I am a new memeber trying to decide where to make my first trip. Thailand or the Philipines? Hmm maybe both, I have 3 weeks vacation coming. Any info on the pros and cons of each place would be greatly apreciated. I live in Vegas and have been to TJ Mexico numerouse times. I need to broaden my horizens. oregonpines@msn.com

With 3 weeks to spend, I suggest both. Maybe a week in Bangkok, a week in Pattaya and a week in the Philippines?

Don't know when your vacation is, but FYI it appears there will be several of us in AC (Philippines) this coming Labor Day week. Always fun barhopping with a few buddies in AC...

Wow, with 3 weeks, I'd definitely say split the trip between the two countries as well, you've got plenty of time. I'd also add Manila for a couple of days to your itinerary since you'll most likely stopover there on the way to AC. You never know which destination you'll like better until you try them, back to back.

(Message edited by merlin on August 03, 2005)

Definetely do both-- u got the time. Sounds like an awesome trip!

Both it is.....I cant seem to find any flights from Manila to Bangkok or vise versa. Still looking. And is there an airport closer to AC than the one in Manila?

Clarke AFB is 10 min from AC, but is serviced by just a few airlines such as Asiana, Tiger Air, etc.

For other airlines, you can purchase tx in BKK/Pattaya or Manila/AC at any one of the numerous travel agencies, they usually have pretty good deals. Or, there are some consolidators listed in the Topics/Airlines Section you can call before leaving.

Philipine Airlines (PAL) & Thai have direct flights, and Cathay (HK stopover).

To see which airlines fly that route, check out Zuji.com (Orbitz of Asia)

Should I get reservations in Thailand and PI or are there always decent places to stay?

Philippine Airlines and Thai Air fly BKK-MNL.

http://www.philippineairlines.com
http://www.thaifly.com

Philippine Airlines shows a midweek roundtrip fare of about $260 during September.

I recommend making reservations in both places - why waste valuable mongering time searching for a decent place to hang your hat?

Thanks for the info. Put both addresses on my favorites list. Site is worth every penny and only been here 2 days. lol.

Guys! I am going to philippines on August 18 for 1 week. This is my first trip. I will take many pictures.

I need your help with the following please:

1. What is the best way to call the US from Manila? Calling card or internet?

2. My destination is Laguna, near Manila. Anyone recommends a hotel? The closest hotel I found is in Tagaytay. It has internet connection.

http://www.asiatravel.com/philippines/other/discovery/countrysuites/index.html


For your knowledge, I booked my flight through Orbitz. From miami to manila is 1305 total.

I will rent a car at the airport and drive it myself.

Thank you for any advise you give me.

AndresB! Finally! Way to go. I'm more excited than you b/c I will count on you to scout out the Domestic Entertainment complex in detail for us as I will not be able to get back soon.

I don't know if it's a good idea to rent a car, the Manila traffic is the craziest I've seen. There may be demonstrations still and anticipate the annual coup attempt by the military.

I don't know about Laguna, why there? Stay in Manila at hotels where you know for sure the chica policy and visit Laguna if you have to. Don't forget to visit AC.

AndresB
I add my congrats to your finally getting off the ground !
The cheapest way to call the US or anywhere via cell phone 10-15 pesos a minute I believe. If you have a tri band GSM phone - bring it and buy a PI SIM card. If not buy a cheap used cell phone- very cheap in Manila.
I agree with Merlin. Why are you staying in Laguna - whatever or wherever that is ?? You have to go to AC at least for a few days !!

AndresB - You might want to check out some of the Asian Travel Agents if you fly to the PI in the future, Orbitz isn`t the place to book travel to Asia.
I`ve never paid over $1000 from east coast to PI.
Good luck, and what`s in Laguna ?

I met a girl through a match service in the internet. I am going to Laguna to meet her and her family. This is not a mongering trip but I will try to take many pictures.

They want to stay with me at the hotel. This includes her mom and sister. It worries me that I will have to buy three meals a day for 6 days for 4 people, plus any unexpected expenses.

It has been difficult finding a hotel in Laguna, so I will probably book a hotel in Manila. I am gathering some info from reports about Manila just in case the relationship with this girl does not work out.

Sorry I dont write frequently but I am busy getting ready for the trip.

AndresB, IMO, this reminds of when I was teaching my lil bro to drive many moons ago -- saw an accident happening, but was powerless to stop it.

