The following are basic travel tips that may prove very helpful for all those who are planning to travel to the Philippines anytime soon.
Budget tip: Try to avoid staying in hotels unless you have to. Budget hotels are plentiful and they also offer great facilities. One good example would be the Rizal Hall in Ortigas Center. You can reserve a room for less than P500 a night. The reason? It has a kitchen and bathroom. You may also bring your own food.
Shopping tip: Try to avoid the big malls. Even though malls offer convenient shopping, it is not worth spending a fortune on items you will not use. Instead, go to local markets and buy fresh items. If you do not have small cash in your pocket, then go for casual clothes shops. They offer cheap and quality clothes. One good example is the Linyanti Store at Quezon City Market.
Be prepared to walk even when you have money. There are many cheap and free attractions which are worth your time. Also, if you plan to drive, then plan for it. Driving can also be very useful since you can save on gas and parking fees. Driving is usually the best option when you do not have money.
Basic Travel Tips
A basic travel tip is to dress conservatively in public places. The clothes you wear can usually tell the story of the people with whom you interact. It is always best to dress conservatively at home and in the hotel. In case you need to dress up, then invest in some nice clothes from a mall’s fashion shows. But, do not spend more than P2,000 on clothes from a mall’s fashion shows.
Budget tip: Try to avoid staying in hotels unless you are a businessman. Hotels offer good facilities as well as rooms. The P500 night rooms from the Rizal Hall in Ortigia Center are cheap compared to other hotels in the place. You can also go for the rooms offered by the big chains. They offer better facilities and rates. If you are in a tight budget, then go for the smaller hotels which do not offer many facilities. These places offer great entertainment as well as cheap rates.
Shopping tip: Try to avoid the big malls. If you are going to the Philippines to shop, then opt for a casual clothes shop to stock up on essentials like sunscreen, shoes and toiletries. The main problem you will face is the lack of transportation from the mall to your destination. These clothes shops will offer you only one bus that comes once every half an hour.
Even then, it will take you almost an hour and a half to reach your destination. You can even grab groceries from a local grocery store. You will save money and time compared to going to the big malls. It will also be more interesting compared to entering the mall each time you want to shop.
Food: Order from the small local restaurants. You will find these places crowded but the food will be fresh and tasty.
Travel agents: You can find these places in big cities but in the provinces. These places offer cheap airfare tickets. If you want to go to the Philippines, then you must try the travel agents. They offer good discounts. Sometimes, these agents will give you free tickets to places if you buy a package. Travel agents offer great opportunities for saving money.
When you are a traveller, you have to consider the money issue. The Philippines does not have a large economy so everybody has to work harder to make ends meet. No matter what your preference is, you have to do the best with what you have. There are also great opportunities that you can grab to take you to the Philippines. If you are a businessman, then the Philippines offers great business opportunities.
The Philippines is the perfect place to open a business as there are many banks, businessmen and opportunities here. You can find the right environment to set up shop as the economy is open for business and the country is growing fast. The Filipino people are very friendly as the people here are trying to produce more to feed their families. The Philippines also has a very efficient and efficient government, which allows businessmen to have good business opportunities and to open their own business easily.
After you decide to go to the Philippines, you can also consider the vacation packages. These are also referred as all-inclusive package deals. These deals include airfare, hotel accommodation, food, transportation and more. There are also many options that the Philippines have an affordable rate for food and accommodation. The best thing about the Philippines’ all-inclusive package deals is that they have been upgraded and enhanced so that they can cover even the most expensive places. This is a good choice for tourists who are not sure of their budget.
Malaysia: Malaysia is another island in Asia that has many opportunities for tourists. Malaysia is also quite close to the most visited places in Asia so you will only need to transfer from one to another as there are many flights from Kuala Lumpur to Hong Kong and Singapore.
The transport system is quite developed here as there are many buses, minibuses and trains. Due to its size, Malaysia is pretty compact and easy to navigate. Malaysia is also reasonably priced compared to other Asian destinations. Malaysia has a different culture from other Asian destinations and they will treat you nice here. Due to its distance from most Asian destinations, Malaysia is not as crowded and noisy here.
