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The Philippines

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  • 02-06-2014 11:02am
    #1
    Irishguy16
    Registered Users Posts: 76 ✭✭


    Hey guys,
    I'm going to the Philippines in a few weeks and I was looking for some info/advice. Sadly,it's only going to be a weekend trip, so I will be only going to Manila. Anyone ever been? I will have two full days, Saturday and Sunday. Is it safe? I have heard mixed reviews. What should I do and what are the most popular sights?
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    #2
    cerastes
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,601 ✭✭✭cerastes


    Irishguy16 wrote: »
    Hey guys,
    I'm going to the Philippines in a few weeks and I was looking for some info/advice. Sadly,it's only going to be a weekend trip, so I will be only going to Manila. Anyone ever been? I will have two full days, Saturday and Sunday. Is it safe? I have heard mixed reviews. What should I do and what are the most popular sights?

    Thats a long way for 2 days?


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    #3
    Irishguy16
    Registered Users Posts: 76 ✭✭Irishguy16


    cerastes wrote: »
    Thats a long way for 2 days?

    traveling to other countries aswell.....


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    #4
    cerastes
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,601 ✭✭✭cerastes


    look up travel websites for maybe top things to visit,
    or local travel sites, with that little time, could be better to get some kind of guided tour, like a bus tour or maybe there are tourist jeepney tours?


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    #5
    SoulTrader
    Registered Users Posts: 850 ✭✭✭SoulTrader


    If it's just Manila you're going to, Makati is pretty safe. Metro Manila is made up of 17 cities. Makati is the most westernised part, and the main business district. It's pretty safe, but like anywhere, take the usual precautions.

    Most of the times I've been there, I've just been around Makati and the Greenbelt shopping malls.

    Intramuros might be interesting if you're into that sort of thing. It's an old walled city with a lot of old buildings.

    Tagaytay is relatively close so you might consider that if you want to see an active volcano and some nice scenery. But, to be honest, with only 2 days there, you'll probably find enough to do mooching about Makati. And even though it's quite close, traffic in Manila can be quite mental and that might still take a few hours.


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    #6
    Stinicker
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 7,102 ✭✭✭Stinicker


    Manila is safe but how safe it is depends on you, the Philippines in general is behind the likes of Thailand, Malaysia or Singapore in terms of personal safety. This is all down to economics and the Philippines is a 3rd world country with 100million people living in fairly sub-standard conditions compared to the rest of South East Asia.

    I have been to the Philippines myself last year and will return there again this winter. A visit to Manila is doing no justice to the amazing and varied country which is the Philippines. I myself intend to spend no time in the capital at all during my next visit. Metro Manila has 12 million people and is overcrowded, polluted and dirty. Don't even dream of venturing into Tondo which is the biggest worst slum in the Metro Manila area.

    Makati is the place to stay as it is modern, clean, safer and totally different from the rest of the greater Manila metro area. The Philippines has some humongous inequality and around 1% of the people have 99.9% of the nations wealth. The Philippines is also very "Un-Asian" in that they speak English throughout as their second language and most people are Catholic or Evangelical Christian. It is totally and completely westernized and most of the food I consider to consist of fried sugar. Their native foods may appeal but I tend to avoid local cuisine as a way of avoiding the Delhi belly.

    They have some of the biggest shopping malls on earth over there which are worth getting lost in for a few hours but you won't find many bargains compared with Bangkok. Accommodation in the Philippines is also more expensive than its SE Asian peers because it simply just doesn't get the throngs of tourists and backpackers like other countries. For me this is very much part of the attraction and the Philippines to me reminds me of what life in Ireland was probably like around 70 -100 years ago. Makati is westernised and fine so is the place to stay. Ninoy Aquino Airport is a total dump and has been voted the worlds worst airport for 5 years running. So give yourself plenty time to get there and time to pay the departure taxes etc.


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