🔴 The Philippines Series Debrief 🇵🇭 (what really happened…)
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 พ.ค. 2024
- Today we go over in detail my full travel experience in The Philippines.
The good, the bad, and the ugly.
Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
01:50 - Disclaimer
08:32 - Outline
10:40 - Manila
32:11 - The Singing
39:39 - Boracay
44:52 - Avoid this Scam
48:30 - Renting Motorbikes in Philippines
51:19 - Cebu
59:10 - The Food
1:00:08 - AG1
1:03:33 - A nice story
1:06:10 - Mindanao
1:08:50 - Pino Bating
1:16:20 - Travel Days
1:18:20 - Problems in El Nido
1:25:45 - The Tao Expedition
1:35:00 - Coron
1:43:11 - Thailand vs Philippines
2:00:15 - Chilled QandA
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You look fresh n rested. I am from the Philippines and I have travelled a lot too. Thailand is number one for me when it comes to food even the ones from the street. Everything you said is actually true. Our country has a long way to go when it comes to tourism. Yes Filipinos eat so much of unhealthy food like jollibee n McDo n even our own local food is not that healthy.
You’re the most honest vlogger so far. Most of them only talk positively in every place they go. This is what you call “Fil baiting”. You described it perfectly cause that’s how Fil audience is. They only want to hear nice things and it’s not possible. Thank you for your honesty. It’s true the Philippines has some of the most beautiful beaches n islands n friendly n nice people who can speak English including the tricycle drivers. These are perhaps the assets but other than that there’s so much to improve especially in those remote areas where sights of poverty is everywhere.
Filipinos who travelled around knows the truth. They blocked their minds when people's experiences does not match their brainwave. Eg they were defensive when people commented about oslob. They have never understood that the animals suppose to move on (migratory). Whale sharks do not belong to oslob. Stop abusing it for tourism.
On the food, some filipinos here said others should not compared food from mainland Asia or go to special places to eat. Come on...when you travel you will know what is OK and what is not OK with the body. And if 80 to 90% of travellers said it is not OK, just accept the fact and move on. It cannot be the food mecca, not the end of the world of course. In any country you visit all places must have good food and also not to forget vegetarian options. Not just specific locations to eat.
Many people I spoke to said accommodation is expensive or not value for money. Paddy Doyle spoke the truth. These words came off vloggers who did not say it on their videos(of course) Perhaps they are being respectful, or do not want backlash or unsubscribe by Filipinos.
Honest or critical... matter of how u look at it...
Marilou, this is also called Filipino baiting when Paddy told us all the negative things after he accumulated 700k views on his Philippine blogs. He could say all this stuff during his blog, but he waited until all was done and he's out of the country. Critics are welcome, but why not tell them on the spot?
@Jun Bermz he wanted his main contents to be mostly positive. As compared to Vietnam for example. He already said that in advance. If you mix it up, it becomes long and boring. Whether positive or negative he still enjoyed his little boating experience. That is all that matters. Who knows when he gets married, he can do his honeymoon there.
@@JunBermz Lol views from the PH don't mean anything btw because they don't pay as much ad revenue. He didn't bait anybody to boost his numbers like everyone else. Lay off the mental gymnastics lol.
Currently staying at an Airbnb in Legazpi Village Makati. $40 a night. Haven’t seen a roach yet. There are two parks next door. Any restaurant or store I could ever need is within walking distance. It’s safe even at night. There’s a great Filipino restaurant nearby called Sarsa. But seriously, any type of cuisine is within walking distance
Finally an honest vlogger who has risked not sugar-coating their experience. It’s both annoying and laughable to see so many TH-camrs only highlight or exaggerate the positive sides of the Philippines to gain likes from filipinos ‘Pinoy Baiting’.
Part of the problem is national pride, Filipinos do not like to hear any negatives, especially from foreigners - they will be incredibly defensive. This biased against critical vloggers and denial will continue to hurt tourism, as nothing will improve.
Having lived in Cebu for 4 years and traveled to many other islands, I can relate, it’s always almost impossible to buy healthy and well cooked food, even in the major cities. Not saying Filipino’s can’t cook well because many can from home, but the overall food experience is a total disaster. Restaurant food is not only bad but expensive compared to other SEA countries, like, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore…
Sadly the reputation is deserved, if the Philippines could improve the standards of food available in restaurants, it would make such a difference to traveling this beautiful country.
No country is perfect... I am from PH and your genuine honesty is important... Unlike other vloggers stating that everything is perfect which is far from true.... Keep being honest.. I enjoyed your PH series...
Lol I wouldn't bother to comment if I did not. Take criticism in a positive way to improve, he is only saying what are he's experiences and it might be different from others. I've been to Hongkong and all of the food I have eaten sucks, Been to Singapore many locals are rude\disrespectful too small feels like I'm just in BGC "another day in the office", Japan everything seems to be perfect from food , locals to places but I got bored because every street looks the same. These are my experiences as a tourist and others might see it differently. The good\bad experiences are all part of being a tourist and that's the beauty of it! Who will travel if they will only experience the same thing on all places:)
Another great Vlog Paddy. I agree with most of the your scores but would give Pinoy food another half a point.
Some of the best Philippine food (apart from my ex wife’s) was had in Lucky Plaza in Singapore.
One thing that bugs me about almost any country, particularly Australia and USA, is how people who have never been outside their home country believe they live in the best country in the world.
There is no such place, there are great and not so great things in ever country and how you perceive them depends a lot on your stage in life.
Hostels are a great example.
Action is better than talking, as he said in his videos,but i didn't even see him in his videos, exploring food from different restaurants, and hotels as well thanks anyways coming to our country,I hope your country is most perfect in Any aspect of tourist they need as well as your people wearing welcoming smile as Pilipinos did to you in our country
Paddy is an authentic traveler! He gives constructive criticisms. Filipinos should take his negative comments to up their tourism game. If you travel to a place, of course you would have basic expectations.
Its good you mentioned at the beginning how you were outlining our own expeirence, Paddy, and how others may have different experiences. I've flown twice into Manila in the past year and both times it wasn't bad. I did the QR code thing in advance, showed them that, and then waited maybe 15 - 30 minutes in a queue at Immigration. So that was at 6pm, having arrived on a 8hr flight from Sydney. (I went to Hawaii recently, and that long, painful wait at Immigration was worse). Also , I never had issues with any noisy A/C units, I guess because I stay at moderate priced places (about $80 USD, not cheap but also not expensive).
I research extensively about a place before I go there. There are reviews online for hotels and the area. Cost of ferry, motorbike rentals , etc, you can research on the internet. Even the scams and the way things are done there are discussed on the internet. You need a lot of patience . Things are done here a certain way and while it’s true it can be disorganized or chaotic, and could be done better, it is what it is. If your expectations are based on western standards you will be disappointed many times. Be open, adapt, or maybe its not for you.
Exactly I agree with what u said!
Prior planning when traveling to the Philippines is critical.
I thought he was an expert in travel...how come he failed researching for a comfortable place...and to think there are a lot...
@@greggregory7255 Paddy THINKS he is … an expert. HE IS NOT! Barely!
@@deetl I don't think he is well-traveled around the world. I will wait for his Alps blog and compare France, Switzerland, and Italy. Let us see if he will talk about the aircon issue, prices, and friendliness of the people. I have been to those countries. They're not perfect, and I don't have to announce to the world if there are bed bugs or cockroaches in the hotels and how prejudiced the people there if you're Asian looking.
