Anyone been to the philippines?? what was it like?

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sweet & sour

My friend said it made hell look like a tourist attraction.

gene

Canadian, The Phil is what u make it. It's best seen with someone special who can make sure you are fully aware of the sites, sounds, smells and hazards. I absolutely love the place. If you like the luxery of European travel, don't bother going. Asia is an acquired taste I believe. There are some GREAT places to visit and each have varying levels of associated cost. It's hard to summarize travelling there, but here goes:

1. For the sea, try Boracay; the most "touristie" location with beautiful white beaches. It's also the most expensive. Try Puerto Galaria or La Union. Each has it's own expat community as well as local flavor. I personally prefer La Union in Northwest Luzon. More laid back and less expensive.
2. For the mountains, go to Baguio. A beautiful mountain town although the pollution is getting worse. Good views and a good jumping off point into northern Luzon.
3. For something unique, go to Taal Volcano. The boat ride across Taal Lake and the pony ride up the volcano is an adventure.
4. Corrigador and Fort Santiago gives you a taste of the American experience although both have history that predates the US arrival. Subic and Olongapo are also a couple good places to spend alittle time exploring.
5. Manila is just like any other large city. I only spend time there arriving or departing. Too much traffic for me, but some prefer it. To each his own.

Everywhere you go, you'll meet some wonderful geniune people as well as a number who see you as a walking dollar sign so be ready. I'm not saying that to be ugly, but there's alot of poor folks and after all, "you're a rich westerner". I love the people and enjoy meeting and chatting with them. Plenty of beautiful young ladies who are seemingly shy but curious about you and where you're from.

If I had to give you any advice, it would be:
- See as much as you can and find your own favorite places; don't sit on your butt in one place for the whole trip although you'll be inclined to do so.
- Make sure you have a safe way to travel such as a reputable driver; avoid the buses.
- Carry with you everything you think you need to be comfortable (for instance, most places you stop at don't have paper in the Comfort Room = Toilet)
- Learn as much as you can about where you are going ahead of time. It makes the journey alittle more enjoyable if you know where your headed.
- Learn to bargain. You'll have plenty of opportunities to buy gifts, souveniors etc....everyone expects you to pay the "foreigner tax" = there is a price for you and a different price for filipino. Again, you're a rich westerner so u can afford it.

Lastly, keep an open mind and ENJOY yourself. It's an adventure.

Matt

Yes, It's the nicest country in the world.

Its' cities rival that of Singapore.
Its' urbanity rival that of Japan.
Its' nightlife rival that of the United States.
Its' beaches rival that of Thailand.
Its' caves rival that of Tibet.
Its' countryside serenity rival that of Siberia.
Its' sand dunes and mummies rival that of Egypt.
Its' serene lakes rival that of Siberia.
Its' ecotourism adventures rival that of New Zealand or Costa Rica.
Its' diving spots rival that of the Pacific Islands.
The beauty of its people rival that of Venezuela or Latin American countries.
Its' religiosity and Catholic splendor rivals that of Italy.
Its' mountains rival that of Switzerland and Canada.
Its' culture is a mixture of the West and the East.
It has English as one of its' official languaes - and nearly all can speak English, from the mixed Filipino-American businessman elite to the lowly fisherman.
Plus, the beauty and diversity of its' 7,107 kaleidoscopic islands really makes you wanna go back. It's nightlife is the most vibrant in Asia, the shopping is excellent - there are even more European and American brands here than in Singapore or Hongkong. Cellular phones, IPods, and MP3 players for less than a fraction of the price you get inother countries.
And, it's more safe in the Philippines than in New York City.

Now, there's no reason why NOT to go!

andrew007

Well davao is nice and its the biggest city in the philippines... theres an island there called the Island Garden City of Samal... you can go there by fery or small boat from the port located at the city itself. there are nice hotels there also... perhaps, anyone like to rent a cheap beach front property in Samal Island, i know a local there whos looking for foreigners to rent his beach front property there. The price was really cheap, the place is overlooking the sea, with a cliff on the side. I think its suitable for hotel, a restaurant, bars and cafes.. ill try to post some pics soon in my site...Email me andrew_ce007@yahoo.com, I dont want to mention names here for formalities.
You can check out some places in the Philippines...
http://philippine-destinations.blogspot.com/
http://camiguin-vacation.blogspot.com/
http://bora-mainpage.blogspot.com/

54321

I've been to the Philippines. I stayed in Manila and some other places. The are nice and the food is great. The people are nice and some could speak english. They have nice hotels.

