The Philippines

» Places to visit in The Philippines

» Ways into The Philippines

» Filipino Food

» The Filipino People

» The Filipino Language

» Do's & Do not's

» Places to stay

» Potential for home?

» FAQ's on The Philippines

I arrived in the Philippines at the end of my overland journey. Mistakes and lessons learned I wanted to spend more time exploring and learning about a single country in my search for a place to call home. This Island nation delivered on many accounts.


Places to visit in The Philippines

The Philippines beckons travelers with its captivating blend of natural beauty, rich cultural heritage, and warm hospitality. From the sun-kissed beaches of Boracay to the majestic rice terraces of Banaue, the Philippines offers a journey through a captivating panorama of natural wonders. Explore the vibrant cities of Manila and Cebu, immerse yourself in the bustling markets of Bacolod, and discover the serene beauty of Palawan's hidden lagoons. Experience the warmth and hospitality that define Filipino culture. Whether you're diving into pristine coral reefs, exploring the ancient ruins of Vigan, or immersing yourself in the lively fiestas of San Fernando, the Philippines promises an unforgettable adventure that will captivate your senses and broaden your horizons. I place to live? Dugay na kong nagpuyo sa Pilipinas. Pagkat-on sa pagluto alang sa imong kaugalingon, pagmatngon sa mga grupo sa expat, ug pagbisita sa pipila ka mga lugar sa dili pa mopuyo. Ang bili niini sa salapi ubos kaayo. Uban sa ubos nga kalidad nga mga produkto ug serbisyo gawas kung super dato ka.  


Manila:

The Capital, a bustle of traffic congestion and a fear to many a traveler.

The City - It's big, and broken up into many districts, such as the tourist popular Makati and the airport district of Sucat. It's also hot, and doesn't have too much for a tourist to see other than giant Malls, and a few markets. But the experience of riding around I found good.

The Mall of Asia - It's the worlds 3rd largest, not my thing, but if you need anything, this is the place to get it.

Robinson's Mall - Looking for a new phone, gadget or designer gear, come here and be amazed by the amount of cheap and counterfeit goodies on offer.

Corregidor - Tiny Island museum from WW2, worth it if you can get a group to go with you and share the expense of the ferry tour.

Trekking - Short trips out of Manila offer day and overnight trekking to nearby forest reserves and dormant volcanoes. Unfortunately the costs are ridiculous, and often times permits and a plethora of guide fees are needed. .

Under the LRT - Light Rail Transit. An often over crowded long ticket queued light train linking several areas together. Not my favorite, but outside under the bridges are some great markets and places to see. Just to see the real Manila. Not the safest place in the world, and certainly not for the average tourist. But I enjoyed the sights sounds and people living and working in these areas.


Sagada:

To the cool air of the north for caves and traditional burials. You have to pay a 20 pesos tourist fee to visit or stay in the town, and they insist you have to take a guide just about everywhere. So be prepared. There's also a 9pm curfew, but before that, all is good.

The Hanging Coffins - In Echo Valley behind the town are cliff faces littered with coffins hanging from them. Well worth a trek. But avoid the 200 pesos tour to the view point where you can't see anything. A trek into the valley is far more rewarding and not hard.

Luminang Burial Cave - On the main road to Sumaging, is a little gate to the left with steps leading to a huge cave littered with Coffins. An amazing spectacle of old burial rights. Coffins lie in all manner of decomposed levels, and it's bad luck to point at them.

Sumaging (Big Cave) - A serious highlight, that needs a guide. Spend half a day underground in an amazing cave labyrinth. Be prepared to get wet, and wade through underground ponds. No swimming needed, but some short rappelling and traversing is required. Well worth it with the right guide.

Trekking - If you are an experienced trekker, this is the place to come. Either set off alone, but don't get lost, or with a guide and explore the unexpected of hidden caves, waterfalls, and nature; not to mention the odd coffin.

