AboutBill and Lorna Collings Expertise Feel FREE to ask us about traveling, living, relocating, retiring and investing in the Philippines. Guests from 83 countries make our place in Manila an incredible meeting place for world travelers who exchange travel stories and information. We understand both the joys and the hardships of living and traveling in the Philippines.
Experience I arrived in the Philippines in January 1980 to travel for 2 months; I stayed 4 months before reluctantly leaving. I met my Filipina wife, Lorna. an incredible stellar, "one in a million" individual in 1983 in Seoul and we moved to the Philippines in 1986 and opened our 3BR house to world travelers on a budget. After welcoming thousands of guests from 83 nations our place has grown to 30 bedrooms but will never lose its "Home away from Home" atmosphere. Almost everyday at The Townhouse Hotel there's a party-like social scene with vibrant, almost magical energetic conversations between our guests who have the pleasure to meet each other and share their life's many experiences. Sometimes. three groups with conversations in different langauges are going on at the same time.
So we've been exposed to every kind of person from all over the world and shared their experiences.
Publications Suite101.com, eDreams.com, expertcentral.com ( who asked me to apply with allexperts.com since About.com has bought both companies and are in the process of integrating them)
Education/Credentials some college 2-1/2 years - no degree - I've been traveling since I was 18, almost 30 years.
Awards and Honors Luckily, my wife and I have been semi-retired since we were 30 years old, more than 15 years.
I will now thank you in advance for all and any information you can pass onto regarding my Philippines Holiday.
I am looking to go somewhere different from the normal holidays in May this year. So a friend of mine suggested the Philippines. I am 38 years old and will be travelling alone, I love to party and I love the beach and shopping.
So to start with, if I am travelling from London, England are there any websites that you could recommend for finding cheap flights to Manila or are they all about the same.
1. Once in Manila, I was told the place to party is Balibago, would you agree and if not where would you suggest?
2. I have already stated I love the beach but I don’t think there is one near Balibago so while I am there where would you suggest?
3. Places to shop for jewellery, souvenirs?
4. General things to do, and do’s and don’ts
And any information you think would help me to have a great holiday.
Many Many Thanks for all your help.
Answer Mark,
1 ) Balibago aka ANGELES CITY / DAU's FIELD'S AVE "GIRLIE" BAR Red Light District is located 2 hours north of Manila but it's INLAND withOUT a beach anywhere near and is quite dry and dusty, a place where you'll always be thirsty fro another cold San Miguel beer and constantly aroused by the 4000+ bikini clad dancers working in the 80 to 100 bars. It has a large foreign Expat resident population but most guys are 45 to 65 years old.
2 ) BORACAY ISLAND's famous White Sand beach is the BEST, MOST popular beach and all around holiday destination; check out my website EXPLORE PHILIPPINES to take a look see at: http://asiabill.pages.web.com/id1.html and to check out about another dozen popular tourist destinations, beaches, surfing volcano trekking etc. The Philippines is so friendly, at your age especially you may find it quite easy to meet a nice companion by browsing Manila many Shopping Malls, Mall of Asia near our guest house style Townhouse Hotel / Hostel near the Manila airports, Makati's ( financial disrict ) Green Belt or Landmark Malls, MEGAMALL in San Juan / Ortigas Metro-Manila.
3 ) Souvenirs and gifts and jewelry can be found in all of them but check out SM Dept Store's Handicraft / Filipiniana section on the ground floor for a great variety from all over the islands. Also Boracay has attracted dozens of fantastic artists and very creative small business owners so you'll be able to shop for interesting purchases there
4. Here's my "BILL'S TRAVEL TIPS for the PHILIPPINES!!
1.)Always carry small change in Pesos, Coins & 20, 50 &100
notes. That saves you the annoyance from the very common reply, "sorry
no change".
2.) Ask someone about taxi or jeepney, tricycle fares before you get
in. Pay & walk away. NEVER ask "How much?" because the price goes
up the more you talk. A moving taxi is too busy working so it tends to
be a better, more honest
taxi versus parked taxis waiting for victims. Tip the taxi driver P10
to P20 reward him for not hassling you. Good Karma ALWAYS REWARDS you.
3. ) Never change money on the street nor inside a restaurant. You
will ALWAYS lose and usually almost half your money. These money
change scam artists are very good and show that the hand is always
quicker than the eye.
4. ) Never gamble with Filipinos not pool, cards, chess or any game
for money & not even for drinks. It's safer not to gamble. It's one
example in life where when you win you lose & when you lose you
lose.
5. ) Never raise your voice at a Filipino away from your own
neighborhood. Never call a Filipino "STUPID". They are very sensitive
about it. If you do get angry & make the mistake. Please leave the
place as soon as possible .Go Away Fast because you are in more
DANGER than you realize. Filipinos do not like to fight & "fair
fights" are not the custom, "fight to kill" is.
6. ) Forget about the 2 words "WHY" & "SHOULD" or you get constant
headache trying to understand why things happen like they do in places
outside your own country, especially the Philippines. Acceptance is
the preferable attitude. There are too many things for you to
question, so it's better for you not to start. So just relax/ enjoy
the positive aspects of living in the Philippines with a sense of humor.
7. ) Expect everything to be late and slow. Life stops at LUNCH.
Schedules change & the weather is unpredictable. Telephones,
electricity, and water - sometimes they work, sometimes they don't.
8.) Never accept drinks, candy, or fruit from strangers, especially
young women, in Manila. In the past few years a few of our guests have
been drugged using the above methods after being met in Rizal Park,
shopping malls, the open markets & even on the bus. We have never
heard about this happening in other parts of the Philippines.
9.) Always wear a cloth type money belt which is worn around your
waist under your clothes instead of those leather or vinyl pouch waist
bags with several zippered pockets because psychologically they appear
as you are advertising your valuables. It may seem a bit awkward to
reach under your pants to get your money or travelers checks at a bank
but it's MUCH SAFER. Even when you drink too much your money is much
safer closer to your - - - -.
