Let’s Visit Asia

Travel Tips for the Philippines

by Ruth on February 9th, 2008

The following entry is a contribution from guest blogger, Kristyn Maslog-Levis, a broadcast journalist/writer/photographer who lives in Sydney, Australia with her musician husband and their fluffy Maltese “children”, Stitch and Felix. She currently blogs at Torrones de Mani.

We just got back from a month long trip to the Philippines. I am a native Filipino and I was raised there for 21 years before I left the country. It was a given that I would immediately adjust to the lifestyle I was used to. But everything changes once you have a “foreigner” with you. Even if there is just one “white guy” among a group of five Filipinos, there is still bound to be some changes in how you travel in the country.

Here are five practical tips when travelling in the Philippines, particularly when travelling with a non-local.

1) Raise your con radar. If you’re well travelled then you probably already know how to install your own con radar. It is essential to not walk around like a naïve tourist. Filipinos are friendly people but they also have “friendly” ways of getting your money. For instance, some cab drivers or public transports will say they have “no change” if you hand them a big bill. It’s advisable to carry around small change or be ready to find somewhere to get change. A cab driver told me he had no change for my P200 bill after we negotiated the fare was going to be P100. I was ticked that he had the audacity to pull that trick on me even after I spoke to him in the dialect. So, I looked into his fanny pack and told him I see a couple of bills enough for a change. He gave me a sheepish grin and I walked away with my change.
2) Negotiate your fare. Have a Caucasian friend in tow? If you have nowhere to hide him/her before negotiating the fare, I suggest you stick to your guns then. Most drivers increase the fare just because there is a “foreigner” with you. They actually have no qualms telling you that the fare has been raised because you have a “kano”. Keep walking, you’ll find a taxi driver who will give you a better rate after you dump the others. Arguably, the fare would still be cheaper if you convert it into dollars. But it is the principle that counts. What I usually do is give extra money to the cab driver who gave me a fair deal. Hotels and malls, however, already have a system where they give you a piece of paper with the cab’s plate number so you can return it to them with the details of your complaint if ever they do something dodgy like increase the fare in the middle of the road. This is also a good protective measure so you know you get to your destination without the dangerous detours.
3) Always double-check your bookings. Don’t trust online or phone bookings. Get your confirmation number and the name of the person who made the booking for you. A month before your trip, call them to re confirm. Then two weeks before you leave, do it again. This may seem anal but it does help to be paranoid. Some sites are not that efficient and you end up thinking you booked something when in fact it didn’t reach them at all. We reserved rooms for Bohol Divers Resort through their online agent and my parents even called this agency. However, when we double-checked, it turns out the resort never received the booking. It was a good thing we were paranoid that shit can actually happen. Even the five star hotels can employ idiotic reservation officers who will get your dates and times wrong. I personally called Waterfront Cebu to make reservations for January because I knew the Sinulog would book a lot of hotels. I reiterated the booking was for January 19 but the woman still managed to put down December 19. Had my sister not called the hotel, we would have been staying in the lobby for the duration of our trip. Say you’ve confirmed and re confirmed yet they still got your reservations wrong — stick to your ground. It’s their fault, not yours. They have to find a way to accommodate you.
4) Carry handy tools. Ever see workers carry around a small white towel? Mostly, drivers, porters and the like carry this around instead of a handkerchief. But it turns out, it pays to be carrying around this P10 towel. Humidity can be such a bitch if you’re not used to it. Having a towel in your bag is handy not just for sweat but also for other necessities. You can wash it again or throw it, but believe me, it is quite handy to have. It is also worth walking that short distance from your hotel to the convenience store to buy big bottled water. Always store one in your room because even if it is a third world country, bottled water prices in hotels are in dollars.
5) Don’t forget to push. Life is one big queue when travelling around the country. If you don’t push, you’ll never get through. Don’t be too nice — stand your ground and push your way to whatever queue you’re standing in. Filipinos are known for not following the rules and trying to cut in lines. Make sure you are as aggressive, because if not, it’s likely you’ll miss your flight. And don’t rely on the directions given by one person. Always ask more people because there’s a great chance that one person gave you the wrong information.

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