Philippines

I spent 6 days in Philippines and based myself mainly in Manila. The city itself exceeded expectations — the Tubbataha Reef was genuinely jaw-dropping and I ended up visiting twice. Food was a highlight throughout; I must have eaten adobo every other day and have no regrets about it whatsoever. Wha…

Did Philippines on a shoestring for 18 days and it was absolutely manageable. Based in cheap guesthouses near Vigan centre and ate mostly at local spots — sinigang from street stalls cost almost nothing and was better than anything in a tourist restaurant. Chocolate Hills Bohol has an entry fee but…

I've been to a lot of countries and the thing I'll remember most about Philippines isn't Mayon Volcano or even the extraordinary adobo — it's the people. In Vigan and out in the countryside, I encountered a warmth and generosity that felt completely genuine. One local family essentially adopted me …

Visited Philippines for 10 days. The positives are real: Chocolate Hills Bohol is every bit as impressive as advertised, and the food scene around El Nido is genuinely excellent — try halo-halo if you haven't. extraordinarily warm people was an unexpected bonus. That said, Manila traffic is gruelli…

Only had a long weekend — about 8 days — in Philippines, based in Cebu. More than enough to fall for the place. Did Mayon Volcano on day one and spent the rest of the time just walking and eating. The lechon situation here is no joke — some of the best eating I've done anywhere. affordable gave the…

This was my third visit to Philippines and I keep finding new reasons to return. This time I explored beyond Vigan and discovered a completely different side of the country. Intramuros Manila never loses its impact no matter how many times you've seen it. The food still makes me happy in ways I can…

Philippines wasn't high on my travel list. A friend pushed me to go and I'm genuinely grateful. The first full day in El Nido reset everything — the scale of Tubbataha Reef and the quality of the halo-halo were immediate signals that I'd misjudged the place completely. English widely spoken became …

Philippines is a genuinely beautiful and interesting place. Intramuros Manila is worth every superlative thrown at it. The halo-halo is legitimately excellent. English widely spoken gave the trip real depth. What I struggled with: the tourist infrastructure around the headline sites in Vigan is rel…

Philippines is undeniably beautiful. Intramuros Manila and the area around El Nido have a visual quality that photographs don't capture fully. I enjoyed adobo and appreciated affordable. That's all real. But Manila traffic is gruelling was more of a problem than I expected based on reviews I'd read…

After a lot of research I thought I knew what to expect from Philippines. Some things matched: Mayon Volcano is as spectacular as every review says, and Siargao has a genuine energy I'd read about. The sinigang obsession is completely justified. What I wasn't prepared for: world-class island beache…