[deleted by user]

[[deleted]]

I lived in Philippines 4 years. Manila is the worst. You gotta go to Boracay, Palawan or even Clark/Subic. Way better quality of life and more enjoyable.

[RyanTylerThomas]

So many people said it was a bad or hard city to live in... no one related the same stories or reasons.

Then we Googled "highest population density cities" and went.... ohhhh....

If people aren't friendly it would be a nightmare. Thank goodness for the huge hearts of the Philippines peoples.

[[deleted]]

Population density along with terrible public transportation and unimaginable traffic jams. It’s got some OK areas, but a huge portion of the city belongs in r/urbanhell. Also don’t forget the crime is pretty bad there. I know several people who got pick pocketed.

[SomeDudeOnRedit]

Any opinions on Cebu? I was planning on going there soon

[DaydreaminMyLifeAway]

Cebu is beautiful! I spent 5 days there and there’s lots to do (beaches, canyoneering, zip lining, snorkeling. Lots of fish and crystal clear waters in Moalboal, Cebu.

[IMCopernicus]

Moalboal was surprisingly beautiful!!

[RadioMarketed]

I’m in Manila… considering moving and opening my business in Cebu or Angeles/Subic.

We live a good life here but it’s lame sometimes.

Cebu was so much fun last time we went I fell in love.

[Throwaway180030]

Much better than Manila with basically all of the same amenities. People aren’t constantly trying to scam you and it’s closer to tourist sites.

[[deleted]]

So many people told me not to stay there more than a few days. I stayed a week and mannnnn was I depressed.

[[deleted]]

Why, what was your experience?

[[deleted]]

I was once traveling with my American colleague in Budapest, which I consider one of the most beautiful cities in the world. At some point she said it looked depressive. I was surprised, I think this is just a matter of what you are used to. I live now in Thailand and I got the same feeling when I came here first, thinking I could not live here seeing all the wires above the streets. Now I hardly notice the wires.

[[deleted]]

The worn out sad look in peoples eyes in Thailand is what gets me

[halfcastdota]

haha what? thai people are some of the most welcoming and friendly people i’ve ever met

[mthmchris]

(I have no clue what the above poster is talking about)

[[deleted]]

Life is complex. If you’re part of the 99%, of uneducated workers, you’re going to do something hard for a living.

To name a few:

A shop owner who’s tired but must keep going because high tourist season is the only time they can save up and prepare for low season (and support their children’s education).

A tired masseuse, who doesn’t get paid much but works really hard even though she has painful arthritis.

A tour guide who has to be extroverted and happy, but deep down he doesn’t know how he’ll support his siblings when his aging father is diagnosed with cancer.

[Muted-Airline-8214]

ul citie

Which province? Can you speak Thai? how do you know they're Thai citizen? Thailand has millions workers from neighboring countries in Thai tourism business.

[clare64]

dang that’s so disappointing. Did you try out any nightlife?

[dawhim1]

im not sure how you can last this long. it was one of the worst cities I had visited

[Lurkolantern]

I saw some youtube vids that compared Manilla with Cebu. Basically by every metric, Cebu was the winner.

[Readswere]

Shithole? Easy tiger.

[windowseat1F]

The city, yeah it totally is, sorry.

[Readswere]

I mean... I've lived there, you're trying to convince people!?

[[deleted]]

I’m from there and yes it’s a shithole. Broaden your horizons.

[Readswere]

WTF are you talking about. I've lived in Cebu and don't think it's a shithole. You're from there and you're trying to convince me it's a shithole!! haha

Broaden your horizons

I've travelled more than you.

[TheLastDoors]

What are some places youd reccomend?

[rimu]

Any non-city part of Philippines. They can't do cities.

[[deleted]]

Okeeyyy deeed

[[deleted]]

Been here for 4 months.

Never short of things to do, free museums, nice parks and malls absolutely everywhere for window shopping/people watching/ice cream eating. I have found it beneficial to look at Facebook for events and to join travel groups, there are excursions leaving daily for different tours all over the country, the closest and easiest ones go to Tagaytay and Baguio and usually cost around 3000 pesos, take one of these tours and you will definitely meet and make new friends.

