18 days in the Philippines

[Twobrains]

I was there in December. I had read so many varied and contradictory reports about the country in these pages and on other sites, both wildly good and shockingly bad, that I didn't know what to expect. This trip report aims to briefly sum up my experience, coloured by my own preferences, prejudices and proclivities. This is just how it was for me - I'm not saying it will be the same for you. Also, although I have many critical things to say, I don't want this to come across as a whinge - the country is what it is and I accept that.

I'm a late-forties, white European, tall and slim, not bad looking. But I think my appearance had very little to do with my success or lack of it with Pinays - as long as you are presentable, don't smell bad and are willing to spend money you can find a woman. I'm a thinker and can appear somewhat reserved and aloof, and that probably contributed to some sense of isolation in a country where people appear to be outgoing and live more in the moment. But the biggest handicap was one that I deliberately gave myself - I chose to be honest about my objectives. I was looking for easy holiday sex with no prospect of a long-term relationship and my dating profiles reflected that. This tended to attract a certain kind of girl, and I have no complaints that they were usually looking for money.

I first went to Cebu. This city is a big, dirty craphole. I was taken aback by how 3rd world it is. The filth, pollution, chaos and general sense of no one giving a shit about cleanliness and order was a real shock at first. I've done a lot of travelling, but this place was the worst I'd seen since I was in India over 2 decades ago. Beggars everywhere, kids sleeping on the streets - it's f***ed up. There's no pressing reason to travel to this city except to find easy p***y, and there are plenty of western guys there already doing just that. You probably won't feel exotic or special and you won't get a second glance from most Pinays. Ayala mall (a haven of cleanliness and order) is full of white guys trawling for p***y. I went there several times but saw very little freelancer action. I was approached only once, by a girl offering massage at my hotel but she was kind of freaky so I passed. The dating sites are your best chance of a hook-up, but the girls who put out easily will usually want money. I always gave them some, ostensibly to cover their travel expenses. Some were outright hookers, using DateInAsia etc to find clients. I don't have a problem with that as long as both sides understand the deal. Because I'm kind of cheap I wasn't prepared to shell out the pesos or wait through multiple dates to get great-looking girls and I ended up shagging a few 5's and 6's for not much outlay. That got boring after a while and I found the girls in Cebu were always unreliable - flaking, bailing, horribly late. It became a pain in the ass - simply not worth the trouble. I can see it from their POV - this guy isn't going to marry me or give me a load of money - maybe a better option will come along while I stall him? I left Cebu three days earlier than planned ...

... for Davao. Now this is widely reputed to be one of the cleanest and safest cities in the Phils. Well, everything is relative. It's a bit cleaner than Cebu and feels very safe, for sure. But there are still beggars, though not so many homeless as far as I could see. Davao is quite large and spread out, but has the feel of a medium-sized town rather than a city. Logistics can be tricky, with some girls living out in the suburbs, but generally Davao girls were more reliable than Cebuanas. And more curious to meet a foreigner. You will probably feel somewhat exotic as you walk the streets and malls - girls will look at you and giggle. It's quite charming and addictive - I miss it a bit now. I was in a park and a group of schoolgirls were giggling and shouting "Hello Daddy!" at me. Of course, they were too young, but even with older girls I never approached or gave out my number - I stuck to internet dating - maybe a mistake. I met quite a few girls in Davao, but I had set my sights a bit higher by then and I turned down shagging a few easy 5's. I met one very pretty, charming girl but she brought her mother along (unannounced) for coffee. She seemed to like me but had to go work long hours in the mall and I was leaving town the next day, so nothing happened. Apart from women, Davao has some good beach resorts nearby on Samal island, an interesting Crocodile Park and at least one excellent mall (Abreeza) if you like that sort of thing.

I had little interest in visiting Angeles City, but AirAsia messed up my flight and so I ended up spending 2 nights there. Another dirty craphole, and one in which there is little to do except eat, drink and shag. I did a little of each. It scratched a few itches.

