Cebu / Davao in the Philippines - Anyone got any hotel / bar info / general tips for there please - much appreciated if so ?

[Nirish guy]

Hi guys,

Just asking has anyone any updates / info / bar info / hotel recommendations etc re Cebu ( or Davao ) in the Philippines please ?

I'm heading there at the start of Jan 17 for a week or so of R&R (alone :-)) then flying down to Davao to join up with my PH BF there ( who's flying home to visit his wider family circle for a few weeks) and to join him there for a week or so for a bit of sightseeing and to join him at his mothers birthday party ( oh what joy - not ! :-)

So, for "my" part of the trip and for when I'm alone all I know about Cebu is that the area around "Mango Square" is the happening place apparently ( both gay and straight ) and that's where the / any action might be found, however as this info has been provided to me by said BF i thought I should just maybe ask around and double check / get some sound bar info etc, just in case he's cleverly sending me to the City's convent area for a week to ensure I behave myself ( not that a convent would be enough to ensure that anyway ! :-)

So, any tips or advice about any aspect of the trip will be greatly received and appreciated ?

Ha, my only current concern is that I only decided to go today on a total whim when I seen a "cheapy flight" popping up on sky scanner with Kuwait Airways !? It was then only AFTER I'd booked the flights that I bothered to actually look up and read a few reviews of the airline and OMG !!! I think I can honestly say that Kuwait Airways has the very worst reviews of ANY airline I've EVER read ! :-)

So, I guess at least I know what to expect now but from reading what others have said about them if they even GET me there I'll be surprised and if it's in ANY comfort and on the same day that they've claimed I'll be even more amazed perhaps - and the worst part is that they don't even serve alcohol on their flights to numb the pain !

Oh well, all just another part of life's great adventure to come I guess ! :-)

[GWMinUS]

I think you will have a great time in Cebu and Davao, even without your Other Half.
It sounds like you will be Cebu City during Sinulog. 11 January 2017 to 20 January 2017
It is the major festival in Cebu. Supposed to be a Religious Festival but it is more like Mardi Gras in the US.
Parades, dancing in the streets, and crazy times at the bars and discos.
Mango is still the main place to Party, both STR8 and Gay. I think the major disco is Alchology.
Find a sweet Pinoy will not be a problem. Just be prepared to pick up the bill of him and ALL of his friends!! but you know about that. PlanetRomeo is the best web site for meeting men. But many of my friends use WhatsApp.
As to hotels, my recommendation is the Best Western LEX on N. Escario St. It is near the Capitol and just a 10 minute walk down Juana Osmena to Mango. Or you can try the Crown Regency Towers on Jones. It is also a good location. There are also less expensive hotels near Mango. Try the Century, the St. Mark, and the Casa Rosario Pension House. But you had better book NOW. Most hotels are full during Sinulog.
Now Davao. Again many places to enjoy there. The entertainment zone was along Torres Street. But the former Mayor, Pres Duterte, made most places close at Midnight. I do not know if it is the same now. As to hotels, I recommend the SEDA. It is top quality and adjoining the major mall, Abreeza Mall. In the Downtown area are many hotels at varying rates. And many good places to eat near People's Park. For the beach,take the pump-boat across to Samal Island. Many new beach parks there. Check out Bluejaz Beach and Waterpark. They have great water slides and several ziplines. The guys love it!! Again to meet guy, use PlanetRomeo!!
Have a great visit.
If you want recommendations on places to go outside of Cebu City or Davao, just let me know.
INGAT!!

[Nirish guy]

GWMinUS - thank you SO much for all that great info and it's also great as in doing my own bit of online research you've just confirmed / reassured my probable choices, right down to you actually recommended the two hotels I've centred in on !!!

My Ph BF here also read post and agrees that your advice is bang on in every regard ! You obviously know your stuff !!

See, this is just one of the reasons why this board and we its posters are invaluable to each other sometimes for info such as this.

Many thanks again.

