The Philippines - first step.
 

Whilst there are some of us who will travel by air, land, and sea to further our lives and find enjoyment, there are others who read of the Philippines and dream of visiting the place……..teetering on the brink I will call it.
Without any connections or recommended places to go to in the Philippines save a guide book packed with information, these “teeter-brinka’s”, can only wish and say to themselves “one day!!”
Arriving at Manila airport can be horrific for the traveler who is unused to the hustle and bustles of busy airports and then onto the streets with jeepneys and tricycles etc. :unsure:

My suggestion: Book a room in the “Swaggman” hotel in Manila, they have airport pick-ups and have their own website. Spend a couple of days in the city, maybe purchase some lightweight clothes and of course the standard polo cap. ....Robinsons dept store is close by.
Travel by the Swaggman shuttle to their hotel in Pampanga close to Clark air terminal for hops to other parts of the Philippines.
The Swaggman Hotels are an Australian company and the people I have met are the friendliest and warmest of travelers. My earliest memory is arriving by bus to a Pampanga Hotel and walking to the poolside bar where a bulky Aussie shouted to the barman “Get this Pom a beer!” The guys in the bar will give you the places to visit and places to beware of.
On subsequent visits (because there will be) you will be able to choose places to stay and be hopping on all sorts of transport. Island hopping on the many Ferries are a pleasant way to move around and save on a nights accommodation in the city. Arrive by ferry and leave somewhere else by air …what ever.

But first off move on from a teeter-brinka! :cool:

Re: The Philippines - first step.
 

A visit to Angeles City can often give a poor first impression of The Philippines.
There is a lot more to the country than that.
Try Visayas and Mindanao for the real deal.

Re: The Philippines - first step.
 

I second this observation. I think a visit to Cebu is a much gentler introduction to the Philippines and provides access to many other much more pleasant and typical places in the country. Manila can be totally overwhelming for a new arrival. Anyone heading for Angeles City should do a google search before they head up there just to make sure it's the kind of place they're really interested in.

Re: The Philippines - first step.
 

Anybody thinking of following that hotel recommendation should read Tripadvisor, too :lol:

Re: The Philippines - first step.
 

We cannot expect the average chap who has never experienced much in the way of travel to fly half way round the world and spend time sightseeing, sure there are other hotels and nice vistas to gaze at, but what then? Change for dinner, go for a stroll amongst happy couples and make idle conversation with the barman of some sterile Hotel bar. Mustn’t get too tipsy because of the security aspect. …….yuky!
I’ve been there and no doubt others have too.
It takes some guts to walk into places on your own and enjoy your self, that is if some one actually speaks to you.:o
In the UK a middle-aged guy glasses maybe, stout figure and balding doesn’t get a glance but here in the Philippines he is treated like a VIP (well almost) This can be somewhat intimidating wandering around as a tourist for the newcomer where everyone stares specially the ladies some of whom have a smile and twinkle in their eye.:rolleyes:
My suggestion is for the visitor to meet other English speaking guys and be welcomed into the Philippines. Pampanga has many foreigners living there, some have bars and entertainment places that are safe to venture into, they are lively and friendly places that knock spots off the ‘Red Lion” 24/7. Admittedly there are dangers but common sense prevails at all times. I’ve traveled with Aussies in many places round the globe and always found them warm and friendly….no exceptions.

Re: The Philippines - first step.
 

I recently visited the philippines for the 1st time and although i am an experienced traveller also found Manilla very busy and a bit confusing however still manageable. Travelling back from Davao however was a different matter! Trying to get from the Cebu Pacific terminal to terminal 1 is very frustrating indeed as there is no shuttle bus despite what anyone might tell you.There is a bus service which is supposed to run every 15 minutes although we found out its lucky to turn up twice a day if at all! The rule here is that if your changing between these 2 terminals allow at least 3 hours between flights an dhead straight for the very long taxi queue otherwise you'll never nmake it.
Other than that i absolutely loved the place, Davao and Samal Island were fantastic and i will head to Bohol island next to further my 'Peens' experience. :thumbsup:

Re: The Philippines - first step.
 