Thank you for your honest review, it hurts but your review will help our government to improve our tourism industry. It's like what happened to me in Thailand, i also did not appreciate the country, like the Philippines It's so hot, the transfo like toktok and taxis are also worst, they charged beyond limit. We've been to their rivers, it's so dirty! On our 2nd day i had diarrhea with fever after eating at their famous eat all you can with the tallest tower. So you see there's no perfect country.
Wake up
Yes guys, it is Paddys experience while he was in the Philippines, like i always comment to most vloggers coming in with different opinions makes a country different from others, of course there is no perfect one, there will always be pros and cons depending on one's personality and outlook. As for us locals, most vloggers showcase the landscape as it is, be it sunrise or sunset, in between or afterburn, but again the scenery cannot be altered, it shall be shown to the world.
The Filipino lifestyle is also a puzzle to most foreigners as how are we louder and happier most of the time, friendliness and rudeness applies to different situations, same as majority of Asians even westerners alike, the hospitality, the english proficiency helps a lot for interaction and communication even in the islands.
Food - it is not the spiciest, it is not the blandest, some like it, some hate it, it cannot be adjusted or else our ancestors will rise from the dead.
Because the country is an archipelago, travel by land is a nightmare and now longer bridges are being constructed for future convenience, in the meantime bare with the inter island domestic flights, so is the inter island slow internet service, still looking for the best alternative solution, if you want to stay away from social media for a week, take the Tao experience promoted by Paddy.
Unless you are an expat living their life away from their own country, or former vloggers that stayed for good continuing what they do best exploring the rest of the road less traveled for us everyone to include in our bucket list, there will always be different stories we can hear from different visitors, but as we always say everyone is welcome.
Thank you Paddy for bringing your best cinematic shots from your trip here, you as well will always be our guest anytime.
Elon Musk's ''Starlink'' is now providing satellite internet access to remote areas in the Philippines since February 2023.
I have to watched it several times and read almost all the comments and replies. By the way, the Philippines is a tropical country, so insects and bugs are common. Cockroaches dont only exists in Philippines but also in another countries even here in Belgium of which we call "les cafards" which is prominent in summer season, differrent size(smaller and dont fly compared to Philippines) and color. But still cockroaches. If you stay in Philippines and the door or windows are open all possible bugs, you can meet😅. I am in Europe, specifically in 🇧🇪 Belgium, also with flies,cockroaches etc. during summer but its not a big deal. Oh by the way I live in the capital french speaking agricultural enginering region of Belgium 🇧🇪. Also, my hubby lost his celfone in Brussels. He get off the car for few minutes with windows open and the celfone was stolen. There are places in Brussels not safe to go. Believe me. Living, lifestyles in Europe is way more very expensive.Maybe I am middle class (before because of this inflations and covid tralala)but now poor in Belgium many felt that but if I go back to Philippines I live like a queen when it comes to value of money. Life in Europe is very, very. Expensive. Good, quality foods, culinary cuisine you have to pay for it. Even the smiles here are very expensive😅😅 difficult to find. Europe is Very routine and dull.(Except Spain and Italy I found very lively and helpful in my experiences) Voila. To add my hubby missed filipino cuisines, just today he reinvented Filipino dish pininyahang manok* chicken in pineapple with coconut milk) which he cooked himself. With Belgian friends I always cooked traditional Filipino foods and so far everybody loves it. And waiting to be invited in our home simply because of foods I prepared.
I saw rats when I was in a resto in South Korea in 2013! I never expected it in a first world country.
This is my first time watching your vlogs, If you are a traveller coming from a first world country going to a third world country do not expect same as you have in your country.Stay in one hotel it's unfair to say our hotels will look bad as like that sounds defensive but you are kinda unfair to say so .We are friendly people because we can talk to anyone even though we don't know them we are welcoming start with our smiles to say that we are willing to talk to strangers even if it is sometimes they say dangerous.its natural to us because we are warm and loving people.
Hi again Paddy. As i said in my comment during the livestream, many foreign vloggers are actually getting higher views and subs now in other Southeast Asian countries. Also in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, etc. So it's not just Pinoys who "seek validation". I've actually tried reading the comments section one time on a Pakistan vlog of another British vlogger that i follow, and fyi, they are equally, if not more passionate than Pinoys about their country. They also react badly when someone criticizes their country. So this phenomenon is not just here in PH. I think it's also because we've been unjustly looked down on for so long, why we feel good when foreigners appreciate our country.
As for PH cuisine, it's good too. Though i would agree that it's probably not as healthy as TH cuisine. But i think the problem is not the cuisine itself but the availability of quality and affordable authentic PH food (like Sinigang, Adobo, Kare-kare, Pinakbet, Tinola, Kaldereta, etc.) In TH, they seem to have food stalls everywhere that sells quality food. In general, our cuisine is harder to prepare and cook, why they are mostly cooked at home.
Anyway, i hope our Dept. of Tourism watches your Debrief (i actually mentioned it in their fb page) and try to address some of your issues. The Manila airport, i'm afraid that will only be solved once the new airport which is still under construction is finished. We also have so many ongoing developments here (like New Clark City and the massive reclamation projects in Manila Bay) which will surely bring Manila to "next level" once they are finished.
Thanks again for visiting and i hope on your return, you will have a more positive experience here. God bless!
It’s a human nature to defend when one is being insulted regardless of race. As a matter of fact, I once saw a short light- hearted video that was NOT harsh (the uploader was more ‘’cultured’’) nor putting the British cuisine down in anyway, but the Brits turned into keyboard warriors in the comment section defending themselves and putting sense in the head of the uploader who was an American. ‘’Respect begets respect.’’
@@bluemoon.448 I just had to go back to this coz I myself have seen this with my own eyes now several times - Brits either "going mental" when they're criticized, or just expressing pride with their country as we Pinoys are often accused of. I've seen this the most on FB - in those British and Scottish tourism pages. One time, Yorkshire was included in the Top 10 best places to visit by some travel magazine, and this Yorkshire page posted about it. I read the comments and saw some irate Yorkies asking why Yorkshire wasn't #1, LOL. (I think they were at #3, if i remember correctly.)
Staying in that part of Manila, which is Malate, is like going to LA and staying in Compton. Or going to NYC and staying in the Bronx. I dont know why tourists stay there. BGC and Makati are so much nicer. And you can find a good place for around $50. It’s so clean, walkable, and safe at all hours. Even at night
And by Makati, I don’t mean the redlight district, it’s sketchy at night. I mean the CBD area. It’s completely safe at all hours. I jog at night often
People don't understand that the city center of Metro Manila has moved further inland. They think old downtown Manila is still the major downtown. It's not. It hasn't been since the 70s. There's a lot of homeless people there now. But Makati, BGC, Alabang, Bay City, etc are like a completely different world.
@@davidmartin2706 you are absolutely correct
I agree. Even local tourists wouldn't stay in Malate.
Malate is usually stayed at by sketchy people. Not all of course. Also, Downtown Manila always have homeless people. I don't think travellers understand how big Metro Manila is and what Downtown Manila is. Downtown Manila always attract homelessness because it is the ultimate center of the whole of the PH. So it always attracts all sorts of people. It isn't any different from any other centre of any other country. Parts of London, Cambridge, Oxford always attract homeless people because they are major cities.
The people he talked about in his Manila video is not even homeless I don't think, they are street sellers. Also, to put a camera where they were is extremely disrespectful and violates that person's privacy and human rights.
God forbid he becomes homeless and a youtuber sticks a camera on his face. Extremely disrespectful. Very disappointed with him.