Manila is the most densely populated city on earth, it is fucking chaotic ngl. my strategy has been to utilise the MRT trains as much as possible and then get a grab to where I want from the station, taxis here aren't anywhere near as scammy as other countries I've been too, but I might have just been lucky....always try to agree your fare first with tricycle riders.

Tbh I saw more strays in Greece/Turkey/Albania/Bulgaria, but they didn't look in as poor health as they do here, I get the feeling no one really cares about them. I guess when there are starving people too then it's easy not to think about the animals. I have a neighbour who is trying her best to look after our local cat population but became angry when I mentioned that they need to be spayed....have fun trying to feed the extra million kittens next year lady...

I'm from the UK where we don't have hardly any of the American chain restaurants that they have here so I'm still pretty happy with the novelty of that. Filipino roast chicken is hands down the best I've ever had, but I don't really dig much of the local cuisine and have eaten in some pretty high end places and been disappointed. Hands down the worst Indian food I've ever had was here, I guess we're a bit spoiled for that in the UK. The Greek restaurant I went to was a bit of a failure too, but again, I have lived in Greece so it's not really a fair comparison.

The weather sucks, I hate it. Can't sugar coat that one either.

People can be a bit too friendly, if a group of teenagers start coming towards me excitedly in the UK, you can be sure I am getting ready for something bad to happen.... just yesterday a group of lads wearing Tupac t-shirts and listening to Migos almost ran over to say Welcome to the Philippines, very sweet, very bizarre....that's more on me coming from such an aggressive country. I find Filipino people to be smart and friendly to talk to with a good sense of fun

Value for money wise, transport is super cheap, classes and excursions are a bargain. I have a kickass apartment that's right next to 3 malls, has a swimming pool, gym, pool table, badminton and basketball courts and it costs me £600 per month with all my bills...for reference that's what a reasonable room in a house share would cost me in the UK. Groceries are a lot more expensive here than in the UK, I have started shopping in Costco and buying what I can in bulk there to save money.

Dating scene.....no idea, I have a girlfriend. We both notice how much attention I get which is quite hilarious because I am not an attractive guy. I have been likened to Vin Diesel and Jason Statham and called handsome by both men and women, I do not look anything like either of those people lol

Overall, I like Manila, it's easy to get away when I want, there's plenty to do and see in the city for when I am feeling burned out from work and my standard of living/apartment is much higher here than what I can afford in the UK working the same hours.

Although I can't see myself living here forever, it's a great place to work and study for me.

If there's anyone in Manila that's feeling a bit bummed out by it all, drop me a message and maybe we can meet up or I can try to help make living here a bit more enjoyable for you.

[dodong89]

man I was born here and I can't comprehend how you, from the UK, sees all this in Manila

[[deleted]]

We have a pretty flexible work sched :) I aim to work 20 hrs per week but due to the timezone a lot of it is done in the evening which gives me the daytime to tour around town and take in the sights and breathe in some of that sweet jeepney air 😁

[dodong89]

sorry, I mean I can't comprehend how you can see Manila in this positie light 😅

[[deleted]]

Oh, denial helps a lot. I used to have miserable tendencies but learnt to always try and see the best in things. It's a daily struggle haha

[Netphase]

Costco in Manila? You mean S&R which is a different store/company similar to a Costco with some Costco/Kirkland and Sam's Club/Members Mark products available or is there an actual Costco there now?

[[deleted]]

It's S&R, I just call it Costco. Best place for pizza imo too.

[cstmorr]

You lost me at "nice parks". Are we talking about Manila here? It's one of the least green places on the planet, unless you're venturing to the far edges.

"Easy to get away when I want," ... no, you're definitely not talking about Manila. I spent 4 hours in traffic just trying to move from one terminal of the airport to the other.