Lastly I spent 2 days in Malate, Manila. It actually wasn't as bad as I'd feared. The usual beggars, busted pavements and poverty, but the amenities and buzz of a big (huge) city alongside that. I tried to set up more dates off the internet, but failed to take account of the fact that getting anywhere in grid-locked Manila is a major pain in the ass. One newly-found girl was willing to travel 2 hours to meet, but it didn't seem worth it to me. Another (really cute) girl who I had cultivated online for months refused to meet me as agreed, which was disappointing. I think it was due to shyness, but it was so damned hard to get a straight answer out of her. Pinays are often so concerned about face that they say what they think you want to hear rather than tell you the truth. Yes often means no or maybe. But I wouldn't complain about the locals - they are generally cheerful and friendly and you usually get service with a smile. They are the one bright spot in a benighted land.

I could pontificate for ages about the causes of all the f***ed-up things in the Philippines, but I'll leave that to others. I hope this has usefully added to the pile of information. It's safe to say I won't be rushing back there.

[jamesbond]

Wow, that was a very detailed report Twobrains, thanks for sharing how things went for you in the Philippines. You certainly saw the good, the bad and the ugly while you were there!

[Winston]

Yeah, well you pretty much corroborated what me, Ladislav, Mr S, Rock and others have been saying all along in the Philippines. We've all experienced what you described.

Did you meet any quality girls? How did your internet dates go?

Don't you at least love the attention of people looking up to you and admiring you? It's better than no attention right?

Maybe try Thailand or China next time?

[Twobrains]

Quality girls? No, mostly jobless single mums and shop girls. Middle or upper class girls don't need our money and they don't want the stigma of being seen with a sex tourist foreigner - at least that's what I've read. Maybe I could have met some middle class girls but my dating profile put them off. Online dating is great, if you like low-quality girls who are easy to bed, because the size of the pool is so large in the Philippines. But I would say that the majority of the female population are God-fearing good girls. I was astonished at how many people were at Santo Nino church in Cebu when I went there on a weekday.

Yes, it's good for the ego to be admired, for sure.

I've been to Thailand and had a Thai gf for 4 months in 2011 and I certainly prefer it to the Phils. China is a strong option for the future. But wait for my report on Vietnam.

[Jacaré]

Good report TB! Davao is more and more looking like the place to go to in the Phils. I also wasn't impressed by Cebu when I went there and got bored easily and wanted out specially in the beginning, but then, the sweet girls you meet grow on you and I was really tempted to stay. Can't wait to return!
Did you feel you could get higher quality girls if you were to stay there longer?

Looking forward for your Vietnam report!

[Twobrains]

I'm sure a longer stay would yield higher quality results, IF you are prepared to offer the girls the prospect of a long-term commitment. As a tourist, you are just a short-term prospect to be milked for a bit of cash and that game will appeal only to a certain niche of girls (the desperate or the professional). Nevertheless I did meet some pleasant girls who were good company. One or two were good in the sack, most not that great.

[zboy1]

I don't know why the Philippines is so overrated by some people on HA and on other forums I frequent: it's an overcrowded Third World country with little to offer except for cheap food and dirty, nasty hookers (no offense to Filipinos). They're far better countries in the world to get women like Eastern Europe, Russia, or China, than the Philippines.

[Taco]

[quote="Twobrains"]

I first went to Cebu. This city is a big, dirty craphole. I was taken aback by how 3rd world it is. [quote]

What your saying is true. Cebu City is not the best place place for meeting new friends, big cities never are. However, I'll take Cebu over Brixton(South London) any day. I used live in South London, you can get your throat slit for 10p and almost as much poverty.

The Philippines is what you make it, it took me about 3 months to get used to it, I like it more than China. My neighbor from Switzerland lives in a posh house with a 9ft. concrete wall around his property, he's not suffering believe me.

[pete98146]

I've been to Thailand and had a Thai gf for 4 months in 2011 and I certainly prefer it to the Phils. China is a strong option for the future. But wait for my report on Vietnam.

I've been Thailand, Phils and Vietnam. I loved Vietnam but the women are difficult to approach because few speak english. Most are going to be good girls as well so finding ones that are willing to bed down quickly will be a definite challenge.

