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The Philippines - costs, cheap places to stay etc.

Voley

Voley

🐀
Anyone been recently? If so any idea what a decent daily budget would be for someone like me who's not exactly a total cheapskate any more but doesn't mind roughing it a bit?

What I'm after is a nice hut on a beach somewhere where I can chill out reasonably cheaply. Three decent meals a day, a few drinks, maybe rent a motorbike, that sort of thing. Don't need air-con but do like my own bathroom. If there's a decent bit of snorkelling nearby, all the better.

I've no money atm so I won't be going for ages but I'd just like a few pointers.

So far, Malapascua sounds just like my kind of place. Not too developed yet, hopefully.

malapascua1.jpg
 
What sort of deals have you found on flights so far?

Also, I think the political situation there at the moment is quite perilous, you know. I thiiiiiink they recently declared marshal law, even!
 
Well I thought I'd found a stupidly cheap 400 quid flight deal but it turned out to be a total lie like a lot of internet air ticket things are.

Political situ does sound a bit freaky but I lived through Nepal's Maoist insurrection / went to Kashmir so should be OK. There are degrees to these things though, I agree, so will keep a close eye on it.

I saw some Youtube video of the island I mention that was posted recently and the only downside to it was a fair bit was being rebuilt following a typhoon.
 
Yeah, have to say that I've regularly checked the cost of flights to the Phillipines and never found anything under about 800, which has solidly put the kibosh on it for me. Might move back to Asia and will definitely go then if I do.
 
Yeah, possibly. Problem with going back to Japan is I just don't think I'll ever end up anywhere that I'll love as much as Okinawa and so I'm a bit concerned that the whole experience would be tainted by that 2nd time around.

Am considering China, Taiwan or Korea alternatively, cos I think working there'd give me time and money to explore Cambodia, Laos and the Phillipines which are definitely places I regret not getting to last time around. I dunno...what do you reckon? I was even thinking about applying to places like Honduras or trying to get on a british council program.
 
I know what you mean about that 2nd time thing. There are only a few places I've returned to that haven't left me feeling a bit deflated second time round. And that's just me bumming around, not working or owt.

Honduras? I've not been - nearest I got was near the Belizean border but Central America would be a great place to live for a bit, I reckon. What I like about that part of the world was you've got the Belizean islands which are really Caribbean in feel (reggae, weed, white Tulum-style sand, rum, spending all day in the sea etc) and just a day's bus ride away you've got the cooler climate and entirely different Latino culture of Guatemala just up the hill. And of course you're within striking distance of S America that opens up a whole world of other possibilities.

I think I've just talked myself into it barring the small problem of not having a pot to piss in right now. :D
 
With your line of work I wonder whether you'd get much time for that kind of thing, though. A mate of mine lived in Bangkok for about 4 years working for a finance company and I don't think he even got to see an island. he's been to Pattaya a couple of times and that was it.
 
Ha, yeah, this is my thinking too. I LOVED Nicaragua - seriously, seriously fucking loved the place. I dunno if I could handle living there forever or anything, but I reckon a year would see me about right. Obviously, in Central America the likelihood is that the money would be desperately pisspoor, so you'd probably need to book an open ended return flight but I've worked my tits off for the last two years, it cost me my relationship and I feel like I owe myself some fun and reckless living and Central America is a lot more of a challenge and - the thinking goes - probably more rewarding as a result than going back to Asia where the money and infrastructure is good.

I might start to seriously look into the chances. With Asia, it's more or less a piece of piss to get work isn't it? Dunno about the situation in Central or South America. I have a friend in Buenos Aries who could put me up for a while, maybe it's worth asking her. I'm really typing my thoughts as they happen here. I'm gonna ask her, I think. Yes.
 
NVP said:
With your line of work I wonder whether you'd get much time for that kind of thing, though. A mate of mine lived in Bangkok for about 4 years working for a finance company and I don't think he even got to see an island. he's been to Pattaya a couple of times and that was it.
Click to expand...

Oh, no way would I do law abroad. A)I'm a family lawyer and that probably isn't in demand so much, B)I just don't think I'm suited for a big law firm, C)Financial stuff makes my heart sink and my eyes bleed.

Nah, law is just a job for me, not a passion. I really did fall into it, but teaching was something I loved and felt like I was a real natural at. I came back from Japan to try and do primary teaching but found my degree wasn't suited to it so I'd have to get a whole new degree and that put me off. If I go abroad again it's 99% sure I'd wanna do teaching, I reckon.
 
TEFL was always the way to go about this. I know some countries (Thailand, particularly) got arsey about the amount of English teachers that seemed to be living there permanently TEFl-ing but I'd be surprised if this is the case in Central America.
 
Yeah, I think I'll definitely bite the bullet and get tefl trained. Always resisted in the past cos it's about a grand, isn't it?
 
