Been there eight times in the last four years, and usually stay 3-4 weeks each time. You probably know I have a one year old daughter there now as well. You don't have to pick up hookers, there are nice girls who love to meet foreign guys everywhere you go. I wish I had gone there 20-25 years ago before I met my second wife. :wink:
I've found the people to be very friendly most everywhere (and they will communicate in english), and yes there are some scam artists around. Mostly you will see street hustlers who want to sell you a knock off Rolex, fake Viagra or some other cheap product. Avoid these guys like the plague. Be very careful in the money exchanges, go only to reputable ones. There are slight of hand artists working at some of the ones that offer the best exchange rate. Do not go into a money exchange that has someone on the street hawking for them! That's a bad sign.
Our money goes three or four times as far over there as it does in a major city here. Nice hotel rooms for $30-50 a night. Good meals for $5 a person. Just about anything you buy in a store over there will be a bargain compared to U.S. prices. Except for electronics like computers and TV's. Same prices there as here. You can buy a very nice motor scooter or motor bike for $1,000 (or less). If you are staying there awhile buy a filipino cell phone for 2-3,000p. You buy time as you need it, maybe $5 for days of texting. Everyone texts over there.
The plane fare is your most expensive purchase, but I bought a discount ticket for a little over $700 on Philippine Air this trip. They fly to Manila with a fuel stop in Guam and non stop on the return (with the jet stream).
P.S. I feel safer in Manila than on the streets of L.A. (Hollywood or downtown) at night. I walk everywhere, and I mean everywhere, down alleys and thru little side streets. I look at everyone and smile at those who smile back at me. If I sense some guys who aren't so friendly I just walk right on by, never looking or slowing down. No one has ever accosted me, and I've shot hoops with a gang of young guys, played pool in all filipino poolrooms and eaten alone in out of the way spots with a lot of people staring at me. I've had my shoes repaired at a street corner shop and haggled over the price, and bought food from road side vendors and also struck deals. Everything you buy is up for negotiation over here! I talk to everyone as friendly and yet directly as I can. I have no problem disagreeing with what I believe is overcharging for anything, including cab fare or hotel charges (extras?).
But that's just me, I've been doing this shit all my life. I used to look for pool games in Harlem and Watts in the 60's. I'm a fckn pool player that's all. If you don't like it, come and get it. I don't run from any man. I face them head on wherever I am. I'm too old to change now.