Loved this Debrief, super insightful and grounding 👍
Your fun, entertaining live stream gave me a realistic OVERVIEW of the Philippines. Thank you.
This live-stream format suits your personality --- as a warm-hearted and inclusive human being.
Seeing one of your vlogs, I can tell that you're impatient and feeling entitled
One has to think about the history, the sentiment and reasoning behind the Filipino mindset before forming an opinion on the country or its people.
First, I really think that the majority of the Filipinos do not mind constructive criticism at all. In fact foreigners who "understand" the PH sentiment or the PH who have lived there, have been truthful about some of the difficulties of living in the PH and the locals agree and understand.
Paddy as I assume is a working class (or at least not posh) man he might be able to understand the feeling of being an underdog, of being under the powers that be (ETON and the like) controlling ordinary people's life, being looked down upon, compared and not being respected as should be.
The PH has been under 3 colonial powers with years and years of abuse and control and this is in the PH psyche.
Albeit the instinct reaction sometimes comes from a place of emotion and could not always be from a place of logic (at times) can we blame the Filipinos?
A lot of the shit in the PH are not caused by the ordinary Filipinos but obviously they suffer from it. (People talking shit about their home - and they are tired) Think about some council estate/Chavs behaviour. (except Filipinos are not anti social and/or rude or intimidating nor violent but rather passionate about defending their home.)
A lot of the issues are by products of colonialism and successive corrupt governments and previously (currently?) the interference of countries like the USA.
There is also the issue of Natural Disasters that hit the PH every single year. If not Super typhoons, there are Earthquakes, and/or Volcanic eruptions.
(and this is why you take the PH as it is and not compare it with other SE asian countries)
Inspite of it all the Filipino remained nothing but kind, generous, welcoming, positive and most of all happy.
Sometimes to a fault.
And since Filipinos can communicate in English, it is easier for them to comment and other nationalities to know these comments.
What would happen if other Asian countries can communicate in this way. I am sure they would react in the same way.
Try South Korea, their netizens will bury you alive. I kid you not celebrities have died as a result. (One would not want to mess with their netizens)
Japan, people are very nationalistic!
So again can we blame that the Filipinos are quick to say and often fights back, do you know what we are tired of this it isn't really that bad as you make it out here.
So although it is quite simplistic and easy to label it as being too overly nationalistic, touchy, seeking validation it really isn't just that.
Filipinos simply just want other people to know that despite the imperfections, the inconveniences, whatever else you are not happy about.
These truth remains.
1. The Natural landscape of the PH is breathtakingly beautiful.
2. Majority of the Filipinos are kind, generous and genuine. Filipinos have a lot of heart.
3. They really want you to have a great experience.
Food is subjective. I went to Thai for a month and I can't stomach the continuous spiciness of the food. But I never said it was bad. It just wasn't for me.
I live in the UK and as an Asian woman. I do NOT feel safe going around by myself. I am not Chinese or Japanese and more than few times kids shouted and called me Ms. Wong or say something like this! or someone randomly saying to me sarcastically Ni Hao or Konnichiwa!
Very intimidating.
There are also a lot of mental health problems in the UK exasperated by drugs and/or alcohol abuse.
Even as a developed country lots of homeless people sleeping rough.
Re: Different regions different infrastructure in PH. As a british man, he ought to be familiar with the North and South divide. Does Cornwall have the same funding as Burrow in Furness?
I also lived in Dublin and 1 time a bunch of kids on a bike wanted to scare me by pretending they will run me over.
Heroin addicts & alcoholics on the streets of Dublin. There was a man so high he was hiding in the trolleys of Tesco staring at me like a lost dog. Very sad.
I rarely went out by myself in Dublin.
I also spent some time in Malaysia and the dirtiest "hotel" I stayed in was there which surprised me a lot. Can't believe they were allowed to even operate. Hairs on the pillows. Stains on the sheet.
We were also shouted in KL when we tried to have a look around and enter the mosque.
KL MRT guy was also intimidating and made me cry when he wanted me to pay a fine for exiting on a wrong stop even when I explained it was an honest mistake. The name of the train stop was very similar.
Also saw in Malaysia migrants sleeping in some empty car park/building. Rats outside bins.
Things like this happened to me but I don't necessarily take it against that country nor do I compare it to other countries. There are good and bad sides in every country.
Also, the difference is I have no platform such as TH-cam to bitch about it.
In regards to Thai and it's infrastructure etc Let's not forget Thailand's tourism boomed because of s*x tourism. I feel like TH has sold it's soul for money and tourism. Their natural landscape and women ruined in the process. Thai Bride, Ping pong shows, Lady boys all thai coined terms as a result.
God forbid, I hope this does not happen to the PH.
Tourists / Travellers do give your feedback Filipinos do encourage you to let Dept of Tourism or the government know. It is much needed but please just don't be a dick when doing so. No one likes an arrogant (Westerner) Foreigner being a Diva in the PH (again history) and also do not compare the PH with other SE Asian countries. Not cool.
I totally agree with everything you mentioned. Very well said. Yes, what I noticed is that most Filipinos are not complainers and entitled. When they travel abroad, most will just highlight the good experiences and not magnify the not so nice ones. In my humble opinion, I don't think Paddy is a very credible vlogger. In fact, in one of his videos, he claimed that ALL the air cons in the PH are loud and noisy which is NOT true. Noisy and loud air cons are commonly seen in old, budget, and cheap accommodations. They are old, lacks maintenance, and it depends on the brand installed as there are brands that are quiet types. What's interesting is, I was just reading comments in other social media platforms on a lot of Americans complaining about loud and noisy air cons in the hotels in their own country. A traveler's comfort depends on the type of accommodation and budget one has. Some entitled tourists had to dig deep in their pockets, expect luxury, and then complain why they did not get the best.
@@bluemoon.448 Thanks. Glad someone read my very long comment. I just have to put it out there. So fed up about the PH and the Filipinos being misunderstood.
@@msbee-xj8ni your comments are sensible.
Very well said
I understand you're trying to protect your own country. But it is unnecessary to bring other countries down trying to protect your country by saying that other countries are not perfect as well. But well, since you did this, I will as well.
I'm Thai. And yes I admit that sex industry exists in our country, but so does MOST country in the world (even your ladies work here in Pattaya and so do many other countries). If you think all of our foreign visitors come to us because of sex industry, think twice. In 2019 (pre covid), 40 million international tourists visited our country. Out of that, 26 million are women. Do you think those women came to Thailand for sex industry? No.
They came here for the culture, the food, the nature, the good accommodations at cheap price, our service mind.
I went to PH twice. Yes PH nature is more beautiful than Thailand. But it is such a struggle to reach those places at the point I'm asking myself "Why am I here"? The infrastructure is not ready yet. I felt frustrated by how the local approaches me. It is beyond being friendly to the point that I felt they're invading my personal space.
Plus, one thing that is different from Thai people and PH people. We do listen to negative comments from the tourists and raise our voices to the government officials for improvement. We can accept criticism.
Hi Paddy!
Excellent work! Spot on! On observations, on the cultural aspects, food etc. fair and well balanced comments all around. I will try to catch the attention of "some people" in the tourism sector and make sure you don't get into hot waters on this. People who will appreciate your observations - especially immigration.
I am Filipino, I've been around, Africa, Europe and most of Asia, the USA. I travel for food and the sights.... so yes I do understand what your saying. There's a whole lot we need to improve on... and having said that; the other side of my brain is saying, "keep the struggles to get to some places the way they are so they can stay preserved for a longer time"
You do know how to appreciate the true value of life's joys in the little things you see and experience, this sets you out and above others.
