How expensive is a Round Trip through the Philippines on your own?
If you wish to experience the beauty of the tropical paradise Philippines, your budget preparation largely depends on your preferences and travel style.
Generally, the country is a relatively cheap destination. It should not be difficult to find cheap accommodation as well as budget meals while you’re traveling in the country. Budget travelers can get by at $35 per day, with many tourists spending an average $55 on their daily expenses.
What about the Language in the Philippines?
The Philippines used to be a US colony and you can feel that. Starting with the fact that basketball is played everywhere and that you can get hot dogs and burgers in all variations on every corner... and the language. You will find that many Filipinos switch between English and the Philippine language in their conversations, in the middle of a sentence. So you won't have any problems with understanding or language barriers!
What are the ways to get from one island to another? Is it safe to take the ferries?
Even though we have heard unpleasant stories from many, from our experience, this is not the case. The ferry trips from A to B were always relaxed, calm sea, quite well organized, punctual and we never had any problems or complications. Maybe it looks different in the rainy and typhoon season when the weather is a bit rougher. For the most part, we preferred the ferry over planes during our trip.
How many Islands does the Country consist of?
The Philippines consists of about 7,000+ islands! This means there is a lot to see and do here!
Are the Philippines Safe to Travel?
If you stay away from certain areas, the Philippines are safe to travel to. We have never felt unsafe or even threatened. Nothing was stolen from us, we were never attacked, threatened, or ripped off in a big way. Nevertheless, some things should be mentioned here:
- Manila: Be careful, don't walk around at night unnecessarily, rather stay in tourist areas. In Manila there is more poverty than in the rest of the country, there are many slums, homeless, drunk people. Hardly any traveler likes to stay here at all. We did not feel insecure, but we were not there for long either. Among the safe neighborhoods here are Makati, Bonifacio Global City, Ortigas are considered quite safe.
- Now to the unpleasant part: the rebels in the south, especially on the island of Mindanao. Here the rebels fight against the government, which leads to the fact that they kidnap and often kill tourists. Here simply keep away from them. The rebels have been romping around in the south for what feels like eternities. Many emigrants who have been living in the Philippines for a long time advised us to do the same.