I am going to visit Philippines on March and I haven't been home in 12 years?

Question

All my cousins and family are back home, I want to know what to expect, how much has changed and what you recommend for me to do, fun stuff?, where should I shop, eat and party, what to watch out for, would I be bored since I am there for a month, also should I go/fly to a resort?..

If possible can you advice me how much would I be spending and how much $$$ to bring?. Any advice will help. Thank you for taking the time =)

Answer 1

You didn't mention where exactly in the Philippines you're headed. I can only assume in Metro manila. Expect a lot of traffic congestion, noise, and wall-to-wall people. The obvious shopping destinations are SM & Robinsons. But also try Market-Market, Greenhills, and if you dare, Quiapo. Don't wear any flashy jewelries, and if you have a high-end cell, don't flash it around. Try visiting Tagaytay, Baguio, and Boracay Beach in Cebu. As far as partying, your cousins should be able to point you in the right direction, depending on what type of crowd/music you prefer. As far as food, there's plenty of them esp. in shopping malls. They have "Gerry's Grill", "Barrio Fiesta", "Kamayan", etc Lots of places to eat, depending on your taste/appetite/budget. Ask your cousins/family in advance what they want for "pasalubongs" - they usually love chocolates, perfume, etc. You can also buy them at Duty-free shops to save you weight on your luggage, as the airline companies have reduced the weight limitations lately. Bring some Lomotil/Immodium (just in case).  If you'll be there for 1 month, bring at least $1,000-$1,500 w/ you. And have your credit card ready, just in case. You might want to consider buying a triband (unclocked) cell phone, avail frm. Ebay. They use GSM in the Philippines, and Pinoys do a lot of texting. (free for incoming, PHP 1.00 for outgoing). You can then buy a SIM card there & get an e-load. March is also the start of summer, so get ready for hot & humid weather.  Since you haven't been home in 12 years, bring your digital camera and take as many photos as you can get.

Note: Carry some handi-wipes with you also. And toilet paper - not all bathrooms have them.. And be prepared to be greeted with "sir" or "ma'm" everywhere you go, even though you might be younger than the greeter.

Hope this helps!!

Answer 2

Welcome home, you won't be used to the Philippines traffic jams, foods, the politics, the over crowed ferries,and sometimes shooting and bombs.

Answer 3

Take me with you and I'll show you a good time!

Answer 4

Very much has changed.

1. You now have three LRT Systems. 12 years ago, you only have one.

2. There's The Fort, Bonifacio High Street, Greenbelt, Rockwell, Eastwood, and Tiendesitas, 12 years ago, these are all glasslands.

3. There is less traffic compared to 12 years ago.

4. There are a lot of Western guys dating Filipina women. 12 years ago, it was more like East Asian guys.

5. There are a lot of Amerasian children. 12 years ago, it was more like just Mestizo (Spanish+Filipino).

6. A lot of Koreans here. 12 years ago, it was the Japanese who were here.

7. We now have five expressways around Manila connecting it with the distant provinces of Luzon. 12 years ago, it was just two.

8. Manila is completely built up now. 12 years ago, there were still bushes all around, particularly in Greenhills, now these are all completely gone.

9. You now have the vast reclamation areas including the Mall of Asia, Neo Chinatown, and Asiana City. 12 years ago, all of these were under water.

10. Manila now has a modern planetarium and an ocean park. 12 years ago, it was just an aging planetarium which is barely functioning.

11. You now have the modern Ninoy Aquino International Airport 3. 12 years (and just one week) ago, it was just the old (Terminal 1) and the less older (Terminal 2) airports.

12. Boracay is now commercialized. 12 years ago, it was threatened by algae.

13. Baguio now has an overpass. 12 years ago, it was on the drawing board.

14. Lots of new and large malls. 12 years ago, there was only MegaMall, SM North Edsa, and Glorietta - and we already considered them as "big" - well, they are big compared to those in other nations, even in North America.

15. Political (and economic turmoil). 12 years ago, there was none under President Ramos.

Answer 5

you're skipping the excitement....its better to know nothing at all and unprepared of whatever may come out during your stay...

just go with the flow and be surprised... it's fun!

enjoy!

and oh,..you dont want to be surprised like "Opps, i ran out of cash! i'll just wash the dishes" don't you?...all is costly now in the philippines...

Answer 6

I am so excited for you! You will never get bored in the Philippines.

Go to malls! We have so many good malls here (ex. Trinoma, Gateway Mall etc.)

If you are looking for other things to do, check this site out: http://www.clickthecity.com. It is the most useful Filipino site in the web.

Check out the events section:

http://www.clickthecity.com/event/eventc... You can go to art galleries, exhibits, theaters (we have very very good plays here), clubs. etc. etc!

As for money, all I can say is bring a lot! ($1500

~$2000)

Answer 7

....been there two years ago....it will be fun.....just enjoy and have fun.......be yourself!!!!

