Angeles City

[QUOTE=Mackin;1366192]Only my experience. Every time I go to Wild Orchid to use the ATM it is out or doesn't work. Even the banks have screwed up when I tried using their ATM's. Just take cash, put it in a safe and go to the money changers with what you need for a day or two. This is what works for me. Yes, the credit card people knew I was traveling and in the Phils. Maybe best to take cash and try the ATM card. Maybe it will work but at least you are covered,. and not using charge credit card.[/QUOTE]The ATM in the Pacific Breeze was fixed as of yesterday, plus there are plenty of ATMs in the SM mall, I'm told there's even one in the Swiss hotel. However, Phils is the only country I know where you get a much better rate bringing cash and exchanging it locally as a few have said already. I usually bring half of what I need in cash and rely on withdrawing the rest on card, because I'm not comfortable carrying a lot of cash around, even if it is only from airport to airport.

[quote=mackin;1366192]only my experience. every time i go to wild orchid to use the atm it is out or doesn't work. even the banks have screwed up when i tried using their atm's. just take cash, put it in a safe and go to the money changers with what you need for a day or two. this is what works for me. yes, the credit card people knew i was traveling and in the phils. maybe best to take cash and try the atm card. maybe it will work but at least you are covered,. and not using charge credit card.[/quote]there are two atms at abc, and usually both work. i've never seen an instance when at least one of them wasn't working. plus, there are atms rep001tered all over town. i'm a big believer in plastic, so never carry much cash and have never had to.

[QUOTE=IceCold15;1366159]Ok guys, I am headed to AC for the first time next week. I usually go to Pattaya but I planned to split it 50/50 this time around. I usually don't go to gogo bars infact I have never barfined from an agogo bar on walking street in Pattaya. I usually just hang out on soi 6 during the day and do the deed on sight at the various bars on Soi 6 for a fraction of the price of the agogo bars on walking street. I like the freelancer scene much better in Pattaya I go club hoppin and eventually find a freelancer to take home for the night. From what I have read the bars are the main game in Angeles and some of you have mentioned Skytraxx for freelances. So it will be a change of pace hitting up the go go bars as the main event. Well since that is the state what is the state of the santos bars and other short time bars like matrix brawn? I figure I will be spending alot of time here during the day since they are the closes thing to Soi 6 in Pattaya.[/QUOTE]Manage your expectations. I found Pattaya better in many ways in terms of more bars and being diverse. AC is much smaller with the "action" being isolated on one road about 600 Meters long.

Poper1,

You said you paid each girl a 1000p. What was and wasn't on the menu? How many sessions per girl were you allowed? Time?

BS.

I guess everybody has there own way of doing it with cards or cash. I spent one afternoon a years or so ago running around to ATM's to get some extra cash and none of them worked. If you have an ATM that is reliable go for it. I just don't want to be count on getting money from one of them in the Phils and have the eat ATM eat my card. Thus no money and no card. Beside the extra charges might not be cost effective.

I don't see any problem carrying cash from the airport to the taxi I ordered from the hotel, into the hotel and up to the room to put it away in the safe. I surely don't wonder around with it in my pocket.

But each to his own style. So Chris Long will have to decide what is best way for him. Still I would be sure to have an adequate back up plan in case the original fails.

A happy and New Year to all and may you find what you want on new years eve.

[QUOTE=Yuri;1366340]Manage your expectations. I found Pattaya better in many ways in terms of more bars and being diverse. AC is much smaller with the "action" being isolated on one road about 600 Meters long.[/QUOTE]I'm not a big fan of AC but you missed some "roads." Get out a bit and there is something more than Fields.

Ok, I been reading this back and forth between ATMers and Currency carriers.

Someone tell me how much more are you getting from exchanging carried cash? The current exchange rate is around 41. 08Php for 1. 00USD and my bank (USAA) only charges me 1% foreign transaction fee. No ATM fees from my bank.

Unless there is a fee from the Phillips side, I see no point in cash carrying!

