I will take a few weeks off work from the 26 August,im thinking of heading to the Phillipines as i havent been there before
I hare flying,i hate lining up,so i would prefer business class, the only thing im lacking is money
Any good websites or any travel atents in Sydney can help me ?
I want Sydney to Manila from anytime from 26 August or 27 or 28 for 2 week stay
And another question who has been to the Phillipines?
Did you enjoy it?
What good things to see in Manila?
Cebu Pacific doesn't have business class
I didn't realise they were the only LCC operating to the Phillipines
Travel agents don't have access to cheaper airfares. They also have different terms and conditions if you change your mind or want to move the date they include a surcharge. Just use Skyscanner and find the cheapest flights within your date range then book directly with the airline.
What's good to see in Manilla? If you're going for 2 weeks, get out of Manilla asap! Boracay, Bohol, Coron, el Nido are all great and it costs bugger all to get there once you're in the Phillipines.
Manila is a hyper-polluted, humid mess. It's not a city where you can just walk around out in the open. And if you're in a car, expect non stop traffic jams and bottlenecks.
Get a domestic flight out to the islands as soon as you can.
I'm sure I mich offend a few philipins that only remeber what it was like 20 - 40 years ago, so let's not compare the old days to what is on the ground today,
I've been there for work and play well over 50 times over the last 20 years. I was always single and had travelled business several times with Qantas, also Phil Airlines, Tiger, Air Asia, Cebu pacific. but now honestly I would not travel to PI anymore.
Travelled to so many awesome islands and met some really lovely people about 20%, the rest of them just look at you with curiosity and wonder, and about 15% are absolute assholes.
Atm I am avoiding this country as I have had one pair of friends ( Married with 4 kids, no drugs) gunned down on the beach with machine guns.
And my good friend working and living here in Sydney, supporting his brother in Cebu who a few months back had his door knocked down, all the women and kids dragged out of the house, beaten the crap out of the men, then shot both point-blank, placed a gun next to their head and said it was suicide ????
Police (and some Army) managed to go through anything of value and take them as souvenirs. i.e any cash, TV, Phones, DVDS, any original brand clothes.
Absolutely that this Pathetic president condones this sort of behaviour, ( along with with other odd conversations i.e thinking he wished he could rape our already violated Australian care worker…. and all the other stupid things he says.
This behaviour, in turn, changed the landscape for PI, the Police, Vigilantes, Officials, Politicians and even other criminals set to make a living out of the situation.
corruption has always been a problem in SE Asia, worse in PI…..but blatant murder as absolutely acceptable now, and this culture will unfortunately now take well over 50 years to rectify. If they ever get hold of a good president with honest intent to clean this up.
Yes, you could go there and have a cheap and wonderful time, but be in the wrong place…..or say one thing wrong and you could easily find yourself with a gun to your head. ( Like me) but I was lucky, but many people get taken out with a cardboard sign over their head indicating rapist they're a drug dealer.
If you have no choice to travel to PI for work or play, always be aware people are out to get you if they converse with you always keep this in the back of your mind when the normal conversation turns out into a request, no matter how benign it seems. ( Oh My daughter's going to work there next month, please can you come to speak to my daughter, she's nervous about travelling to Sydney,… Can you help us out with the FB application on the phone etc, OR I am selling this condo cheap because we are all going abroad to work and need the money for flights. OR Yes, my mother died, but you can have this Island for $5000 ONLY, but it must be paid by tomorrow…… OR a nice $5000 Motorbike for sale for only $600, when I checked, it had no keys or papers, …. I've heard it all.
Anyway from my experiences….in Manila, try to hang around Makati, it's relatively safe. Provence areas are 50/50 safe, Cebu is surprisingly messy with many killings lately.
Puerto Galler used to be a nice destination. not far from Manilla, it had it all, Diving beaches, bars but now it's overrun full of crap - a 1hr boat south from Batangas, it is now a real shithole with super corrupt police. bar girls drugged all 6 couples and Police laughing with Mummasan. Filthy asswipes.
Another time the 4 Police rocked in a little boat up to white beach resort (no Go go bars here then ) and demanded money from the guests or they'd be arrested immediately.
Boracay, often Ladyboys hang outside night clubs so they can get them down the beach and grab all their belongings. They can run fast ad fight hard, so learn to push away these vultures on day 1. You can pretty much spot them easily, bad makeup, massive caked-on foundation and often acne….. it's so unlike Thailand where they are more feminine and have no hair at all, so hard to spot. The elbows and larger hands give it away for me, the women elbows are not the same.
The Fatter the Police the more corrupt… most police, officials generally older than 40 is often on the take.
Keep in mind, Girls work not only from Bars but Cafes, food courts, shopping centres and streets, ( lady Boys are all generally intent on getting your valuables)
This country is not 1st words, it is no different to Mexico, Brazil, and other places in South America.
So watch you don't get drugged, twice I've managed to crawl back to the hotels, out cold for days and in terrible pain for another 3 days after.
Be very safe, Be smart Add tissues in pockets to make it more difficult to pick.
Don't walk around alone smashed off your nut, be respectful, make sure you don't piss anyone off and don't show off or make them jealous or you might get a bullet…..
If something doesn't sound right get away quick, tell them you have diarrhea or HIV / AIDS or something very deadly n contagious, and you have to get your medication now.
Other than that, you should be fine…… Happy safe trip.
Plan B is choose a safer cheap destination….like Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomans, Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand,
Is philippineairlines any good? its a full service airline isn't it?
Then fly a low cost airline's business class which will be cheaper. A travel agent might get you an ok deal but it will still be thousands of $$$.