Philippine Travel Tips

I love the Philippines but like everywhere else, you have to secure yourself from pickpockets and others who are looking for easy targets. Throughout my travels back and forth to Metro Manila, I learned how to travel better and get better deals while saving money. Here are some tips that I will share in this Philippine travel section.

Affordable Accommodations & Transportation

Last year, I stayed in a budget hotel chain that cost only $25 dollars a day. I checked the rates as of this writing and it is still that affordable. Hop Inn has six hotels in Metro Manila and one in Cebu City. I stayed in three of them and I will write a full review soon. I also stayed in a Manila Transit Lounge called The Wings in NAIA Terminal 3 which is relatively unknown to many travelers. Most flights from the USA arrive in Manila late at night and it was better for me to travel from the airport to my destination in the morning. Thus, staying in a transit lounge was more practical than finding transportation that hour. Next day, I was able to ride an UBE Express for only 200 Pesos (~$3.50) to Cubao, Quezon City. I’ll write more about the different public transportation options available in my next posts so subscribe for free.

Traveling Gear

Many pedestrians in Manila walk with their backpacks on their front. This is unusual for tourists to see but common for Filipinos to do. Why? Pickpockets. Backpack slashers. Well, I have my own solution: my slash-guard and pick-pocket proof backpack. I bought a Pacsafe Vibe 25 which served me well while traveling to and from Metro Manila. I also bought Aviator jeans with a dual, zipped back-pocket and Clever Travel Shirt with secret pockets.

Philippine Travel Tip Posts

Below are my travel tip posts (those without links are future posts):

• Arrival Mishap: Discovering I cannot ride the free airport shuttle bus from NAIA Terminal 1 to 3 (to sleep at Wings Capsule hotel) and not wanting to ride a taxi alone after midnight - what happened next

• My experience using 4 different electronic SIMs in the Philippines

• Trying out Sulit Dormitel where foreign backpackers gave great reviews at Agoda and other sites

• Staying in a Dorm instead of a Hotel or AirBnB in the Philippines

• My experience with Victory Liner’s new Royal Class Sleeper Bus and review of Microtel - a hotel connected to Victory Liner Baguio Terminal via a walkway

• Re-experiencing Baguio after Decades: Artist Villages (Ililikha & Tam-awan), Igorot Kingdom, Mirador etc.

• My first robot waiter at Good Taste Restaurant versus Oh My Gulay with our live waiters

• Observation about Metro Manila Footbridges

• Cheap Transportation Alternative to Manila Airport: the Airport Loop Bus at Pasay Rotonda

• How I got an eSIMs from Globe Telecom and maintain my number for only 50 pesos a month under Plan Zero (which they do not promote publicly)

• Debit and credit cards with no foreign transaction fees

• Public transportation options upon arrival in NAIA and a Capsule Hotel inside Manila Airport

• Maintaining keto or low-carb diet while traveling

• Budgeting tips that worked for me when you need to send money to the Philippines

First Batch of Travel Posts

• When is it reasonable to pay more for your airfare to and fro the Philippines

• Traveling to and fro NAIA airport using P2P (Point to Point) buses and opting to rest at a relatively unknown airport capsule hotel inside NAIA

• ATM cards I use to avoid foreign transaction fees

• A cheaper Metro Manila hotel option where you get a lot of value for only $25 a night

• How to Keep Your Phone Bills Low in the Philippines (Including International Calls)

• Maintaining a Keto diet in a carb-rich country - what happened with my weight when I ate more carbs and sugar (buko pies, halo-halo, pandesal etc.)

• Smart financial tactics for Filipino Balikbayans planning their next trip to the Philippines without breaking their budget

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