Package Tour or DIY?

Pinatubo tour from Tripinas

I am a budget traveller.  There are some comforts that I am willing to forgo just to be able to visit and experience a place.  But there are some things that are non-negotiable, paramount of which is safety. Travelling in a group help you save a lot because there a lot of you to split the cost.  But when you travel in pairs, or as a couple, it is sometimes a lot more cheaper to avail of package tours.
When we first travelled as family to Bohol in 2010, we opted for a package tour as well. I was not as experienced then, as I am now.  But for the rest of our family travels, we do it on our own.

For our Mt. Pinatubo Tour in March 2012, we opted to avail of a package tour from Tripinas at P2,050/pax for a group of 13.  And we have the certificate to prove it!

we conquered Mt. Pinatubo!

I have also availed of package tours for Palawan and El Nido when it was just me and my husband, because it was cheaper than if we were to do the tours on our own.

On the other hand, the cheapest  DIY tour that I ever did was on our trip to Coron. We were a group of 13 and we only spent around P3,500 per pax, including pasalubongs, for a 3D/2N trip.

the Superfriends in Coron, DIY-style

For the rest of the travel with the Superfriends (my bffs-Ehms, and hubby Paul and Rona, and hubby Rodney and myself and my hubby Noel) they are mostly on a DIY-style.  We have been to Cagayan de Oro-Camiguin-Bukidnon, Davao, Boracay and even Cambodia-Vietnam and Singapore-Malaysia, all on budget (and advanced planning!)

So I guess the short answer to the question is that it really depends on a lot of things.  But whether you travel on package tours or you DIY- always remember, travel is an adventure. Embrace it!