rental company charges, usually $16 to $23 per day.
Mobile device insurance
Your device is covered for up to $1,000 per occurrence when it is charged to the card, for up to two years from the date of purchase. The payout is based on the depreciated value of the device, which falls by 2% of the purchase price for every completed month, less a 10% deductible. Theft and accidental damage coverage starts on the 91st day after purchase, because the first 90 days are covered by purchase protection.
Purchase protection and extended warranty
Eligible items charged to your card are insured against accidental physical damage or theft for 90 days from the purchase date, up to $1,000 per occurrence for all items combined. The card also extends the original manufacturer’s warranty by up to one additional year on eligible items, with indemnification limited to $10,000 per insured item and $25,000 per Cardmember per policy year for all items combined.
American Express Cobalt® Card fees
Card fee: $15.99 per month, which equals $191.88 per year, for residents outside Quebec. Quebec residents are billed $191.88 per year.
Additional cards: $0.
Purchase interest rate: 21.99%.
Cash advance interest rate: 21.99%.
Foreign transaction fee: 2.5%.
Minimum income required: none.
Because the fee is billed monthly rather than in one annual charge, you can stop and restart the cost in step with how much you are actually using the card.
Legal
American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information, click the Apply Now link. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, we may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment.
Annual fee
Primary card$191.88
Additional card$0
Annual income required
Individual$0
Household$0
Conversion fees
2.5%
Earning rate
5xRestaurants
5xGroceries
5xConvenience
3xStreaming
2xTransit
2xGas & EV
1xAll spending
Value
1st Year Value$1,828
2nd Year Value$799
Transfer partners
AeroplanAirline
British Airways ClubAirline
Cathay Asia MilesAirline
Etihad GuestAirline
Flying BlueAirline
Hilton HonorsHotel
Marriott BonvoyHotel
Travel insurance
Travel medical (under 55)Up to $5,000,000 / 15 days
Travel medical (55-64)Up to $5,000,000 / 15 days
Delayed BaggageUp to $500
Lost BaggageUp to $500
Flight DelayUp to $500
Hotel BurglaryUp to $500
Travel AccidentUp to $250,000
Purchase protection
Purchase ProtectionUp to $1,000 / 90 days
Extended Warranty+1 years
Mobile DeviceUp to $1,000 / 2 years
Auto Rental Collision (primary)Up to $85,000 / 48 days
$350ⓘMilesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$350Total$350Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Milesopedia first-year estimateⓘFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$350Total$350Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
With this welcome offer for the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +* Card +* CardMC, you’ll earn 25,000 welcome bonus Scene+ points after charging $2,000 in purchases to your account within the first three months.
Plus, every year, earn an annual bonus of at least 10,000 Scene+ points when you charge at least $40,000 in purchases to your account. In total, the offer represents up to 35,000 Scene+ points and a value of up to $1,250 in the first year, including rewards, savings on foreign transaction fees and airport lounge access.
With the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +* Card, you earn 3 points per $1 spent at Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, Foodland and participating Co-ops, and 2 points per $1 spent at other grocery stores, restaurants, eligible entertainment and eligible daily transit. You earn 1 point per $1 on all your other everyday purchases.
These points can be redeemed against any travel purchase at a rate of 1,000 points = $10 (flights, hotels, all-inclusives and even Airbnb), or as cash back with Scene+ at the same rate.
The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +* Card also offers:
No fees for foreign currency transactions
6 complimentary airport VIP lounge passes
Excellent insurance for your travels and purchases
Visa Infinite* Concierge Services
We have named this credit card the Best Credit Card with No Foreign Transaction Fees in 2024, 2025, and 2026.
Legal
* The potential value of savings and rewards during the first 12 months includes the value of the welcome offer, the potential value of points earned in the first year, the value of savings on foreign currency transaction fees and the cost of airport lounge access as of May 22, 2026:
$250 in travel rewards (25,000 bonus Scene+ points) for new Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite +* Cardholders who charge $2,000 in purchases to their account within the first three (3) months;
$100 in travel rewards (10,000 bonus Scene+ points) for cardholders who charge $40,000 in purchases to their account;
$50 in savings from the annual fee waiver on the first additional card for new Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +* Card credit card account holders;
$132 in savings on foreign currency transaction fees based on the average amount of foreign currency purchases made per active account over the past 24 months (by saving on the 2.5% foreign currency transaction fees typically charged by other credit card issuers);
$364 representing the potential value of points earned in the first year (36,400 Scene+ points) based on the average amount of purchases made per active account over the past 24 months, assuming an average spend of 21% of purchases in categories eligible for accelerated earn rates of 2X and 3X points;
$358 representing the value of complimentary membership in the Visa Airport Companion program which includes 6 airport lounge passes (based on « Preferred » membership valued at approximately $357 CAD/$259 USD). Based on the exchange rate in effect on May 22, 2026.
