Going to Philippines!!

[BK911]

Heading to the Pacific for work. Decided to take a week excursion to the Philippines. Anybody been? What to do? Where to go?

[Rick Lee]

Are you single?

[Rikao4]

all the visitors claim to be..

Rika

[AFC-911]

I was born there & lived there until '93. I really don't have much current info, but if you can go to Palawan, you should. I hear it's just gorgeous.

Baguio is pretty nice also. My brother & my mom got a really sweet deal on a villa up in the mountains that was really cheap when they were there in 2006.

Manila, I was never too fond of. It's your typical big city with horrendous traffic. I hear it's worse now than it was back then.

[BK911]

Yes I am single. But I want to see the islands too.

[Seahawk]

I've been to the Philippines many times (but not since 1990). I second going up into the mountains. Baguio is nice.

Where are you going...

Originally Posted by AFC-911

Baguio is pretty nice also. My brother & my mom got a really sweet deal on a villa up in the mountains that was really cheap when they were there in 2006.

Manila, I was never too fond of. It's your typical big city with horrendous traffic. I hear it's worse now than it was back then.

[cashflyer]

I have not been since 2000 when I went to Cebu.
I booked a day in a small plane (maule) and went sight-seeing from the sky.... beautiful.
Another day was spent in the mountains... beautiful.
Many nights were spent in bars... interesting.

My dream to retire there is the only reason I have not already been involved in some sort of urban killing spree.

[BK911]

I am not sure exactly where I am going yet. I am in Guam for work. I booked a flight to Manila for a week, but I dont want to stay there. I have friend in Cebu and one near manila I have to visit.

The mountains sound pretty cool. The bars sound pretty cool too.

[AFC-911]

Cebu is a good place to start island hopping. Also you'll have lots to see there, especially if you have a friend willing to show you around.

BTW, I don't dive, but I hear there's plenty of diving spots near that area.

[masraum]

There's a reason that "Subic Bay" is known as "Pubic Bay".

But, I'm jealous, I'd love to go. (no not for the sex).

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by BK911

The mountains sound pretty cool. The bars sound pretty cool too.

This is going to sound odd, but after the first few times through Olongapo and Subic, one of the things I looked forward to was the live music in some of the bars.

At least in the '80s, there were "theme" bars where different styles of music (country, Rock, etc.) was played live by local Philippians. Incredible cover musicians...close your eyes and I swear to you they sounded like the genuine article.

In my defense, I was drinking San Miguel beer, a local concoction that didn't help me hang on

[Dottore]

Originally Posted by AFC-911

Cebu is a good place to start island hopping. Also you'll have lots to see there, especially if you have a friend willing to show you around.

+1. Cebu is a great place to start. Lots of flights there, and you do not want to travel overland. The neighbouring island of Bohol is interesting—but you could spend a month just exploring Cebu.

I also agree with what people have said about Baguio. The heat is relentless in the PI, and sooner or later you need to get away from it. One option is just to hang out in air-conditioned bars. The other option is Baguio. It's up in the hills and 10 to 20 degrees cooler than the rest of the country. Also has some nice Spanish Colonial elements that make the city more attractive than most in the PI.

On the coast, just to the west of Baguio as the crow flies, is a lovely little sea-side town the name of which escapes me. If you wanted to do the PI without too much running around you could just base yourself there and shuttle between there and Baguio and have a terrific time.

Stay away from the deep south. Lots of craziness still going on.

[sammyg2]

Don't go. The place is full of foreigners.