Angeles City

[Sharka]

Its a good thought. But there might be reasons the fellas don't do that:

1) Driving in a foreign country is not for everyone. It means learning a new system. Driving in Phils is chaotic (almost always, given the heavy traffic), and the type of driving (everyone goes wherever they want in their vehicle, whenever they want, without warning) can be disconcerting.

2) Not everyone knows how to drive a motorcycle.

3) Fear of being in a motor vehicle accident. Blame, causation, and money are concerns. Hospitals (and their quality) are a concern.

4) A driver's license must be obtained.

Many gents prefer to leave the driving to someone else. You'll be at your hotel soon, just close your eyes till the vehicle stops.

This is a good list of reasons NOT to motobike in AC.

This also applies to many 3rd world countries and not just the Philippines.

Case in point.

I had a friend that was involved in an accident in Thailand. Not his fault as the local on bike was going the wrong way on one way street. Both parties got serious injuries along with their passengers. All ending up in hospital. Conclusion was obvious. The one with money (always the foreigner and never the local) had to pay for ALL damages and ALL medical bills.

Also, don't forget to get proper license. I've been stopped several times before in both Thailand and Indonesia. Police will often stop foreigners to check and it's easy money for them knowing most don't hold a valid motorcycle license.

Just from my experiences.

[Pussycat123]

The Abacan river right below AC has a massive slum / squatter encampment that stretches for miles. In and around anunas is a proper shithole riddled with dirt roads and maze like infrastructure.
.

I've been in Barangay Anunas many times, I used to have a GF there. Agreed, its a shithole slum and I'm guesing its not the palm trees and grass skirt experience that OP was looking for. Thats why I was suggesting he gets out to more remote provinces.

[Member #4794]

Many gents prefer to leave the driving to someone else. You'll be at your hotel soon, just close your eyes till the vehicle stops.

Will never drive anything in the philippines. For ALL of the reasons you listed. Worst idea ever LOL.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6nY23GPSTI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCtgJEgbYKg

[WestCoast1]

I don't understand why regular visitors to Angeles City still insist on getting around the city on trikes, when renting a motorbike or scooter is far more practical and economical than using a trike 4 or 5 times a day. I always rent 2 wheels and I am free to move how and where I want, even up to Subic or San Fernando with a cost of 400/500 php per day and in complete freedom. Why make your life difficult by dealing with trike drivers or looking for a free one where we are?

Its a good thought. But there might be reasons the fellas don't do that:

1) Driving in a foreign country is not for everyone. It means learning a new system. Driving in Phils is chaotic (almost always, given the heavy traffic), and the type of driving (everyone goes wherever they want in their vehicle, whenever they want, without warning) can be disconcerting.

2) Not everyone knows how to drive a motorcycle.

3) Fear of being in a motor vehicle accident. Blame, causation, and money are concerns. Hospitals (and their quality) are a concern.

4) A driver's license must be obtained.

Many gents prefer to leave the driving to someone else. You'll be at your hotel soon, just close your eyes till the vehicle stops.

[Medellin65]

I don't understand why regular visitors to Angeles City still insist on getting around the city on trikes, when renting a motorbike or scooter is far more practical and economical than using a trike 4 or 5 times a day. I always rent 2 wheels and I am free to move how and where I want, even up to Subic or San Fernando with a cost of 400/500 php per day and in complete freedom. Why make your life difficult by dealing with trike drivers or looking for a free one where we are?

[Member #4794]

You might have to travel some way from AC to get the real 'Province' experience. If you want to see village life maybe fly from Clark down to Samar or somewhere like that.

This is not true, Porac is all the way provence and clark has Aeta, Aeta I can assure have no running water nor power in some of their encampments they live behind the "Dinosaurs Island" in clark.

The Abacan river right below AC has a massive slum / squatter encampment that stretches for miles. In and around anunas is a proper shithole riddled with dirt roads and maze like infrastructure.

Pangasinan just a few hours north of AC is a proper desolate "nowhere" provence and is home to the hundred islands which is from a purely tourist perspective amazing, I would argue that the hundred islands is probably the Philippines most underrated tourist attraction in the country & if you are looking for ancient civilization vibes Banaue is probably the most remote and ancient feeling valley you could imagine with it being a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is NOT easy to get there but if you are into world heritage its a proper adventure.

[Pussycat123]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'd actually love to adventure out to some smaller villages at least once since this is my first time in Asia and I think it would be a cool experience. Any recommendations for day trip destinations?

You might have to travel some way from AC to get the real 'Province' experience. If you want to see village life maybe fly from Clark down to Samar or somewhere like that.

[Dg8787]

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[Breadman]

Most trike mafia charge cheaper for locals because the locals can't afford the foreigner prices (unless that local is with a punter). But many simply don't take a local for lower fare because they are willing to wait it out for a sucker foreigner. But if the trike driver is desperate enough, they will take a local.