Eating out: I don't often consider this a highlight. But Sagada has some great eating places, just beware the town shuts down early.


Banaue: The start of the famous Philippine Rice Terraces, plus mountains and vistas.

The Town - It's a small town, easy to walk. A cluster of locally produced souvenir stores are quite nice. The local market is small, and surrounded by cheap eating places. Accommodation is either in the surrounding resorts, or in the center, and prices vary door to door.

Rice Terrace Look Out Point - A short tricycle trip will take you up the hill to a view point overlooking the impressive Banue UNESCO World Heritage Rice Terraces. Surprisingly there's no charge here. Just a few concrete platforms. But watch out for the locals dressed in Native Ifugao grab, unless you like to pay to take photos.

The Banaue Rice Terraces - No guides nor tours. Prepare some food and head off for a day walking these incredible terraces. Watch as locals tend to their upkeep and crops. Take your time talking to the locals too, English is well spoken here, and the people very friendly. It's easy to get lost though, so remember your trail and be careful as some of the terraces are falling apart.


The Journey to Sagada - Banaue - Batad:

Just to point out that the bus travel between these towns offers some quite spectacular mountain and hillside views.


Batad: The Grand Daddy of the Philippine Rice Terraces.

The Trip - A Bus and a Jeepney, some trekking and hill climbing. It's a full day trip starting from early morning, and if you want to take it all in you'll have to leave early. Personally I would spend a night in the Terraces in local accommodation to spread the day out so it's not so rushed.

The Rice Terraces - They say you need a guide, but really the trail is well worn down the mountain side. There are plenty of vista sites en route. At the bottom of the trail is a small official hut where you can donate to help protect the rice terraces as they are in bad shape. But still impressive. Head out to the large waterfall, but bring some food. The entire trip can be strenuous if you do it all in one day.


Palawan:

Tropical paradise, off the beaten path, diving, climbing, caving, and trekking all on one long narrow island.

Puerto Princesa - Palawan's Capital. Easy going, filled with tricycles, but with plenty to see:

Iwahig Penal Colony - One of the most interesting places I have been. A prison where the inmates roam free. Set up so prisoners can live with their families and work to earn a living. Go with an open mind, and enjoy. It's free to enter, and I would take a regular minivan rather than a rush through tour.

Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center - Once known as the Crocodile farm, it's actually one of the better wildlife parks in the Philippines. Bear Cat's Bearded pigs, and yes 100's of Crocodiles, including a Gustav look a like. Entrance fee is about 50 pesos.

The Butterfly Conservation Garden - A small center with a beautiful garden that's literally filled with butterfly's. Entrance is about 50 pesos.

The Dock Area - Known as a squatters place, the dock area is filled with stilt houses and friendly people. A spectacular sunset can be seen from here. Take caution with the large gaps in the wooden platforms, and at night.

Brooke's Point - Last big little town to the south of Palawan, a 5 hour trip from the capital. And discovery home to the worlds largest Pearl.

Beach side Sunrise - Take your chances on the weather and head to the rough beach for nice sunrise.

Walk the town & Market - There's not much to do in Brooke's Point, but walk around the town's little clean streets, and take in the flavor of untouched Philippine life.

Narra - Another beach side town en route to / from Brooke's Point. Resorts galore and an occasional fiesta.

Sabang - The real home or the world's longest river. 2.5 hours from the capital.

Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park - Take no heed of the name. You can visit the river via a tour from the capital. But it's in Sabang. Pick of a 200 peso permit from the tourist office before either taking a 1700 peso boat ride to the river, or a free 2.5 hour walk through two trails below. The river boat ride itself is 45 minutes and does not go all the way through. Bring rubber sandals for the boat. You are not allowed take the trail routes past 3pm

Monkey Trail - A 2.5 hour trek through the jungle and alone plenty of wood platforms on the way to the underground river. Be careful of this trail if it's high tide, as the sea might make it difficult to locate the trail at one point. The monkeys are near the end of the trail high up in the trees.