BS.

[QUOTE=Rick Rock; 1365926]You might be up for the Ultimate Cheap Charlie award bro.

What hotels are you staying in AC for that rate? Dumps? Anything decent is pretty costly. I made it in Kokomos $30 a night rooms for about 35 seconds before the misqutos, stinky water, dirty sheets and noise hit me. Then it was up the road to Lewis Grand for a little over $100 a night. Have a drink or two, buy a lady drink to feel a girl out, take one decent girl out of a go go (2000 pesos) and there goes another 75 bucks by the time you factor in a stop for some food and a tuk tuk back to the hotel. Have a ST during the day for another 17 dollars, breakfast and lunch and you're easily up to 200 a day all in.

I don't mind saving money. I hate overpaying. So if I'm missing something (besides taking a bus in the Philippines, sorry but could never do that even if it was free) please let me know.[/QUOTE]200 for a day is a lot. I stayed at Tiger hotel and I can stay there for less than 30 a night. The place is pretty basic though and you don't have a pool. If you want a place with a pool you could stay at Galaxy Hotel and that is pretty close to where Kokomoz is.

I can manage with 150 a day. If you have contacts you can get a girl to come over for 1000 and stay a good while pretty easy. Many barfines of 1800 but on Perimeter you can have them for 1500 or less.

With hotels all depends what you are looking for. Lewis Grand is one of the top 4 hotels of AC. Kokomoz I wouldn't say is very good, even the food at their restaurant isn't really good. Boomerang is nice and it is about 50-60 a night, you could probably get a discount on a long time stay of a week or more.

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[url]http://www.boomeranghotelac.com/rooms/[/url]

Only thing it is a little far out compared to where Kokomoz is but if your willing to stay at Lewis Grand you obviously don't care about location anyway. Lewis Grand is expensive and I honestly don't need all the things they offer me. I hate being out of walking distance of the bars as well. The best things about it is the pool and the restaurant. But if money isn't a big thing for you and you want a luxury hotel, I would recommend Wild Orchid and ABC over Lewis Grand. If you are going with a friend who is like minded, you can split a 2 bedroom in Fields pLaza. Although they don't have a pool, you can access ABC's Pool.

[QUOTE=Gher2; 1364313]Along Fields Ave, near the Devera Hotel. We were enquiring at the window with a money changer and was offered better rates, college girls etc and was literally taken for a ride to a secluded place and was robbed.

Never get on their tricycles or get into their cars. You will end up robbed if you are lucky, and killed if you are not.

AC is like the old American wild wild west, where there is no law and order to speak of. We see no law enforcement officers, but lots of security guards carrying guns. It's almost like a death wish thing going to the snake den.

Is it worth the risk just for some cheaper sex which is not of any good quality anyway. Great big quantiy, but what quality to speak of?[/QUOTE]I stay pretty close to where Devara hotel is and I have no problems. In regards to money exchange I always use the vendors on the main street, there are so many of them. There is one Inparticular that I use because I find it always has the best rate. You never need to ask where to exchange money. Matter of fact I find myself needing Filipino's very little when I am there. Money exchange is clear as day where you can exchange because there are like 100 different places. In regards to girls, I was told NEVER to go with anyone from the street. This idea of college girls. No thanks. There are bars on the main street and on perimeter with more than enough girls to choose from.

If you are staying at Devara you are close enough not to need tricycles really but if you do use a tricycle you should be looking for a number on the front, kind of like a taxi. The worst thing is that they overcharge you for a ride because you are a tourist, so I don't bother to use them but I never have a problem in a trike. But if you go around asking questions like "where can I exchange money? Or where can I find girls?" when you are surrounded by Exchange places, some of which even have guards that are armed with SHOTGUNS in the front. And then you are surrounded by bars, there is a bar open in AC at every and any given hour of the day. You are drawing a lot of attention to your in addition to telling them you are a complete newbie with little to no knowledge of the area.

