General Info

[Goferring]

For the tech savvy.

My play phone won't accept an eSIM. I want to have working data on arrival but it takes forever to buy a package at NAIA Arrivals. Can I get Globe or Smart data to work from home before I leave? Just data. I don't need call or txt.

If there is a solution, explain it like I'm a 4 year old. I'm no good at this stuff.

Thanks. G.

[WestCoast1]

The thing is that I visited all bars in Burgos and had a San Miguel beer at each. By the Pat one, I asked for one more that I could barely sip and had to drink water.

Ended up going back to my room with a Wendy's combo with me.

Next morning I got a PF girl for about 2 hours for $3,000 pesos and got to BBFS with her.

That was about it.

I'm planning a longer stay this February as I only spent 2 nights last time.

Fair report guy.

PSA: Another PAL flash sale. See pics for details. Booking timeframe is short, Feb 2-3, about one day. Which means their system will be inundated at the time (be prepared for app and browser failures / slowdowns in your reservation attempts).

Travel dates are Feb 10 - March 31.

10-20% savings.

[DomBull]

I am still confused about the legal situation in the PH.

It is clear, prostitution is illegal for the hookers, not for the men. But regarding the age, I see a lot of preoccupation here regarding the age and ID card.

To be with a girl, the legal age is. ? (I just saw the 16 years thing from some years ago, when the law changed).

So, had anybody really problems to be with a hooker?

And had anybody really a problem to be scammed by a false ID card?

And is the "legal" age for our "illegal " hunting 18 or 16?

[Fleaker29]

Don't be a taker and not a giver. Please post us a solid field report of your experiences, as we are helping you along here.

The thing is that I visited all bars in Burgos and had a San Miguel beer at each. By the Pat one, I asked for one more that I could barely sip and had to drink water.

Ended up going back to my room with a Wendy's combo with me.

Next morning I got a PF girl for about 2 hours for $3,000 pesos and got to BBFS with her.

That was about it.

I'm planning a longer stay this February as I only spent 2 nights last time.

[Fleaker29]

Don't be a taker and not a giver. Please post us a solid field report of your experiences, as we are helping you along here.

The thing is that I visited all bars in Burgos and had a San Miguel beer at each. By the Pat one, I asked for one more that I could barely sip and had to drink water.

Ended up going back to my room with a Wendy's combo with me.

Next morning I got a PF girl for about 2 hours for $3,000 pesos and got to BBFS with her.

That was about it.

I'm planning a longer stay this February as I only spent 2 nights last time.

[Mr Enternational]

The point is that I want to know about the best place to exchange USD to pesos. I exchanged at the airport but if any of you knows a better place, I'the be happy to know.

This being 2025, I would say the ATM. I came out of immigration today and as always walked right over to the BDO ATM. I did 2 withdrawals of 10,000 each, plus 250 peso fee. The total out of my account on each transaction was $175.23, for an exchange rate of 58.49. Schwab will give me the 250 peso fee for each transaction back at the end of the month. Here in Angeles the exchange places are saying 58.10.

[WestCoast1]

Hello all,

I am one of those who comes and reads but usually doesn't post much.

In fact, I was in Makati last September, got drunk and didn't play until the last morning I spent there.

The point is that I want to know about the best place to exchange USD to pesos. I exchanged at the airport but if any of you knows a better place, I'the be happy to know.

Thank you gents.

The airport has a fair rate, just a peso or so below the street vendors. Street vendors have the best rate. Specifically, there is a vendor located next door to Sunette Towers, called Hanady. On Abaca St at corner Durban St, just across the street from the Durban Hotel. Just half a block from Burgos St corner Durban St. See pics.

Best to either bring a small amount of pesos from your home country (hit up your bank a few days prior to travel), or alternately hit up the airport exchange for a small amount (ie, $50 USD) initially for taxi fare and a meal, before hitting the street exchangers.

Hello all,

I am one of those who comes and reads but usually doesn't post much.

Don't be a taker and not a giver. Please post us a solid field report of your experiences, as we are helping you along here.