Maximum potential value after the first year = $1,254 (rounded to $1,250)
The actual value of offers, savings realized and points earned will vary depending on card usage and eligibility for applicable offers. Conditions apply.
1 Offer description and conditions: The 25,000 Scene+ points offer (the « offer ») applies only to new Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +* Card credit card accounts (the « accounts ») opened between August 4, 2026 and November 1, 2026 (regardless of the date you apply for the account) subject to the conditions below. The offer may be modified, cancelled or extended at any time without notice, and it cannot be combined with any other offer.
In addition, as a Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +* Cardholder, you are eligible for an annual bonus of 10,000 Scene+ points if you charge at least $40,000 in eligible everyday purchases to your Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +* Card account over the course of one year. Conditions apply; see below for more details.
Description and conditions of the 25,000 bonus Scene+ points offer: To be eligible for the 25,000 bonus Scene+ points offer (« 25,000 bonus points »), you must charge at least $2,000 in total eligible purchases to your account within the first three months following the account opening date.
Conditions for the annual 10,000 Scene+ points bonus: As a Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +* Card credit cardholder, you can earn an annual bonus of at least 10,000 Scene+ points (the « annual points bonus ») if you charge at least $40,000 in eligible purchases to your account over the course of one year (12-month period). The annual period begins on the account opening date; a new period starts again every twelve months thereafter. If you replace another Scene+-eligible credit card with the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +* Card (i.e., it is not a new card or an additional card), the opening date of your original account will be carried over to your new Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +* Card account and your annual period under this offer will begin on the next anniversary date of your original account opening. For example, if you originally opened a Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card account on January 15, 2022 and you switch to the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +* Card on July 15, 2025, your annual period under the 10,000 Scene+ points annual bonus offer will begin on January 15, 2026 (your next anniversary date) and a new period will start again on January 15 each year thereafter. You will earn 2,000 bonus Scene+ points for each additional $10,000 in purchases made during the same year once you have reached the $40,000 annual purchase threshold.
Eligible purchases means purchases, less refunds, returns and any other similar credits, and excludes payments, cash advances (including balance transfers and quasi-cash transactions), interest charges, as well as card fees and other fees.
Fulfillment of the annual points bonus: Bonus points will be credited within approximately eight weeks after you become eligible for a bonus, provided the account is open and in good standing. In the case of a joint account with a primary borrower and a co-borrower, bonus points will be credited as follows: (i) the 25,000 bonus points and the annual points bonus will be credited to the Scene+ account linked to the account of the borrower who made the transaction that reached the eligible purchase threshold ($2,000, or $40,000) within the appropriate timeframe (the first three months, or the first 12 months). If an additional cardholder makes the transaction that reaches the eligible purchase threshold for the 25,000 bonus points, or the annual points bonus, the bonus points will be credited to the Scene+ account linked to the primary borrower’s account. It is possible to transfer points between the Scene+ accounts of a primary borrower, a co-borrower or an additional cardholder by contacting Scene+. An account is in good standing if it is not past due, there is no over-limit, and the cardholder(s) have complied with the terms of the Revolving Credit Agreement that applies to the account. All other program conditions continue to apply during the offer period.
Offer eligibility and exclusions: You cannot take advantage of the offer if you are currently a primary or secondary cardholder of a Scotiabank personal credit card or have been one in the past two years, including if you transfer your balance from an existing Scotiabank personal credit card account, and if you are a Scotiabank employee. Subject to the exclusions mentioned above, small business credit cardholders are eligible for this offer.
Rates and fees: The annual fees are $150 for the primary card, $0 for the first additional card and $50 for each additional card thereafter (including those issued to joint account holders and additional cardholders). The preferred annual interest rates applicable to the account are as follows: 20.99% on purchases and 22.99% on cash advances (including balance transfers and quasi-cash transactions). The rates, fees, and features and benefits, which are described in the disclosure statement accompanying the application, may be changed.
Annual fee
Primary card$150
Additional card$50
Annual income required
Individual$60,000
Household$100,000
Conversion fees
0%
Earning rate
2xGroceries
2xRestaurants
2xTransit
2xEntertainment
1xAll spending
Value
1st Year Value$650
2nd Year Value$397
Card benefits
Concierge service24/7
Airport lounge access$240
Travel insurance
Travel medical (under 55)Up to $1,000,000 / 25 days
Travel medical (55-64)Up to $1,000,000 / 25 days
Travel medical (65+)Up to $1,000,000 / 3 days
Trip CancellationUp to $1,500
Trip InterruptionUp to $2,500
Delayed BaggageUp to $1,000
Lost BaggageUp to $1,000
Flight DelayUp to $500
Hotel BurglaryUp to $1,000
Travel AccidentUp to $500,000
Purchase protection
Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+1 years
Auto Rental CollisionUp to $65,000 / 48 days
Our editorial integrity
Our reviews and rankings are based on an objective assessment. Advertisers do not influence our content. We may receive compensation through some links; our analysis and opinions remain independent.