[GWMinUS]

Walang anuman! or You are Welcome
So now we expect a great trip Report!!
I have visited the Philippines many times.
But never have been to Sinulog. I thought of doing it this coming January.
However, my good friend there told me I would have a very hard time with the big crowds.
I have a bad leg...
So I am booked for February. I hope the new President does not invoke a US $100 fee for a Visa...
INGAT!!

[RonanTheBarbarian]

Be careful out there NIrish.

The US has just issued a terror warning for Cebu - they say that terrorist groups are planning kidnappings on central Philippines islands, including Cebu.

Story from the Australian newspaper, The Age:

http://www.theage.com.au/world/us-terror-warning-for-philippines-region-popular-with-australian-tourists-20161106-gsj0xo.html


You dont want to end up like the Brian Keenan of the Phillippines!

[Nirish guy]

Thanks for that timely warning Ronan.

What the hell is going on in the world these days as just about no matter where i look at travelling too now there seems to be some sort of threat or warning in existence In place there.

And unlike random government cover their back type warnings this one does seem to have some validity as the very first thing my bfs flipino parents told him when he informed them I was coming to visit and stay in Davao was to warn me not to leave the city area as there was indeed a very real and genuine risk of kidnap of random white / British there too apparently !

I'll just have to keep the head down and stay inside the bars more then just I guess now ! :-)

Oh and as for a trip report yes I'll certainly try and post an "abridged" version of same when I'm there, although considering said BF is WAY to smart at reading threads on here when it suits him ( I really will have to remember to log off my computer more often!) I'll perhaps keep the details quite general there maybe this time - and just stick of course to reviewing of all the many museums and temples that I intend to visit and spend ALL of my time in when there visiting there alone - :-)

* ha don't worry my BF won't I'm sure buy a single word of that BS, he might be daft sometimes but he's definitely not stupid ! :-)

[Nirish guy]

As to hotels, my recommendation is the Best Western LEX ........or the St. Mark

Just for your info GWM St Mark hotel now booked, I was almost booking BW Lex and I can absolutely see how and why you rated it and it was only a few pounds more than St Marks and is for sure the better hotel by far - BUT strangely I preferred the lesser of the two choices as the second wasn't a "corporate" hotel, I travel a lot for work and when away in Asia etc I always enjoy NOT being in a fancy or a business type hotel with those sort of people around me and I'm also guessing that St Mark's is a bit quieter and more private and easier to slip in and out of "unnoticed" if you know what I mean :-) But thanks again, your recommendation was spot on !

Now, pushing my luck - any ideas for hotels re Davao ? My BF ( who is FROM Davao !) is being ( and not putting too fine a point on it) being FUCKING USELESS when it comes to asking him to recommend anywhere or suggest where I spend my time - one would almost think he didn't want me in the thick of the action or something there - but surely NOT !! :-)

[destiny]

Abreeza Mall is as boring as it gets. G-Mall is much older but BUZZING with life as it is in the downtown area and can be easily reached on feet and many Jeepney lines pass this area. I stayed at Pinnacle hotel which is a stone throw away from G-Mall, a decent 3-star, nothning fancy but won't break your budget and professionally operated. If you want to spend some more money, choose Marco Polo Hotel. Just watch out for that rabid dog who is the president of the country now, as he used to congregate there quite frequently and you know what he said about gay people recently. Plus there has been a "BOMBastic" atmosphere reported right next to the hotel, so watch your every step. Samal is overrated in my opinion and very inconvenient to get around on that island, plus hijacking has happened there too recently. I made it all the way past Tagum City to Mati and nothing bad happened to me, but the day after I visited a local seaside resort (where everyone slept in tents!), the communist rebels ambushed a Van at the main intersection we passed through and killed a police officer and hurt several others. so the safety talks are not just blablabla

[Nirish guy]

Thanks Destiny, firstly from looking at various youtube sites and talking here with my BF who's been there many times I totally agree with you re Samal, the place he's recommending we stay is £170 STG a night ! and it's nothing special ! I think the problem is that Thailand has spoilt me for nice luxury resorts stays at very reasonable prices. Thankfully even my BF agrees it is over priced for what is too.