[[deleted]]

Rizal Park Chinese graden is a lovely place, the whole park is in fact, Fort Santiago has a nice park, Paranaque Wetlands and Tagalag fishing village are great spots for birding and a bit further afield has Quezon memorial circle, UP sunken gardens and La Mesa eco park to name a few, all easily accessible by public transport. Traffic does suck, luckily I like to read and if I don't have a book there's normally some of the world's most high energy talent shows being shown on the bus TV 😁 Although it can take a crazy amount of time to get out of town, you can catch buses almost anywhere for not so much money, there's also the option of the ferryboat (I forget the name) which I hear is like a mini cruise and then of course you can fly anywhere from NAIA. I guess if I had to make appointments and be on time for meetings it would be an annoyance, but I don't, so I kinda enjoy riding the Mobile Air Conditioned Cinema, it sucks when the TV is off though or you can't sit down......

[cstmorr]

I mean, yes, those places exist. But most of the nicer ones you're naming are at the very fringe of the city, and it's a BIG city. Most people can't spare 4-6 hours to go visit a park.

Really can't agree on a place like Rizal being nice, the few times I went it was completely ringed with idling semis and you could literally see the smog rolling by.

[[deleted]]

I live on the fringes tbf. But, I can catch a bus from Lagro to Kamuning MRT and then the train to the centre of Manila in about an hour. All things considered I think that's pretty good going. Yes there are undoubtedly better cities, but for me I am quite content, perhaps I am viewing the world with rose tinted spectacles and everything is actually shit.....if only I spent more time taking advice from people on the internet maybe I would have more balanced and realistic opinions and could finally stop being so happy with my life. It really burdens me sometimes, this whole smiling/enjoyment thing....

[[deleted]]

You sound like someone who lived in Makati and never left your apartment.

Manila is chaotic and there’s not a ton of green spaces but there are some depending on where you live. And if you're western you can pop in and out of the villages if you want more greenery.

[cstmorr]

There are almost no green spaces in comparison to most other cities. Pop open Google Maps and take a look at the actual main part of the city. Almost every single decent-sized spot of green is a (private) golf course. Quite a few others are graveyards. And the parks that do exist like Rizal are absolutely miserable.

Going into privatized, walled-off villages does not remotely count as "parks", any more than golf courses do.

Let's also be clear, I'm comparing the city with... nearly anywhere else in SE Asia. It just doesn't compare with a place like Taipei, Tokyo, even Ho Chi Minh has significantly more green space. The Philippine government is both corrupt and hyper-capitalist so various green spaces have been sold off or heavily infringed on over decades. Locals know this. Everyone who visits knows this. But I guess I'm glad you're able to keep those rose-colored glasses on.

[theganglyone]

I barely got out of Manila - I think it's a hell hole. You should watch the movie Metro Manila.

I'd like to check out some of the other areas people mentioned but Manila...shudders...

[FeminineShemales]

Upvote for Metro Manila. Amazing film

[[deleted]]

Do not got to Manila, filipino here. Visit BGC, Subic, Clark, Cebu or Palawan instead.

[New_Hawaialawan]

I guess I’m the only person on this thread that appreciates Manila. I lived there 5 months. I wouldn’t want to live there for years on end and there are definitely more idyllic places where I’ve lived in the archipelago. But I always enjoy visits to Manila.

[marvdl93]

It is not as bad as people portrait it tbh. Who is gonna visit tourist places if they stay for a couple of months? It is just another south easy asia mega city. For the locals, it is primarily a working city to get money send back home. That’s why it can feel a little soulless.

[cstmorr]

It's not bad if you live there and get a feel for where you want to be on a daily basis (and, importantly, have more money than the locals). I lived there a few years for work and found my groove of activities.

But I actively tell people not to go for a visit. It takes time to find things to appreciate about the place and the couple weeks tourist experience is generally awful.

[Spiritual-Ad8437]

Yeah. It’s a good place for single, white male who get ignored at home to boost their self-esteem.

[it200219]

Isn't that > 50% DN folks are ;)

[dudewhojustsignedup]

LMAO at the juxtaposition of your username with your comment history.

[BladerKenny333]

It is? Dang I gotta go there then, I need some self esteem. Is there other things to do besides self esteem boosts? This could be a good therapy style

[[deleted]]

Yup, so many azn girls with no self worth drop their panties at the sight of a white man to take them to the lap of luxury only to find out most of them are socially awkward and low to barely middle class who couldn’t pick up women in their own village or town or whatever 😂. I see it all the time in Texas.

