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That bad? But it's okay to wander through most of the busy areas during the day, right?
I would say the same would apply to an Asian who obviously looks like a tourist, although it would easier to blend in if you wanted to.
You're Asian. You'd blend in easier. Unless you look Korean or Japanese. They are some of the top targets for crime. A big part of blending-in is how you dress.
Usually what most people do in Manila, is get into a mall. They have dozens upon dozens upon dozens of malls everywhere. Those are the places to walk around and explore.
You generally try to avoid walking around on the streets as much as possible. I have found some places I could walk around comfortably in Manila though. For example, where the office buildings are located in Makati is good. There are some really weathy areas, where it's also easier to walk around. But places like Ermita/Malate which has a lot of foriegners and hotels, it can be tiring quickly because of the people.
Generally speaking, the malls are super popular for a reason, and I think it's mostly because you have security and a proper place to relax without having to be on the guard all the time.
If the malls are the only places worth seeing or safe than I'm not that interested, I've already seen enough malls. From what I've seen of Manila, however, it just doesn't seem very appealing. Traffic, poverty, the usual touts, only area that seems that interesting is Intramuros, plus I don't know, I find the culture a bit less interesting. The food also seems among the least known in Asia (despite the sheer amount of Filipino immigrants abroad) and from what I've seen of it, nothing to write home about. Food is a HUGE incentive for me when visiting Asia. A Catholic Asian country though would be sort of interesting, but I suppose it's a lot less Asian than Thailand. I might check it out one day, but it's not high on my list. Other parts of the Phils look intriguing though.
If the malls are the only places worth seeing or safe than I'm not that interested, I've already seen enough malls. From what I've seen of Manila, however, it just doesn't seem very appealing. Traffic, poverty, the usual touts, only area that seems that interesting is Intramuros, plus I don't know, I find the culture a bit less interesting. The food also seems among the least known in Asia (despite the sheer amount of Filipino immigrants abroad) and from what I've seen of it, nothing to write home about. Food is a HUGE incentive for me when visiting Asia. A Catholic Asian country though would be sort of interesting, but I suppose it's a lot less Asian than Thailand. I might check it out one day, but it's not high on my list. Other parts of the Phils look intriguing though.
Well, you CAN walk around all the tourist areas of Manila. But, you wouldn't want to hangout all day there or anything. You basically just deal with the other stuff, but you can walk around.
Since you are Chinese-Malay, you'll be able to walk around way easier without the attention.
I agree that the ghettos in America feel and are much more dangerous.
But, if you are white or non-Filipino looking, you really shouldn't wander around in the unsafest areas of Manila. If you are Filipino, you can more or less try to blend in, and people will give you the benefit of the doubt.
But, if you are white, and you're going to walk around the worst parts of Manila, you are definitely going to have to seriously watch yourself. When you are white walking around in random areas, people ARE watching you, and not all with the best intentions.
Even in the tourist areas, where there are tons of people around, you will see and experience a ton of sketchy stuff - i.e. street kids following your around, hustlers, pimps, on and on. It can be a little circus at times. I could probably write a book on ways to try to 'ditch your attachee', but I wouldn't count on random passerbys to step in for you. You really have to just watch yourself, and try your best to deal with that stuff when in Manila streets.
The way that expats deal with Manila, is they end up with drivers driving them everywhere, and they stay out of the streets as much as possible.
This is true. If you look non-Filipino, the chances of being a victim go way up. I found some numbers on murders of foreigners in the Philippines.
"From January 2009, to mid-June 2010, 95 foreigners have been killed during their trip in the Philippines." Philippines / 95 foreigners killed since 2009
^ The link has the breakdown of the nationalities.
So that works out to about 64 a year, which is alarming to me. There were 3 million foreign tourists in 2009, so around 250,000 of them are in the Philippines during any given month, plus another 250,000 foreigners who live in the Philippines permanently (conservative estimate). So the murder rate for foreigners is about 13 per 100,000. So even as a walking target in the Philippines, you're still better off than a citizen of a country such as Brazil, Mexico, Dominican Republic, even Puerto Rico. Considering that the Philippines is poorer than all of those countries, it could be much worse.
If the malls are the only places worth seeing or safe than I'm not that interested, I've already seen enough malls. From what I've seen of Manila, however, it just doesn't seem very appealing. Traffic, poverty, the usual touts, only area that seems that interesting is Intramuros, plus I don't know, I find the culture a bit less interesting. The food also seems among the least known in Asia (despite the sheer amount of Filipino immigrants abroad) and from what I've seen of it, nothing to write home about. Food is a HUGE incentive for me when visiting Asia. A Catholic Asian country though would be sort of interesting, but I suppose it's a lot less Asian than Thailand. I might check it out one day, but it's not high on my list. Other parts of the Phils look intriguing though.