Keep it true and honest! This is how to make a true vlog about a destination, in my opinion.
Next time you come to the country (better yet, before you come) let me know and I'll show you some of the hidden gems of the country!
Cheers!
I'm currently watching all of your back catalog and got to this and it was an interesting watch. We spent a month in the Philippines earlier this year and had many of the same observations about price/quality of hotels and the food... We were there at the same time as you and watching your IG posts made us feel like at least we weren't the only ones who were having not the absolute best time there. We experienced our lowest mental space of our 6 month trip through Asia in the Philippines, to the point where we thought we might cut our whole trip short. It's such a beautiful country with so much to offer but the infrastructure, lodging and food is just so disappointing. In the end we finished out our month and went to Taiwan and it was such a breath of fresh air that our first day there completely turned our moods around.
Paddy, this was great! I got more honest information from this debrief, then from many videos!
I absolutely LOVE all your videos! I think your channel is great and your opinions are your own experiences. You share brilliant content. Life isn't always roses and rainbows - I appreciate your honesty
Btw, thank you for giving Philippines a 5 out of 5 in terms of natural beauty! And surprised too that you put us ahead of Thailand in terms of getting around easily, considering we're an archipelago. ᵔᴗᵔ
2:03:10 - And thank you for saying PH is one of the most beautiful countries in the world!
Some foreign vloggers go to the ugly places of the country to find things that are not pleasurable ti them.If you want to enjoy in your travel always coordinate with the tourism department and expend more to quality places and cuisine.But if you walk with your own don't expect quality touring because not all places in the are good even in western world.
Paddy great Q&A, an education for me as always👍.
Well you cannot please all the people wherever they go there is good thing and bad thing they experienced but one vlogger in the Philippines most I liked is Kyle Jennermann a Canadian becoming Filipino he is a true and genuine guy he is always positive even if there's a problem he tries to sort it out.
I’ve been in the Philippines a month and I love it. BUT always positive is not genuine. If you’re always positive then you obviously just want views. It’s ok to be real. I love the Philippines but it’s not all positive
Kumander Daot too!
@@mitchs3559
Yes your right. But being genuine means to be honest too. When you are doing the vlogging you are using the social media. And if you said in the actual video that the food is delicious and say otherwise I’m the debriefing’s then that is hypocrisy. Your narratives does not jive. That what I observed from Paddy’s vlog. Why need a debriefing when you can tell what you observed right in the original video. He is good in narrating but need to research more on how to described things in his travel.
@@josefinoaguirre8720 he actually never said the food was delicious anywhere in his videos except for Tao, which he liked, and he talked about it. He never talked about food at all before that. And besides, I can see how if he was in a restaurant and in the moment, he wouldn’t talk about how the food was bad right then. That’s kinda rude. He would wait for a debrief like this. But he never filmed in restaurants anyway.
@@mitchs3559
That is what I am referring for. When he said something about the food is delicious in that trip, meaning he had some idea that not all Filipino food are salty, greasy and most of different from other country. He should not lye if in the the food is not good by telling it in the actual video. If it is really bad, first hand he should acknowledge it. But comparing it with other country is so hypocritical on his behalf because he is expecting that we should be like those countries. To each his own when it come to food. We have our own culture and if he does not like it there are so many alternative. Be very honest with your expectation and tell your observation upfront and may be I can understand his opinion . Remember the saying, if you are in Rome do what the Roman does. Food is part of our culture and honestly in his explanation in his debriefing I find it very hypocritical.
First, I love your videos because they were beautifully made, excellent cinematography and the singing is good too. I am sad that you did not enjoy your stay. I understand the chaos that could be frustrating to foreigners when travelling to the Philippines but then, it happens everywhere. My daughter and I had a terrible time on a stopover in Montreal enroute to Toronto from Punta Cana and barely made it to the plane.
The Philippines is a beautiful country rich in culture, customs, traditions and a diversity of food from Spanish influenced cuisine like paella, the famous adobo and lechon, to Chinese inspired dishes like pancit, lumpia, siopao and of course, there's American inspired Jolibee and our own take on Indian cuisine, kare kare and chicken/pork/goat/pork curry. And don't get me started with the Filipino desserts like halo halo that foreigners rave about. You want Italian, Japanese, vegetarian, Thai or maybe Greek, Manila or any city in the Philippines including Cebu, is littered with one of the best restaurants in the world with great ambiance. You spent more than a month in the Philippines and it's a shame you missed the opportunity to experience the Philippines bests. You could have spent an afternoon tea in Manila Hotel and then proceed to the lounge to relax and watch and listen to piano music or have breakfast at Manila Peninsula. Mind you, they're not expensive. At night, you can watch live performance while sipping your favourite drink (Filipinos are one of the best entertainers in Asia)
As to your accommodations, for $40, you can get a nice place in Makati or BGC that are not only safe but also you enjoy a great atmosphere.
By far, the greatest asset of the Philippines, is the warmth and hospitality of the Filipinos. English is spoken everywhere from the big cities to the remotest barrios. True, you meet unsavoury characters along the way but the majority of Filipinos are not like that. They are very welcoming to foreigners. Most travellers are overwhelmed by the kindness of the Filipinos.
Next time you visit the Philippines, do a little homework and maybe, talk to an experienced and reputable travel consultant. Chiao
I agree.
Travelling is his job is it not, how can a seasoned traveller not even know / consider what you said above?
@@msbee-xj8ni I'm confused how Paddy managed to eat only junk food during his stay in Cebu, Davao and Mindanao. Filipino food is not the only food offered in the Philippines. There are many 5 star restaurants in these places that offer alternatives ie, steak and grill houses, Japanese, Korean etc. As for accommodations, there are many 5 star hotels including General Santos catering not only to foreigners but the local Filipinos who love to travel around the Philippines. And Filipinos do not limit their diet on junk food alone. Most Filipinos go there for their kids who love junk food. Filipinos (especially the wealthy) have more sophisticated palate and demand variety. Anywhere you go in the world there will always be junk food restaurants. Sorry Paddy that you were miserable with Filipino cuisine and the local fruits like mango and papaya. But you did have other choices right?
It seems that he’s on a budget, plus he was rushing to go to his destinations which involved ten days of airport journeys. That alone made him mentally and physically stressed.
@@JunBermz Yes. Seems to me he's on a very tight budget and has to contend to eating junk food and eat in those cheap hole in the wall restaurants.
Also, of all places to have terrible accommodation, Metro Manila?! One is spoilt for choice there!
Paddy don't worry about a few negative nellies posting, I can post "I like the pizza " and someone will post I am a despicable pizza pusher. I used to work in Makati City and Batangas. Unless you know locals who are savvy and helping you you can end up in the wrong part of town in Manila (as in most cities). But with a guide, I was able to go to clubs and other venues without any worries even though I did not speak Tagalog. Otherwise, I recommend travelers stay in areas that are upscale like Makati City, and organize their excursions from there. Yes, it's more expensive but it's worth it for the reasons you explained. As for your airport experiences, it's hit and miss. You are best off hiring professional travel people to organize your transport and travel. I often used guides to help me negotiate the local mazes. I disagree that it's difficult find great food in Cebu City, they are known for great food like Lechon and Sea food. Hire local guides it's inexpensive.
Spot on. I appreciate the honesty. Safe travels Paddy.
First off, food is SUBJECTIVE. I know friends and white expats based in Thailand that do not like Thai food. In fact, my friends based in Bangkok cook Filipino meals at home because they don’t like Thai food (although I can’t speak for every Filipino there that I don’t personally know). I know an Indonesian who survived by eating 7-11 meals while in Thailand as she does not like the taste of Thai food. She however, said that Philippine food is tolerable as it’s comparable to Indonesian taste.
