I can't say that I've become an expert or anything when it comes to WHAT TO DO here in the Philippines, but what I can tell you is the TOP 5 things that everyone should get once they arrive in the Philippines.
Yes, there are other things that you may need, but I feel from my experience that the things that I will share with you below are the absolute MUST HAVES! Feel free to comment below if you would like to add to this list =)
1. SIM Card or Pocket Wifi - Now if you really want to go totally OFF THE GRID, then you probably don't need this. But for most of us, as humans, it's about staying connected whether it be for family and friends, or for safety purposes. To make your life easier when you arrive, grab a sim card (Globe or Smart....I prefer the Smart SIM) from the airport. If you have a phone that does not accept international SIM, then grab a pocket wifi and you can still use your current phone. The airport may not carry pocket wifi's, but you can grab a taxi (#2 on my list) and get one (1200-1500 php or $20-$24 USD for a pocket wifi and you own it) at any SM Mall location, they're pretty much everywhere. Please note that people will try to rent one for you for the same cost it is to purchase one, and they will rent it for only 7 days. Just buy one, and then sell it or give it away before you leave. Once you get to an SM Mall location, ask anyone how to get to "Cyberzone", that's like the section where all the electronics and phones are, and once you're there, simply go to the Globe or Smart store and ask them for a pocket wifi. Again, you will have to buy the device first, and then purchase LOAD to activate it. The LOAD for wifi cost is about 1000 php, or $20 USD, that will be good for literally a month. Keep in mind, the pocket wifi is only good for browsing the web, not too good for watching videos on youtube.
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2. Grab Taxi App - Some people will not like this idea because they would rather take public transportation because they like to live like the locals, and that's all fine and dandy, but if you were to ask any local, they would probably tell you that they would much prefer a grab taxi over a jeepney or motor tricycle any day (if they could afford it). Trust me, it's fun taking public transport around the city sometimes, but there are times where you just don't have all day to wait for the jeepney drivers to drop off a million people before you get to your final destination. Public transport is super cheap, but if you are from the USA, Europe, Singapore etc. the Grab Taxi rates will be super cheap, I mean not as cheap as public transport, but cheap for 1st world standards. I once took a one hour ride from Quezon City to the airport because traffic just completely sucked, and I only paid $10 USD, where else can you ride for that long, for that distance, and only spend that amount?
The Grab Taxi App is like the UBER of South East Asia. And FYI, they don't have Uber in the Philippines anymore, they just could not keep up with the Grab Taxi App which was developed by two Malaysian guys. These guys graduated from prestigious Harvard University and took their expertise back to their country because they saw the issue with taxis in SE Asia, and pushed Uber out of the picture. That's no small feat, so that should tell you something about how cool and important this app is! Yeah, so get a SIM card or pocket wifi, download the Grab Taxi App, and start saving money, and stop getting ripped off by the local taxi drivers who are targeting tourists and backpackers like you.
The Grab App doesn't just offer car service, they deliver food, ship packages from city to city, and oh and they can also provide load for your sim cards! I can't begin to tell you how LIFE SAVING the app is! With the crazy traffic in the city, it is so worth it to spend 49 pesos ($1 USD) for a grab food driver to deliver you lunch or dinner, I'm telling you, you'll be hooked!
3. Mosquito Spray - Quick story....I went to a gathering somewhere in the Philippines, and I was sitting there talking and making friends when all of a sudden I noticed that I was the only one getting killed by SKEETERS! If you are not from the Philippines, trust me, you will get eaten up by mosquitoes pretty much anywhere and everywhere unless you are somewhere in the mountains where it can get cold. So get you some mosquito spray so that you can enjoy your time here. If for some reason you can't get any, then stay in front of a fan, the wind will keep them suckers off of you, but just hope and pray that you're not in an island in the Philippines that doesn't have electricity for a half the day, then you'll be in trouble lol. Just buy some =)
4. Flip Flops - You know how the locals can tell if you're a tourist or not? By your shoes =) Let's face it, it's hot here in the islands, if you don't want sweaty feet, get some flip flops and get comfortable. Of course, you may need your other shoes for other things, but just make sure that you have some flip flops for about 90% of your stay here. If you're hiking, well.....learn how to hike in trekking sandals or hiking flip flops. Yes, the locals hike and do everything with flip flops, so if you are all about living like the locals......well, get some flip flops! =) Want to know where to get the cheapest deals on flip flops? Go to the Baclaran Market near Paranaque, this place is where the Philippines gets all their goods. If you see stuff for sale in Palawan or other places in the Philippines, it's almost 100% sure that they bought their products from Baclaran. So if you want to bypass the middlemen and go direct to the source, go to the Baclaran Market. Other good markets are Divisoria Market (sometimes better than Baclaran) and Quiapo Market for the cheapest in electronics.