Jungle Trail - Another route either two or from the underground river. No Monkey's or platforms here, just jungle.

The sea waterfall and Chinese temple - The free trail starts with having to sign a registration book. Then it's a stone strewn beach of a walk to a Chinese / Tibetan temple. Nothing major, just an unusual quirk to see. Then passed lots of Buddhist like written signs of good will you keep walking until you get to a waterfall that hangs over a cliff and splashes into the sea ... nearly.

Port Barton - A remote beach resort area that offer's links to El Nido via the South Chinese sea.

El Nido - Tropical paradise lovers will be very happy here.

Island hopping - Sign up and take a package tour of several islands for the day. Prices vary greatly from 500 no frills, to 1,000's. An average easy to find tour is about 500 pesos per person. They include lunch.

The Islands- A There are 100's of small islands in this area. Some just rocky out crops, others caves, and others with lagoons. Ask before you go to make sure the island is what you are looking for. Everything, can be arranged.

Cliff Climbing - Arranged via a local or for 250 pesos pp (min 2) from The art cafe in town. Quite literally a no rope near vertical cliff climb of 3 hours + up to the top of a cliff overlooking El Nido. There's a spectacular view from the top. Some fitness is required, and lots of water.

Squid and other types of fishing - Find a local boat man, or hire a tour to take you day time trawling or line fishing. At night you can head out at 6pm for squid fishing under the light of a gas lamp, returning at 11pm with your catch and a bbq.

 

Food from Sabah

How to get from Sabang to El Nido, Palawan, The Philippines

For in depth details on traveling in Palawan check out my multiple blog posts on living there. Living on a island in the Philippines.


Bohol:

Welcome to the Visayas, home to an island of Chocolate Hills and tiny endangered Tarsiers.

The Chocolate Hills - Whether they are tear drops from a giant, natural formations, or natural formations with a little human help, the Chocolate Hills of Bohol are impressive. But I still felt a little let down that there was not much to do but look at them from a look out point.

The Tarsier Visitor Center - Open 9am to 4pm it's smaller than you would think. An enclosure and a small office. Public transport is possible, but taking a hired tricycle will save time. The Tarsiers themselves are easy to spot, but avoid flash photos or touching them. Personally I would also avoid visiting any of the non official centers too, as some I saw just looked like pet stores.

The Beaches & Diving - Not my thing, but the place is crawling with dive centers.

Caving & Trekking- The caves here are not on par with Sagada, but still enjoyable. The Trekking is very good here, along with the fact you can rent a motorcycle to head off by yourself.


Camiguin:

A paradise island in Mindanao

The Island - From Ballingoan (1hr from CDO via bus) Camiguin is a short 2 hour ferry ride. SeaCat direct from CDO has a new daily express service, but like all ferries the timetable is likely to change. The island itself is only about 72km in diameter and easy to navigate.

All the Natural Water Springs - It's the thing the tourist office and guidebooks blabber on about. Ardent Hot Springs, Soda Stream and any other name spring, there are at least a dozen. I found them all heavily disappointing and commercial. More like swimming pools than natural set springs. If your lucky ask a local for a real natural non pay spring. Otherwise Ardent is the better.

Sunken Cemetery - For sure my Island highlight. No annoying fees either. Hop in local boat and paddle out on clear blue waters over a cemetery that sunk during an earthquake to a still standing cross. You can pay a little extra and hire a paddle boat for snorkeling and watch dazzling multicolored fish and coral around old tombs. Sadly I've learned that they are planning to built a new ferry port right beside this beautiful area, they say it won't spoil it. But it will happen. So view this place while you still can.

Mount Hibok-Hibok - An old volcano with a great peak just waiting to be climbed. They insist on only letting you go with an expensive guide, but local ones are around too.