[Fleaker29]

Hi Fleaker,

I usually get all my Pesos via online foreign exchange before I leave home and it just saves all the mucking around when you're on the ground in the Phils finding the best rates etc.

Additionally, you don't have to worry about getting cash when you first arrive when you can be heading straight to your hotel and getting straight into the action or catching up with a contact.

I've always returned home with lots of pesos and just keep them for my next visit.

Just an alternative _ Phil.

Thank you Phil.

I'm not used to the online exchange thing as I'm not from the US. I come from México and I have learned not to exchange here to a 3rd country's currency as you lose way too much.

The best thing for us is to 1st exchange to USD or EUR and then to the local currency on arrival to the last country.

I want to go to Shanghai, Bangkok, Philippines and Japan next month.

Not planning to play in China, just some shopping.

[PhilJoy]

The point is that I want to know about the best place to exchange USD to pesos. I exchanged at the airport but if any of you knows a better place, I'the be happy to know.

Thank you gents.

Hi Fleaker,

I usually get all my Pesos via online foreign exchange before I leave home and it just saves all the mucking around when you're on the ground in the Phils finding the best rates etc.

Additionally, you don't have to worry about getting cash when you first arrive when you can be heading straight to your hotel and getting straight into the action or catching up with a contact.

I've always returned home with lots of pesos and just keep them for my next visit.

Just an alternative _ Phil.

[Fleaker29]

Hello all,

I am one of those who comes and reads but usually doesn't post much.

In fact, I was in Makati last September, got drunk and didn't play until the last morning I spent there.

The point is that I want to know about the best place to exchange USD to pesos. I exchanged at the airport but if any of you knows a better place, I'the be happy to know.

Thank you gents.

[Goferring]

Despite the mayhem on the ground in Manila, once you stroll through customs without a question asked or a bag checked, The Phils is still one of the easiest places I've ever had to enter.

_ Phil.

Agreed.

I travel light and, if I can avoid the bag weight Nazis at departure, often I'll sneak my bag on as carry on. This makes the longest part of arrival finding a taxi.

G.

[Goferring]

Also don't forget the visa extensions, they didn't ask me for it this time, but every single time before.

Same for me last trip. She didn't even ask about length of stay or visas. It was me that asked whether I could get 59 days immediately rather than finding a Immi office later. She referred me to the office in the airport. It was a super easy process. The longest part was finding the exact cash to pay them.

G.

[Old And Ugly]

I always fill it up, they never asked, this was first time I didn't, and the officer made me do it. He said is mandatory once you enter, even if you stay only one day, and if you open the app it kind of looks like is waiting for you to finish the trip, with a departure. Good they didn't asked for the visa extension, because I had it, but I couldn't find it on line.
Maybe he didn't like me, or maybe they don't bother, but this time did because my GF didn't had it filled up either.

[PhilJoy]

Come to think of it, I don't think I've eTravel-ed or eGov'd on the outbound since 2022. Anyone else?

Not here either Westie upon departure.

The funny thing about filling it out before you arrive is they ask for your hotel / address when staying in The Phils. I usually stay one or two nights in Manila before moving on and they accept the initial Manila hotel address as your primary location. Travelling to Russia quite a while back, they wanted to know 'everything', besides what you last had to eat, to keep track of you while you were there.

The best thing about eTravel is, it now eliminates the need to find a pen, hotel address and your passport when awoken mid-sleep on a flight to fill in an arrival card. You do all of that in five minutes at home a day or two before you depart.

Despite the mayhem on the ground in Manila, once you stroll through customs without a question asked or a bag checked, The Phils is still one of the easiest places I've ever had to enter.

_ Phil.

[Muttley81]

Come to think of it, I don't think I've eTravel-ed or eGov'd on the outbound since 2022. Anyone else?

Same here. Etravel website says following still:

Arriving Filipino and foreign crewmembers;.
Arriving Filipino and foreign passengers;.
And Departing Filipino passengers.

We had group of expats over from many countries recently, none of them had to fill it in for exit.