If you are in the Philippine malls, look for Aristocrat, Gerry’s Grill, Max’s, and Congo Grill restaurants to name a few as they offer authentic and delicious Filipino foods and are budget friendly. I saw multiple videos of Filipino restaurants filmed by local food channels overseas now becoming popular in the big cities in the USA and the UK. By the way, the spaghetti in Jollibee is catered as meals for kids that’s why it’s sweet. If you happen to be in Jollibee, try ordering ‘’palabok’’ it’s an authentic Filipino noodles and not sweet.
Did you know that the Philippine '‘sinigang soup’’ won as the best soup in the world according to Taste Atlas? You may want to search this article: "Sinigang is named World’s Best Soup by Taste Atlas for 2021" Published on JAN 28, 2022 6:56 PM PHT. As well as the humble ‘’Filipino eggplant omelet’’ which is the best egg dish in the world as per Taste Atlas. ''Eggciting! Taste Atlas names Tortang Talong as the best-rated egg dish in the world’’ AUG 8, 2022 3:15 PM PHT
One thing I learned from a chef, it’s not the recipe that makes the food taste good or bad. It's ''the one'' that cooks it. The timing, the care, the preparation and everything in between.
True that. There are healthy food if you know what or where to find it.
Seafood dishes, abundance of this in the PH.
Sinigang seafood like Shrimp, some fish.. (doesn't have to be pork) it's got lots of veggies.
Ampalaya - rich in carbohydrates, fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals, Antioxidants. Lowers blood sugar good for the heart.
Monggo - potassium, magnesium, and fiber, have been linked to a lower risk of high blood pressure.
Tinola ginger, lots of veggies, ginger is an antioxidant.
Fresh Lumpia
Kangkong
Bicol dishes are quite healthy
Coconut plus some meat or vegetables
Langka
Guinataang tambakol or tulingan
Guinataang Gabi - Viit A and C, antioxidants.
Guinataang Kalabasa - Squash good for eyes. Vit B6, C. E, Iron, Folate etc
Fruits
The variety and abundance of fruits. Filipino meals always ends with a Filipino fruit.
Fruits Juices based on above
Coconut water is a miracle drink!
Even the humble Halo Halo is healthy, except for the milk and ice cream.
Halo Halo is full of beans, and fruits
Nilagang saba tasty and a healthy snack.
Taho can be very healthy with limited sugary bits.
Lugaw is low calorie and have health benefits. Ginger based.
etc etc
Lol, Taste Atlas doesn’t mean anything😂
i always look forward to the mini music videos with the synthpop 80s vibe. looking forward to more of those!
Don't mind the other butthurt Pinoys who can't handle criticism. It's better to share your honest thoughts so we can have rooms for improvement. Like you said, every island here has it's own subculture so you will definitely experience differences as you travel around. I also agree that some of food in different areas or islands are not that good. Only a few regions in the Philippines are known for great food and they are not that touristy or famous unfortunately. Sorry Cebu but I also don't find the food there that good, diverse or healthy. There are some good food in Cebu but they are limited. Some of the food are lacking with veggies. For culinary destinations, you can check out Pampanga or Bacolod. A lot of fresh vegetarian foods can be found in Baguio. Siargao also has a lot of great local food options.
I beg to disagree that Filipinos like to seek validation. By nature, any person regardless of nationality will defend if being insulted. In fact, I saw a short light- hearted video that was NOT harsh (the uploader was more ‘’cultured’’) nor putting the British cuisine down in anyway, but the Brits turned into keyboard warriors in the comment section defending themselves and putting sense in the head of the uploader who was an American. ‘’Respect begets respect.’’
I loved the explanation of your singing bits! I muted or fast forwarded them but glad you got to live your musical dream, congrats and keep doing you!
Hi... i like your videos... hope you keep exploring philippines... and keep being honest.... and your singing too i like it...😊
The foods that were prepared for you on your tao expedition were just like a Filipino home-cooked meal only with better plating and food presentation😂. If you like a home cooked meal, your option is carinderia. Just choose a place that looks clean😁. There are also a lot of food parks especially in Cebu like Sugbo Mercado where you could have different choices. FYI, we don't eat fastfood or Jollibee everyday 😁. We do eat rice a lot and all our dishes are paired with rice, so for foreigners who are not used to that, you may find Filipino food not palatable to you.
And that's the problem with Filipino food, we don't know what's good and what's bad. We're ashamed of the best parts of the cuisine because it's the everyday fare we think is a signifier of poverty, then direct foreigners to eat the most uninspiring greaseballs whose appeal is only evident when it is eaten occasionally during celebrations.
Hi Paddy, really been enjoying your channel and getting plenty of ideas for my bucket list. The de-brief was a great idea too. Just a technical critique as this was a podcast, the sound was a bit all over the place, maybe a podcast specific microphone? Anyway Cheers.
I hope your health improves
Listening to you at 23:++ , I found that what is crazier than the noisy situation is that you still stayed for two more nights rather than finding a place that suits your "caprizes"..
True.
yup
I watched you live but I love this live so much that I came back to watch it again.
Lol comment, die hard thai
I loved your time in the Philippines.
Really liked your take and liked your songs you made up.
You remind me of Michael J Fox for some reason with a UK overhaul...lol
Like the 80's vibes.
Think I will still watch your adventures overseas... but hope you return to the Philippines one day.
Sir, Thank you so much for visiting our Humble country! I enjoyed your vlogs and your singing and some dancing while vlogging is very Epic! I Love it! Hope you will come again, God bless you Sir!
Hello charming paddy I love your vlog your so honest about 🇵🇭 I’m happy that your going back again in the 🇵🇭 godbless more power 🙏
Good hearing the song musical back story. Thanks Paddy
Refreshing to see a Philippines Vlogger not 'Pino Baiting'.
You look adorable paddy, so fresh and relaxed no sweat and sunburn 🥵! Wow !! More adventures !!! Come back again to Philippines.
Don’t mind the bashers Paddy! you cannot please everybody! I ve discovered your video by chance traveling to Philippines cause I missed my country and planning to go there , luv all your videos …real & raw😍 Watching from France ✌🏼🇫🇷
Glad for this input. Some people are not as honest with their vlogs....each to his own obviously for some stuff but there will be similarities on a lot of other stuff. Will this put me off the The Philippines, no but will i put more effort into my Research. But definitely a few placs for me to visit
I agree with the comments on food. Even the local delicacies such as adobo, lechon, menudo, etc. are heavily meat-based and fatty. Fast food restaurants have also contributed to this deteroriation of the food scene because they destroyed local restaurants run by families.
But on a positive note, I see these negative comments as something that prevents mass tourism and all its consequences in our country. I can still enjoy many beaches, falls, mountains, etc. without having to compete against a pack of people for space. Many spots are still pristine and not packaged for tourists.
Thank you for your’e personal honest opinion. Totally agree with your feedback. as a Filipino it’s positive and healthy for Filipinos to hear a constructive criticism coming from a foreign vlogger such as you. I also have traveled around SEA hence agree with the hotel low quality and value, as for the Philippine food it’s all relative. I am looking forward on your next adventure. I become a subscriber because of your unique delivery and story telling, not of research but your own personal transitory experience and that’s what we call travel.