Fergus

If you go be sure to try the local delicacy called balut. One taste and you will never forget it.

k@tsY

--cheap food, clothing, rentals
--heavy traffic in the city
--no tips required in restaurants/fast food chains
--most people commute by bus or jeepney

laine

<www.wowphilippines.com>

Dean B

Been there many, many times. You better like jungle if you're thinking of going. Great food, good people, lots of fun. Can be dangerous for a dumb tourist. Better take your wits with you.

courtney_kay313

i love the philippines! the people are amazing there. I cannot wait to go back!
i love balut!

suzu_ashihara

philippines has many nice beaches and good food.
wen u get there u should definetly try the halo-halo, yema or leche flan. It's kindah like thailand.. so if u liked thailand sure u will like philippines. bt be wary though.. be careful.. many robbers.. hahah! bt sure many tourist spots are protected by the government of the philippines to help tourist feel safe.. hope u enjoy ur trip..

Dennis

Philippines is way way better than Thailand. Bangkok is a concrete jungle. I hate Bangkok due to overdevelopment. Makati City has more life (real people) than Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. Metro Manila is a big party place. It's more like a latin american country.

Davao City is one of the safest palce in the Philippines.

Marie N

I've been there a couple of times. Manilia is crazy because it's so big and there's few drive limit signs, traffic lights, and stop signs. The rural islands are quiet and everyone was so nice. The tourist spots are cool.

The food is good. There are fast food places over there where they serve mayo for the french fries. And the local food is good too. You have to travel to the other islands either by the plane or by boat. The boats are a little scary but you get used to them.

Also, there are flying giant cockroaches which are like an inch long. And you have to bring lots of toilet paper.

It's a very unique experience which you must try.

mom

Philippines is composed of 7,100 islands. People are hospitable and speaks/understands English. Davao is a beautiful, clean and peaceful city. You get to taste lots of fruits and if you like Durian ...wow !!! its aphrodisiac..they say, it smells like hell but taste like heaven.

jong jong

Come over here and find out. Im a filipino and the one I can say to you is bring your swim attire bec. I've got to admit that I'm impress with our beautiful beaches.

dplast55

Haven't been to Daveo but last December I was in the Philippines, landed in Ageles City, travelled to Manila by bus and took the Super Ferry to Cebu City. Than reversing directions and on ward.

The Philippines is filled with nice people, friendly to a fault, good food, great tasting San Miguel beer and cheap rum.

From what I understand Daveo is safe but as in most places, the US included, you should keep you eyes open for possible bad situations, trying not to make your self a target. Have Fun!
Doug @ http://vietnam-now.com

cbmaclean

It is paradise on earth for men, some women might not like it.....the bars and night=life are absolutely unreal there, and the women couldn't be prettier or more sexy. The food is the worst in all of Asia, but its cheap. Travelling in other parts of Asia may be more interesting, but the Philippines is very comfortable to be in, because English is so widely spoken and the people are very hospitable. Beer, cigarettes are cheap, low priced hotels are not very well taken care of...but over all, i loved it there...been there 3 times...

Dont be so scared of all the warnings.....just stay away from Zimbuanga on Mindanao. I have been to Mindanao 3 times and encountered no problems...felt as safe or safer in the Philippines as I do in Vancouver.

Brock
Vancouver, Canada.

Sam X9

The Philippines has so manny attracting places to visit. Whether in Luzon, Visayas or Mindanao. Like everywhere else in this crazy world, there are bad elements in the area and to tell you frankly, most of them are from muslim mindanao. They smuggled everything worth of money, from drugs, counterfiet money to high powered firearms and ammunition. Kidnapping are of a big business in Mindanao (where Davao is located). If you want, come to the Philippines and enjoy your stay, but be carefull. Avoid getting isolated, especially in Mindanao where Abbu Sayyaf domninates. I will be availabe in Manila, in case you need help.

The Gangster

been there, its pretty nice...if you have money

stefjeff

I went to the Philippines last weekend, it was great.

juju

Its nice. Thailand on the other hand is a shythole.

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