philipines

[paperboy]

Hi everyone
Planning time for next years holiday, The last few years ive been going to bkk then flying to Cambodia for 4 weeks then spending a few days on the way back in Patatya. But this year i was thinking to miss out Thailand and Cambodia and try something new.
Have anybody been to the philipines, it looks amazing.
Was thinking of flying to Manila for a few days then fly to Palawan for 1 week then fly to Cebu for 1 week then back to Manila for 5 days
can anyone advise me please

[a447]

I hope someone replies, because I'd be interested, too. Always ready to try somewhere else, especially if it's not too far away.

[Nirish guy]

Think long and hard on that one perhaps as I think I mentioned to you I too was thinking of the PHs at Christmas past and on looking into it a little more it appears that the main Manilla gay / boy bar scene is all but gone now ! But perhaps someone else can shed some more light on that?

[goji]

Hopefully you will get some helpful reports from other members.

If you don't get that information, why risk an entire 4 week holiday ? Maybe take a 7~10 day break there & if it's OK, follow up with a longer trip a couple of years later.

[paperboy]

thanks so far for the input
ive looked at flights from cambodia to the Philis
i could do a short break, sounds good
i have a boy alrwady in manila, and was thinking of taking him around with me, so sex on wheels
rather than hopeing for bar boys and Apps or even bringing one of my boyd from cambodia or thailand.
Ive just been reminded that my boy is out of the army next may and wants too meet me in june
wow
what do i do
so many choices hahahahahah

[Maxxy]

I can tell you Palawan is an awesome place to visit, beaches (although you need to get away from Puerto Princessa), underground river and Port Barton (half the fun is getting there) and if you head north up around El Nido and Coron Island the snorkeling and diving is fantastic. Now there is no gay scene that I know of down there but you never know you may be able to hook up with someone on one of the apps (grindr, jackd etc.). Cebu is okay but a bit like a mini Manila and it has some gay bars and hangouts but you may need to Google for the bars etc. http://www.stickyrice.ws/?view=director ... place=Cebu (http://www.stickyrice.ws/?view=directory&country=ph&place=Cebu) What can I say about Manila, some nice places to see (touristy wise) and you should have no problems hooking up with guys, there are gay bars there but spread out a bit and once again Google would be your friend there for up to date listings

[francois]

No personal experience but a friend reports that very many are available on Romeo. Most post as tops or bi or versatile but almost all are bottom boys.

[dinagam]

Philippines being a majority Catholic country, could there be any priestly influence on those gays on Gayromeo there to be bottoms?

[loke]

Many feminine looking filipinos also , they do like to bottom there. Just use one of the apps to find a boy, the bar scene is not much to talk about, the majority of the population are catholics so still many gays in the closet.

[steveky]

Hey paperboy

I've only been the once, but am planning to go back again next year. Indulge me as I give you my impressions. Unloading on this forum could be good therapy for me.

Like other posters have suggested, online is the most fruitful way to meet guys there. Most Filipinos are connected.

First advice is to check which airport your carrier flies into. Avoid Clark airbase like the plague. They tell you itтАЩs in Manila - in fact, itтАЩs no-fcuking-where near Manila. Oh my god. Anyway, enough whingeing about the location of the airport... thereтАЩs plenty more to whinge about.

I think I have been noted referring to Manila as a тАЬstinking, putrid shithole of humanityтАЭ - or words to that effect. Everyone wants something. Normally - but not always - money. YouтАЩre white, therefore you must have more money that I do, and therefore you will give me some of it. Love your logic, tiger. Of course, this is the same in Thailand, but it seems to be to another magnitude of order in The Philippines.

Second bugbear was how unbelievably unsafe I felt by the end of the trip. I knew that The Philippines werenтАЩt no Singapore, but ... The first day there, I went with a mate to a restaurant... a run of the mill pizza restaurant - and there was an armed doorman. Armed. When I inquired why this was, I was told that it was just in case there was trouble. What sort of trouble I could not determine, but I wasnтАЩt about to complain re the food thatтАЩs for sure.

On the second night there, I was meeting up with a guy (yum), for a drink. He was running late (a not uncommon feature of travelling around Manila), and so I tried ringing him, but got no answer. When he finally showed, I asked why he didnтАЩt answer when I called - to which he replied, he was in a jeepney (US Army surplus jeeps decorated with over-the-top colours and used as the predominant form of public transport in The Philippines), and he replied that he doesnтАЩt answer his phone in a jeepney because someone might grab it.

After lunch on the first day I walked across the road to go into a shopping mall - and was frisked at the entrance, and had to open my backpack for searching before going in. (Mind you at another shopping centre later on during the trip, a security guard wished me Happy ValentineтАЩs Day whilst she frisked me. Sorta kinky). Near the hotel I was staying in there was a hotel-casino. Six guards outside it, all armed with pump-action shotguns.

Never had I felt that unsafe.