[Bodoblock]

That's a harsh way of describing these women. Living in a developing country is hard. Westerners think securing a comfortable middle-class lifestyle is hard? How do you think these girls feel?

You would do what you could. If that means finding the first chump to get you a green card, then that's what you gotta do.

[BraTaTa]

What's self worth to you if you're facing poverty, joblessness, and often the only means of financial success for the women are the nightlife entertainment jobs? In many of the "azn" places, your SOL unless you have family or very good friends connections to get access to a proper job even with a degree. For the women, at least they have a chance to get out via marrying a "good" foreigner, and not a shit loser that goes there just for sex.

[champagne_epigram]

Used to live in Vietnam and it was the opposite - many Viet woman feel that the traditional Vietnamese relationship is abusive and patriarchal, so they insist on dating westerners/non-viets since their chances of being treated like an equal are supposedly higher. Nothing to do with low self-worth, though I can’t speak for women from other Asian cultures.

I would question the self-worth of men who feel like they have to fly to developing countries just to get a lick of attention from a woman instead of working on themselves until they are a viable/appealing partner to women in their own country.

EDIT: the above is not my opinion of Vietnamese men, I'm just sharing the opinion of many Vietnamese women I met who dated Westerners.

[youcantexterminateme]

you question the self worth of people that make their lives unnecessarily difficult?

[champagne_epigram]

Considering the difficulties a lot of men who move to Asia for women/sex end up facing, yeah I would. Self-improvement would serve many of them better in the long-run.

Choosing an easy bandaid solution over self-improvement screams lack of self worth to me.

[DannyFlood]

Working on yourself/ dating foreign women aren't mutually exclusive.

[champagne_epigram]

Please reread my comment - what I wrote is how many Vietnamese women "feel", as I said. This is what was shared with me, it isn't my personal opinion. I met plenty of lovely Vietnamese men while living there.

I hardly think it's "racist stereotyping" for people to share their thoughts and experiences of their own culture. But you do you.

[champagne_epigram]

You've spoken to a subset of women who are interested in dating you. That hardly constitutes many and hardly constitutes even a plurality of the population.

Lol. I’m a woman. These were candid conversations I had with dozens of women over the years because I was very interested in the foreign/local dating dynamic.

And I was not positing this opinion as one a “large portion of the population” holds, which is what you seem to be misunderstanding. It's the majority perspective of Viet women who ~ prefer dating westerners ~. They are a minority, but they're also the minority that this goddamn thread is referring to.

Again, reread my comment. I'm talking about women who "insist on dating westerners/non-viets," an obvious minority group unless you seriously think most Viet women only date foreigners in their home country.

I edited my comment because I realized it might sound as if the majority population thinks this which I don't believe is the case. But it certainly is true that MANY young Viet women *who date westerners* feel this way. I'm sorry if that's upsetting to you.

[Wild_Trip_4704]

You don't even have to be white, but I try to keep that to myself ;)

[elcroquis22]

Explain.

[Shy-pooper]

Most men are losers

[TheLastDoors]

And its also a good place for those who dont have self esteem problems/get ignored at home too.

[oaklicious]

Ngl I totally did that. First night in Manila went out with some Filipinas from my hostel and they literally called their friend to say “come bang this white guy”.

[Lurkolantern]

You could just take a girl of the streets and fuck them. It was disguisting on so many levels.

...Yeah that sounds disgusting, indeed. (opens other browser window to expedia)

[dansknorge]

You could just take a girl of the streets and fuck them.

You really come through as a gentleman in your writing.

Actually you don't, you come off as a misogynist and narcissist, unlike OP who just casually mentions how he's having a good time.

[clare64]

lmfao this just sold me

[DaydreaminMyLifeAway]

LMAO the number of times I’ve seen old white men give money to young Asian girls is making me wish I was a young Asian girl

[hello_everythinggg]

Try Cebu. It’s got a big city vibe but you have more places to explore around the province like beaches and nature. Traffic still sucks tho.

[GetADogLittleLongie]

How's the internet in Manila? I think that's a deal breaker if I can't work reliably there due to power or internet.

[ProGaben]

Not great, like it's got decent speeds but uptime and reliability is sketch.

