Trip to Philippines

Hey Folks,

I'm planning a long due trip to the Philippines by the end of Sep or 1st week of Oct.

Basically, I'm looking for a great place to chill and relax, interested in water activities and looking forward to meeting like-minded people and capturing some great memories.

Can anyone suggest I should book hotels in advance or just book them as I go?

For currency conversion should I do at airport or after landing on PH? Which one makes more sense?

How about the hostels, will they be too crowded and noisy?

Do I need to have an international license to drive there??

Please drop a message if anyone is keen to join or has similar plans, would be great to start convo.

Looking forward to some valuable insights and recommendations.

Thanks!!