Anyways, thatтАЩs quite enough whingeing. The good bits. Firstly the cheap massages. At about $10 a massage, I could well afford to have one every day. Occasionally I lashed out and went to a full-on day spa, and that was special. One of my regular haunts was Asian Massage the advertising material for which loudly proclaims тАЬMassage Only. God is watching!тАЭ Love it.

Secondly, Baguio. I would never have looked sideways at this University town if it wasnтАЩt for the suggestion of an acquaintance whoтАЩs married to a Filipina. The Lonely Planet (the Bible) isnтАЩt exactly glowing about it, although not exactly discouraging. The climate is lush - around 22 to 24 degrees during the day and 17-19 degrees at night. A welcome change from Manila.

One curious thing about this town of more than 300,000 people - the inhabitants were so bloody young. In the whole time I was there, I only saw about a dozen people that were older than me. Of course, this could say more about how old I am - but IтАЩd like to think otherwise. Anyway, the menfolk in Baguio are HOT. Seriously HOT.

There are two exotic show bars: Cloud 7 and Thunderbird Bar & Disco тАУ no, IтАЩm not making it up. I have to admit to be well impressed with the talent on stage. However they all smoke which was a huge turn-off for me. Regardless, I reiterate the word HOT.

Cebu. I was meeting a guy I'd met on PlanetRomeo - and it was nice having a local tour guide to show me around. Went to the one supposed gay bar тАУ canтАЩt recall the name, sorry - and that cured me of going to gay bars in The Philippines again. They played rap music all night long. Putrid. Young people today - <sigh>.

I have mixed feeling about The Philippines. ThereтАЩs certainly a lot to like. The men for one thing. The cheap beer for another. Everyone spoke English which made it easy going. And outside of Manila the scenery was speccy. But, it had a number of negatives - the hassling by touts, the beggars, the dirtiness of Manila in particular, that meant that I canтАЩt rate it too high. Anyway, I will go back next year.

Hell, I might even move to Baguio, I enjoyed it that much.

Looking forward to your trip report, paperboy.

[paperboy]

thanks Steveky
sounds like a exciting place, as i said before ive already conected with a boy in Manila so he will show me about, only panning to stay in Manila 2 or 3 nights before i fly out to Palawan for a week then onto Cebu. I told the boy in Manila if we get on he can come with me, BUT he is not my bf, got him to understand that, and if i see someone i like im having with and he wanted to join in great. So this is my plan, ive had a look on Gayromeo etc, plenty boys there available, so wont be stuck for boys. Im wanting to go the Philipines to experience there cultures and food and enjoy there clear waters and beaches and have a bit of fun too.
I will report back on this forum how i got on, But i still have my December trip back to Cuba again.
was there last year and it was amazing so have to go back

[Nirish guy]

"I told the boy in Manila if we get on he can come with me, BUT he is not my bf"

Yeah good luck with that as in my experience PH guys can out do even Thai guys on the get crazy over nothing ( or something) very fast on the whole jealousy scale thing. But hopefully your guy gets it and will limit his interests to your wallet,time will tell and it'll be interesting to hear how it goes sure if nothing else :-)

[steveky]

I didn't experience that Nirish. But I might have been lucky. I shacked up with 1 guy in each city I went to, all via PlanetRomeo, and did not get any of the "get crazy over nothing ( or something) very fast" Thai thing. [That made me laugh as it has happened to me at least a dozen times in Thailand.] I found the Filipino boys very accommodating, and had other experiences (but not whilst they were in the room admittedly!).

Be interested to hear your thoughts on Manila paperboy. I even surprised myself by the level of dislike I'd built up for the place. But of course I was only in one area (Malate) and my views should be seen as a reflection on that section of the city only.

And Cuba! I sooooo want to go. Did you do a trip report on your last visit there?

[paperboy]

hi Steeky

if you want to know anything about cuba just ask
I rent a house in Havana in the vedado area, (gay area)
you can not take boys back to the hotel, so renting a house is better and cheeper and lot more fun

[steveky]

hi Steeky

if you want to know anything about cuba just ask
I rent a house in Havana in the vedado area, (gay area)
you can not take boys back to the hotel, so renting a house is better and cheeper and lot more fun

Brilliant advice paperboy. I want to get there before MacDonalds does!