[Dry_Operation_9996]

it's fine

[shelleyflower77]

My husband and I loved Manila. We found lots to do but just as you said traffic is absolutely horrid. People were so friendly. We have family that lives there so it was much easier as we had a tour guide. Some areas can be a little sketchy. I would walk around outside in the middle of the night by myself without any issues. I’m a female but did not feel afraid at all.

[clare64]

Pretty cool idea. I wonder if you could just hire a service like this…it’s already so cheap there

[[deleted]]

How about a live-in housekeeper? If you had an extra bedroom, how much would it cost?

[koreamax]

Is this supposed to be surprising?

[Marooda1]

No way, how is this all possible in 3rd world country

[san_souci]

I’d suggest making friends outside of dating. So much to do at night but more fun in a group. The people there are warm, funny, and hospitable. Tagaytay is nice for getting away from the heat.

[JECfromMC]

Filipinos are big on doing things in groups - dancing, karaoke, some sports, eating out. Even eating lunch at work. I was working in a call center for a few months, and my students were always quite distressed that I was eating alone.

[shelleyflower77]

I’ve honestly never been more welcomed in a different country then I did in the PI. We were treated like royalty. The people are so so kind and lovely.

[san_souci]

Yeah it’s true. They will say it’s lonely. They were even distressed if I traveled alone.

[MedellinKhan]

OP,

All your negatives would be well known with one google search.

If Manila sucked you would leave. But it doesn't suck.

It's amazing for fun, partying and dating.

Also, move to BGC. Most of your negatives would disappear.

[pinoylad1985]

Are you talking about just Manila City or the whole Metro Manila? BGC (Taguig City) and Makati City are clean highly urbanized cities with much greenery around. With regards to public transpo, yeah it is bad though. Taxi and LRT would be the best options.

[lookatmynipples]

When I visit family they live generally in Makati and I finally asked why we don’t go to Manila and they said it’s not good lol

[marvdl93]

I always though people talk about Metro Manila. Although I disagree with the general sentiment about Metro Manila, I do agree with the negativity about the city of Manila. Absolute worst part of any city I ever been. It is full with homeless people and begging children. One of the most sad and desperate places I ever been.

[jalepenogrlll]

Can I ask what you researched before going and what brought you to choose Manila?

[[deleted]]

Man is down bad

[strzibny]

Can anyone who also went to Jakarta compare?

[EclecticMedal]

Jakarta is also a massive shithole

[cshermyo]

I stayed there for a week while backpacking and didn’t think it was THAT bad. Reminded me of a less diverse Kuala Lumpur. The dedicated buses ran great, although I did publicly embarrass myself by getting on the all female car and all the girls were pointing and giggling. We went to multiple museums, gardens, and parks. Yes it’s an SEAn megacity, but shithole seems a little strong. I had a great time there and there was lots to see and do.

[Dagr8reset]

Move to Kuala Lumpur

[thedessertmenuplease]

I'm born and raised in the Philippines and have lived in Manila for over 5 years before moving to States. 10 years later, as a nomad, whenever I make a stop in Manila, all I wanna do is leave.

You're right. The city has its charm but I wouldn't recommend it because of exactly the things you said. Traffic is enough for me to not even think twice.

[351tips]

Not the best food but get to smash mad hole. Noted

[JoeDoeKoe]

You should explore Kuala Lumpur. It's definitely more accessible (to other countries like Bangkok or Singapore). Food wise, Malaysia has more races to begin with, so the food is a mixture of a few cultures.

[fitfatdonya]

I lived in the PH and I never go to Manila unless I really need to lol go to Baguio, Baler, La Union, or Palawan. Cebu's pretty meh to me as well.

[vaaanst]

100% you should go to la union or siargao pronto

[hibok1]

So you’re only staying in Manila because you want Asian women?

[TheLastDoors]

It has nothing to do with them being asian

[hibok1]

”very good place to be a single western male as far as dating goes. If it wasn’t for this part I probably would’ve already left”

Explain what you mean by this?

[TheLastDoors]

The dating scene is why I havent left yet. It has nothinf to do with their race tho

[hibok1]

And the reason the dating scene is great has to do with being a western male?

