Philippines Blog
Having just completed a two-week trip to the Philippines to celebrate my mother-in-law Dory’s 85th birthday, I thought it would be a good time to share my experiences in the Philippines on this trip. This was my fourth visit to the Phils, which certainly makes me no expert, but I’ve certainly gained my own perspectives since my first visit there for Christmas in 2012.
It should come as no surprise, given that RNR Travel is offering our Discover the Philippines tour this March of 2027, that I would recommend a visit to this country! It’s a great value, everyone speaks English at some level, the people are so nice, the food is truly delicious, they have gorgeous beaches, and we in the U.S. share so much history that it’s a place all Americans should learn more about.
The Philippines has made much economic progress since my first visit. While the gap between the rich and poor remains vast, as we drove around this time, those with the least seemed to have more than they used to. Don’t get me wrong—this is still considered a third world country and poverty is a huge issue, but the Philippines is making progress. Bonifacio Global City (AKA BGC), one of the newer downtown areas of Manila, could easily be mistaken for any wealthy nation’s urban center, with stunning skyscrapers and vibrant public spaces.
I believe there is much we can learn from the values of Filipinos. Faith, family and food come first, and much happiness comes from these priorities (not too unfamiliar to those of us who also travel in Mexico, another formerly Spanish-occupied country). It’s very important for Filipinos to be together.
Which sort of isn’t hard because the Philippines has a lot of people. So there is great service! Always someone around to ask a question. More staff in a department store than you can believe. And just raise your hand at a restaurant (yes, this is what you do), and someone will come and attend to your wishes. I should also mention that there are so many Filipinos that 10 million of them are currently working abroad, all over the world.
So let’s talk food. You need to first learn the word “busog” [boo soog], which means that you’re full of food and can’t eat anymore, because you’re going to eat a lot. You all know lumpia, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Yes, it’s a meat and rice heavy diet, but they really know how to make it all very tasty, alongside delicious tropical fresh fruit—the best tasting mangoes anywhere. Yeah, there’s some things we would consider weird, like balut (a fertilized developing egg embryo that is boiled or steamed and eaten from the shell), but the “weird stuff” is all outlier. Just keep eating—you'll love it. Also, given the Philippines’ location, there is plenty of great Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Thai and yes, American food to be had. All over the place.
On this trip, for the first time I experienced a “Boodle Fight.” A boodle fight is a traditional Filipino feast where heaping mounds of food are laid out on banana leaves stretched across a long table. We did this on the rooftop of our beach hotel for Mom’s birthday party. No utensils! You grab the food and eat, including using just your fingers for noodles and rice. It was lots of fun and super delicious. Busog!
You may be wondering about the water. I mean, I said “third world,” and many of us from Southern California have had our share of Montezuma’s revenge in Mexico. I’m happy to report that over my four visits and gallons of water drunk, never a problem have I had.
I mentioned value. Just a couple of examples: Lunch for four at Jollibee (Wait, you haven’t heard of Jollibee?! There are 3 in SD County and even 3 in Manhattan) was about $20. For the same lunch at a U.S. Jollibee, it would be closer to $50. I got a haircut, shampoo & blow dry in a very stylish salon (free coffee, hip decor) for $10.
The great value thing translates well when you’re at a beach resort. Activities like jet skiing, snorkeling, scuba, parasailing, sailing on a catamaran (captain and crew included), or just drinking while staring at the incredibly white sand and blue water, are so much cheaper in the Philippines than even Mexico, much less pricey Hawaii. The water is so warm, clear, and beautiful, complete with healthy coral reefs! But let me say that this is an area that it pays to be on a tour with a guide—navigating all of this on your own could be mysterious and confusing.
On my first trip in 2012, we passed through Tagaytay (Ta guy tai, emphasis on tai), but this time we spent the night there. Tagaytay is a city only about 40 miles south of Manila that is sprawled out on the rim of the Taal volcano. There are numerous eating establishments, including a very popular Starbucks (have you ever waited 30 minutes just to get into a Starbucks?) with incredible views overlooking the crater lake. There is a volcanic mountain that sticks up in the middle of the lake, with another lake encircled by that mountain. And guess what? There was an eruption just a few days after we were there! Tagaytay is quite a distance from the center, so not to worry. Beyond the views, there is quite a food scene there, and it’s just a good chance to get away from the hustle and bustle of Manila. A day trip to Tagaytay is on our RNR tour.
You might be wondering about the status of LGBTQIA people in the Philippines. I can’t say that I have too much first-hand knowledge of what it is like to be a queer Filipino, but I can say that one reason my husband Gus left the Philippines in 1999 was to be able to live more fully as a gay man in the U.S. Things have changed. When Gus and I visit, I don’t get any negative vibes from others (and it’s probably pretty obvious that we’re a couple). We are definitely seeing handholding by queer couples in the Phils now, especially in tourist areas.
Last noticing before moving on: malls in the Philippines are still a thing (and greater Asia as well). Whereas in the states malls are dying or totally transfiguring to attract foot traffic, Filipinos flee to malls to cool off, hang out with friends and family, and of course, eat. There are many beautiful malls worth a visit, especially Mall of Asia (MOA), which is the second largest mall in Asia. Malls are fun to browse to see the products offered, people-watch, and visit various attractions. You’ll also likely find great deals at stores both familiar (I have gotten great deals at Zara!) and unfamiliar. The huge SM department store chain has a “Kultura” section that sells all sorts of Filipino products that we have continually taken advantage of.
Even with English being prevalent, it’s always good to learn a little of the local language, Tagalog (acknowledging that there are over 170 distinct dialects in the Phils). Here’s a few that I use the most:
- Oo—Yes (say Oh Oh), Hindi—No
- Magandang umaga—Good morning (hapon—afternoon, gabi—evening)
- Salamat—Thank you
- Ang init—It's hot (because, well, it gets hot)
- Po—a word they are using for “you,” but to show respect. They tack it on the end of lots of words, so Salamat Po would be a respectful thank you or O Po a respectful yes.
- Kamusta Ka—How are you? Mabuti—fine
- Masarap (sarap, the shortened version)—Delicious!
The history of the Philippines is worth knowing more about. Under Spanish rule for over 300 years, a rule that came from Spain through Mexico and then to the Philippines, there are still many cultural and architectural remnants of this period. On this trip we went to the Galleon Museum that has a full-scale ship inside so you can get an idea of what it was like on board the boats that crossed the Pacific to Mexico and back. Did you know that most of the Galleons were built in the Philippines?
The U.S. gained control after the Spanish-American war through the Treaty of Paris in 1898, and the Philippines was attacked only hours after Pearl Harbor. There is tons of World War II history to learn about in the Phils, and this can happen through visits to Intramuros, the site of Fort Santiago, Corregidor, the U.S. base in Manila Bay, the path of the Bataan Death March, as well as the Manila American Cemetery, where there are more U.S. servicemembers buried than any other non-U.S. location. The Jeepneys that transport thousands of Filipinos still today are leftover U.S. Army Jeeps that were converted into a sort of minibus. The reason for so many Filipinos living in San Diego? So many served in the U.S. Navy and this facilitated their immigration. I could keep going regarding the U.S.-Philippine connections for many more pages.
I hope that this blog has you thinking about discovering the Philippines. I discovered a couple of reasons why we don’t hear about the Philippines as a travel destination in the U.S. First, the national government has defunded their tourism marketing budget. Weird, but true. Secondly, it’s so inexpensive that many U.S. travel agents don’t suggest the Philippines because the commissions are lower. There are surely other reasons, but because you don’t hear friends talking about going to the Phils, you aren’t thinking about going yourself.
July 2026