Philippines any good?

[StayinThailand2much]

I am considering visiting the Philippines for a while. As I've never been there, perhaps someone can guide me:

 

1. What is the best area in Manila to stay, for the average tourist, and get a 'feel' of the city? 

2. Is there any 'entertainment' nearby for big boys? 

3. What months should I avoid if I don't want to get there during the rainy season?

4. What are nice places, besides Manila, to travel to? (I am looking for nature, hiking, beaches, perhaps national parks.) 

5. What local food should I try?

6. Is it easy to get to know someone for long-term relationships?

[lopburi3]

1.  Manila would not be on many peoples list as most desirable place to stay so might consider others if no special reason.  Manila has very attractive areas but they come at a high cost (price will be much higher).  Might want to view some YouTube videos.

2.  Yes entertainment is available most places - but not as in your face as in the past.

3.  June to December.

4.  Most people would not start in Manila for what you list - there are latterly thousands of islands to tour but from Manila going upcountry into mountains and western beach locations are only a few hours.  But other islands would be normal and again viewing a few YouTube videos should provide you a good overview.

5.  Pork is normally a good choice - in cities there are all kinds of fast food from around the world (and getting the population a bit heavy).  Philippine food is not often rated highly by travelers (they make do) as limitations on availability due to being so many islands does not make for fresh ingredients always being on hand - in areas of foreigners such as Angeles/Cebu/Dumaguete and others there will be a lot of good western food.

6.  Yes - that is the big plus - especially if looking for serious relationships.

[StayinThailand2much]

40 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

1.  Manila would not be on many peoples list as most desirable place to stay so might consider others if no special reason.  Manila has very attractive areas but they come at a high cost (price will be much higher).  Might want to view some YouTube videos.

2.  Yes entertainment is available most places - but not as in your face as in the past.

3.  June to December.

4.  Most people would not start in Manila for what you list - there are latterly thousands of islands to tour but from Manila going upcountry into mountains and western beach locations are only a few hours.  But other islands would be normal and again viewing a few YouTube videos should provide you a good overview.

5.  Pork is normally a good choice - in cities there are all kinds of fast food from around the world (and getting the population a bit heavy).  Philippine food is not often rated highly by travelers (they make do) as limitations on availability due to being so many islands does not make for fresh ingredients always being on hand - in areas of foreigners such as Angeles/Cebu/Dumaguete and others there will be a lot of good western food.

6.  Yes - that is the big plus - especially if looking for serious relationships.

Thank you, lopburi3, for the great info. As for Manila, I figured as much, but asked about it because I thought of Manila as the point of arrival before heading to other places.

[buick]

in manila, i always stay in fort bonafacio/bonafacio global city/BGC.  there are videos on YT of this area.  you can get to the lady bars (on P Burgos) in about 10 minutes via taxi if you go after traffic dies down (8-9pm).  lots of bars, restaurants, and shopping in the BGC.  everything is clean, well taken care of.  it is close to the airport, a convenient place to stay for a few days before moving on.  one tip - when you leave by air, make sure you know what terminal your flight leaves from, 1, 2 or 3.  if you go to the wrong one, you've got to take a taxi to get to the right one and it can take awhile. 

[lopburi3]

44 minutes ago, StayinThailand2much said:

Thank you, lopburi3, for the great info. As for Manila, I figured as much, but asked about it because I thought of Manila as the point of arrival before heading to other places.

Cebu airport and Clark (Angeles City) are flight alternatives and from reports better than Manila if going to those locations.  But if flying to multi domestic locations Manila would make sense.

[Hanaguma]

If you want to get away from the city, the island of Palawan is astonishingly beautiful. We stayed in the main city a few days (Puerto Princessa) then took off for a small paradise town called Port Barton. Rustic, quiet, great boat tours of the surrounding islands, nirvana. Farther north on the island is El Nido, a bit touristy town but again the nature/islands/water are all stunning. 

[lopburi3]

45 minutes ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

*logs off*

Bad experience?  They can happen everywhere.  

[BritManToo]

Manila is not that much fun. Too many homeless everywhere.

Barretto beach resort (Olongapo) or Angeles inland is the way to go for adult fun.

 

Floating beach bar at Baloy Long Beach.

[EVENKEEL]

Cebu Pacific Airlines has some good flights BKK to Manilla

[RuamRudy]

Manila (as in the real Manila) has some interesting places worth a visit such as Intramuros and China town, but Makati or Bonifacio Global City (BGC) are definitely more pleasant places to stay and to party, although Makati has good and less good places. BGC is definitely more sterile than the more earthy Makati Avenue area.

 

2 or 3 days in Metro Manila is sufficient I think.

[gwapofarang]

I've stayed at most of the hotels in and around Makati including the areas mentioned above. Used to go back and forth for a decade every month. In my experience Makati was much more centralized and more importantly, safer. I always warn others of the hazards of Manila and the Philippines in general. Some of the best pick pockets in the world next to the Spanish.

 

Everything in Makati is walking distance and the hotels are quite nice. I did not like the quality of the hotels in Malate or the Fort (BCG). Near Makati is Greenbelt with an interesting freelance for extra curricular fun, good shopping and restaurants.

