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You have time to do a lot of homework on multiple places in SE Asia. There are vlogger's who live in these places and will tell you straight up what to expect. What to do and not do and things/ situations to avoid. Search by name of city or country and subject. Tourism, things to do, culture, nightlife, etc. A few years ago I was looking at the same options. I chose Cebu and stayed in an upscale hotel downtown as a base. Went to Bohol, Malapasqua, kalanggaman islands. Also went to the province. I cant speak for the other countries you mentioned as I have not been there in years.
The Philippine people wake up every day with a smile. The friendliest place I have ever been. Most speak both English and Tagalog which has multiple dialects. I agree, not Manila. Sprawling city with lots of roadwork and the taxis all have worn out shocks. Go there only if you need your spine compressed!
Having been to all three places, I’d focus on Thailand. I would highly recommend doing a loop of Bangkok then up to Chiang Mai followed by Krabi. Railay Beach in Krabi is epic!!!
The biggest mistake people make while traveling is to try to fit too much into a tight window. You then spend all your time traveling from point A to point B. Keep it simple!
Also make sure and fly EVA Airlines. Big advantage is the flight leaves at midnight. Get on the plane and sleep! Psychologically, it helps reduce the flight time if u can sleep for a good chunk of the time. That’s a veteran tip right there!
Last edited by pete98146; 04-11-2023 at 01:28 PM..
Manila doesn't have a lot for tourists. And there's not a lot of unique cultural experiences you can have. But if you want a nice comfortable place to live where you can make local friends easily (because they speak English), Makati is it. Not Makati redlight district, but Makati CBD area. It's safe, walkable, clean, tons of restaurants, a lot of parks and two weekend food markets. There are street food stalls all over the place, and unlike the rest of Manila, these food stalls have food that is safe to eat. Nightlife is close by in Poblacion (Makati's redlight/party district). There's also 6 train stations (4 MRT and 2 PNR). Those are not the best lines but they're convenient when it's not rush hour.
BGC is another area. It's very walkable and clean and full of activity, but it's a completely planned development, so it may feel sterile and fake. Makati on the other hand, developed organically. The buildings are many different architectural styles, so it feels like a real city.
Philippines and Thailand have much better beaches than Vietnam. Most of Vietnam's best beaches have way too much development. Thailand and the Philippines have way more pristine beaches.
You have time to do a lot of homework on multiple places in SE Asia. There are vlogger's who live in these places and will tell you straight up what to expect. What to do and not do and things/ situations to avoid. Search by name of city or country and subject. Tourism, things to do, culture, nightlife, etc. A few years ago I was looking at the same options. I chose Cebu and stayed in an upscale hotel downtown as a base. Went to Bohol, Malapasqua, kalanggaman islands. Also went to the province. I cant speak for the other countries you mentioned as I have not been there in years.
The Philippine people wake up every day with a smile. The friendliest place I have ever been. Most speak both English and Tagalog which has multiple dialects. I agree, not Manila. Sprawling city with lots of roadwork and the taxis all have worn out shocks. Go there only if you need your spine compressed!
Tagalog only has like 3-4 dialects. You're thinking of separate languages in the Philippines like Tagalog, Cebuano, and Ilocano. They cannot understand each other, so they're separate languages, not dialects. There are 180 languages total, and each language will also have its own dialects.
Also, Cebu is a much worse city than Manila. Cebu has like 2 tiny upscale areas: IT Park and Ayala Center. The rest of the city is a mess. Only advantage is its close to the mountains and beaches (but the beaches are still far away). Manila is mostly a mess too, but at least the highly developed areas like BGC, Makati, Alabang, and Bay City are huge, not tiny like in Cebu.
Manila also has 4 train lines, a BRT line, a river ferry line, another train line under construction, and two subway lines under construction. Cebu has none of that, not even under construction. Manila needs to improve its transport infrastructure for sure, but Cebu's transport infrastructure is non-existent. I'm confused why so many people recommend that city.
Tagalog only has like 3-4 dialects. You're thinking of separate languages in the Philippines like Tagalog, Cebuano, and Ilocano. They cannot understand each other, so they're separate languages, not dialects. There are 180 languages total, and each language will also have its own dialects.
Also, Cebu is a much worse city than Manila. Cebu has like 2 tiny upscale areas: IT Park and Ayala Center. The rest of the city is a mess. Only advantage is its close to the mountains and beaches (but the beaches are still far away). Manila is mostly a mess too, but at least the highly developed areas like BGC, Makati, Alabang, and Bay City are huge, not tiny like in Cebu.
Manila also has 4 train lines, a BRT line, a river ferry line, another train line under construction, and two subway lines under construction. Cebu has none of that, not even under construction. Manila needs to improve its transport infrastructure for sure, but Cebu's transport infrastructure is non-existent. I'm confused why so many people recommend that city.
Cebu over Manila is not a tourist recommendation as a base for island hopping but a retired expat recommendation. A generally lower cost of living along with some city amenities and nearby consulate services
Thailand is more established tourist destination than other two. In fact many people from China are flocking to Thailand not only for holidays but to invest in real estate.
Thailand is more established tourist destination than other two. In fact many people from China are flocking to Thailand not only for holidays but to invest in real estate.
Thailand is popular with a lot of expat communities. There are a lot of Japanese there as well.
Living in Bangkok 6 years--lived or visited all over Thailand-China, Vietnam Laos, Singapore, Manila./the Fils, China, Hong Kong, Japan---so many good places to visit here..Try Phuket, Chiang Mai, Singapore, HCMC, Ha Long Bay, Bangkok
I think Singapore is even better for food, but he’s the food in Bangkok is very good.
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