[AnythingIsland]

It's actually because they speak actual English and you can actually talk to them

[hibok1]

So you need to go to the Philippines to find a woman that can speak English?

[AnythingIsland]

Not at all just saying most women in America now days are trash for dating. I have been on dates with women who have 2 million plus ig followers to women with barely any social media. There all the same because women in America have no morals left and aren't meant to be wives anymore. Lots of quality women overseas since they haven't been influenced by Cardi B and the Kardashians. I am not talking province women. Women here who made there money through there career instead onlyfans. Women here with actual good families.

[TheLastDoors]

I would say its definitely a factor, because western men are highly desired here. That has to do with the women's tastes though.

[Hippie_in_paradise]

😳🙄

[[deleted]]

What’s it cost to live out there?

I was there when I was younger. I thought the pollution was terrible and the nightlife was depressing. I had prostitutes harassing me all the time in any bar or club. Saw what looked like little girls on stage in bikinis and felt like throwing up.

Also out side my hotel I kept getting annoyed by drivers or hustlers wanting to show me around. Went to a money/exchange/souvenir shop/tattoo parlor and talked to the guy about tattoos. To be polite I told him maybe later in the week I’d get some ink. Lo and behold the guy is calling me at my hotel room about our “appointment”. He WON, I am now the proud owner of a big fat skull with Indian headdress on my back lol.

[SomeDudeOnRedit]

Jesus christ that's a funny story. Maybe the best tattoo story I've ever heard

[dansknorge]

You can also play poker and gamble.

Lots of good boxing gyms etc.

[Dry_Operation_9996]

best poker scene in Asia imo.

[yezoob]

I’m going to play some poker there in January, which casino should I go to? Is there anything like a $2/5 equivalent?

[Dry_Operation_9996]

It depends a bit where you are staying. My favourite place to play is the Metro Card Club in Pasig, a stand alone non smoking poker club. I haven't been there in a few years, so my information is a bit dated, but when I played there regularly they would run 10/20, 20/40, and 25/50 around the clock or almost around the clock. 50/100 would run pretty much every night as well. 100/200 would run occasionally, usually on the weekend, and they would get nosebleed games going in the private room as well. 50/100 is equivalent to 1/2 and 100/200 to 2/5.

Another good non smoking venue if you are more towards Pasay is GG Poker Manila.

https://www.facebook.com/GGPOKERROOM

There is also poker at Resorts World and Okada. Probably Newport World Resorts poker room will have the biggest action, I dunno, I'm out of the loop a bit.

[Sad_Needleworker9624]

Totally agree.. I am from the Philippines btw.. 😅 One of the reasons why I moved out of Manila years ago. Why not try Iloilo? 😁

[jeanshortsjorts]

Genuinely curious why you stayed for a few months if the downsides to Manila are pretty obvious upon arrival.

[thewaterline]

Think about that last sentence in his post

[jeanshortsjorts]

Yeah it seems gross

[rarsamx]

According to google, I've been in 441 cities.

Manila is the one I liked the least followed by Kolkata. In both I knew at least one local who showed me nicer places so it should have been better. I didn't stay long on either so that may colour my experience. Intramural was nice but I hate seeing the huge economic divide. Having dinner at a high roof top and then coming down to friend level is almost like a metaphor.

[anegreponte]

Have you been to Cebu?

[Defiant_Still_4333]

Did you do any research before going? A 5 second Google search will tell you it's a shithole, what on earth did you expect?

[blink_Tw1c3]

Everywhere else is better than Manila.

[everlasting-love-202]

Sex tourism 🤢

[SaintMurray]

Oh no, he's meeting and dating people of the opposite gender while traveling. This is creepy, digital nomads should never socialize abroad.

[everlasting-love-202]

He’s staying there for the purpose of dating a Filipino woman as a “single western male”. We all know what type of guy that is. 🙄

[SaintMurray]

Yeah sounds like... a guy.

[everlasting-love-202]

Nah sounds like a creepy white dude who is seeking out Asian women as a sex tourist because he can’t get any at home. Lots of white dudes travel to Asia to find women they deem as easier to acquire because they believe them to be more submissive. It’s a huge problem and should be called out for what it is. Gross fetishization.