Answer 8

EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED!

Answer 9

First, GO HOME.  There is nothing like revisiting your roots - no matter whether they're in a small town in Missouri, a big city like Los Angeles, or an island in the Philppines, family gives real meaning to why you'll be there.  Then, indulge in the fact that the Philippines has some of the uncovered beaches that rival those featured in the Travel Channel.  Boracay and Palawan immediately come to mind.  For the nightlife, every city (like like everywhere in the world) has it's own character.  Manila boasts a good dance scene, and the smaller cities (Iloilo, Bacolod, Butuan City, Ilocos Norte, Davao) have clubs and bars (mind the cultural difference when using these terms) all sporting their own character.  Shopping in the Visayas is answered by SM (from old school days, stands for ShoeMart), in whose malls you can get everything available here.  Just ask anyone where you're staying if there's one nearby.  Being there for a month would definitely get on the long side, but consider yourself lucky, and enjoy every day.  You'll grow to be happy you spent that amount of time there.  As for going to a resort, keep in mind that you can fly from the northern most part of the islands to the southern tip in approximately 2 hours, so flying to a resort if you have the money can't be a bad idea.  Most of the resort areas have nearby airports.  Money is a relative thing.  Some people need a lot to go to the Philippines, I run on a shoestring budget and still manage to show several friends a great time solely out of my wallet.  THe dollar (despite its weakness) still goes much farther in the Philippines, and in Iloilo, I spent about 45 PhP on a beer in a bar that was a generic "TGIFriday's" type place, equating to about 1 dollar for a beer.  A good meal could run you about 8-10 dollars total without alcohol, and a haircut runs about 2 dollars for men, and around 10 for women.   For sourvenirs, unless you plan on buying gold or precious stones, the local crafts are all very affordable (approximately $2.50 for a t-shirt that says Philippines, $1-$5 for the local bamboo made bric-a-brac).  If you're bringing your significant other, and your significant other happens to be not Filipino and you are, expect a lot of positive (flattering) gawking and smiles from the natives.

Answer 10

hmmm, well i haven't been there for 4 years but when my family and i went, we visited the villa escuedero which was very nice. its a resort that really gets you into the mood of the culture: the houses you stay in are made out of wood, the houses overlook a lake, and there is also a nearby miniwaterfall where you eat breakfast. they even have a little pavilion where my uncle and aunt got married. I cant quite remember what city it was in but i really enjoyed my stay there. also, if you happen to be in manila, be sure to stay at the Dusit hotel. The hotel in all is very nice and brings out the more modern side of the country. Other than that, i hope you enjoy your stay there.

-Pinoy

Answer 11

i havent been there for 18 years

and now im 19

i practically grew up here in the us.

i wanna go back home and visit

have fun!

Answer 12

I would argue that not much has changed.

Answer 13

Your lucky that your going back to visit. I've never been there since I was born in the US. I hear that it's expensive there now and you need to bring a lot of money. Also the only real place to have fun is in Manila. My advice though when you get there is be humble. Don't try to be a show just because you've been in the US for 12yrs. Filipinos whom immigrated from the Philippines and go back to visit always make that mistake.

Answer 14

Philippines has more infrastructure now. I hope you get to use the new airport. Visit Mall of Asia, the third biggest mall in the world. We now have our own manila ocean park and the north luzon and south luzon expressways are better.

Of course there are a lot more squatters now. And you still need to be careful because thieves are everywhere in the world.

Go to greenhills for cheap buys and go to boracay and El Nido for the best beach.

As for money, it depends on what you want to do or buy. But for one month, I'd say around 4000USD is enough.

Have a great time in the Philippines.

Answer 15

i grew up in manila.  i'm telling you , you would have soo much fun!

if you want to shop and you have a big budget, i suggest you go to greenbelt.  the mall has so much to offer.  you will also enjoy going to Bonifacio high street for shopping and a nightout.

if you want to get cultural, i suggest you visit Luneta and learn about the history of our National Hero, Jose Rizal. you can also ride a kalesa for PHP50 or $1.50 and drink a huge coconut while learning.  after which, you can have dinner in SM Mall of Asia.  If I'm not mistaken, it is the 3rd largest mall in Asia.  That alone will keep you busy.  

My then fiance, now my husband, loved the Philippines. . he cannot wait to go back.

If you are going out of town, I suggest Palawan, Boracay, and Bohol.  That is, if you love the beach.  Bring sunscreen.  The sun is scorching!

If you are just staying in Manila, $1500 would be enough for everything!!!!  but if you are flying to a resort, bring an additional $500.

have fun!

Answer 16

try check out the website: www.travelinternational.net ,their agents are Philippines specialist , they can plan trip for you according your budget.  I am going back to manila again next week. so many fun things to do there. just love it.