Lanzones Festival (Oct) - The one thing I found lacking in the Philippines was traditional dress etc. If you can make it to Camiguin for the annual Lanzones (small fruit) festival then you'll get a great show of traditional clothes during the Annual Parade, Miss Camiguin Contest and various other shows they put on here. Well worth the effort. The exact date changes, and it's a pain to find the timetable which is a shame.

Beaches, diving and resorts - Again you'll have no problem finding a beach side resort here, nor dive stores.

The White Island - A giant sand bar to me. But a lot of people enjoyed the short trip out to this white sand patch in the middle of prime blue diving water.

If you are going to Camiguin island, check out my page all about the island including the ferry schedule and travel guide to Camiguin Island.


Agusan Wildlife Marsh:

Pump boats, trees, birds, rain, water, and a local house

The Marsh - A protected area filled with exotic birds. It's a pain to get to. and expensive if you are alone. 7,000 + Pesos to hire the 'only' pump boat available for a day and a half, not including 'extras'. Likewise sometimes you need a permit to visit, sometimes you don't. Depending on whether the local office is manned or not. The strange thing is if you wander off in most river side towns in the Philippines you can visit a local house similar to here. For bird lovers it would be a big thing to visit though.


Cagayan de Oro:

The Gateway to Mindanao and white water rafting.

The City - 5 Malls, a central market and a port 2 hours away linking to most of the Philippines.

Cogan Market - In the center of the city is large rundown wet and dry market, surrounded by a plethora of pirated DVD, clothes and food stalls.

White Water Rafting - There are several companies offering to take you white water rafting. Going alone is expensive but with a group its fine. That said, it's nothing you can't do or experience elsewhere.

Night Cafe - Sadly the mayor stopped the night cafe and replaced it with CCTV and rabid road traffic people looking to fine people for not using pedestrian crossings.

Mapawa Nature Park - Zip-lining, and horse riding activities abound. Not to mention a real Filipino cowboy ranch with lessons on offer.

Hugo Sky Lounge  - A relatively new "fun park" with expensive paragliding, expensive food and a terrible mini zoo which includes a tiger locked in a small cage.

Around Cagayan de Oro - CDO is not the most happening of places especially since they moved Lumbia airport from 10 mins outside the city to 2 hours outside the city. There's not much left of CDO these days other than to call it "just another business city". For botanists it's close to the worlds largest flower (rafflesia) in Baungon, Bukidnon. It blooms only once a year.

Camiguin Island - is located 4+ hours from Cagayan De Oro via a bus and then a ferry. It's probably easier and more pleasant to bypass CDO and take a ferry from Bohol or fly into Camiguin.


Tangub City:

Christmas Capital of the Philippines (erm, symbol capital)

The City - From mid November to around January 9th Tangub city becomes alive at night as the town center is lit up with Christmas lights in an annual competition. A virtual fantasy world of multicolored lights, locally made decorations and festive cheer. Wander into each purposely constructed house or castle setting and marvel at the work that's gone into it. There is after all a 100,000 peso prize at stake.

Night Cafe - Once dusk begins to settle the town center turns into a great open cafe. Some of the best seafood is on hand as the city is surrounded on 3 sides by water. It's also incredibly cheap to eat here. Then take a quick night tour on either a makeshift golfing style tour bus, or a Christmas train around the city that night. If you are away from home at Christmas time and miss the atmosphere, this is the place to come.

Flower Fields and Forests- There's not too much to do in Tabgub city after the lights, a visit to the friendly tourist office will help with arranging a visit to flower fields and forested areas.


Davao:

Big spacious city of the south

The City - Easy to get around compared to other cities in the Philippines. This could be due to the large wide roads as it all seems a lot less clustered and laid back. The usual jeepney's, taxi's and scattering of tricycles link everything up, and parts are very walk able if it's not too hot.

Crocodile farms and the Philippine Eagle - EA visit to either won't take to long, but for those interest in conservation the Philippine Eagle should be on the list.