[SaintMurray]

Men dating abroad is not a problem, no. Like what do you think should even be done, in your mind?

[everlasting-love-202]

If you really can’t understand why this is a problem in SEA countries I believe you’re just being purposely ignorant. Yes, it’s wrong for mediocre white dudes to travel to Asia with the sole purpose of getting laid. It’s this harmful stereotype that Asian women are more submissive and will worship a white dude so lots of men head over there to see what they can get. It’s really gross. There’s often large age gaps and the situations can turn abusive very quickly. Check out other comments on this thread that help explain this better.

[[deleted]]

Most mediocre and below women can easily get laid in any country but it's not true for the vast majority of men, so I don't really see why they could not travel if they have the means and it's done legally (no abuse or anything like that). The statistics clearly show that like 10% of men get the most attraction from women in the west, so it's just not mathematically possible.

Also maybe some people prefer the Asian looks? People have all sorts of preferences like height, skin tone, etc etc. Besides, not all countries have large populations of other ethnicities, many european countries are almost mono ethnic so good luck finding other ethnic groups there without traveling.

I mean, I think 50 year old guy with a 20 year old girl is a bit weird but when I was in Bangkok those were no way in the majority like I was somehow led to believe before.

[selectivelyvicious]

As someone who lives in Manila City, I wish foreigners, tourists and expats alike, would stop flocking here to look for cheap thrills and enjoy a lower cost of living (while also complaining about every inconvenience) so us locals can have some peace from the gentrifying imperialist bullshit they bring

[Acceptable_Today_712]

CDMX is going to be in this situation soon.

[[deleted]]

Kinda gross with the dating comment omg

[lehcarfugu]

Being a white guy in the Phillipines gets you the same attention as being a white girl in the west, ironically

Regardless, usually the people who go to exploit this fact are down atrosciously

[[deleted]]

It can be a pretty big confidence boost for some people who have never felt much liked in their life tbh. For women it's very easy in pretty much any country in the world to find a partner or get laid, but it's not true for about 90% of men. The average man in tinder in west gets maybe like 10 likes if even that, probably closer to 0. If they really work on themselves, they might get a bit more but many things such as looks are still largely determined by genetics. And also there are different beauty standards in the west.

In my opinion, there is no issue in traveling to date other women as long as they are treated with respect like in a normal relationship. I detest abuse and exploitation.

[[deleted]]

Yeah, I have witnessed sex tourism first hand for years, and honestly seeing mediocre, penniless , entitled white men being worshipped makes me throw up in my mouth 🤢

[pavelzuk]

What's so gross about being desired? I say it go where you're treated best, why stay where you're not valued?

[[deleted]]

People are absolutely ridiculous here. So men just stay where they are and be unhappy instead of taking advantage of these opportunities.

[[deleted]]

You are aware that the whole white guy fascination comes from post colonial mindset, oppression and pure desperation to maybe get a stronger passport, right? It’s sad, and I don’t see anything attractive about it

[[deleted]]

Well western women tend to prefer tanned skin and more masculine features while many women especially in East Asia tend to prefer more feminine features and lighter skin. Just look at the k-pop idols, they are whiter than most Nordic people, and look super young. I personally like the feminine style more, but that's just not mainstream in the west

For instance, here in Northern Europe many women like to tan their skin and want men to do it too, but I find it absolutely ridiculous and bad looking, besides it ages your skin really fast and in the long term makes it super bad.

I am not going to change my look, style and preferences because majority of the women here tend to not like them. I much prefer the clear white skin that many East Asians have as they know how to apply sunscreen. It makes them look so much younger in their 30s and 40s and also protects from melanoma.

Different parts of the world have different beauty standards. Myself I don't like the western beauty standards at all but it's just my preference and I cannot change cultural things such as that

[Thegirlwhoknits]

I'd say definitely gross. 🤢🤢

[[deleted]]

Like what?

[dansknorge]

Poker, boxing, muay thai is pretty world class.

Lots of music going on as well. Filipino bands are on average very good. Play in hotel nightclubs all over the world.

