Two Week Stay : How Much Money And How

[Tatoosh]

Nice vacation plans guy! I don't know that I'd hang out in Manila that much, though I enjoy the place more than most guys here. I'd be heading down to Cebu and looking for some real vacation time. Flower Garden resort in Panglao, Bohol is good, but likely completely reserved by now. Not really expensive, across the road from the beach, there is a nice expensive resort you walk through to get to the beach. Similar to Boracay but not quite so developed. I'd head south of Luzon. Folks in the Cebu area are very friendly and for socializing, would be my choice. Not sure your hobbies or recreational choices but check around and their are all sorts of things to do. Mix it up with urban and provincial time so you get a better feel for the place. ATM's generally work fine and BoA cards are no problem. Good that you have let them know you will be using them here. Even with that, they can end up locking your card anyway. So if you have an account in a different bank or different accounts with BoA, it won't hurt to bring a back up card.Buy your cheap cell phone in the Philippines, a used one even 1000 to 3000 pesos. A sim card is 65 to 80 pesos. Buy your load cards for 300 to 500 pesos and you are good to chat and text your heart out locally without bankrupting your wallet. Bring small presents from the States. They are much prized by the locals. Chocolate especially. Not the dark stuff, they simply won't understand or like it. But your standard Hershey's and Nestle's milk chocolate stuff will be great. Lots of MM's here already though. If you expect to socialize with the girls, any cosmetics, even small packets of them, are greatly appreciated. Lipstick, powder, small sample size bottles of perfume. If from the US or Canada, it is a big score to them.

[Dave Hounddriver]

My questions are : how much cash should I take ? Are atm's there THAT unreliable ? (I am a Bank of America customer and have no idea how I will get money once there other than ATM's).

It reminds me of my first time. I realized I could get by on 2K pesos a day so, in your case I would have brought about 30K pesos in cash and my ATM card. Remember this was just my own personal experience. Everyone has a different one.Anyway, it was my experience that I wanted more money because the touristy things to do can cost quite a bit more than the 2K a day I brought with me. So I tried to use my ATM card. It did not work for me. When I got back and found the problem it turned out that the magnetized strip on my card was screwed. (It should have been a clue to me when the cashier at safeway had to use a plastic baggie to run it through her machine before I left)So I spent too much and ran out of money but I managed to open an online account with XOOM and wire myself some money which I funded with an on line bank transfer. At that time I also had a Capital ONE card but almost no one here would accept an out of country credit card, or they wanted to tack on 8% for the privilege. Then, in Hong Kong on the trip back, I got held up by a taxi driver and had to get my mother (I am well over 50 so that was embarrassing) to wire me some cash via Western Union.All this happened about 4 years ago so things have probably changed but these are the kinds of things to expect, you know, whatever can go wrong WILL go wrong.

[Tukaram (Tim)]

The main things you would spend money on is probably a hotel, drinks, and girls. You already said you don't spend too much on hotels (with the Boracay exception). And you said not a lot of bar hopping. So you really won't need to bring very much money. It sounds like you want to get out and actually see some of the real PI's not just the bikini bars. I didn't use the ATM's but I saw a lot foreigners using them. And depending on your eating style you could spend a little or a lot. I always prefer to eat local food, and I love street food. That is usually pretty cheap.When I travel I usually take about a $1,000 USD as pocket change. I have various places I stash parts of it. Everyone tells me that is too much and not safe but I got stuck one time with no cash and a nice bank teller took an out of state check and saved me. Ever since I keep cash on hand.

[bookmanx]

Cell phone I had already thought of. My Sprint service will work only in Manila.I hadnt thought of swag though. I wasn't going to check a bag but I wonder if it would be worth it for having a few 12 packs of hershey bars. Part of me loves that idea and part of me not so much; I would almost feel like I was using someone that way.You really think a small stash of inexpensive cosmetics or chocolate would help that much with things ?

[bookmanx]

Another thought : will hershey bars make it through customs (food items) ?

[Jollygoodfellow]

Another thought : will hershey bars make it through customs (food items) ?

In my experience, no one ever looked into my bags,you just walk through with them and I dont recall anything written about food items on the arrivals card.Most people take food items in their bags. :)

[JJReyes]

Most countries do not permit the importation of fresh fruits, vegetables, plants, and raw foods like meat. Anything that is packaged is okay. Chocolates are highly appreciated as gifts because the local variety contains other ingredients to prevent melting from the heat. Wrap the Hershey bars in insulating material to protect them from heat and humidity.The Philippines is a signatory to the GATT treaty. Most items can be imported for personal consumption on a non-tax basis. This is the reason why Customs does not bother to inspect your bags. They can't collect taxes, which is the main reason for their existence. The exception is when they suspect contraband like guns, bullets and drugs.

Edited January 23, 2012 by JJR

[Tukaram (Tim)]

I make chain mail jewelry and took a few bracelets with me. Man were they a big hit. I also took a couple bags of mini candy bars like what they sell around Halloween. Very popular with everyone! I did give some to bar girls but most went to street kids.I had no problem getting them through. I checked my bag and customs didn't open it. There should be no problem. I'm not sure about a carry on bag United States because tsa gets really stupid about stuff

[Old55]

Tuka, If you don't mind I think it would be interesting if you were to post some details on your hobby in OFF TOPIC AND GENERAL CHAT. Thanks!

[Jim Sibbick]

Other people will tell you how unrelaibale ATM's are but I have had no problems in more than 10 years of using ATM's in the Philippines.Avoid trying to get cash on weekends and middle and end of month. make sure your bank knows you are in the Philippines and will be using your card in the Philippines. Make sure the ATM uses the same systems your card does.Then plan your withdrawals. That is, don't wait until you have run out of cash before seeking more. If you know you will be near your favourite ATM machine, get the money then.In Cebu City, I use HSBC on C. Rosales Avenue. It is virtually the only machine I use because I get enough money to last me until I am back in Cebu City. It is opposite Ayala Mall and nearly opposite the Marriott Hotel. They have 2 ATM machines inside with a 24 hour guard. The machines dispense up to P40,000 at a time and accept most systems including CIRRUS, PLUS, MASTERCARD, VISA.I personally spend P80,000 to P100,000 per month, for 2, when travelling in the Philippines. However, I am a budget traveller.Regards: Jim