Thank you, Ian and glad you had a nice time with your Filipina partner, so much better as a couple than on your own.
We met a foreigner on a ferryboat who had a young Filipino girlfriend with him and told us his story of their Christmas visit to her home.
Each one of her family came to him with a hand out and of course he learned that it was a traditional thing to give out money gifts :huh:
It was too embarrassing to say no, but enough was enough and they had to leave before all his holiday money was wiped out. :frown:
He had met the girl in a Manila Bar. An expensive home trip for him but I'm sure the girl's family were happy:)

Re: The Philippines - first step.
 

sunnydays,

Yeah understand all too well how it works. Ive been in SE Asia for 12 years and with my partner now for almost 4 years and we discussed this completely before we started out.Its unfortunate that some folks are better off than others but i have a family from my first marriage who if i have spare cash are only too happy to relieve me of it!
We cant help eveyone and im fortunate that my partner understands this and has made it clear to all around her at home.
Loved the Philippines though and i am definately thinking about building a house there although it wont be close to my partners family home.

Take care

Re: The Philippines - first step.
 

Some guys get off very lightly and I'm one of them, give my aging in-laws an allowance and tell them that is what I can afford. A friend down the road has the monthly phone calls asking for money for rice crops, medical or school fees, etc etc, I feel sorry for him.
This aspect is worth stressing for foreigners looking for wives in the Philippines and is an important issue when selecting your partner. The younger you choose, the more it costs you :sneaky:
We retire here with a good pension and lump sum from a house sale and it can all be spent on family relatives IF WE ARE NOT CAREFUL.
We sold a house to a French guy and the his Filipino girlfriend with 2 lovely children who were escaping for the family in Pampanga. He had helped the Mum in law with new kitchen but she wanted new stainless steel guttering, he bought the brother a new Tricycle to help his family business but he wanted it in his name (maybe so that he sell it?). He was shouting abuse from outside the house and the Filipino girlfriend became concerned with violence towards her boyfriend.:eek:

Re: The Philippines - first step.
 

...A short story..

We had an Engineer working with our company called Fred, lovely, friendly bloke and always fun to be with. Unfortunately he was going through a divorce and his only daughter who lived with him was spending Christmas with her mum.
Fred was a middle-aged man with dumpy figure, bottle top glasses and receding hairline.
He had not spent many holidays abroad and although a fun guy with the chaps was actually shy with ladies. He was a “sensible dresser” and quite reserved with his choice of clothes.
A lonely Christmas was approaching. But surprisingly off he went to Cebu in the Philippines, we were all amazed! He had booked into a beautiful looking resort hotel with white sand and bamboo accommodation … looked amazing.
On his return we leant of his experiences.
The resort was truly as the advert said and great but the only other residents were 2 Korean lady skin divers and after a couple of nights he realized he had made a mistake. Visited a few bars downtown but nothing felt nice. Decided to visit Manila and stayed in the “Palm Court guesthouse” where the owner had links with a Hotel owner in Angeles City and told him to go there and have some fun.;)
This he did, arrangements were made and was met off the Philippine Rabbit bus in Angeles. Fred made friends with a chap in the bar from New Zealand Air who showed him the fun spots. He said that the place was amazing and he had a great time. The bar girls were so much fun and he couldn’t get enough of the place. The first time he brought a lady back to the hotel he thought he would have to use the back door but then learnt that it was common practice in Angeles to have female guests overnight.
Years ago the Americans populated the area after returning from the war zone and treated the bars as their R&R, all the hotels were geared up for this activity.:D
Needless to say Fred made many trips back to Angeles and during the days would sightsee in Manila. He said the most embarrassing aspect was buying condoms :o and from then on would receive them by mail order in the UK prior to his trips.:thumbsup: