Manila
I was in Manila recently for a week so I can offer a little information.
To put it in perspective I didn’t spend any time in Angeles, Cebu, or anywhere outside of Manila so I can only comment on Manila.
Area – I spent my time in Makati which is the business district of Manila. Overall this area feels like any N.American city with the high rises, condo’s, traffic,…
Lanugage – most people I met speak English. If you don’t know Tagalog you won’t have any problems.
Hotels – I know you said you have a place for the month, but if you need a hotel for the first couple nights I would suggest the Peninsula Manila in Makati. Great hotel, great service and a good location in Makati. Cost is around USD$100 / night. Other choices would be the Mandarin Oriental, New World Renaissance, or the Shangri La. All are in Makati.
Cell Phone – THIS IS A MUST. Everyone in Manila is addicted to text messaging. If you go to Greenhill mall on the 3rd floor you can purchase a used cell phone for around 2100 peso’s which would include some calling time and text messages. You will need this to stay in contact with girls.
Resources – the best forum I know of to research other countries is the international sex guide. Google it and you will be able to read for days about Manila mongering.
Some Options:
- Phoenix Club – your basic pick a girl and massage + extras. It is across the street from New World Renaissance in Makati. Would run you around 3000 pesos.
- EDSA Entertainment Complex – this is on the corner of EDSA and Roxas (pronounced Ed-Sah and Ro-Has). Across the street from the Heritage Hotel. Essentially this is about 7 bars clustered in a single building. You go in the bar and there will be 20 or so girls dancing on stage. You pick a girl and pay a barfine around 1000-1200 pesos. The girl will then charge you 2500-3500 to stay overnight.
- Air Force 1 – this is near the airport. There are 2 options in this building, the Air Force 1 KTV (I never went here) and Flight 168 Massage. You would pick a girl from the fishbowl of around 30 girls for a massage + extras. Will cost you around 3000 pesos.
- Burgos St. – This is a 2-3 block area in Makati and probably the most common areas for foreigners (thus more expensive). There are around a dozen bars here, again 20 or so girls will be dancing on a stage and you would pick one and go. The barfine will be around 2000 peso’s and the girl will cost 2000-3000 peso’s. I think the best bar in this area is Flamingo’s.
Other Notes:
LA Café is a popular choice and slightly cheaper. I never made it as it was closed down during the time I was there, but it is going strong now from what I hear.
Ladies Drinks – beware any time you buy a drink for a girl in a bar you will be charged a “ladies drink” price. Usually 3-4 times what your regular drink would cost.
Harassment – I don’t know if you are Filipino or Caucasian but if they know you are a foreigner you will get repeatedly hounded to buy drinks, food, pictures, Viagra, ….. in the bars. This can get on your nerves after a while (and get pricey). Just be prepared.
Cabs - make sure the cab driver agrees to use the meter in the taxi. Otherwise, if you are a foreigner they will try to charge you 3 times the regular rate. Still not a lot of money (CDN$6 instead of CDN$2), but there is no reason you should pay more just because you are a foreigner.
Shopping etc. – the Greenbelt and Glorietta Malls are nice shopping areas in Makati. Right across the street from the Peninsula hotel.
Safety - its safe as long as you are staying in decent areas and not doing anything stupid. Take cabs, they are cheap.
That’s all I can think of, feel free to PM me but also make sure you go to the international sex guide as there is a lot more to Manila than I have described (and I can tell you first hand it is very accurate). Enjoy your trip.