OMG the traffic! I have never spent so much time on the road in all my travels as I did in Manila. I was thankful that I had made arrangements for a private vehicle for the duration of my visit or I would have spent a small fortune on taxis. Uber or Grab (the Uber of the Philippines) is a safer option as you have an idea of how much your trip will cost as you book it but you will still spend a considerable amount of time on the road going nowhere fast. If I hadn't had people to meet in Manila, I would have skipped it entirely. Traffic wasn't as bad outside Manila except in Cebu.
For those with the inclination to brave it, there's plenty of public transport and I'm told it's cheap too.
The population, specially in cities, is high so everywhere is quite crowded. The villages thankfully are not. Therefore, time spent outside cities is more relaxing.
I was warned against pickpockets and other petty thieves and advised to keep an eye on my property at all times in malls and crowded areas. The contrast between evident poverty and glitzy malls was more obvious to me here than in my own country. That isn't to say Sri Lankans are better off. Perhaps because we have a smaller population, it doesn't show as much.
People are less friendly than I was used to. I could not put my finger on why.
There is food everywhere. From street food to international fast food chains to fine dining.
Though Manila traumatised me, the rest of the country did quite the opposite. There are amazing beaches with white sands and clear waters to wade in. The hill country is equally beautiful with amazing formations to view like the Chocolate Hills of Bohol and manmade ones like the rice terraces of Banaue.
Goods are cheaper here than in my own country. And you can find pretty much everything you could need.
Everybody I encountered spoke and understood English. I had no difficulty getting about when I did use Uber or Grab nor when I made any purchases.
There is much to admire and learn about the Philippines but at tourist sites I found that maybe one guide at most was passionate about their task or had put any effort into presenting interesting/noteworthy information to a visitor such as myself.
For those with the inclination to brave it, there's plenty of public transport and I'm told it's cheap too.
The population, specially in cities, is high so everywhere is quite crowded. The villages thankfully are not. Therefore, time spent outside cities is more relaxing.
I was warned against pickpockets and other petty thieves and advised to keep an eye on my property at all times in malls and crowded areas. The contrast between evident poverty and glitzy malls was more obvious to me here than in my own country. That isn't to say Sri Lankans are better off. Perhaps because we have a smaller population, it doesn't show as much.
People are less friendly than I was used to. I could not put my finger on why.
There is food everywhere. From street food to international fast food chains to fine dining.
Though Manila traumatised me, the rest of the country did quite the opposite. There are amazing beaches with white sands and clear waters to wade in. The hill country is equally beautiful with amazing formations to view like the Chocolate Hills of Bohol and manmade ones like the rice terraces of Banaue.
Goods are cheaper here than in my own country. And you can find pretty much everything you could need.
Everybody I encountered spoke and understood English. I had no difficulty getting about when I did use Uber or Grab nor when I made any purchases.
There is much to admire and learn about the Philippines but at tourist sites I found that maybe one guide at most was passionate about their task or had put any effort into presenting interesting/noteworthy information to a visitor such as myself.