I had one incident where I got taken in a similar fashion like you. I'll never allow it to happen again and indeed I was lucky to get away just losing 2000 or so pesos but if you stick to the very basics and avoid contact with Filipino men, you should be just fine. I'm sorry the quality is low to you but there is so many bars with so many girls that you should be able to satisfy your appetite.

[QUOTE=BrasilSoccer0; 1366648]Ok, I been reading this back and forth between ATMers and Currency carriers.

Someone tell me how much more are you getting from exchanging carried cash? The current exchange rate is around 41. 08Php for 1. 00USD and my bank (USAA) only charges me 1% foreign transaction fee. No ATM fees from my bank.

Unless there is a fee from the Phillips side, I see no point in cash carrying!

BS.[/QUOTE]The ATM in phils will charge you a few hundred pesos just for its use. Your bank will hit you with the 1% you mentioned. Most banks hit a $5 (about) out-of-network fee for any ATM usage (yours does not). So for most gents, withdrawing, say, $100USD will cost him $100 + $5 + p200 ($5) = $110.

[QUOTE=BrasilSoccer0;1366648]Ok, I been reading this back and forth between ATMers and Currency carriers.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Westcoast1;1366681]The ATM in phils will charge you a few hundred pesos just for its use. Your bank will hit you with the 1% you mentioned. Most banks hit a $5 (about) out-of-network fee for any ATM usage (yours does not). So for most gents, withdrawing, say, $100USD will cost him $100 + $5 + p200 ($5) = $110.[/QUOTE]If you use a "foreign" bank you can avoid the local ATM fees eg. Citibank on MacArthur or HSBC (in Manila or Cebu). Also if you shop around you may be able to find a bank in your home country that doesn't charge any foreign transaction charges.

It then comes down to exchange rate and typically the Mastercard / Visa wholesale rate will beat the local guy's rates hands down.

For me it's a no-brainer ATM cards every time (always take at least 2 or 3 so that I have a backup in case of problems) and a bit of cash in case I can't get to an ATM.

[QUOTE=Rick Rock; 1365926]You might be up for the Ultimate Cheap Charlie award bro.

What hotels are you staying in AC for that rate? Dumps? Anything decent is pretty costly. I made it in Kokomos $30 a night rooms for about 35 seconds before the misqutos, stinky water, dirty sheets and noise hit me. Then it was up the road to Lewis Grand for a little over $100 a night. Have a drink or two, buy a lady drink to feel a girl out, take one decent girl out of a go go (2000 pesos) and there goes another 75 bucks by the time you factor in a stop for some food and a tuk tuk back to the hotel. Have a ST during the day for another 17 dollars, breakfast and lunch and you're easily up to 200 a day all in.

I don't mind saving money. I hate overpaying. So if I'm missing something (besides taking a bus in the Philippines, sorry but could never do that even if it was free) please let me know.[/QUOTE]Rick Rock, Your inbox is full, can't answer your PM.

Hmm. Deleted a few messages a couple of days ago when another guy said that, but doesn't seem to have done the trick. Just wiped out another 50. Try now.

For several years I always used ChinaBank in SM. They had the best deal, maximum withdrawal of 20, 000p with 150p ATM fee. However, the last time I was in AC in November, the max was only 10, 000p (US$243) with 200p ($4. 87) , same as other banks. Seems like all ATMs of Fili banks in AC now have the same limit and fee. What a rip-off!

Does anyone know a better ATM? What is the limit of the CitiBank ATM on MacArthur?

I read somewhere that there is an HSBC ATM at Clark Airport now. Can anyone verify? Going back to AC in February. Thanks.

[QUOTE=Dark Vader;1366716]If you use a "foreign" bank you can avoid the local ATM fees eg. Citibank on MacArthur or HSBC (in Manila or Cebu). Also if you shop around you may be able to find a bank in your home country that doesn't charge any foreign transaction charge.[/QUOTE]Schwab Debit Card has no foriegn international charges, works great.