Ultimate Philippines Data Sheet: Manila, Cebu, Davao, Cagayan de Oro, GenSan, Butuan
04-09-2013, 10:50 AM
Ok so I've been in Manila for four days, stayed at the reasonably priced ($35 USD/night) Great Eastern Hotel in Makati but didn't like the area, lady boys and under age hookers and other general riff raff on the streets at night, not my scene.
Guys, I needed a change from what I've been doing over the past two months, I wanted the western convenience and comforts and was willing to pay the high price so I relocated to a high end area and trust me, I'm paying for it but its so nice to see the "other side" of the Philippines and I highly suggest that you guys check it out as well.
Believe me, in the past two months I've had the full Filipino experience: I've been to the beautiful beaches, saw the rice terraces, slept in shitty hotels (once, unfortunately), dove the best dive spots, eaten the shitty food (and got the shits), saw some amazing natural sites, almost got jacked, almost hooked up with a tranny, banged girls who probably live in shacks, etc.....you get the point. It was time for a change.
So I found a nice place in the upscale neighborhood of Fort Bonifacio and it is like being in another world. This place is super clean, very safe and very high end. I'm staying in the highest high rise in the Fort (38th floor of a 50 floor condo) and am paying dearly for it, although its not that bad at $400/week, money well spent IMO. To get a good idea of what I'm talking about, take a couple of minutes to watch this video to see what one of the high end areas of Manila has to offer: Fort Bonifacio Global City (BGC)
I just arrived here yesterday so haven't had the chance to see all of BGC yet, but I will update this thread in the next few days. So far, I've only hit up two locations: Market Mall and High Street
Market Mall: Located about 300M from my condo, I've been here twice in the past couple of days. Now, I'm the kind of guy who hates being in a mall but trust me if you're in the Philippines in the month of April, you'll be spending time in the malls and this is one of the better ones I've been to in the country. Full of nice shops, cheap restaurants and decent cafes, this is a pretty good day game spot. Also, after the mall closes at night, there's an area in the back with a few outdoor eateries and bars where a live band plays, although it closes quite early, 11pm.
High Street: My favorite area so far but like I say, its only the second place I've been. Full of higher end boutique stores and very nice restaurants, this is a good place to bring a girl to eat and/or have drinks. I was here last night and the restaurants and bars close at midnight so keep that in mind. Last night I ate at a New Orleans style restaurant and tonight I'm at a Texan style place, ya I know, not a very Asian experience but I was craving some American style food. There's also some Japanese, Filipino, Chinese and Asian fusion style places here. These places are higher end and the clientele is upper class Filipino and gringo but the prices are reasonable, I'm paying 90P for a 16 Oz draught beer (the first time I've had draught since I've been in the country!) and 350P for a large quesadilla.
Anyway, its getting late here and I've got a buzz on so I'm probably going to head back to the condo to dress up and hit up one of the BGC hot spots that's bumping on a Wednesday night. Ya I know I previously said I'm going to cut back on the boozing, and I will, tomorrow, I promise, hahaha!
I'll likely go to a place I find on here: http://www.globalcitynights.com/
More to come on the higher end spots to hit up in Manila.....
Guys, I needed a change from what I've been doing over the past two months, I wanted the western convenience and comforts and was willing to pay the high price so I relocated to a high end area and trust me, I'm paying for it but its so nice to see the "other side" of the Philippines and I highly suggest that you guys check it out as well.
Believe me, in the past two months I've had the full Filipino experience: I've been to the beautiful beaches, saw the rice terraces, slept in shitty hotels (once, unfortunately), dove the best dive spots, eaten the shitty food (and got the shits), saw some amazing natural sites, almost got jacked, almost hooked up with a tranny, banged girls who probably live in shacks, etc.....you get the point. It was time for a change.
So I found a nice place in the upscale neighborhood of Fort Bonifacio and it is like being in another world. This place is super clean, very safe and very high end. I'm staying in the highest high rise in the Fort (38th floor of a 50 floor condo) and am paying dearly for it, although its not that bad at $400/week, money well spent IMO. To get a good idea of what I'm talking about, take a couple of minutes to watch this video to see what one of the high end areas of Manila has to offer: Fort Bonifacio Global City (BGC)
I just arrived here yesterday so haven't had the chance to see all of BGC yet, but I will update this thread in the next few days. So far, I've only hit up two locations: Market Mall and High Street
Market Mall: Located about 300M from my condo, I've been here twice in the past couple of days. Now, I'm the kind of guy who hates being in a mall but trust me if you're in the Philippines in the month of April, you'll be spending time in the malls and this is one of the better ones I've been to in the country. Full of nice shops, cheap restaurants and decent cafes, this is a pretty good day game spot. Also, after the mall closes at night, there's an area in the back with a few outdoor eateries and bars where a live band plays, although it closes quite early, 11pm.
High Street: My favorite area so far but like I say, its only the second place I've been. Full of higher end boutique stores and very nice restaurants, this is a good place to bring a girl to eat and/or have drinks. I was here last night and the restaurants and bars close at midnight so keep that in mind. Last night I ate at a New Orleans style restaurant and tonight I'm at a Texan style place, ya I know, not a very Asian experience but I was craving some American style food. There's also some Japanese, Filipino, Chinese and Asian fusion style places here. These places are higher end and the clientele is upper class Filipino and gringo but the prices are reasonable, I'm paying 90P for a 16 Oz draught beer (the first time I've had draught since I've been in the country!) and 350P for a large quesadilla.
Anyway, its getting late here and I've got a buzz on so I'm probably going to head back to the condo to dress up and hit up one of the BGC hot spots that's bumping on a Wednesday night. Ya I know I previously said I'm going to cut back on the boozing, and I will, tomorrow, I promise, hahaha!
I'll likely go to a place I find on here: http://www.globalcitynights.com/
More to come on the higher end spots to hit up in Manila.....