What's a good 2 or 3 day, in-country, trip from Manila

Hey there! I may be able to suggest some places to you. The beaches to go here depends on your activities. Do you like surfing? I suggest Baler. Its accessible in Manila. If youre into partying, its Boracay. If its purely relaxation that youre looking for, Palawan is the best place to go to

Thanks RA:

No I've never tried surfing.  I'm not really a party animal but i do like to Salsa dance....however I don't think there are any Latin dance clubs in Boracay.  Do you know?

I think I might like seeing Palawan and actually I'm curious to see Cebu City too. And Davao sounds nice.  Long term, I might consider moving to wherever in the Philippines has the best internet service...but I think noplace in the Philippines really has good internet service from what I've heard.

Regards,
Art

Internet service in the Philippines is better enough compare to the other countries I have traveled.

The internet speed you need will matter how much did you pay to your internet provider. If you will chose the cheapest package then of course you could not find any better internet service.

But to tell you, I live in Seoul Korea, the World's fastest internet connection but I always fly to the Philippines many times a year; I did not encounter any problem with the internet speed for my work and blogging need. I am just using my iPhone 4S and its enough to provide connection to my iPad. or Sometimes I will transfer my SIM to my Wireless "BRO" to provide internet connection to my notebook, iPad and iPhone.

Think of these people who are get used to the high speed internet connection will supposed to adjust the internet speed in the other country but I never experience that the 3G of "Smart Communications" is enough for my work and blogging needs and I could have a better 3G connection in the Philippines than in Seoul Korea because the 3G user are fewer than in Seoul.

Now what I could say, Cities like Cebu, Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Bacolod City and many other cities are having better internet connection because they have many call centers and good internet connection is needed in the call centers but do not chose the cheapest package.

Well Prince...

You may be right...from your experience.  I think perhaps my problem is two things: (1) the specific building that I'm in and (2) my service provider. 

I've got Wii-Tribe...the absolute, shittiest, crappiest, worst internet service provider I've ever had or heard about.  Just google "problems with Wii-Tribe" and you'll see what I mean.  They don't even have a customer service number that answers their phone.

It's wireless too.....which I think is a very sorry-ass excuse for an internet connection. 

Plus, (as we later came to find out) we're 110+ meters further from the local tower than their specs suggest.  The company hires these young Filipinos who are just looking to make some money but are totally ignorant about their own business reputation and just believe everything WiiTribe tells them.  We were sold 'a bill of goods'.

I taught English is S.Korea for 4 years before I came here and the service was tons better.

Regards,
Art

wanderingsalsero wrote:

Thanks RA:

No I've never tried surfing.  I'm not really a party animal but i do like to Salsa dance....however I don't think there are any Latin dance clubs in Boracay.  Do you know?

I think I might like seeing Palawan and actually I'm curious to see Cebu City too. And Davao sounds nice.  Long term, I might consider moving to wherever in the Philippines has the best internet service...but I think noplace in the Philippines really has good internet service from what I've heard.

Regards,
Art

Hey I have done research and they say theres a salsa bar in Boracay its name is Luna Negra Boracay. I cant provide you feedback on that as I have never checked it.

Cebu is nice too! Being in the Cebu city is similar to being in Makati, only cleaner aside from that, white beaches are very accessible.

As for Davao, Im sure other expats here can give you feedback on that as i am bound to check that out in the near future. hehe

Well thanks!  That's nice of you.  Actually I had heard a rumor about that Boracay salsa situation.  I suppose I should research it.

As for Cebu....yeah.  I'm appalled at how dirty some of Manila is and I've actually noticed on most of the YouTube videos of other cities that they look a lot cleaner.

And I hear that Cebu is well situated with beaches.  I'd definitely like to get up there and see it....or maybe even move there someday.

I'd also like to see that big festival they have in the Philippines that has all the dance teams with all the drums and costumes, etc.  I've seen the videos and thought it was awesome.

Davao interests me because....I'm not sure.  Maybe because it's closer to the dangerous area and it seems to be even more tropical than Manila, right?

Regards,
Art

I have heard that Macan Island in Cebu houses vey beautiful beaches and resorts....

you have a lot of options question is, how much is your budget? there are local areas outside the metro, there are places where you can take a flight or take the bus.

for beach areas, outside the Metro..Batangas, Canyon Cove is what I will recommend because we've stayed there for a week.

Boracay, Bohol, Cebu, Camsur, upnorth, Zambales, Pangasinan, La Union, etc.

Pinaymentor

For eating and cool weather, I recommend Tagaytay. For surfing for beginners, San Juan La Union. For partying, dancing and all that, there's always Boracay. I'm actually going there tomorrow afternoon then flying back to Manila on Monday. Can't wait!

wanderingsalsero wrote:

I've been in Manila for almost 18 months and, honestly, don't like it very much.  What's a nice location in-country I can go to for some R&R?

I haven't seen any of the beaches yet.  I'd like to go someplace pretty, with fresh air, an internet connection and maybe be able to take some nice pictures while I'm there.

Someplace that's not too expensive would be nice too.

Regards,
Art

Hi Art,

It's been some time since your post in this thread. Have you found any good places as yet? For what you are looking for and not a lot of $$, I would suggest right here on Luzon island. You might like San Antonio, Zambales, over just a bit West of Subic Bay. There are good beaches there that are not crowded and not expensive for a place to stay. Especially compaired to Manila, Cebu, and other locations. Not sure about WIFI internet there but most areas should have it available. Takes about 2.5 hours from Manila to get to Subic Bay and then another 40 minutes on two lane road to the San Antonio area. My wife and I have been there twice and I do like the place..

Hi all,

Please note that this topic is a year old, feel free to create a new topic on the Manila forum.

Regards,

David.

David wrote:

Hi all,

Please note that this topic is a year old, feel free to create a new topic on the Manila forum.

Regards,

David.

Hi David,

Yea that really is an older post. I was just posting in it for fun as there is not a page or permanent thread for Angeles City.
Any chance of adding an Angeles/Subic Bay page? My wife and kids and I live quite close to Angeles. We're not part of the bar crowd but there are many expats in the Angeles as well as Subic areas that would likely do a lot of posting eventually.


Best Regards,

Pampanga