[paperboy]

dont worry will not happen in our life time

[paperboy]

thinking of chickening out.
thailand and cambodia are looking too good to miss.
Ive been going to thailand and cambodia for years and was thinking of a change next year
But after reading about the philipines, looking at prices etc and the gay scene. its not
looking good
so at the moment i think i will give it a miss and stick to what i know

[Nirish guy]

Ah paperboy, you and I have obviously been down that same thought process SO many times now - have a look around, have a think and then revert to "ah fuck it I'll stick to what I know". I'm SO guilty of that the older I'm getting ( and I'm not even THAT old ! But that's it, next time, definitely somewhere different, yes definitely, well, probably, hmmm well possibly......ah fuck I'll just stick to ...... AGGGHHHHH you SEE what i mean !!! lol

[paperboy]

hahahahahahahah yes nirish
it took me years to get to cambodia, at first i only went for 2 days now i love it, problem is Philipines
is further and a pain to get too.
So as you say fuck it

[Jellybean]

. . . it took me years to get to cambodia, at first i only went for 2 days now i love it, problem is Philipinesis further and a pain to get too . . .
Well paperboy, you can console yourself with the knowledge that you are, at least, more adventurous than I am. I havenтАЩt even travelled to Cambodia or, for that matter, any of the other countries in South East Asia. Every time I think about investigating the gay scenes of those countries, I find 100 reasons to stay put in Thailand.

[paperboy]

i understand jellybean, why not fly to sean reap for a weekend one time, its so cheep to fly, air aisa, only 1 hour.
you will love it, so much to see and do. and the boys are plentyful.
If you dont like it youve only lost a weekend.
the philipines are a diferent story.

[Jellybean]

You make an excellent suggestion paperboy, thanks. But I think I suffer from the fear of the unknown. I tend to come up with a list of questions like:

What airline to select? What city or cities to visit? What hotel do I choose? What currency do I need? What are the daytime tourist attractions to see? Where are the gay commercial тАШhot spotsтАЩ? How much do I pay the boys? etc., etc.

The result is that I decide not to do anything and stick to the places in Thailand that I already know.

IтАЩll give you one example. I thought I'd covered most of the main tourist attractions in Bangkok. But if it wasnтАЩt for ChristianPFC I would not have thought to visit various lesser known tourist attractions in and around Bangkok. Christian opened up my eyes to a completely new range of places to visit and he still has many more on his list!

IтАЩm sure Christian wonтАЩt mind me revealing this, but, when he once asked me out on a trip, I declined, and he replied, тАЬYou have more excuses than I have sexual contacts!тАЭ :) ItтАЩs a good example of his sense of humour! And that about sums it up nicely, I do tend to find excuses for not travelling to new places.

But a weekend trip to Siem Reap looks entirely doable and definitely worth considering.

[bruce_nyc]

Siem Reep --- yes. It's fun and has a little gay community.... a couple of gay bars, gay restaurants, and gay hotels. When I say "a couple", I literally mean a *couple*... probably 2 of each of those. But easily a fun place to get away to for a weekend trip.... if for nothing more than a change of pace. Warning: It's *not* Thailand. If you go to the gay hotel, with the gay sauna in it, with the gay massage service in it.... and you ask about sex... They get all fussy and say, "Oh no. We cannot offer sex." :-s Lordy. I asked, "What's gay about your massages then?" Anyway, don't expect it to be like Bangkok or Pattaya.


Philippines is an interesting place to visit. Especially the nature places, as has been mentioned. But don't go there looking for sex. Pattaya it ain't. Even the so-called gay sex massage places are so lame... overpriced... and, again, all fussy about, "Oh no. We don't do that." Again, I ask them, "Why do you advertise that you offer gay massage? Your masseurs aren't even gay... and they won't do anything other than a terrible massage... for prices higher than a great sex massage in Thailand!" I was so pissed at one of the places I went to... I really told off the manager. I had spoken with him in advance over the phone... and explained *everything* I was looking for. He agreed. When I finally got there and paid... and in the room.... everything was a different story. Also, the location of the gay ( NON-sex ) massage shops are very sketchy. I did not feel very safe. And they are spread out all over the place ---- not in one place.

I'd say that those are interesting places to visit..... but don't go there looking for sex. Either bring your own boy.... or plan to go without sex.

( Of course, people always say that you can use hornet, grindr, romeo, etc., etc... But that is saying *nothing* about the place... You can use those apps absolutely anywhere.... even in a monastery in Siberia... if they have internet. )

[paperboy]

sorry Bruce
i found sean reap very good, and sex was plenty. I dont go to massage palours. But in the 2 gay bars and on pub street there was plenty talent to have. I even one day had the reception boy from my hotel.
The temple bar/disco also had plenty available boys, i picked up there too.
Your right in saying its not Pataya or BKK, where is lol??

[bruce_nyc]

Yes. That's true. I got some every day there too. But it wasn't as easy, and the selection wasn't as great, as Pattaya. I'm just too spoiled by Pattaya / Bangkok now.

[Eiliyah]

I had a great time to Australia with my family, which I booked flight ticket with British Airways through Rehlat. It was an amazing experience in the flight with world class hospitality and excellent food service management during my journey. It was bit surprise for me to have incredible in-flight entertainment.

[Jellybean]

I had a great time to Australia with my family, which I booked flight ticket with British Airways through Rehlat. It was an amazing experience in the flight with world class hospitality and excellent food service management during my journey. It was bit surprise for me to have incredible in-flight entertainment.
How very interesting.