I'm glad you mentioned the Pinnacle too as that was one my list of probables, as was the Marco polo but actually BOTH places ( and many hotels in Davao it seems) have some quite dodgy reviews in terms of cockroaches and bed bugs and all sorts of nasties, I'm actually quite surprised just how much moaning the local Filipinos do on their hotel review sites, it's either a case of their hotels are just a bit crap OR ( as I'm suspecting) they demand a MUCH higher level of service that their hotel price maybe justifies and then they feel entitled to moan about it online - all of which make it a bit of nightmare trying to wade through reviews in the first place.

[Nirish guy]

I stayed at Pinnacle hotel .......

Oh and I should have added that solely based on your recommendation ( so it had better be good !! ) I too have now booked the Pinnacle hotel.

Ha I am joking about the better be good part, I have spent ( way to long) looking at all the options around that area and like yourself I think it's one of the better contenders and after numbing my brain reading hotel reviews, some saying great and best hotel ever and some saying absolutely shit hole I'd never stay there again - aye and about just about ALL the hotels not just that one ! - I gave up and applied the DFR rule. (Do fucking rightly) - so i'm sure it'll be just fine.

Thanks again for the info.

[destiny]

just keep your expectations low and you should be okay. The lobby looks a lot more glamorous than what the rooms deliver, but again: The location makes this so convenient. Do use Cabs hailed from the main street and not those waiting at the entrance. My stay was in 2013 already but I doubt a lot of things have changed to the bad since then. Almost all hotels in PH-Land are miserable value for money. As you said, we r spoilt for choices here in LOS, but Vietnam and Cambo offer great deals as well. If you insist on travelling to Samal rent a motorbike there. Very expensive, as is everything on Samal due to the greedy locals killing the young goose that is laying the eggs (the beaches r actually crap as there is an army of sea urchins in the water and the sea is full of rocks making swimming all but impossible). As for the bad reviews Pinoys give their own hotels - they usually have a positive attitude towards life and things and if they rate something negative, there must be a reason for that. I know that they give hotels in Cambo, Vietnam or Thailand usually very high ratings as they cannot believe that they can get a much better hotel in those countries for half or a third of the price they would have to pay for in their home country for a run down dump. If in Manila, don't forget to stop by the G POINT SMORGASBORD lunch buffet, which offers the best value for money in the entire country. A large variety of lovely foods (Pinoy, Scandinavian, Mexican, Seafood, hot/cold), great quality and very affordable. tripadvisor has reviews. This is actually a Beer Bar in the heart of Ermita, but during lunch hours it turns into a buffet-Resto. Get there by 12 noon to ensure a seat so you don't end up sitting at bar tables and stools, as space is limited. This is the first thing I do when arriving at MNL usually. Definitely not to miss in a country where decent food is hard to come by and even junk food is usually overpriced.

[GWMinUS]

Nirish, I am sure you will enjoy your sojourn to Cebu and Davao.
I have decided to take my chances and fly to Cebu City in February.
Hope the new President does not decide to stick me with a Fee for Visa on Entry??
Since I will be there for 2 weeks, I will book a Condo. About the same price as a good hotel (US$80 per night) and much more space.
As to places to eat in both Cebu and Davao I can send you some suggestions.
I find Davao much more Filipino and I am sure you will enjoy it!!
CHEERS

[GWMinUS]

Well, I pulled the "trigger" so to speak. And bought tickets from LAX to CEB.
Arriving in February for 2 weeks. Hope the new Pres allows me entry on a No Charge Tourist Visa...
CHEERS

[Nirish guy]

well I'll try to remember to post on my return in January to let you know what I thought of the place, from watching youtube videos etc I cant say I'm overawed just yet ( in the slightest!) - Bangkok or Pattaya it most certainly is not, but we'll see, I've had fun times in ( just about) worse looking places so I'm sure I'll manage :-)

I assume by the way that you're aware of the various Government "do not travel / essential travel only" warnings that are in place both for minando as usual but now also for Cebu as well - things aren't to great in the Ph's just now for American / white guys there it seems so maybe just keep your head down a little more than usual perhaps.