Saolin Kung Fu Temple Sakya - One guide book refers to this as the Long Hua Temple. The name outside is the one I've quoted. It's a Chinese Buddhist Temple, and worth a visit as it's a refreshing change to see this type of building. Well kept with several rooms.

Mindanao Taoist Temple Inc - If you are facing the Saolin temple, take a right and walk 15 mins down the road, there's sign directing you to a street on the right, walk down it and take a left. 2 minutes up the road and you see a bright red tower. Buzz the doorbell behind the gate for the caretaker to open. Check out the prayer room behind the tower too.

China Town & Fruit market - If you like Durian, this is a good place to come, if you don't then take a look at the China town archway across from it. There's not much in China town - it's really just a street.

The Shoreline - For me, this was a highlight of Davao. Stilt houses, friendly people, boat building, and a side of city life not many get to see. Down the side streets by the fruit market lead to the shore line. Dirty, and not for the average tourist. I would not go there if you are unaccustomed to areas of financial impoverishment and are worried about safety. Bring a local you trust if you are at all nervous about visiting such places. For me, I found some of the friendliest people in the Philippines right here.


Ways into The Philippines


The Philippines is part of South East Asia but separated by water. Thus taking it off the backpackers trail and making it a great place to visit to get away from tourists. Manila is the main airport entry hub with Clark and the main airport taking most of the traffic.

Malaysia is linked via ferry to Mindanao via Zamboanga with twice weekly ferry's (Mon & Thurs). But keep an eye on the news as Mindanao is often plagued with military difficulties and disturbances. The Weesam is a fast ferry, and Allison a slow. Fares start at 2700 and 3000 for a cabin. All  visa stamping out happens in the cantina, in Sandakan on the other side. Weesam visas happen on the boat, but Weesam was in dry dock for months whenever I went there.

Getting around the Philippines is not so easy on the cheap. Planes and ferry routes link the islands, so the fuel and economic risings have not made it better. Buses link the mainland areas. The hardest part I found was getting ferry timetables to plan. They are listed on some papers and bad websites, but it's not so helpful and their websites rarely work. Best thing to do is hop into a quiet booking office and take out a piece of paper.

Post pandemic The Philippines has opened its borders once again. You will need to download a tracing app upon entry into the country. Do please check with your nearest embassy should the situation change again.

Try my custom flight search for the lowest priced flights to and from The Philippines! 



Food in The Philippines


I was expecting the worst with nothing but rice and seafood. Everyone told me Filipino food was terrible. While it's not as exciting as mainland South East Asian food and bad fast food is everywhere there are some nice dishes to be found. Though it'll be more costly than you'd expect. You've just got to find the right dishes between the copious amounts of rice and fast food on offer.

I don't particularly like rice. But in The Philippines it comes with everything including breakfast. There's plenty of fresh bbq sticks of chicken, pork and fish. Pancit is a sort of rice noodle dish which is a good filler. Adobo is a tender beef, pork or chicken dish and available everywhere. Then everything from squid to tuna steaks and giant prawns are all over the place but costly. If you see beef steak on a menu do be warned it's not an actual steak but small chopped up bits of beef in a gravy,
I much preferred night markets to eat in than malls. Malls and mall restaurants are not so great, not so healthy and they are expensive. Night time bbq manok (chicken stalls) are a great place to fill up. I never got sick once from eating at night stalls. But my stomach did go bad from a mall pizza and several fried chicken joints.
Jollibee is the Philippines' answer to McDonalds (which is also around) and is everywhere. It's best avoided if you like to know where your meat comes from (don't say anything bad about it in public as most Filippinos adore it). Fast food is big in The Philippines so Pizz and KFC are everywhere too. Personally I found Chow King to offer the best value meals in terms of fast food. If you're looking for pasta or pizza there's Greenwich in many of the malls but it's far from stellar in terms of taste. A better option is to try and find to find a Subway style sandwich place or a wrap.
For vegetarians in the Philippines the options become harder. But there are countless bakeries all around. Fresh fruits, nuts and grains are available in all markets. Vegtables don't come in many varieties Some Mall outlets cater specifically for vegetarians but they're expensive.
Again if you find Filipino food too monotonous in the malls or too expensive head to a local market in the evenings. Or if you miss your own food pick up some sirloin steak for about USD$5 and get a local BBQ stall to cook it up for you!