Thailand: Thailand is the third-largest island in Asia and it is quite the popular destination for tourists. You can choose from several options for flights and accommodations here, so you will only need to transfer from one to another and they are quite cheap for Thailand. With a wide variety of hotels, Thailand is a nice place to stay here as there are many inexpensive ones here.
Due to its abundance of beautiful landscapes, Thailand is a peaceful and tranquil place where you will not experience any kind of craziness. The cost of these flights and hotels are quite affordable here so you should not feel any pressure to buy them.
As you can see, the destinations in Asia are pretty cheaper compared to North America and Europe. The best thing about these travel deals is that they are not as crowded and noisy compared to North America and Europe. If you need a great holiday, then Asia is the best choice for you. There are cheap flights and accommodation in Asia and you will have a wonderful time. So go ahead, book your flights and book your accommodations now.
What You Don’t Know About Buying With Cash in the Philippines
Use credit cards as they give you interest-free cash advances. You can pay off your purchases over several months and even years.
Be open with your wallet. You can’t expect others to help you with your visa or passport when you don’t know either. Use cash and check every now and then for daily expenses and purchases.
Have a travel agenda and stick to it. You’re travelling doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy yourself. If you want to do some sightseeing and have free time, use it wisely. Your family doesn’t need to be reminded every day that you’re on vacation.
Learn about travelling expenses. A lot of what you pay for up to now has been paid for upfront. There are no surcharges for various add-ons. Learn about them before you go. Be open about what you’re willing to pay.
Don’t carry too much cash. You might lose it. You never know what may happen to your cash while you’re travelling. Use bank transfers or ACH transfers, check traveller checks, or money orders.
Eat where the locals eat. We’re lucky to live in a country where we can afford to eat there. The food in Manila is expensive, the food in Cebu is also expensive, and so on. Eat where you’re more likely to get a good meal for a reasonable cost.
Travel with a budget and go to places that can provide you with free information. Your wallet doesn’t have to know everything. But you’ll feel bad if you leave something important out.
Budget Travel:
Make it a point to have a backup plan. If something happens to you or your family, you don’t want to find yourself with no money and no phone. Your backup plan is to a hotel and maybe a shared car.
Try not to book at the last minute. A backup plan works better than you know. And if you have to book at the last minute, you know you can do it cheaper and easier than usual.
If you can’t find a backup, consider travelling with a group. A group can work out cheaper than individually and you have options, like sharing a room, to find what you need. And the group will get discounts, too.
Budget Buying and Traveling:
Always check expiry dates. Expiry dates on package deals and airline tickets can be a different story than airline tickets, expiry dates can be 2-3 years later.
Take note of the booking fees. Most sites and companies will charge a booking fee for flights, hotel reservations and car rentals, so you can check and see what is cheapest for you. The site can help you compare airfare rates, for example, and give you a more accurate idea of the rates.
Be flexible with dates and times. If you’re flexible you can find what you need, when you need it. When a flight is late, you can’t use it. When a hotel is full, you don’t have a place to stay. When the car rental is full, you’re stranded. So make sure your dates are flexible.
Don’t book something unless you’re 100% certain of your place. In case the airline has to cancel or reschedule your flight or your hotel, you’ll get a full refund from your bank or card company.
Budget Buying Tips:
Most websites and banks will credit you with the more expensive airfare if you book the flight last. So be certain that you’re having the flight. Your card company might rescind the charge if you did.
Check expiry dates. If you book something to last for 2-3 months from your travel date, most sites will credit you with half the price, not the full price. So be certain about when you plan to travel.
Check on booking fees. Most booking sites will charge a fee for reservations, so you can check the expiry date and what is a refund for. I also checked them on the airline sites. They have a 100% refund system. There are cases where the site rescinds it all, but usually, if you have a reservation on their site, they will give you 100% of it back.
Never pay upfront for something until the last minute. Book your rental car in advance. Book your hotel in advance. Your bank or card company will not refund booking fees if you pay upfront.