IMO, it's WAY too soon to meet the folks and family and to subsidize them to boot. As much as I love the Filipinas, they have fleecing-of-the rich-foreigner down to an art. Read up on all the stories of travelers to the Phils of what it feels like to be treated like a walking ATM. It's especially pertinent to you since you only know this gal via chat or webcam. Obviously, spending time w/a gal is entirely diff't than chatting or web-caming w/ a gal. There are thousands of gals in AC/MANILA you should test-drive before jumping in, espec. since you are making such great efforts flying out there and spending gobs of money on airfare.

AndresB read the first part of my last trip report to find out what it's like to " meet the Family ".

You're looking at 3 meals and 2 rooms a day - do not think Momma is going to let her baby stay with you unless she is a pro.

You seem like a very nice guy and of course your life choices are up to you, but I have to totally agree with Merlin here. Your first 20-30 trips to the Phillipines should be for mongering and getting to know hundreds of filipinas not one.

I'll go one step further-- do u have SUCKER branded on your forehead?



(Message edited by donmarco on August 06, 2005)

IMHO - Your nuts !!!!!!! Odds overwhelming say, they`ll suck you dry. And I don`t mean in a good way. Totally agree with everyone alse.

You have no idea what your getting yourself into, everyone will have they`re hand in your pocket and they`re not shy about it. Don`t be surprised if a few cousins and auntie`s happen to just show up, and they`ll be hungry to.

Thank you all for your concern. The thing is, even if they try to suck me dry out of my money. I dont have much to start with.

I will just tell them I am running out of money. As a matter of fact I will have a talk with her today about this matter.

I am looking for a hotel now, around $60- $80 in a decent area. Thank you again for your concern. Khun Mor I will read your report now.

AndresB, even if you think you don't have assets, you can still get mired in debt. Before you go, I will hold your credit cards, atm cards, travelers checks, Macy's and Circuit city charge cards, and will prepare an irrevocable trust for the remainder of your assets. You can have one of us or all us be the trustee. Don't sign any documents while in the Phils.

The concept of an American not having money is incomprehensible in the Phils. In fact, even Filipino American friends and clients of mine complain about all the incessent requests for money when they visit the Phils, if at all. They have no social secuirty or welfare type of safety net as we know it, that's where Americans come in.

In all seriousness, do meet her when you get there, but on your terms, i.e. for lunch by herself minus the family for an hour or two, and then meet as many other gals as possible so you can compare. You'll have plenty of time to settle down later. Besides, you've been promising us for years that you'll post pics, right?

Where I can prepare an irrevocable trust? Is this the way to go in order to protect one's assets?

I spoke and paid a financial advisor but he was no help. I even spoke to a divorce lawyer and the @#$# did not show any interest in helping me.

I want to protect my assets from any future marriage.

By the way, I do have one very important request. Please advice me on the best kind of condoms to buy. I am looking for the safest, yet most sensitive kind of condoms available.

I will shop at www.drugstore.com, Could be kind enough to post the link here?

thank you in advance

Andres you have grown on us all over the years with your incessant requests for more photos. I too am excited that you finally get to take your first real overseas trip. It is with sincere concern that some many are giving strong warnings here. You may think you don't have much money, but you are extremely wealthy relative to the girl and her relatives. If you are going to stay in a $60-80 hotel you are definately only goign to reinforce the beliefs that you are rich. No matter how much genuine affection this girl you have really never met has for you, her obligations to her family to act as a conduit to financial resources will always take precedence over what your needs and desires are.

If money is so tight, why are you staying in one the most expensive places in the PI. Hell, plenty of beautiful and fun places where you can get a decent hotel for under $25 in the PI. Hell if you want to meet loose women. In AC you can live like a rock star for a total budget of under $150 a day. With you new extended family you will likely spend more than twice than that and be left with blue balls.

Unfortunately, I believe that you are determined to go against all of the conventional wisdom and forge you own way. I just hate to see you first trip, which you have invested some much of your time and finances into, be a dissapointing experience. But it sounds like you are gonna do what you gotta do. I for one will look forward to your pictures of your new extended family cleaning out your minibar, carrying their take away two extra entrees each from the restaurant, and drinking the whiskey you buy them. You will actually see very little because there is now way the will let see anything outside the confines of the hotel, their home, and trips to the shopping mall. They won't want to risk you meeting someone else and taking their new wealth away.