Sad you didn’t get to experience good food that much. With a bit of research, you’ll find Filipinos don’t eat at Jollibee all the time. There are a lot of restaurants that serve good local food. I grew up in Davao and there are staggering number of options there, you just have to know how to look for them. Maybe find a local next time to show you around.
By the way, honest videos like this are really great. It’s good for Filipinos to have a bit of shake up every once in a while. We can be a bit delusional at times. There are many not so good things about my country (that’s why I left it).
@@Goma328
He was honest? His narratives did not jive with what he is saying in the actual video. It is hypocrisy.
Philippines debrief and yet the names of Thailand and even other countries keeps getting pulled in. Tourism in the Philippines actually thrive more on local tourists significantly more than foreign tourists. It is us Filipinoa who spend more when we visit our islands more than the foreigners. Don't you notice that you go to the nicer hotels and restaurants in tourisr places and the bulk of clientèles are the young professionals and Filipino families. The foreign tourists, they try to look for the cheapest deals and expect luxury m. Manage your expectations. Also, when you visit our country keep an open mind when it comes to food because countries like Thailand Vietnam Laos, Cambodia Myanmar are counties landlocked to each other they lie between India and China hence Indochina countries and as such, share similar culinary profile. The Philippines on the other hand is an archipelago of 7641 islands and to expect Philippines to have a similar culinary profile is only unreasonable but stupid. I've seen bloggers who are quick to judge Filipino food but have only tried the usual sisig lechon and adobo and already they feel like they know everything that is to learn about Filipino food. Have you heard of bagnet, kilawin, morcon, callos, rellenong bangus, Ginataang kuhol, paksiw na lechon, pares, bulalo, bistek tagalog. Of course not again because you limit yourself to just the adobo, sisig, lechon. The best way to sample Filipino food is to go to any of the well established Filipino buffet like cabalen, kamayan, vikings, spirals, dampa and many more.
Totally agree with you. Foreign tourist expects luxuries in a budget packages. Every time I go back in Philippines I spend a lot more than the foreigners do. My hubby don't like to go back here in Belgium when we stayed in the Philippines for 14 months.
well said!
I'm Filipino our food is not that great for foreigners it's only taste good for Filipino.. Filipino food most are meat we eat a lot of meat and only few of selection we offered vegetable choices.Accept the criticism that's how we improve our service to our foreign market....don't be stupid...
We can not change our food! If want you a lot of variations go to spiral or to any good buffet places but of course be ready to pay more!
Well-said!
I actually found it so creative of you to be writing songs too!
New follower here from Cebu and im loving this debrief❤
Thanks a lot for this! As a digital nomad for 10 years, who have spent 8 years in Asia (but haven't been to the Philippines - I was only in Manila a few days), I am surprised to hear half of what you are talking about. Going to the Philippines this winter to see it for myself.
I love food. I have spent many years eating street food. And in these few days in Manila I felt the same like you - what the hell is this, I'm not eating this, etc. But I thought that it was just my experience. Let's see how this winter experience is going to be.
Love the music, keep singing!
Every travel has some mishaps in a way but traveling in the Philippines without an itinerary can be stressful and expensive. Flights book earlier are cheaper. However, since Philippines is a group of islands then sometimes transportation can be a hassle. I must agree airport in Manila sucks. That's the thing that stress me when traveling internationally.
Go to Santorini, one of the world's travel destination and see for yourself what is the airport like in there. It's old, small.. worst than the Philippines
I think those people who think that you are too positive or too negative should start their own travel channel so it can be PERFECT for all of us to watch! 😅😅😅
PH is an archipelago, different dialects, different subculture & food. We still have a lot to learn & to improve on. I love your honesty & singing. Keep being real.
Different LANGUAGES. Stop saying dialects. Cebuano and Tagalog are different languages because they can’t understand each other
Aha, I think Philippine government need to see this video. I’m a foreigner based in Philippine almost 10 years, I agree most of what u said . The country has great people and nature resources , but bureaucratic cause the low efficiency is a nightmare in some area and procedures. That’s really influence the develop speed for there tourism industry.On the other hand it will rich some businesses man who can solve the resources problem and who can speed some procedures.
Couldn't agree more about the Cambodian people being unbelievably nice! I was there well over 20 years ago and they were as nice then but I expected them to have been bittered a bit by tourism now but it was incredible, they were just as nice and they speak much better English now so it's so much easier to communicated on a deeper level. I have yet to meet a Cambodian that wasn't nice, or unlikable in any way, they really do win the prize
The backpacking trip that I consider the highlight of my entire life also included being hospitalised, being groped, cockroachy hotels, buses turning up 7 hours late leaving me stranded in the night etc. I am fully in love with that country and have returned several times since. I don't think it's rude or overly negative to talk about the parts of travelling that are difficult or unpleasant, it's just being real. People who set off on their trip after only consuming Instagram-perfect travel content are going to find reality quite stressful! I am really looking forward to my own trip to the Philippines.
The accommodation can be improved for sure. The food however in Siargao is epic and even better than Thailand. Great little international foodie community there! 😊👌
Nicely made intro
I don't know where you stayed and explored in Cebu aside from osmena peak and oslob but you certainly didn't have a good grasp of Cebu. It is actually the richest province in the Philippines and one of the top destinations in the Philippines because of a good mix of city ajd countryside attractions. It's sad that you are not recommending Cebu based on your poor travel planning and choices.
Cebu is not a well-planned city at all. There are small pockets like IT Park and Ayala, but these areas are absolutely tiny. They’re not big areas like Makati or BGC
I'm a Pinay, and true Cebu is rich but only reflected in the city. Go outside of Cebu and it's a pitiful site, there's not a decent infrastructure anywhere, looks like the city government doesnt really care. Look at Bohol and I'm not from Bohol but the place is beautiful
Cebu is not really nice. Lots of poverty lmao. Bohol and Camiguin are nicer :)
I lived in Philippines for 2 years and I liked it overall. I did get a little depressed though due to the noise pollution, regular pollution, and overall dirtiness in the cities, the chaos and unorganized businesses, traffic, lack of customer service, corruption, taxi scammers, beggars, and police doing nothing about the problems. Businesses put their stuff right in the road, taking up an entire lane which causes more traffic, and the government hasn't figured out this is even a problem. For the food, I must be crazy but I liked the food. Never really had any problems finding good places to eat, but then again i've never been to Mindinao. In Manila, the Megamall and Shangri-La malls in particular has good restaurants, great buffets. Sir Pedro is a tasty fast-food chicken takeout and they are everywhere. Massages all the time for very cheap, I mean it can be heaven at times. The islands were awesome with the island hopping, and the best food like you experienced, very friendly people overall and I never had any incredibly bad experiences honestly. I think you just have to figure out ways to eat healthy, or cook your own food, and learn to live with lowered expectations about the things you mentioned.
well, let us decide what we think of ur vlog…it’s beyond ur control….i love ur vlog and i am a filipino……i know my country and i know how things work there! some i hate , some i am proud of…..
after watching a few of your episodes/blogs : bottomline: the mood is always cool , with lots of happy laughter/ restrained about negatives but sharing the not so good in almost detached(no rants).....