I was there this summer and am looking at flights there this Christmas. My main advice would be not to stay too long in Manila. It really is a chaotic city and the pollution and traffic are a real pain. I went to the island of Bohol in the summer and it was beautiful there, loads of lovely beaches and cheap sea food. We also explored the chocolate mountains which sounds like a euphemism and went on a river trip. Lovely place, not sure where we might go at Christmas. I'm looking at flights with Gulf Air which seem to be around the £800 mark.
 
goldenecitrone said:
I was there this summer and am looking at flights there this Christmas. My main advice would be not to stay too long in Manila. It really is a chaotic city and the pollution and traffic are a real pain. I went to the island of Bohol in the summer and it was beautiful there, loads of lovely beaches and cheap sea food. We also explored the chocolate mountains which sounds like a euphemism and went on a river trip. Lovely place, not sure where we might go at Christmas. I'm looking at flights with Gulf Air which seem to be around the £800 mark.
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Yes, Bohol does sound nice, thanks for that. Also been looking at Bantayan and other islands near Cebu. All sounds lovely. I think I'd share your opinion of Manila, too. I always speed through hot polluted Asian cities - they do me head in.

Any ideas on a decent daily budget? I was thinking £30 to £40-ish. Sound reasonable?
 
NVP said:
Yes, Bohol does sound nice, thanks for that. Also been looking at Bantayan and other islands near Cebu. All sounds lovely. I think I'd share your opinion of Manila, too. I always speed through hot polluted Asian cities - they do me head in.

Any ideas on a decent daily budget? I was thinking £30 to £40-ish. Sound reasonable?
Click to expand...

I don't think I spent any more than that really, though I wasn't really counting the costs, using the old flexible friend all the time. You do have to rely on taxis quite a lot and they can be a bit pricey as well as terrifying, but I'm sure you know how driving can be in Asia. Up to that point it was the traffic in Cairo that had seemed the craziest.
 
As said, Manila's a dump, only good for transiting en route to somewhere else.

Only the deep south is dodgy for travellers.

A 1/2 decent beach hut with bathroom should be no more than £10 a night, good deals to be had on long or out of season stays.

Food and drink is dirt cheap, a tenner a day should see you living well.

Probably cheaper to rent a bike taxi than a bike.

Double all prices if thinking of heading to Boracay.

Enjoy it is a lovely country.

Of and scoring puff is virtually impossible. And if you manage it you can't buy rizlas in the Philippines.
 
Cheers, Bahnhoff Strasse and goldenecitrone - all good info, thanks. Just got to get a fucking job and save some dosh up now. :D I'm hoping that if I have a plan to aim for it might give me the kick up the arse I need to get some money together. :D
 
Does it have to be the Phillipines? I know a stunning place in Tulum, Mexico right next to some temples that looks juuuuuuust like that top pic and is easier and cheaper to get to and cheap to stay at. Like, $2 a night
 
Sadken said:
Does it have to be the Phillipines? I know a stunning place in Tulum, Mexico right next to some temples that looks juuuuuuust like that top pic and is easier and cheaper to get to and cheap to stay at. Like, $2 a night
Click to expand...

$2! How long ago was that?
 
Abouuuuut 4 years back. I can hand on heart say that the week and a bit I spent living in a beach hut on Tulum beach was the best week and a half of my life. We'd been given a plastic bag full of weed by an Argentine girl who was leaving the country and the days just rolled by. Definitely helps to have someone to have sex with and get stoned with but, if unavailable, a few good books'd do. Just do nothing and let the relaxation rush over you - I hope to have a bit of that over New Year...
 
I stayed there a year ago and it was costing me about $50 a night out of season. :D I even think it was the same place you mentioned - temple end of the beach with little huts with sandy floors right on the edge of the dunes.
 
Surely not! These were barely still standing!

I may have a pic on the computer at work. It may have my ex in it. I may post it up anyway so we can get to the bottom of this...
 
Nah, can't find my pic.

El Mirador rings a bell for some reason - they really were RIGHT near the temples. I do remember some better looking ones dotted about along the beach, maybe you were in them?
 
The little huts weren't open when I was there - it was very early in the season (they'd literally only opened the day before I arrived) so I had a more expensive room in the block at the back with aircon and a bathroom and whatnot. 500 pesos a night if memory serves. The huts would be cheaper, definitely, but you'd be lucky to get anything for a couple of dollars these days.
 
El Mirador was set back from the beach a bit, slightly up the hill, hence the name. Zazil Kin was right next door.
 
I'm talking wind blowing through cracks, sleeping on a bare mattress on a frame and that's yer lot as far as accommodation goes! This would've been about August though, so peak seasonish. Maybe a bit more than $2 but definitely way effing cheap.
 
Yeah they sound like the huts I've seen. Pretty much like camping really; nowhere to lock your stuff up or anything. Tulum's gone upmarket a bit generally. There aren't too many left like that now. They were still there last October but looked pretty knackered. Don't know what they charge for them these days.
 
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