If you want to buy filipino branded hiking sandals and flip flops, I recommend going to SM North EDSA and check out the Lagalag Store. Another good local sandal company is Sandugo, They have flip flops, trekking sandals and shoes, as well as trail running shoes.
5. Open Mind - If you are from the WESTERN Culture, or if this is your first time in the Philippines, you will probably be in shock by the atmosphere, the poverty, and maybe the food. Let's talk about this for a second. When I say the atmosphere, I am talking about a different culture other than your own. If you come to the Philippines with a willingness to learn more about the people and the history of the country, you will have a GREAT experience. Try learning a little words in "tagalog" before visiting. And once you're here, try talking to the locals using filipino words, the people will be more helpful to you. As far as the poverty, it's not everywhere, but it is really bad in Manila. The average filipino worker only makes about 500 php ($10 per day), and those are the lucky ones. There are even more who earn less than that. I can talk forever about how the government here can help these people with education, but that's another blog =). Speaking of education, another thing that you will see a lot here is litter. Now it's not like this everywhere, but again, it's primarily in Manila. I know that the country is getting better at teaching their youth about saving the planet, but they have a long ways to go. If you want to know where the cleanest places are in Manila, it's pretty much the Makati City, BGC area.
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So the bottom line, you will see poverty here. What you can do to help is NOT by giving them money. If you want to give, then I would recommend that you buy these people food, or maybe do some volunteer work while you are here. I DO NOT recommend giving any beggars, homeless families or children any money, it doesn't teach them a damn thing. It starts with education. Now let's talk food. Im not gonna lie, my favorite food is FILIPINO FOOD, but maybe that's because I grew up eating it. Also, if this is your first time in the Philippines, you probably do not want to eat street food until after a few days. Keep in mind that the people in the Philippines, not all of them, but a huge percentage of them grew up without refrigerators or freezers. You will see markets with meat and seafood on the tables without proper temperatures. Now is this bad? Not for the people of the Philippines. If you have a strong stomach, you may be able to pull it off, but if you are like most people who grew up eating at establishments where proper food preparation and temperatures are required, then you will most likely get sick. So how do you prevent this? I recommend going to proper restaurants, and not any of the street vendors. You will see a lot of American Restaurants as well as local franchises here, so they might be the safest bet for people who have a sensitive stomach. If you want to taste really good and authentic filipino food where the meals are prepared in a safe manner as in the western culture, then I would try the following restaurants while you are here: Diplomacy (at SM Aura), XO Heritage (at SM Aura), Mary Grace (at almost all SM Malls). Other reputable restaurants include: Max's Restaurant, Inasal, the Aristocrat, Lydia's Lechon, Classic Savory, and Kuya J's just to name a few.
So I went off subject a bit, but I hope that you found some of this information useful. Enjoying the Philippines is like enjoying any country or place for the first time. Visit the Philippines with an open mind, try the different food and flavors, travel to places where the tourists don't go, make friends with locals, and just have fun. There are so many beautiful places in the Philippines, and the best way to find out where to go is to ask the locals, not the backpackers, or so-called "Influencers" or foreigners who come here to earn a buck making videos of their journey. Yes, it's cool to watch videos of foreigners (like me lol) making videos of cool places to go, but in order to find some hidden gems, it's always best to have a local friend tell you. Sometimes the best places are just around the corner from where everyone is at, just a couple blocks or a couple dirt roads away from the tourist spot. And remember, it's really not all about THE SPOT, it's about the people you meet along the way.
Hope this blog helps you, and if you have any questions at all, feel free to connect with me, and I will do my best to help you make the best of your stay in the Philippines!
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