Food from The Philippines

Check out my exclusive series on food from The Philippines


The People


For the most part I found Filipinos to be very friendly. And also very honest. In markets and the like I rarely had an occasion of being over charged. Tours, taxis and trisikads aside. Make sure the taxi is on the meter and you prearrange a trisikad fare.
Honestly speaking, I found the people in the North more open to conversation, while in the south they would shy away a little from general conversation. But once they start, it's hard to get them to stop, in a good sense.


The Language


It's easy mainly because so many people speak English. The Filipino language is also broken up across the country. But picking up the basics of Tagalog helps break the ice.


Do's & Do not's


Do keep an eye on the News and Weather. The entire nation can often be battered with rainstorms, mudslides and so on. Also the south has it's fare share of violent problems.
Avoid walking around too late a night in city centers.
Power outages can happen, so carry a torch.
Locate where the life boats and life jackets are if you are taking a ferry. The Philippines has the worlds highest rate of sinking's, and I've seen the issues onboard; make sure you know what to do just incase.
Do take the time to visit local villages, it's a different world to the big cities and tourist resorts.


Places I stayed


Places to stay

Manila (A WARNING) Manila is strewn with hostels and hotels that charge by 8, 123 and 24 hour periods. Meaning if you check in at 4am then check out is at 4am the next day. Check the hotel's policy before checking in, and if necessary sit out a few hours before checking in to avoid losing out.

Manila - The Green Mango (Sucat, Paranaque) - About 1200 Pesos for a double with A/C and TV. Very clean, friendly staff and with it's own small restaurant and garden.

Banuae - New Wonder Lodge - Right along the main street opposite a hotel that's nearly twice the price. A nice older lady and her husband run this basic hotel.

Puerto Princesa - Banwa Pension House, Mendoza Street ((048) 434 7197) - Laid back Backpackers place with singles and a dorm starting at 500 pesos.

Puerto Princesa - Manny's Pension House, Mendoza Street (0919-8871911) - just down the road from the backpackers place in case it's full.

Sabang - Mary's Cottages - At the end of the beach, 800-1000 pesos a night for a cottage. Good value, the staff could smile a bit more.

El Nido- Cliffside Cottages, (+63 (0) 91 9785 6625) - At the end of the beach this basic but nice place will provide a cottage from 800 peso up.

Bohol - Nuts Huts, Gotozon, 6316 Loboc (+63 920 846 1559) - a nice place offering well kept bamboo cabins run by a European couple that won't break the bank.

Camiguin - GV Pension House - a 5 minute walk from the center of town, basic, clean and cheaper by a mile than any resort.

Cagayan de Oro - Lamar Inn - Located in Dvsoria it's not the cheapest, but it's clean with WiFi.

Sagada -The Residential Lodge - Run by a nice lady, the rooms are very clean with shared bathrooms. It's cheaper than most and is the blue multistory building on the main road just as the hill starts to descend a little steeper.

Tangub City - Cawaesha Hotel - A new hotel with fantastic super plush rooms at rock bottom prices. Blighted slightly by some local drinkers outside.

Try my custom search for the lowest priced hotels in The Philippines!

Booking.com

Prefer local accommodation? Try Airbnb (get up to USD $40 discount)


Potential for home?


