Guides · Updated September 2026

Mobile signal in Boracay, Palawan, Siargao, Cebu and Bohol

What to expect from Smart and Globe on the islands most visitors go to, where it drops out, and how to prepare for the boat rides.

Coverage in the Philippines is good where people live and thin where they do not, which happens to include a lot of the places you are going for. This is what visitors report and what we see in support, island by island. Our eSIM connects to both Smart and Globe, so where one has signal you have signal.

Boracay

Well covered by both networks along White Beach and the main road, with 4G everywhere and 5G in parts. The island is small and busy, so speeds slow down in the evening in Station 2. No real dead spots.

Cebu and Mactan

Cebu City and Mactan (where the airport is) are as good as Manila: 5G on both networks. Moalboal and Oslob on the south coast have 4G in town. Signal fades on the road between them and on Kawasan Falls hikes.

Bohol and Panglao

Panglao's beach strip and Tagbilaran are fine. The Chocolate Hills and Loboc river area have 4G but weaker. Expect gaps on the countryside roads.

Palawan: El Nido and Coron

This is where expectations need adjusting. El Nido town and the main beaches have signal, often slow when the town is full. The island-hopping tours (Tours A to D) go out of range within twenty minutes of the beach and stay there. Coron town is similar, with the lakes and wrecks out of range. Puerto Princesa is a proper city with proper coverage. The van road between Puerto Princesa and El Nido is patchy the whole way.

Siargao

General Luna and Cloud 9 have 4G on both networks and it has improved a lot in the last few years. Head north to Magpupungko, Pacifico or the island tours to Sugba Lagoon and it comes and goes. Power outages after storms take the towers down with them.

Manila and Davao

City coverage. 5G, no issues.

How to prepare

• Download offline Google Maps for each island before you leave the hotel. Navigation works without data once the map is stored.
• Tell people at home that boat days are silent days.
• If your phone shows "No service" on the eSIM in a spot where locals clearly have signal, switch the network by hand: in the eSIM's settings, turn off automatic network selection and pick the other of Smart or Globe. Whichever tower is nearby may belong to the one your phone is not on.
• Do not expect hotspot to rescue a laptop in El Nido. If you need to work, base yourself in Cebu, Manila or Boracay.

Common questions

Is Smart or Globe better in Palawan?

Travellers argue both ways. It changes town by town. Being able to use either is the reason to get a plan that connects to both.

Will I have signal on the ferry from Cebu to Bohol?

Near the ports, yes. Mid-crossing, usually not.

Does the unlimited plan help with weak signal?

No. Signal is about towers, not plans. Unlimited only changes how much data you can use once connected.