[E_Irizarry]

*Puts on his well-informed gasface mask (well the old well-informed one)*

I was approached only once, by a girl offering massage at my hotel but she was kind of freaky so I passed.

What a stoic prude! I knew you had sugar in your tank. You have gone from a shroom-illusioned reindeer to overseeing a serene countryside amassed of little, prepubescent boys. What real single man would not have taken an opportunity to take advantage of she?! Let me guess: her overzealousness for you is equated to her having STDs due to how freaky she might be with everybody? Fear-mongering. Hey SSJ Parris, pull up that Benny-The-Polyglot article, my whoadie! LOL!

You know you didn't shag; in lieu you got shagged, you glorified stewardess you. You are pretty westernized for a European. I'm glad people like you aren't seemingly the majority of people in the EU.

The dating sites are your best chance of a hook-up, but the girls who put out easily will usually want money. I always gave them some, ostensibly to cover their travel expenses. Some were outright hookers, using DateInAsia etc to find clients. I don't have a problem with that as long as both sides understand the deal. Because I'm kind of cheap I wasn't prepared to shell out the pesos or wait through multiple dates to get great-looking girls and I ended up shagging a few 5's and 6's for not much outlay.

You know that you were having alien b.utthole sex with a ladyboy. You wore the strap on....and you dropped your sperm on the ground like that surprised ladyboy scene in The Hangover 2. Man, just "Give up the ghost" like that Immature song and admit that Arthur Ashe was hotter than Freddie Mercury.

That got boring after a while and I found the girls in Cebu were always unreliable - flaking, bailing, horribly late. It became a pain in the a** - simply not worth the trouble. I can see it from their POV - this guy isn't going to marry me or give me a load of money - maybe a better option will come along while I stall him? I left Cebu three days earlier than planned ...

Honestly, I only had one Pinay flake on me in Davao City out of 7 non-pro's altogether I had smashed while I was living there for 4 months. I got them in the bedroom in 5 minutes or less on the first date; yup non pro's that were 5-up-to-8's. They "suspect"ed that something was wrong with you. I don't believe they have found out you were mongering in AC nor anything about your cameo dress from Showgirls in B'way theater showings; I'll give you that much credit.

... for Davao. Now this is widely reputed to be one of the cleanest and safest cities in the Phils. Well, everything is relative. It's a bit cleaner than Cebu and feels very safe, for sure. But there are still beggars, though not so many homeless as far as I could see. Davao is quite large and spread out, but has the feel of a medium-sized town rather than a city. Logistics can be tricky, with some girls living out in the suburbs, but generally Davao girls were more reliable than Cebuanas. And more curious to meet a foreigner. You will probably feel somewhat exotic as you walk the streets and malls - girls will look at you and giggle. It's quite charming and addictive - I miss it a bit now. I was in a park and a group of schoolgirls were giggling and shouting "Hello Daddy!" at me. Of course, they were too young, but even with older girls I never approached or gave out my number - I stuck to internet dating - maybe a mistake.

If they were boys, you would have tucked your cock in like Buffalo Bill in drag, and you would have approached them. They were laughing at your pansexuality.

Lastly I spent 2 days in Malate, Manila. It actually wasn't as bad as I'd feared. The usual beggars, busted pavements and poverty, but the amenities and buzz of a big (huge) city alongside that. I tried to set up more dates off the internet, but failed to take account of the fact that getting anywhere in grid-locked Manila is a major pain in the a**. One newly-found girl was willing to travel 2 hours to meet, but it didn't seem worth it to me. Another (really cute) girl who I had cultivated online for months refused to meet me as agreed, which was disappointing. I think it was due to shyness,

It was due to your P. Diddy kilt and your brassiere set accompanied with fishnets, guy. Not due to their shyness. Who is afraid of a tall lanky man like you that likes to attack people whom are truly masculine and value patriarchy?

but it was so damned hard to get a straight answer out of her. Pinays are often so concerned about face that they say what they think you want to hear rather than tell you the truth. Yes often means no or maybe.

