9 Tips for Visiting the Philippines For the First Time

palm trees in front of beach

Every now and then I come across a country and for one reason or another we don’t get on – that was my experience with the Philippines. Don’t get me wrong, the country is beautiful, the people even more so it really was not them – it was me. Three months breezing through Hawaii at … Read more

Manila Sunday Brunch at the Sofitel Hotel – Review

Sofitel Manila Sunday Brunch

After almost three weeks trying and unanimously failing to find food heaven in the Philippines, I stumbled across the food phenomenon that seizes the palette of wealthier Filipinos and ex-pats alike each weekend – the Sofitel Manila Sunday Brunch. I should start by saying that there is very little that is Filipino about the food … Read more

Food in the Philippines – Tasty or Salty Disappointment?

Food in the Philippines

“Food in the Philippines isn’t very good,” they were words from a fellow traveller and they came as a crushing blow. How could that be? I was in Asia – one of the cornerstones of the spice trade, a region that had sent its cuisine global with pandemic success.  The Philippines had to have good … Read more

How To Visit the Batad Rice Terraces in the Philippines

Batad Rice Terraces

My visa for the Philippines expires in two days so I was determined to take a trip to the north of Luzon and the Cordillera mountains to visit the Batad rice terraces. The terraces are dubbed the ‘eighth wonder of the world’ and although I have come across many self-proclaimed ‘eighth wonders’ on my travels, … Read more

How To Get Around Manila

How To Get Around Manila

Manila, like any capital city is a sprawling mass meaning you’ll need to investigation various forms of transport to see the sights – having navigated the Philippine’s main city (with varying degrees of success) here’s my guide for how to get around Manila. Taxi The huge plus to Manila is that the taxis are super … Read more

Entry Requirements For The Philippines – One Way Tickets

skyline of manila

I’ve been a fan of one-way tickets for some time now, mainly because of the flexibility they lend to my travels, but this buy and fly method doesn’t always work, as I discovered this morning when I was introduced to the stringent entry requirements for the Philippines. Booking A Flight To The Philippines I booked … Read more