Just found you and watched your entire Philippines series. I will now watch and follow all of your vlogs primarily because, and this is the biggest compliment I can give you, I have not enjoyed a travel show as much since Michael Palin's various adventures. I think you share with him a kind heart and sense of humour and this shines through. Funny that you were singing Twist and Shout because you also remind me of Ferris Bueller the cheeky humorous role played by Matthew Broderick. I have a Filipina wife and have travelled extensively in the Philippines and I think your reflections were very fair and accurate. One thing I love about Manila is the live music venues, the talent in the Philippines is impressive, my wife and I go to the Cowboy Grille in Manila every time we are there; three bands on rotation like being at a concert every time. We have found the best food in Manila is found in the better buffets for example at the Manila Hotel and Heat at the Shangri-La Edsa, also the Sofitel. Have you considered Bohol on your next trip to the P I? Anyway thank you for the entertainment, you have another subscriber :) Tagay!
maybe i'll see you in prague in the summer💃👍be well and thank you🙏
The food inside restaurants is usually safe. Not always good, but safe. I don’t particularly like Filipino food but I can remember several restaurants where I had great Filipino meals, and they weren’t expensive. I also had some bad, awful Filipino food as well but it usually wasn’t in a legitimate restaurant. Stick to decent-looking restaurants and you’ll have a higher chance of getting decent food. Also make sure you know how to make the condiments- with vinegar, soy sauce, chilis, etc with certain dishes. Make sure to eat the very salty food with rice
To any foreigner planning to travel to Philippines
- it is NOT for: maarte/ nitpicky
- slow travel ( as we are ISLANDS!)
- a lot of cheap airfare (if you know how to plan)
- good accomodations can get expensive ( not for cheap folks)
- food is salty, sweet, vinegary (stick to fries and fried fish if you are not into our food).
If you love Thailand, there are no place like Thailand in the PH, so suggest to go to Thailand.
Philippines is all about the beaches, islands, adventures.
We are not Thailand and not competing with Thailand. Why do youtubers always keep comparing?
If you enjoyed the conveniences and food of Thailand, you will NOT enjoy PH.
Agree so better filipinos will not support foreign vloggers cuz all of them are plastic and just want to earn viewers and subscribers from philippines.. better support locals only😂
The problem with Philippines is the infrastructure..why brown outs weekly?
@@ianwatson3315its philippines still developing country.. if you don't like phil then don't come back again.. Always complaining but still coming back ahaha😂
Nitpicky 🙄
Thanks for the run down of who is welcome and who isn't 🙄
I'm.from.Scotland but I'm not remotely nationalistic. Obviously I hope anyone that visits will have a good time, but if they don't and they want to complain about it - complain away - you'll get no push back from me. I'd imagine I'd actually agree with the complaints. And actually it's only by pointing out things that aren't so great that possibly they might get better.
I follow a lot of SE Asian travel vloggers and everytime they get to the Phills it's the same - the slightest negative comment and all these super sensitive Filpino nationalists turn up in the comments section to bash the blogger and argue with anyone else in the comments section that agrees.
I had no idea Filpinos were so nationalistic/ touchy until now. I travelled there 3 times and found the locals always really kind and helpful. I never complained about anything though and if I go back again I definitely won't !! 😂
@@willsmith39yes better don't come back here in philippines we don't care anyway😂
Thanks!
Ignore the negativity, I love your style, content and approach 😊
I love the singing part. :)
Thanks Paddy for the comments about Sri Lankan cuisine. Sri lankan living in Toronto
Paddy, good vid mate, tell it how it is, I thought you weren’t enjoying it much when you was there, but you can’t say too much when you’re there as the locals could take offence. As Jack Nicholson said ‘you can’t handle the truth’. Just planning my Dec trip, will be giving it a miss now, also confirmed by my much travelled nephew in Honkers, he pretty much said don’t expect it to be like Thailand. Gonna include Japan instead now. Cheers fella
The reason the Philippines wins in landscapes is because it's much more mountainous. The tallest mountain in Thailand, which is Doi Inthanon, would not even make the top 20 tallest mountains in the Philippines. Also, a lot more islands to explore, and most are uninhabited. But Thailand definitely wins in wildlife.
Filipino friendliness is overrated. Most of the taxi drivers are downright mean. I guess that applies in every country but please don't expect to step out of the airport and Filipinos happily greeting you wherever you go. That's a fantasy.
Food- agreed. I almost always eat foreign food in the Philippines. They do Japanese and Italian (not Filipino spaghetti, but real Italian) pretty well. Philippines needs to get its local food game straight. There are some good dishes, but you have to know specific places to look. That same dish can be absolutely terrible at another restaurant. Filipinos need better quality ingredients too.
Accommodations- also agreed. Thailand is insanely cheap for the quality you get. But I've actually found nice $30-$50 accommodations even in the most expensive areas like BGC and Makati. Comfortable AC, no roaches, nice neighborhood. I found some good ones in Coron and Camiguin too for that price. Maybe just got lucky.
Completely agree about Cebu. It's trash. The further away from the city isn't bad, but the city itself is terrible. I don't know why so many tourists stay there. If you want to stay in a city, go to BGC or Makati (both in Metro Manila), not Cebu
A lot of people sh!t on Manila, but I'll say, BGC+Makati is waaay nicer than anywhere in Bangkok. All it needs is better and more train lines, especially BGC, because it has none.
I disagree. Only few taxi drivers in the Philippines are rude. Your the one who is mean for sure.
@@pinkvelvet3865 taxi drivers are down right rude. Most working men are rude and don't want to be bothered. Filipinos are not more nice than any other country. They're just more extroverted compared to other Asians and speak better English. But being extroverted doesn't equate to being nicer
@@davidmartin2706yes of course lots pinoys are not nice some are plastic and not only here in phil but also in your country so don't be hypocrite😂
@@davidmartin2706we're actually not that extroverted 😅 it's still the English that makes the extroverted bolder in approaching foreigners.
Btw, BGC is about to get its own train line, a subway.
The Department of Tourism and the LGU must do something about this loud music thing Paddy Doyle talked about and tasked the police to go around and monitor this activities around hotel area to give tourists a pleasurable experience. @bbmvlog
How do you get athletic greens in Asia?
Let me first off say that I love your videos and how you edit them; pure genius. Secondly, I respect your opinion on the Philippines and your experiences. As a foreigner as well, I always enjoy going back to the PH. My wife is originally from there, and my father was born and raised there. I was a little thrown by your thoughts on the food. From what I've experienced there are countless healthy options to include fresh fruit/vegatables, fish and other seafoods, etc. Of course, there is a lot of fast food/street foods that aren't the healthiest just like anywhere else in the world. The other misfortunes unfortunately do occur like the motorcycle rental incidents. It's a developing country however, as a whole Filipinos are kind hearted people. They're very hospitable, especially towards foreigners. Again, I respect and commend your honest review...takes guts to give your honest unconventional opinion on a blog. Cheers bro!
As a Filipino who has been to other ASEAN countries I can say that our hotels are definitely more expensive. Don’t expect to get the same quality for 40USD in Manila.
Definitely sad but that’s always been the market there. Good hotels start at 4000k php
Im a Filipino and all of these are just the truth. some of us just cant handle the truth. keep safe and enjoy your travel.
Boooo.
Food 1/5
Harsh po nun.
Cow Bow doesn't like his Pinoy food.
@@JunBermz i like my pinoy food but he's talking as an English man so I understand where he's comming from.
@@ELEAByahera 1/5 well opinion nya lng yun. lahat ba ng napag kainan mong karinederya msarap? may pera ang vlogger na to, so mag expect ka ng marami na tong pinag kainang msasarap na resto at iba panlasa niya na sanay sa mamahaling food.
@@thecowbowtoo7815 I don't think May pera talaga yan. Nagtitipid naman. Dami reklamo sa $40 na hotel rate.
Honesty is the best policy
Loved ur Phil travel, your honesty about our country is expected and it is an opening to our politcians here to do some improvements for the infrastructures, tourism and etc
Kaso wala nmn nanood na politician
Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder as the saying goes!
