发布到 Santa Cruz, National Capital Region, Philippines

If you love the beach, go to El Nido or Coron in Palawan. Book your flights early from Manila or watch out for promos. Off the beaten path and love nature? Go North and explore rice terraces in Banaue or Batad in Mountain Province or visit Apo Whang-od in Ifugao.

For internet, you can buy a prepaid SIM at the airport but not sure about price difference to stores outside. Internet is pretty slow but enough for navigation and getting around Manila. It gets slower in the provinces but locals usually are helpful in the places I've mentioned. Enjoy your stay in our country. Feel free to message me if you need help.

Hi Mike!

Internet in PH is kind of slow. Your best bet would be to buy a prepaid simcard, I'd suggest Globe. Then register in Data promos to save bucks. As for wifi, if you prefer wifi over phone data, it will cost you a lot, and I'm not really familiar with wifi rental options here.

I'll be here in Manila when you arrive so I'd love to show you around! Hope you enjoy PH!

I will try to answer all your question.

1. Internet: You can buy SIM Card either Globe or Smart. for Globe you can buy internet package 1GB only for 70 pesos with this code: gotscombodd70. SIM Card price ussualy around 50-100 pesos.

2. Mostly touris spot in Manila only history about spanish colony but if u ask recommendation, u can check these tourist spot below:

1, Rizal Park (Luneta) 2. Malate (Malate Church) 3. National Museum (Near Luneta Park) 4. MoA (Mall of Asia) 5. Manila Bay 6. Intramuros 7. Cassa Manila 8. Fort Santiago 9. San Agustin Church 10. SM Ayala Mall 11. Ayala Triangle 12. China Town Manila 13. Divisoria (Local Market)

You can contact me on skype: limhansen@outlook.com or contact me once you’re in the Philippines. I can help to to Explore Manila, since i have been stayed here in the Philippines almost 3 years.

Mabuhay! Hansen Lim

I wouldn't stay in Manila too long, as the urban chaos can be overwhelming for newcomers. Stay there 1 - 2 days max. Most visitors stay in Makati for the bar scene.

From an internet standpoint, the Philippines has notoriously slow internet speeds, so you'll need to be flexible on that front. Upon arrival, you can easily get a local sim card at the airport, which should provide your mobile navigation needs. Smart and Globe are the 2 providers. They are equal in terms of quality in my opinion. Smart might have the larger network across the nation, but Globe is strong in the National Capital Region, according to some.

Places I recomend: Kawasan Falls in Cebu, Siargao in the south, which is surf capital of the country, and Sagada, which is a mountainous town in the north with breathtaking views of mountains and rice terraces.

Hopefully you can link up with a host in Manila, so they can show you around. Having friends or family is a big plus, as they can show you hidden gems. Do beware though, locals love to hangout in malls because of the free air conditioning.

Have a great time there!

Hi Maik.

2-3 days in Manila - See Intramuros, Binondo (for food etc.), some museums 2-3 days in a Beach - Coron or Boracay. But you need another flight from Manila or you may opt beaches that is only land travel from Manila.

But this is based solely on your preference. I can provide more info if you want.

For the internet, you can buy a local sim at the airport. But expect some issues with the internet speed especially in the rural areas.

You can meet CS people in Manila, I believe they have some scheduled activities from time to time.

I believe you can get a prepaid sim card at the airport after you arrive and avail of the data packages. If not you can always get them at stores even in the streets. There are 2 major carriers globe and smart. If you are travelling in the province I suggest to use Smart.

Renting a scooter is not a good choice in Manila but you might be able to in the provinces but it is not the norm especially not in the touristy areas.

For your itinerary, don't stay in manila there is nothing to do there. But if you insist you can go To places like Intramuros, the museums. If you have the budget you can book flights to Palawan (coron or puerto princesa) if you like to go to El Nido you can book your flight to puerto princesa. If you like to party and the beach you can go to Boracay. Major hub for tourist is also Cebu there are a lot of things to do in Cebu but you have to plan ahead.

I would love to tour you around but I have work. I hope you could fine a local guide or maybe ask the reception of your hotel.

Hi, You can explore Intramuros Manila to experience the old Manila life. Then go island hopping if you have time: say in Palawan, Cebu and Bohol.

For internet: you can buy a local SIM card, and prepaid card. Get a GLOBE SIM and register a load card to unlimited internet usage good for a week, or so (as the seller, there is available in Manila airport). You can navigate using Google Maps, or WAZE app. You can also download the GRAB app for car ride (if you don't prefer the local transportation).

For budget accommodation, you may check ZEN Rooms https://www.zenrooms.com/hotels/21/hotels-manila also have available units across the country.

If your phone is unlocked you can pick up a sim nearly anywhere, I wouldn’t recommend hiring a motorbike in Manila as the traffick is pretty crazy, everywhere else will be fine, give me a message If you need any help/reccomendations.

Hola!

One week is a short time for The Philippines (we have 7,000 plus islands). Don't stay too long in Manila. It's dirty, dangerous, and traffic can be horrid---it's a typical big city. If you really have to go through Manila, stay in Makati City, the new backpacking district.