>I met a girl through a match service in the internet. I am going to Laguna to meet her and
>her family. This is not a mongering trip but I will try to take many pictures.
>
>They want to stay with me at the hotel. This includes her mom and sister. It worries me that
>I will have to buy three meals a day for 6 days for 4 people, plus any unexpected expenses.

If I were you, no matter how much I (thought) I liked this gal, I'd have to tell her there's no way in hell I'm paying for her whole family for days on end, on what is essentially a first date.

Mom wants to meet you? That's cool - any good parent would. I'd say we could go out for dinner *ONE* night. If she insisted on the "you pay for everything for several days" plan, I'd have to agree with everyone else that they're just milking you for whatever you're worth.

Philipino`s think all Americano`s are millionaires, with a endless supply of cash. You have to be very firm, don`t be afraid to say no, they`ll still like you.

Condoms I like are, Lifestyles ultra sensitive. Get the economy box (36) or 2 boxes with a tube of KY Jelly and enjoy the look on the face of the person if they opens your bag at the airport.

Might consider a prenup, check the laws in your state, I was told in my state that each person takes out of the marriage what they brought in, plus half of what you made when together. Just keep good records, but anyones quess what a very good divorce lawyer could do.

Good luck, hope everything works out, looking forward to the pics and stories.

Thank you very much. I will make it clear to the girl I cannot afford to have everyone in the hotel everyday. Dinner for her mom and her for one day will be ok.

I am preparing for my trip. My to do list:

1. read as many reports on philippines as I can. Starting today.

2. Find a hotel based on the reports I read. I did not realize $60 hotel per day makes you a rich guy. I will take this into consideration. Thank you.

2. Buy the condoms from drugstore.com. I plan to bring in at least one honeyko to the hotel when and if the in-laws are away. I am placing an order right now.

3. I still need to find a way to make calls from the philippines to the US. I am considering PC-2-Phone. There are some web sites that sell prepaid calling cards.

I need to go now to read as many reports as I can.

AndresB,

Despite my strong warnings, don't think that I have less affection for the Philipines or Filipinas. I think the world of them and their culture, it's just that in my experience, the preoccupation with money is a lot stronger than in other places I've visited for mongering. Even with my self-delusional thoughts that I'm experienced, I still am bewildered and awed by some of the ways they try to extract money (albeit unsuccessfully thus far :-) )

About asset protection, if you're serious, you should consult w/an atty in your state as the laws are difft. Lots of ways to do it, irrevocable trust may be just one option. Also beware that these days, a prenuptial is always susceptible to attack later so make sure SHE gets her own attorney in the state to review and sign off on it.

As for condoms, I prefer the Crown "Skinless" which can be found at condomdepot.com. They have volume discounts :-) This condom got top marks 3 years in a row, and after "battle testing" them in the trenches in SA and SEA, I tend to agree.

Check out the review http://www.condomdepot.com/reviews/best-condoms.htm

Take the strong words of wisdom to heart here, we're out for your best interests based on experiences.

(Message edited by merlin on August 07, 2005)

On the condom front I agree with Crown Skinless, although they may be a bit tight for some. Another place to buy them www.condomexpress.com

Moving to the recent substance of this thread, although I haven't been to the Philippines yet, I have done some research and frankly the notion of going there primarily to spend some time with someone who you haven't even met yet AND her family makes me cringe. Go to places like the Philippines for the fantasies, not the realities. You don't want to deal with the realities there.

If your girl or someone with her has a cellphone just buy her a load and I`ll bet she`d be more than happy to let you call the US. Or ask someone at the hotel if you can call on thier cell phone if you buy them a load, I`ve never been refused.

A 300 peso load is about $5.50 and gives you a good amount of time to talk.

Merlin and LAGuy: right on dudes. Crown Skinless Skins rock. I've been using them for years.

AndresB: I wish you the best, but I think you're making a big mistake. Get ready for tempers, drama, and a situation that is going to suck you dry (er, financially that is).

HELLO PEOPLE, TAKING A TRIP TO BANGKOK AND PLILLIPINES IN FEBUARY FROM CHICAGO, ANYONE KNOW WHERE I CAN FIND A DEAL? SEEMS LIKE EVERYONE WANTS 1200 AND ABUVE.

your not going to find squat booking 6 months out. Try about 5-6 weeks in advance.