7 Things You MUST Know Before Your First Trip To The Philippines - Watch This First!

Pea delivers a comprehensive, street-level survival guide for first-time visitors to the Philippines, covering everything from what to pack (almost nothing) to how not to get scammed by taxi drivers. She walks through each phase of a trip — preparation, travel, arrival, and exploration — with the blunt, specific advice of someone who fields these questions from her audience constantly.

Packing: less is more ​

• Recommends one suitcase and one carry-on for a two-week trip — flip-flops, closed-toe shoes, tank tops, and shorts
• Warns that international flights allow generous baggage weight, but domestic Philippine airlines slash the limits and charge extra fees to catch you off guard
• There's no dress code anywhere except some upscale restaurants and casinos, which only require long pants and a collared shirt
• If you forget something, clothing is cheap and easy to find locally unless you're a very large person
• Skip the electronics and gadgets — you won't be spending much time in your hotel room, and the time you do "should involve activities much more fun than playing solitaire"

Two things you surprisingly can't get in the Philippines: good cigarettes and condoms ​

• Expats report that even brand-name cigarettes like Marlboro "taste like sawdust" compared to Western versions — pack enough to last your trip
• Birth control is taboo in this Catholic country; condoms exist at 7-Eleven but selection is tiny and so are the sizes
• Her advice for well-endowed men: "If you're packing a Magnum, buy the holster back in your home country"
• Adds her signature joke: "If you realize you're too big for the Filipino condom, call me immediately so I can personally verify the problem"

Protect three things at all times: passport, phone, wallet ​

• Recommends a small handheld bag with thick straps and top-only compartments (~$10) that you wrap around your wrist — pockets can be picked, backpacks can be slashed
• Tells the story of a foreign friend who wore a backpack on a bus — got off and found a clean razor cut through it, laptop and passport gone
• Make a photocopy of your passport's front page and keep it separately; on the back, write down phone numbers of family and contacts in case your phone is also stolen
• Hidden money belts work for cash and ID but passports are too bulky to conceal, so either use the hotel safe or carry it in the clutch bag

Language: don't bother learning much Tagalog ​

• There are so many dialects across the Philippines that deep Tagalog study isn't worth it for a visit
• Almost everyone speaks conversational English
• Just learn "kumusta" (how are you) and "salamat" (thank you) — that's all you need, and locals find it impressive

Fly into Cebu, not Manila ​

• Manila is overcrowded, congested, polluted, chaotic — expect hours in lines and overpriced taxis stuck in traffic
• Crime is worse in Manila
• Cebu (the second-largest city) has everything — restaurants, hotels, casinos, nightlife — without the overwhelming chaos
• Budget rooms available for as little as $20/night in Cebu, though quality isn't guaranteed

Strategy for meeting women you've been talking to online ​

• Every girl will want your exact arrival date, airline, and flight info so she can meet you at the airport — "it's very important for them to be the first"
• If you're meeting multiple women, do NOT let them all come to the airport or you'll be juggling lies to keep them apart
• Better strategy: set up different days and locations to meet each one; visit them in their hometowns instead of flying them to you
• Domestic flights cost ~$50 and let you see different islands with their own flavors and languages
• Don't rush to get locked down — "that's the easy part, and there's always a brand new relationship around every corner"

Cell phone setup on arrival ​

• Your Western carrier probably won't work unless you pre-arranged an international plan
• Local carriers (Globe and Smart) aren't even compatible with each other — calling a local business on a different network costs extra
• First stop at the airport: buy a SIM card at a kiosk (a few dollars); get ~1,000 pesos of "load" (prepaid points for calls/texts/data, about $20, lasts ~a week)
• Real tip: before leaving home, get everyone you'll want to talk to — family, friends, Philippine contacts — on Viber or WhatsApp so you can communicate for free over Wi-Fi

Currency exchange ​

• You can get pesos before you leave, but it's often a hassle — just exchange ~$50 at the airport to cover food and a ride
• Go to the mall later where rows of competing exchangers offer better rates

Taxis and the Grab app ​

• Ignore both yellow and white taxi cabs at the airport — download the Grab app (like Uber) where the price is pre-set
• Regular taxi drivers will claim their meter is broken and quote grossly inflated prices — "the most common scam because the driver knows you just fell off the turnip truck"
• If you must use a regular cab, insist on the meter before getting in; if they refuse, walk to the next one
• Many guys report being charged $20 for rides that should cost $5

Beggars: do NOT give money on the street ​

• Technically illegal to give money to beggars (rarely enforced, but gives dishonest cops leverage to shake you down)
• The real danger: the moment you pull out even one peso — especially for a child — a crowd materializes in under a minute
• "They'll be popping out of gutters and manhole covers... you'll feel little hands darting into your pockets"
• If you must give, do it from inside a locked cab with the window cracked a few inches

Safety and avoiding fights ​

• Generally safe if you stay out of slums and don't walk around late at night
• Filipinos are typically smaller than Westerners and tend to be respectful
• The danger zone: local bars after drinking — language or cultural misunderstandings can escalate fast
• If a fight starts, you'll be badly outnumbered because Filipinos fight with their friends, and other Westerners will not come to your aid — "I've seen it happen and it ain't pretty"

Jeepney riding ​

• The iconic public transport is a must-do experience but the route system is confusing and you'll almost certainly get lost
• Best to go with a local friend who can teach you the etiquette — tapping coins on the roof and making kissing noises to signal the driver to stop
• Describes it as "wacky, wonderful, and the Philippines"

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