But you can't deny it, most of the vloggers'(Filipino or not) viewers are Filipinos! You'll never know you will end up retiring in the Philippines!😁😁😁
Hi Paddy, great work your videos are some of the best I've seen for Philippines. I lived here in Davao City for 2 years now (from US)
I can relate to the challenges with finding good food. Here in Davao I have been fortunate to find good sushi, Korean, Turkish, some good steak houses. Outside the city, its certainly a challenge. On my little travels outside the city I had to goto S&R (like Costco) and buy good food to eat on the trips.
I hope you come to this area an check out Samal island some fun spots there great diving snorkeling etc and good food, but the good food is at the resorts typically.
Hope your next experience is better, thanks for the great videos.
What is that drink? I’m heading to asia soon and want to try new foods/drinks.
Pls make a debrief after every trip you completed. Nothing better than the honest opinions about the journey!
Currently in el nido been to the places in your video,all good except the weather is hit and miss as expected this time of year.
Agree with most of what you are saying,but having spent 4 weeks in manila you have a great choice of food,more variety than we have in uk.
1. Lol NAIA is terrible 😭
2. I think the infrastructure problem has more to do with a negligent government that only improves infrastructure for particular profits instead of wellbeing of the residents. For example, that particular northward road is good because it's necessary for tourism. I was surpirsed with the Cebu infrastructure though, it's supposed to be the wealthiest province in the country (Palawan is actually one of the poorer provinces and you would realize this if you go south from Puerto Princesa instead of north) but I think that's partly because the same typhoon that hit Moalboal also hit Cebu City, and also because Osmena Peak is far less visited than Moalboal, Oslob, or north to Malapascua. The Mindanao infrastructure is unsurprising tho. I would understand the frustration of going off the beaten path with the subpar infrastructure, I think going off the beaten path would only be rewarding (in the sense of hassle free, off the beaten path in the south is very rewarding but very difficult for the uninitiated) with local in-knowledge for most places in the country outside of Luzon (the big island where Manila is, and thus where much of the infrastructure not for tourism or extractive industry is spent).
3. I don't think you'll ever get a good food experience in the Philippines in the near future. Moat Filipinos home cook. A large chunk of Filipinos grow their own vegetables in their backyard. Most of the food sold in the streets are considered snacks, not meals. To explain the junk food phenomenon, it's great to see it in the Tao expedition perspective, from the food most people present when they make videos of it, it's mostly the everyday fare Filipino scene of vegetable stirfries or coconut milk stews and seafood dishes. For Filipinos, that's daily fare. Thus, on special occasions, like birthdays, most Filipinos would go out and have a taste of rare American cuisine to break the monotony of vegetables, fish, and coconut milk. The chance to eat meat and Western cuisine is seen as a status symbol, and for the middle class and up, one of the big differentiators from the poor would be the chance to eat good cuts of meat and chicken instead of the usual vegetables and seafood and offal most of the less endowed eat. It's obvious how big the difference is when you see what's being sold in the markets that you rarely see served in a restaurant. It will probably take a long time for any form of eating out culture and the demand for restaurants serving higher quality daily fare food instead of the usual greasy status symbol fiesta food to actually take root.
PS. I subscribed because I realized you were not pinoybaiting lol, I actually backwatched your Vietnam vids.
You should have at least tried Mang Inasal. It's fastfood but their specialty is grilled chicken and it's so good. Affordable too. They also have our national dessert Halo-halo which many foreigners loved when they tried it.
im gonna miss ur vlog bye hahaha lol ..
Hope i'll see you in Singapore... :-)
Sound is fine
Hello, on your next travel here in the Philippines you may also visit Bukidnon the "food basket" of Mindanao. So much nature tripping to go there.
Try other places as well like:
- Bohol
- Iloilo
- Guimaras
- Dumaguete
- Dapitan (Historical) and beaches as well.
And go up North of 🇵🇭
- Batanes
- Ilocos
- Zambales
- Batangas (Scuba diving)
- Quezon Province
- Benguet and so much more
Hope you may as well try foods in the North were veg and fruits are well served especially in Benguet and Ilocano Region and even in Batanes and Bukidnon.
You stayed in Malate, just down the road from where i first stayed, yes lots of homeless and it's not a great area TBH. Once you visit the PI a few times, you find good and bad areas to stay. Regarding taxi's - I think they forced you away from White taxis and to the offical airport taxi's which are more expensive. White taxi's are fine, but they like to charge more, grab is the way forward. One year, i jumped in a white taxi, he refused to use the meter so dropped me at the bottom of the ramp at the airport. Got in another taxi and he also refused to use the meter, dropped me a little further away, then finally a third taxid did the same, but he dropped me off at Roxas boulevard (long chat about using the meter) - i ended up taking a bus from Roxas boulevard, as i know the way to QC... Not really what you want when flying from Europe! The Philippines has improved massively in the past 15 years or so, but still has a long way to go.... I have told my friends to stay away from Manila, unless you are with someone who knows Manila...
Go to BGC or Makati if you’re in Manila. Your experience will be completely different
It's good to be proud of one's heritage, but one must also be open to criticism because as a species it's the only way we grow. Rather than being hostile towards criticism, one should be objective and find way's to improve. As a species we havent evolved to where we are now because we settled for things being just "ok" or good enough.. That being said, when your touring a developing nation you should temper your expectations and not compare your accustomed standard of living to the unfamiliar. Having a rudimentary understanding of the culture you are visiting might help in making better travel decisions. Prioritize the things that are important to you and don't sweat the trivial inconvenience's.
nice....
For honesty vloggingadeadhorse is my go to. Sean had to cut short his Philippines vlogs due to food poisoning, he went back to Thailand for treatment.
There's more to Filipino cuisine than lechon, adobo, sisig or Jollibee! LOL! Reserve your judgement until you try all these Filipino foods:
sinigang
adobo
bulalo
tinola
kaldereta
afritada
menudo
mechado
lechon
bicol express
kare-kare
paksiw
papaitan
bopis
dinuguan
kinilaw
lumpiang shanghai
lumpiang toge
lumpiang ubod (fried or fresh)
pancit bihon
pancit canton
pancit malabon
pancit palabok
sotanghon guisado
pancit molo
lomi
batchoy
sisig
binagoongan
bistek tagalog
chicken inasal
chicharon
empanada
arroz caldo
tapa
tocino
longganisa
chopsuey
laing
pinakbet
crispy pata
lechon kawali
inihaw na liempo
embutido
morcon
pata tim
pares
daing na bangus
rellenong bangus
callos
pochero
escabeche
giniling
halabos na hipon
plus lots of ginataan (coconut-milk based) and ginisa (sauted) vegetarian dishes!
And those are just the general/common dishes around the country. There are more which are region-specific and only cooked in a particular island or province.
Mike of Making It Happen vlog (an Austrian) is a foodie and he loves Filipino foods! 8 Miles from Home is a British vegetarian family and they love the foods in Davao! The foods you ate in the TAO expedition are the same meals that Filipinos cook at home and those that are being sold in small local eateries called 'carinderia' which are being patronized by the masses.
You have a good voice, not a singer's voice but your songs did put a smile on my face and were something new and different to your video. Added to the fact that Filipinos like to sing. 😉 And thanks for the info.
Though each trip have different experiences and it depends on your expectations but it is true about most of your observations. I hope that the locals would look over to these things since they are getting income from tourists. Paddy I hope you did some suggestions to TAO about their camps so they will improve it since most of their guests are foreigners.