The Philippines are quite different from what I’ve experienced in other parts of Southeast Asia. Monks instead of priests, motorized tricycles instead of tuk-tuks, and adobo instead of… Well, food all over Asia is very different. Filipino food includes a lot of stewed or braised meat and definitely has a lot of Spanish origins.

My boyfriend I started in the capital city, Manila. When I stepped out of the airport, I immediately noticed that the traffic was as stifling as the heat and the taxi drivers were relentlessly evil. Taxi drivers like to tell you that the meters are broken and suggest a 750 PHP-fee for a kilometer-long ride. Thankfully we stayed at an Airbnb across the street from the airport.

There are plenty of hotels in the airport area too. I recommend just walking to your accommodation in Manila. If you’re really, really cheap (750 PHP or $16 USD a night) stay at Tarragon Corner. They’ll respond to your inquiry right away, and pick you up and drop you off the airport. Nicest people, too. Shooing the giant cockroach out of the room -because it wouldn’t die from being hit with a shoe- is now a memory I look back on fondly.

But, if I could do it again, I’d probably just stay at the Manila Marriott Hotel and Casino that’s nearby. Or not, because it’s around $200 USD a night. Definitely some tasty restaurants at the nearby Newport Mall, Resorts World Manila, though.

The Philippines was a longtime Spanish colony and shows this heritage in many ways. Manila also has a lot of Malay, Spanish, American, Chinese and Arabic influences, which I found super interesting. Unfortunately, I didn’t go out and see much. It was difficult to get around, the difference between the very rich and very poor is very apparent and hindering for tourism, and it’s heavily colonized by American culture.

While we were there, we met my friends (that I met in Beijing) at SM Mall of Asia. Very impressive mall. You can shop for anything, eat everything, go ice-skating, view the fireworks show on weekends, or check out the view on the Seaside Bay. Definitely worth checking out while in Manila.

Again, I didn’t see much in Manila, but I would definitely go there again -on my way to somewhere else. Maybe Boracay or Palawan? On this trip, we flew to Tagbilaran Airport (TAG) for $57.42 a person roundtrip from Manila to spend time in Bohol, a nearby province.