This is the only thing I agree with you. Everything else about you is utter blasphemy.

I could pontificate for ages about the causes of all the f***ed-up things in the Philippines, but I'll leave that to others. I hope this has usefully added to the pile of information. It's safe to say I won't be rushing back there.

..and they aren't eagerly awaiting you either I'm so sure. Go to Greenland, Canada, or better yet, go to Perú, I'm sure they would love you there.

[OutWest]

*Puts on his well-informed gasface mask (well the old well-informed one)*

I was approached only once, by a girl offering massage at my hotel but she was kind of freaky so I passed.

What a stoic prude! I knew you had sugar in your tank. You have gone from a shroom-illusioned reindeer to overseeing a serene countryside amassed of little, prepubescent boys. What real single man would not have taken an opportunity to take advantage of she?! Let me guess: her overzealousness for you is equated to her having STDs due to how freaky she might be with everybody? Fear-mongering. Hey SSJ Parris, pull up that Benny-The-Polyglot article, my whoadie! LOL!

You know you didn't shag; in lieu you got shagged, you glorified stewardess you. You are pretty westernized for a European. I'm glad people like you aren't seemingly the majority of people in the EU.

The dating sites are your best chance of a hook-up, but the girls who put out easily will usually want money. I always gave them some, ostensibly to cover their travel expenses. Some were outright hookers, using DateInAsia etc to find clients. I don't have a problem with that as long as both sides understand the deal. Because I'm kind of cheap I wasn't prepared to shell out the pesos or wait through multiple dates to get great-looking girls and I ended up shagging a few 5's and 6's for not much outlay.

You know that you were having alien b.utthole sex with a ladyboy. You wore the strap on....and you dropped your sperm on the ground like that surprised ladyboy scene in The Hangover 2. Man, just "Give up the ghost" like that Immature song and admit that Arthur Ashe was hotter than Freddie Mercury.

That got boring after a while and I found the girls in Cebu were always unreliable - flaking, bailing, horribly late. It became a pain in the a** - simply not worth the trouble. I can see it from their POV - this guy isn't going to marry me or give me a load of money - maybe a better option will come along while I stall him? I left Cebu three days earlier than planned ...

Honestly, I only had one Pinay flake on me in Davao City out of 7 non-pro's altogether I had smashed while I was living there for 4 months. I got them in the bedroom in 5 minutes or less on the first date; yup non pro's that were 5-up-to-8's. They "suspect"ed that something was wrong with you. I don't believe they have found out you were mongering in AC nor anything about your cameo dress from Showgirls in B'way theater showings; I'll give you that much credit.

... for Davao. Now this is widely reputed to be one of the cleanest and safest cities in the Phils. Well, everything is relative. It's a bit cleaner than Cebu and feels very safe, for sure. But there are still beggars, though not so many homeless as far as I could see. Davao is quite large and spread out, but has the feel of a medium-sized town rather than a city. Logistics can be tricky, with some girls living out in the suburbs, but generally Davao girls were more reliable than Cebuanas. And more curious to meet a foreigner. You will probably feel somewhat exotic as you walk the streets and malls - girls will look at you and giggle. It's quite charming and addictive - I miss it a bit now. I was in a park and a group of schoolgirls were giggling and shouting "Hello Daddy!" at me. Of course, they were too young, but even with older girls I never approached or gave out my number - I stuck to internet dating - maybe a mistake.

If they were boys, you would have tucked your cock in like Buffalo Bill in drag, and you would have approached them. They were laughing at your pansexuality.

Lastly I spent 2 days in Malate, Manila. It actually wasn't as bad as I'd feared. The usual beggars, busted pavements and poverty, but the amenities and buzz of a big (huge) city alongside that. I tried to set up more dates off the internet, but failed to take account of the fact that getting anywhere in grid-locked Manila is a major pain in the a**. One newly-found girl was willing to travel 2 hours to meet, but it didn't seem worth it to me. Another (really cute) girl who I had cultivated online for months refused to meet me as agreed, which was disappointing. I think it was due to shyness,

It was due to your P. Diddy kilt and your brassiere set accompanied with fishnets, guy. Not due to their shyness. Who is afraid of a tall lanky man like you that likes to attack people whom are truly masculine and value patriarchy?

but it was so damned hard to get a straight answer out of her. Pinays are often so concerned about face that they say what they think you want to hear rather than tell you the truth. Yes often means no or maybe.