 

Baguio is a beautiful alternative not often mentioned. The weather up there is brilliant on top of a mountain with awesome views, great place to take a date.

 

You should look into using the bus system if you plan on going to Angeles City (Pampanga). It will save you a bundle as taxis from Manila to Angeles City are a rip off IMHO. From Angeles City you can either take another bus to Baguio, Subic Bay or jump on a flight in Clark (Angeles City) to any of the destinations mentioned above. Personally I like Cebu it's like a completely different country. The women are different too.

 

Fun fact, when the Spanish first came to the Philippines about 500 hundred years ago, they would anchor the ship to go exploring. When they came back they discovered a lot of things missing. King Philip of Spain after learning of this dubbed the Philippines "the land of thieves". True historical fact.

 

Along those lines there are some rather cool old Spanish garrisons in Cebu City and other historical sites all over the Philippines.

 

 

[Ripx89]

On 7/9/2023 at 7:39 AM, EVENKEEL said:

Cebu Pacific Airlines has some good flights BKK to Manilla

Known for flight delays, just be prepared. Not too serious maybe 30mins to an hour from my experienced.

Domestic flights are much worse.

 

I switches to Philippine Airlines instead for BKK <> MNL

[georgegeorgia]

Try the mainly foreign area of Duamegette,a lot of YT videos on this area 

[lopburi3]

40 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

Try the mainly foreign area of Duamegette,a lot of YT videos on this area 

Don't believe any area is mainly foreign but yes Duma was first popular as not many foreigners and cheap living/walkable city away from normal typhoon path.  Appears city is much more crowded these days and expats moving into the mountains but city remains a non tourist expat living/social area.   

[jasmine grace]

1. Stay in Makati for a city vibe; it's safe and vibrant.

2. Check out Poblacion in Makati for adult entertainment options.

3. Avoid June to October due to the rainy season.

4. Explore Palawan for nature, hiking, and stunning beaches.

5. Try Adobo, Sinigang, and Halo-halo for local flavors. for food prices I have enclosed a link for your convience: https://pricemenuguide.ph/

 

Hope it helps. 

 

 

 

Jasmine

[Cameroni]

BGC is the best place in Manila, you can get an Airbnb in Uptown residences and you would be central. There is good food there, but do not expect it to be as cheap as Thailand, it is not.

 

As for food, deep fried fish, beef salpicao (poor people rendang), lechon, sisig are the highlights. Avoid any Filipino noodles, always overcooked. 

 

Cebu has some good Mexican and Italian restaurants. If you go to one of the islands there like Bantayan you can get nice beaches, but it is pretty dead.

 

Boracay is now like Magalluf with better beaches, best avoided.

 

As for the women, you will get some but be aware that Filipinas lie far more than any other women you will meet. They are also serial daters and at least 500,000 of them are outright prostitutes. Most women there are keen on extracting money out of you or a free holiday, which they will have many times before. Do not give them money for their sisters school fees or some such. Do not be a sucker. Pinalove will be your go to, but again, most women there are out for money so beware.

[Cameroni]

Just now, Sticky Rice Balls said:

thank goodness for the beloved honest thai angels...whew.....(keeps looking for wallet i had laying out last night)

 

I know, one TF girl stole 35000 Baht in cash from me. Happens here too, but much less I think. In Phil I know of whole families that exist on the girl being a serial dater, that's how they pay their electcity bills and food bills. 

 

What about that family that sold their daughters for online sex because they needed the money so badly? I never heard anything like that in Thailand.

[sqwakvfr]

Does the PHI Govvernment tax foriengers income that is earned in other countries?  This could be a selling point for SRRV? 

[RuamRudy]

On 8/8/2024 at 9:18 AM, sqwakvfr said:

Does the PHI Govvernment tax foriengers income that is earned in other countries?  This could be a selling point for SRRV? 

 

No: "A person who is not a citizen of the Philippines (that is, someone who is defined as an alien), regardless of whether the person is a resident or a non-resident, is taxed only on the individual's income from Philippines sources. Likewise, non-resident citizens are taxed only on their income from Philippines sources."

 

https://kpmg.com/xx/en/home/insights/2021/07/philippines-thinking-beyond-borders.html

[bkk6060]

I have been several times and will not go back.  Manila nice?  I find the place a dump full of homeless and drug addicts. It seems to have turned into a filthy hole.  Places like Pburgos rip off 3 to 5 times what it costs in Pattaya for not the same quality of fun.  LA Cafe 40 year old large.

Angeles CIty is run by Koreans a bunch of old ladies and Ladyboys roaming the streets at night.  Yes, there is expensive western food there and a couple of malls.

It seemed the pandemic changed most of it though.  Many of the younger girls seem to have found jobs in call centers or other places.  

I guess getting out to some of the other provinces could be an option if a 3rd world life and many desperate poor people is what you want.

Anyway, just search about Manila and some of the other places even Filipinos talk bad about them.

But, I suggest you go and try it and judge for yourself.

 

 

[GypsyT]

I had many Pinoy friends in California. I asked "Why you people get so much bad rap?"

 

He; "Because we got only bad genes from Japanese, Spanish and Americans!"

 

Most are good but even good ones test you...