I never expected to stay in the Philippines for quite as long as I did. The country offers a lot to someone in search for a new place to live. But it's also got its downsides. Basically to live here, you have to have a lot of money. And for residence, a Filipino wife / husband. Likewise with property. It's also near impossible to earn a legal living as a foreigner. That said, if you settle, the cost of living is low but the variety of food, entertainment, services is low. To me the Philippines is a great place to retire to, an even better place to die. Sounds strange, but in a place where they look after you so well, it makes sense. To live there for a person who likes independence and the ability to work, it's a big problem. Similarily many people have problems if they are married to a Filippino as when you marry a person, you marry the family. As a male you'll be expencted to be the sole money earner not just for your spouse, but over the years for the family - if not, then they tend to turn on you quickly. Similarly for women you marry a Filipino there's an issue with being expected to have money as a non-Filippino, while the male spouse can often get problems with their family for not being the "man" of the house anymore and often alcohol problems occur along with infidellity. Filippino Expat websites are full of stories containing woeful stories if you are so inclined to research them. You've been warned!

You can read more about my observations in The Philippines via my travelogue, here's a start:

A list of all my entries from my travel blog from the Philippines


FAQ's on traveling in The Philippines


How much is a daily budget in the Philippines?

This is tough. The Philippines is not that cheap, anymore and to travel around can be expensive. Tours and the like are expensive. Flights, and ferries while not expensive by international standards though flight delays can be long.

Accommodation is also expensive compared to the rest of SEA. A room for 800-1000 Pesos is not that easy to find. While 3000+ plus pesos gives you something nice.

The real bonus in the Philippines is food, it's very cheap if you like junk food. 70 pesos buys you a meal. 150 for a traveler's appetite. After that, the costs go up, but it's still cheap. It's very hard to give a daily costing due to travel and tours, $50 is a safe low end bet not including a ferry or flight. Living in one place with no travel can be as low as $15- per day.

How to save money in the Philippines?

Package tours: Do not buy an expensive package tour from overseas unless you have the money to waste or no time. Most travel agents inside the Philippines are a lot cheaper. Independent travel is also cheaper.
Flights: Cebu Pacific offers deals mid week. Sign up to their newsletter to get the latest offers. Erm, if their email is working that is.
Bargain: If you are staying more than one night, ask for a discount. Everyone does it, and it's often works.
Eating: Food is cheap anyway. But eating at market stalls, university cafes is a lot cheaper than constantly going to the Mall.
Transport: Go Public. Jeepney drivers may look fierce, but I found them a friendly bunch often willing to help. Tricycles are not so friendly but are all over the place, and very useful to get door to door. Trisikads are often very cheap, and cramped with the drivers not speaking good English but useful for short distances if you know the price. Taxis are cheap, but put them on the meter and have change ready as they will always claim not to have any.

What are the Banks/ATM's like in the Philippines?

Plentiful with Debit, Visa and MasterCard all accepted. Unfortunately in 2010 many banks have begun charging foreign ATM and credit cards an additional 200 pesos ($5) per transaction. What's worse is that many are only allowing a maximum cash withdraw of $75. Bigger banks will allow withdraws of $150 from main towns. Most ATM's are located at malls or in a city center. Use one that has a small queue to be sure it's working well and facing away from the hot sun to see the screen. Change is not a problem in Malls, but locally a 1,000 bill can be a headache. Watch out for the 15th and 30th every month; it's a pay day and the queues can be long.

What guide book?

The Rough Guide to the Philippines is complete trash. Seriously outdated prices aside, it's outdated and poorly put together to say the least. Lonely Planet is a bit better, but like any guide book, take the prices with a grain of salt.

Is The Philippines full of backpackers?

No. There are very few. The inconvenience of being off mainland SEA, and the transport issue keeps most backpackers away. The main tourists are families, and honeymooners. There is however a large expat community. Consisting mainly of older white men and younger Filipino partners. Personally I found some to be a little creepy, others fine, just living their lives. There are not many female foreigners around at all. There are also a host of missionaries dotted around the place.

How to deal with stomach problems in The Philippines?