This is the only thing I agree with you. Everything else about you is utter blasphemy.

I could pontificate for ages about the causes of all the f***ed-up things in the Philippines, but I'll leave that to others. I hope this has usefully added to the pile of information. It's safe to say I won't be rushing back there.

..and they aren't eagerly awaiting you either I'm so sure. Go to Greenland, Canada, or better yet, go to Perú, I'm sure they would love you there.

ROFL ! too funny! However, the guy does sound like an accountant that got lost and ended up in the Philippines! LOL What? Who will bring order to this chaos???!!! God help me!

What? People in dumpy third world countries don't share my time urgency? Where in the hell did this dude think he was going? Wales?
Those good girls don't want anything to do with my sex tourist self...do ya think?

I will have to read your rejoinder here again...too funny! My wife will get a laugh out if it too I bet...


Outwest

[xiongmao]

Nice trip report. Maybe I'll visit the Philippines. Or maybe not. According to the UK foreign office stats, Brits are twice as likely to die visiting the Philippines than they are with China!

I know the Chinese ladies I've met aren't very complimentary about the Phillies or Vietnam. I'll have to check both countries out for myself.

Plenty of nice middle class Filipinas want foreign husbands. I'm friends with a few on Facebook. There are loads on my dating site as well.

But I'll stick to what I know, and that's Chinese girls.

It'll be interesting to compare China with the Philippines. China is really a rich country with poor people in it. I've never seen that many beggers, certainly no more than there are in London. Nobody I've dated has lived in a tin shack, in fact 2 or maybe 3 are pretty darned wealthy. At least you know that they're not just in it for the money.

[Banano]

Im not surprissed by OP remarks on PH

its over hyped place, people talking about having rock star on tour experience with all the 'girls' throwing
themselves on you dick

for a second take away p4p,poor women(that includes these chicks that work in the malls for 200 buck 6-7 days a week) who are more in need of proper shelter/room, food than old white dick


it sounds like your experience is simalr to steve hocas

[Twobrains]

Nice trip report. Maybe I'll visit the Philippines. Or maybe not. According to the UK foreign office stats, Brits are twice as likely to die visiting the Philippines than they are with China!

I know the Chinese ladies I've met aren't very complimentary about the Phillies or Vietnam. I'll have to check both countries out for myself.

Plenty of nice middle class Filipinas want foreign husbands. I'm friends with a few on Facebook. There are loads on my dating site as well.

But I'll stick to what I know, and that's Chinese girls.

It'll be interesting to compare China with the Philippines. China is really a rich country with poor people in it. I've never seen that many beggers, certainly no more than there are in London. Nobody I've dated has lived in a tin shack, in fact 2 or maybe 3 are pretty darned wealthy. At least you know that they're not just in it for the money.

I've never been to China but if I spoke any Mandarin or Cantonese I'd put it next on my itinerary. From the reports here and elsewhere it must be a step up from the Phils. The best things about the Phils are that English is spoken widely and the people are friendly.

I guess there are middle class Pinays who would be happy with a foreigner paying the bills, but I don't need or want a wife. I was a sex tourist and I was treated like one (but not made to feel bad about it by the girls). I have no complaints about the way Filipinos treated me, apart from getting frustrated by the flakiness. Even the taxi drivers were pretty decent!

[xiongmao]

You don't need to speak Chinese languages to go to China. Chinese Universities are churning out hundreds of thousands of fluent English speaking girls every year.

And if you just want some P4P, well it's possible to get that too, although it's probably best not to get caught.

As far as scams go, well I've been less scammed in Asia than I was in France and Rome (rip-off capital of the world if you're a foreigner).