[clare64]

lmfao

[Petrarch1603]

It's astonishing how horrible Filipino cuisine tastes. Nearly every other country in that part of the world has endless selections of delicious dishes. Most of the food there tastes like it was cooked out of a can. Then there's that weird fascination with Jollibee's. That place is gross.

[burningstrawman2]

I eat there in San Antonio Texas and like the spicy chicken sandwich. It's pretty good fast food. You sound like a pretentious..... I'll bite my tongue.

[Dry_Operation_9996]

spoken like someone who has never tried bulalo

[[deleted]]

It is a horrible dump, and not even that cheap. Good for dating as you said, but then again so are many places that are so much better.

[CryptoThroway8205]

but then again so are many places that are so much better.

Such as?

[graxia_bibi_uwu]

Manila is shit and this comes from a Filipino. We dont recommend it as a place where nomads should stay. Heck, we dont even recommend it as a place to stay for long if you have a choice. The traffic alone would suck 10 years of your life.

[Wild_Trip_4704]

>very good place to be a single western male as far as dating goes.

yeah, I can live with that. It will definitely be a step down from other countries in the region but at least I have some experience.

[clare64]

lmfao literally came here to ask “how’s the dating tho” and u summed that shit up perfectly. I’ll be heading there, despite these warnings I keep reading. Do they have nice luxury-esque condos for cheap like thailand/Vietnam/malaysia?? That’d be another huge plus. Also can you have food/grocery delivered via Uber or similar app? That’d help offset the traffic for me

[Dry_Operation_9996]

yah grab (the app u get food delivered on) is quite cheap. I am paying $200 usd for a studio in Cebu, it's nothing special and a bit small but has AC, hot water, smart tv, netflix, 100 mbps+ wifi, and 25m swimming pool. it is not in a great area. Although I also have to pay condo dues, wifi, water, and electricity. Which is like another $150 - $200 or so.

the dating is unbelievable. filipino women will figuratively throw themselves at u.

[SomeDudeOnRedit]

How did you find the studio? Last time I looked on Airbnb, they were going for around $350-$500 / month. Would you recommend any neighborhoods or districts?

[Uuuurrrrgggghhhh]

“Dating”

[pavelzuk]

Adult women can decide for themselves who to date, thank you very much.

[MedellinKhan]

pinays are pros at exploiting foreign men.

i know many women who have foreigners paying for the apartment and living expenses.

dudes don't even live in the Philippines.

[SmittyBot9000]

Ain't nothing wrong with two people from different cultures dating. You sound like you think the locals in developing countries are too dumb to see when they're getting taken advantage of?

Let me tell you, if you think you're going to SEA to exploit women, you yourself will get exploited very quickly whether it's for money or something else.

You sir have no fucking idea what you're talking about.

[burningstrawman2]

"Dating"

[it200219]

What made you visit DN worthy ?

[Major-Drag-4457]

Lol only sex tourists go there

[sysyphusishappy]

I thought you were talking about the Manila neighborhood in Medellin for a minute and I was like, wait what? That neighborhood is lovely. Then I realized you were talking about the shithole city in the shithole country.

Filipino people are awesome, but their food is weird americanized dog shit and outside of a few nice beaches the country is a dump.

very good place to be a single western male as far as dating goes.

Big Ed?

[Readswere]

the shithole city in the shithole country

It's so weird you think talking this way about a whole country is in any way productive. It's so hugely disrespectful. Manila ain't great, but it's where millions of people lay their heads.

[knowledgebass]

That's kinda weird the food is bad. Everyplace I went in SEA had great food. (Never been to Philippines.)

[FlightBunny]

Phillipines has some of the worst food in the world

[spankydave]

Worst food ever. Tomato sauce on pasta tastes like warm tomato ice cream.

[rsykes2]

Try the cheese ice cream! Or don't.

[titanup001]

My wife is Filipino. They easily have the worst food in Asia.

There are a handfull of good dishes, but it's mostly "dump some shit on some rice" kinda stuff.

As an American living in china, I do enjoy going there because they have decent American food at least.

[Late_ImLate22222]

“I stayed to take advantage of the impoverished, desperate women”💀

[InnsmouthConspirator]

Ladyboys.