Fresh seafood, bbq's and cheap beer. Depending on your own stomach, you can pretty much guess the problems. Giardias is common, as are other little bugs. To be honest though I never had a problem except from fast food from a Mall. Pharmacies are plentiful, though the cost of medicine is quite high compared to other places. Bottled water is everywhere, and most other table water in Malls is meant to be filtered.

I heard the Philippines is full of creepy old white guys and prostitutes?

I've seen creepy old white men and women all over the world. The Philippines is no different. There are however more white men with Filipino partners than white women. Much like in Ghana where there are more creepy old white ladies with young local men than white men. As for Prostitutes, personally I have not seen that much evidence that would separate the Philippines out from a lot of other countries.

Cameras and Internet in the Philippines, anything to know?

Fake memory cards and batteries are a problem. Head to a Mall and buy a brand you know from a dealer name you recognize. It will be more expensive than a local market or a cheap Filipino electronics store like CD-R King, but you'll have better luck. Having said that, there are other great bargains in these electronic stores. There are plenty of internet cafes dotted around city streets, and Malls. Wi-Fi is also popular in hotels.

Volunteering and teaching English in The Philippines?

There are quite a few opportunities to volunteer in the Philippines. Visit the place you wish to volunteer and get to know them first. Avoid paying to volunteer. Teaching English in the Philippines is not a good option. Most Filipinos speak English, it's also frowned upon and illegal to do so as a foreigner. Though private lessons are not unheard of.

Departure Tax?

There are departure taxes just about everywhere in the Philippines. From ferries to airports, and even a few extra charges creep in like maintenance?!! You'll see the signs and costs en route, they vary a lot, the ferry ones usually under 20 pesos, the airports ones a few hundred.

Different kinds of local Filipino transport

There's a host of different Filipino transport to choose from, and to make matters a little confusing, the names change per region.
Manila - LRT: Light overland city rail. FX: medium distance jeeps. Jeepney: a small bus, nationwide. Tricycle/Trisikad: 3 wheeled motorbike (aka Rickshaw/Tuk Tuk). Motorcycle: small human powered 3 wheeler (aka cycle rickshaw)
Visyas, some names change - No LRT, no FX. Tricycle becomes "Rella" or "Motorrella". Motorcycle becomes "Padyak" or "Trisikad"

Mall Security

A pet peeve of mine throughout the Philippines is Mall security. Whenever you enter a mall though the "Entrance" door and not "Exit" door you will be split into a male and female line. Though this still seems to cause confusion to many people.
Then a white shirted security person will grunt at you with a tiny wooden stick, meaning you should unzip your bag for inspection. You then open one zip (no matter how many compartments you have) and watch as the little stick is barely inserted into the bag and guard gazes vaguely in the same direction. A queue of bustling people behind you, that's it.
All your other compartments go unchecked as does your body. Though an occasional pat down of the waist can happen. In my view a complete and utter pointless waste of time that annoys me.
Likewise having to leave your travel pack at a baggage counter before being allowed into most stores. I never did. Just claim you have $2000 in the bag, a $4000 camera etc. They'll let you through.
Oh, and SM Mall has a bizarre policy that you can't take a photo of their malls from the outside. Go onto a public bit of road, and start snapping away. Then watch as a load of white shirted security men come racing over to you. You're on public property and they are private security so you're fine so long as you don't 'go' with them.

Visas in The Philippines?

I'll keep this basic, the main Philippine immigration link is at the top of this page and gives you full details. When you fly in you get a stamp which gives you 30 day free pass. After that you need to go to a local immigration office, most big towns have one. To extend another 30 days costs around 4,000 Pesos. After that it's about 5,500 for 60 day extensions. The costs here are rough, visit the Philippines Immigration website for more. Manila is said to be a pain, to get an extension, long waits etc. Just about anywhere outside of Manila offers extensions on the same day. Longs pants, shirt and respectful attire is required.

 

Diving off a boat in The Philippines

 

Check out my Philippines travel blog for a lot more!


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