Well I can tell you that if a Filipina grabs a trike and the guy quotes her 100 pesos to come to your place and then he see's a foreigner waiting outside he'll tell you its 150 pesos. The excuses of why it was higher is he had to drive around a traffic circle. All of the girls I repeat with who use trikes I'll show them how to use the GRAB app, you can order a trike for their long ride home for 110 pesos where the trike on the corner will tell them 200. Its supply and demand. There are thousands of trikes who bribe their way into getting their license. Some will sit for hours waiting for one trike. Then have to wait near that destination for hours to find another. Many of the locals living here have gone the Ebike route after being gouged by the trike prices. Month after month of spending 3000 pesos on trikes quickly adds up to a $40 k ebike trike.

A warning. If your on WS and want a trike go to the trike lineup at Kokomos, the guys waiting at that triangle spot under the Walking Street sign are mostly rip off guys (its always the same guys sitting there). And its always best to say something like 'Red Plantet Hotel 100 pesos' and get a nod or a yes from the guy, confirm the price before you get in. He gives you a high price feel free to walk to the next trike driver and ask how much he will charge (you might have to do it several times or walk to another area).

The photo below is a streetview grab from google, its the first street across the highway from WS. There are easily 70 trikes waiting in line down that road. They hope the locals that take the Jeepnees will get off when they turn north and hop in a trike. Many though will skip the trike and walk through WS and onto the next jeepnee terminal.

Perimeter road report. Two new bars opened next to Candy bar. They took over the steel man bar. Enterprise and Playtyme. Enterprise has a nice lineup but their drink prices are way too high for the area, owner spent too much money on the inside and if he can't keep the girls then high drink prices won't help him in the long run. Also heard another bar or two are in the works further down the street near Legends.

[Sharka]

I meant the Fields Ave trike mafia. Even many years ago, I was told they charge the locals the same as the foreigners.

I never verified what I was told. I never hung out at Kokomos and Envy, and watch the trike drivers. I walk by them a lot, and it seems they are always waiting for a tourist; hardly ever working.

I wrote Angeles; Angeles is a large city. Outside of Fields Ave, you should be able to get the local price, but of course as a tourist, you have to agree on the price beforehand.

Most trike mafia charge cheaper for locals because the locals can't afford the foreigner prices (unless that local is with a punter). But many simply don't take a local for lower fare because they are willing to wait it out for a sucker foreigner. But if the trike driver is desperate enough, they will take a local.

[Sharka]

I've spent many trips and many years in AC so I've developed bad habits there. Simply because there is not much to do. I'm not a golfer but may someday pick it up (again). Almost did yrs ago but decided not to as I went to sign up for lessons and stood behind a long line of Koreans also waiting. That and the fact I stood in the hot sun and humidity roasting away and thinking there is no relief from this for the next 4 hours.

I've decided being in a cool pool is better option but after a few days of that and it gets boring too (unless I was getting a BJ with a girl underwaterhaha- not happening).

As my routines are mostly night time activities, and I stay up very late most nights, I pass my daytime mostly sleeping.

Just for the record, I have not been back to AC since the Covid restrictions so it's been a few years. And even pre-covid, I had noticed many changes that started to restrict even my night time actions but was still enough to keep me up most nights. But many of those night time actions are gone now.

1) many of the Western bars became Korean operated and were mainly converted to daytime bars as they started closing early when the sun went down.

2) High Society disco was closing down and this previously was a good 11 pm- 4 am pick up joint for FL.

3) Tons of young "massage" girls were always lined up and willing and eager from Walking St all the way to jeepney station. Not as active now from what my friends told me.

4) the local karaoke bars that use to line the side streets of Walking St were also good hunting grounds but that area was also dying out.

[Sharka]

Gents, I'll be visiting for the first time in mid-March. How do you all tend to pass time during the day? Doesn't look like there's a whole lot to do in the area.

I've spent many trips and many years in AC so I've developed bad habits there. Simply because there is not much to do. I'm not a golfer but may someday pick it up (again). Almost did yrs ago but decided not to as I went to sign up for lessons and stood behind a long line of Koreans also waiting. That and the fact I stood in the hot sun and humidity roasting away and thinking there is no relief from this for the next 4 hours.

I've decided being in a cool pool is better option but after a few days of that and it gets boring too (unless I was getting a BJ with a girl underwater—haha- not happening).

As my routines are mostly night time activities, and I stay up very late most nights, I pass my daytime mostly sleeping.

[Allocatee]

There's karts, water park, shooting ranges, casinos things like that. Nothing amazing but find a girl and ask her to go with you, they'll usually be happy for the day out.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'd actually love to adventure out to some smaller villages at least once since this is my first time in Asia and I think it would be a cool experience. Any recommendations for day trip destinations?

[A Traveler]

I only come here for the entertainment of the drama, since there so little useful information posted here. Folks pile on and call our resident expert out, then he lies low for weeks until somebody posts something interesting. Then he resurfaces to throw cold water on the interesting post and the cycle repeats. He's probably actually living in his mom's basement.

[Locamotive]

A few bar shots from a decade or more ago. There's clearly more chub today, but even back then it was present. Some folks took one for the team (so I've heard).

Too much Jollibee I'm guessing.