Suggested itinerary: Cebu and Palawan--focus on these two islands

Cebu City - Eat barbecued everything at Larsian, a local market. Eat Lechon or roasted pig at CnT Lechon or Rico's Lechon (acclaimed American chef and writer/personal hero of mine Anthony Bourdain proclaimed it as the "best pig ever!"). Eat dried mangoes, they are the best, OMG! Don't stay too long here, typical big city too.

Cebu - Malapascua (north of Cebu) is beautiful. It's a diving paradise where the long-tailed Thresher Sharks can be seen. Sometimes Hammerhead Sharks can be spotted as well! I don't dive, but the beaches were so nice! Go to Bantigue Cove, the beach was so wonderful! Ging Ging's has terrific and cheap food, but there are a lot of flies and the food come late all the time (as with everywhere else in Malapascua). Drink also at Malditos for the infamous 40 Pesos (less than 1 US Dollar) triple rum and Coca-Cola shot or chill at the bar called "The Other Place". No ATMs in Malapascua! Go on a day trip to Kalanggaman Island in Leyte, if you can, it was real pretty.

*Swim with the whale sharks in Oslob in the south of Cebu, for the sake of it.

El Nido - Tour C for the island hopping tour is great. Nacpan Beach is divine, but a bit far. People call it "Napkin Beach" hehe you can surf here as well! Eat at Trattoria Atrove for brilliant and authentic enough Italian food and at Squidos for good seafood. Party at Puka Reggae Bar.

*Palawan was declared as the "Best Island in the World" by Conde Nast Traveler, the American travel website for 2 straight years. Rumor has it that Alex Garland, the English author of the magnificent 90s travel book, "The Beach" (it was turned into a cult film starring Leonardo DiCaprio) apparently found inspiration from El Nido in Palawan, where he used to briefly live, not in Koh Phi Phi in south Thailand. They couldn't film in Palawan at that time, though as it was too far and expensive (it still is).

*If you have the time, go to Puerto Princesa (an overnight stay is enough). Eat at KaLui Restaurant, it's a real famous seafood restaurant. It's pretty expensive, though. See the Underground River, one of the New7Wonders of Nature, in the morning (a day trip is enough). It's cool, it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is the second longest navigable underground river in the world at 8.2 km or 5.095 miles (the longest underground river in the world is Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula at 153 kilometers or 95 miles).

*It's cheaper to fly into Puerto Princesa than El Nido in Palawan directly. You can just take a 6-hour van from Puerto Princesa to El Nido.

Special mention:

Batad Rice Terraces - north of The Philippines Coron in Palawan - great shipwreck diving. Beautiful islands as well! Siquijor - stellar beaches. I love this place! Siargao - surfing paradise

*Download maps.me. It's an offline map app that serves as a GPS. You don't need wi-fi. It's like Google Maps, it calculates how long it takes from one place to another by walking or by car (download the whole country first). Sometimes it's inaccurate, but at least you get an estimate/idea. You can also buy a local SIM card, but the internet in The Philippines is one of the slowest in the world.

*It's super fun to rent a motorcycle in Malapascua, Cebu and El Nido, Palawan. Renting one in Manila would be difficult--it's not the safest place, and the traffic is daily.

*Philippine food is not the best (it's brown, salty or sweet, fried, and oily), but the people are incredibly nice, so that makes up for the not so marvelous food. We eat a lot of meat (we were a former Spanish colony for centuries), fish (if you're on the beach), lots of rice, and not much vegetables!

*If you really wanna give Manila a chance, take the Carlos Celdran tour of Intramuros, the Spanish walled city. It's pretty costly, though, but it's super worth it. He's a political activist and theatre actor, and he throws candies at people 😊 he makes history fun. https://celdrantours.blogspot.com.co/2013/12/tour-dates-tour-rates.html

The Philippines is beautiful! Enjoy!

Manila is a city with 400 years of history. While it can be really stressful during rush hour, Manila is worth your time. I do recommend you'd take sometime outside of Manila, it would not be a total waste of time if you decide to just stay there.

If you decide to decide in Manila for 3 days maximun, then my standard "tour" (the ones where I bring my friends) consistst of :

1. Imtramuros & Fort Santiago - this represents the Spanish colonial Manila

2. Escolta - this represents the American Manila

3. Binondo (Manila Chinatown) - this represents the Chinese Manila

4. Quiapo - this represents the Muslim Manila

There is no dearth of Museums in Manila too. Even if you stay for more than 2 weeks, Manila will have more museums that you can visit in two weeks.

Also, Manila is never short of old churches which are around 300 years old. And they are not of single architectural style. From Baroque, to Gothic, to Romanesque, and some modern.

Don't forget also th iconic sunset at the Manila Bay.

The Cultural Center of the Philppines Complex is also a great site to visit.

Cubao is very under rated, but it is really a place worth visiting, especially if you can find out the history of the place.

While it is a very urban place, it is also full of culture. You just need to find the right places and people to help you appreciate the city.