Try to see Vigan instead. Also, come to the Philippines when it's a holy week and look for places that do the reenactment of the cross and the procession of the Station of the cross where you will find big holy images. It will be a very unique experience for you, it is practised in all hispanic nations.
Also, January is the month of the carnival dedicated to Sto. Nino ( Baby Jesus ). It is Sinulog in Cebu, Dinagyang in Iloilo and Ati Ati in Kalibo Aklan near the famous Boracay. There are many different tribes competing on the streets, painted in black and doing tribal dance to the beat of the drums . After the competition, it's merrymaking time. Everyone goes on the streets to dance to the whistles and beat of the drums. It is totally wild and you will experience Filipino culture.
Well, you CAN walk around all the tourist areas of Manila. But, you wouldn't want to hangout all day there or anything. You basically just deal with the other stuff, but you can walk around.
Since you are Chinese-Malay, you'll be able to walk around way easier without the attention.
Maybe when they find out I'm Australian though things might be different...they will probably think I am rich. Well they might think that anyway if they think I'm from Singapore or Japan...Well as long as I don't talk to too many people maybe lol.
Try to see Vigan instead. Also, come to the Philippines when it's a holy week and look for places that do the reenactment of the cross and the procession of the Station of the cross where you will find big holy images. It will be a very unique experience for you, it is practised in all hispanic nations.
Also, January is the month of the carnival dedicated to Sto. Nino ( Baby Jesus ). It is Sinulog in Cebu, Dinagyang in Iloilo and Ati Ati in Kalibo Aklan near the famous Boracay. There are many different tribes competing on the streets, painted in black and doing tribal dance to the beat of the drums . After the competition, it's merrymaking time. Everyone goes on the streets to dance to the whistles and beat of the drums. It is totally wild and you will experience Filipino culture.
Actually those celebrations sound interesting, they really seem to get into it. I will keep that in mind. I also know of the renactment of the crucifixion where people actually have nails driven into their hands. The Australian John Saffran got cruxified briefly as part of a TV series he did about religion a few years ago:
Maybe when they find out I'm Australian though things might be different...they will probably think I am rich. Well they might think that anyway if they think I'm from Singapore or Japan...Well as long as I don't talk to too many people maybe lol.
they probably wont even talk to you, so they won't find out that information
Japanese dude walking around with a camera in one of the ghettos of Manila. Not one person even talked to him, not even children
I think maybe urban Filipinos have gotten used to seeing foreigners, so they dont care so much anymore. I still wouldnt advise doing what that guy is doing, because anything can happen. You can observe Filipino culture in the malls
Actually those celebrations sound interesting, they really seem to get into it. I will keep that in mind. I also know of the renactment of the crucifixion where people actually have nails driven into their hands. The Australian John Saffran got cruxified briefly as part of a TV series he did about religion a few years ago:
Thailand has a ton more ladyboys. You do get them in Manila as well, mostly in the tourist areas. So, if you are a foreigner, you'll encounter them.
My worst encounter was with a group of about 5 40-year-old ladyMEN. They had gruff voices and planted themselves right in a strategic location where foreigners have to walk by them closely on the streets. I hated walking by them. They just verbally harrass you everytime, and when you try to ignore them, you can expect a gruff '**** you'. It gets tiring.
But, way fewer than Thailand though. Any tourist area in the Thailand, and at nighttime, the streets are absolutely filled with ladyboys walking around absolutely everywhere. Not so with Manila, but maybe a little less so because Manila gets real sketch at nighttime, and not so many foreigners want to walk around at night either. It feels safer to walk around Bangkok at night.
In Manila, the mothers come out holding naked babies, other mothers come out and strip off the kids so they are naked, and all kinds of pimps and drug pushers hit the streets of Ermita/Malate or Makati, wherever they believe they'll see Foreigners, and go to work trying to separate some money from you. Watch your pockets too, it's not uncommon for the little kids to surround you and reach right into your pockets. Hard to protect when you have a handful of kids that suddenly surround you. What annoyed me most was how many of those mothers sit on the sidewalks playing card games (gambling games) and the moment they see you off a block or two away, they send their kids running your way.
I've long thought that the Manila police needs to protect the tourist areas way more, and have a no soliciting policy and other vagarancy policies enforced. But, usually whenever I've made those suggestions, I've encountered the regular response that the police is too corrupt and the Philippines has no money to enforce anything like that.
No offense Smtchl, but the mother stripping their kids to beg is unheard of in Jakarta, we do have beggars but not at that level.
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