[GWMinUS]

Yes, Nirish, that is why I do not plan any side trips this visit.
I will just burrow-in at the nice Condo in Cebu City.
And hope the handsome Pinoy guys coming over to swim at not Abu-Shafy!!!
CHEERS or as they say in the Phills, INGAT

[Nirish guy]

Omg CEBU !!! What HAVE I been missing !!! Absolutely wall to wall action if you want it and a range of guys from just ok to absolutely STUNNING - and all up for it no less !!! :-) I'm having a ball !! :-) Woo Hoo screw Pattaya just now, this place and all it's free action is miles ahead in that regard imho :-) or maybe I'm just having an exceptionally good trip :-) either way I've stopped even checking my phone for app "will you fuck me please" messages once they reached over the 200 mark ( I kid you not) - alas not being the man I once was I had to decline some of those messages unfortunately - but I'm sure the two guys understood ! Lol ( joke - well the declining part NOT the number of messages - aye and that's from NON MB's! too by the way - ha ha one guy even messaged me with explicit pics etc from INSIDE his mass service as he didn't want to miss the opportunity ffs lol :-)

Either way if like me Cebu has never been on your radar I suggest you add it as you just might be pleasantly surprised.

[fountainhall]

Have you had time to visit a beach yet? I thought they were the main attraction :lol:

Glad you're having a whale of a time.

[Nirish guy]

Ha honestly, I doubt I've gone more than a quarter of a mile from my hotel and even that's only been to go to one mall and the bars, aside from that just in my hotel :-)

[goji]

Omg CEBU !!! What HAVE I been missing !!! Absolutely wall to wall action if you want it and a range of guys from just ok to absolutely STUNNING - and all up for it no less !!! :-) I'm having a ball !! :-) Woo Hoo screw Pattaya just now, this place and all it's free action is miles ahead in that regard imho :-)
Either way if like me Cebu has never been on your radar I suggest you add it as you just might be pleasantly surprised.

Cebu is creeping onto my radar after meeting a friend's exceptionally cute Filipino partner recently.

As for the free sex, exactly how fit are you ? Main purpose of the question is to assess my own odds. Almost 50, 6", 73 kg, looking a bit worn....
Paying is reassuringly straightforward.

[Nirish guy]

I'm 47 and just about holding it all together - I would say definitely not so much if being honest BUT I'm assured by SO many guys I met here that yes "I'm a handsum man" lol - I don't think you will have any problems as the guys here ( I'm guessing due to catholic repression and lack of available white guys) DO just want to meet and fuck with a white guy it seems. I had to stop opening my message apps when the message totals where going over the hundred mark in them, it was just getting embarrassing - but a nice complaint to have too mind and ALL from genuine guys just wanting either a fuck or a bf or both and for free too I should add from what I can see as this has been one of the LEAST money driven trips I've EVER had in all my years of travelling. I've saved a small fortune ( and balanced out over my full usual trip length I'm talking maybe thousands there perhaps) being here compared to my Thai trips and had just as much fun both literal and sexual for it !

I fully understand that I'm probably doing the whole rose tinted glasses thing that we all did on arrival in Thailand for the first few years and there's certainly a lot of things you can say here aren't as polished or fine as Thailand BUT the customer service is great, the people are ( genuinely ) nice and friendly - and that's most people from what I can see as I even ended up in a really dodgy area of town last night after going out walking and the people couldn't have made me more welcome. So whilst it's most certainly not paradise my view and rating of the PH's compared to my first trip to manila has gone through he roof and my advice is just totally avoid Manila and come straight on to Cebu or Boraclay ? etc

[dab69]

Glad you are having a great time and not getting kidnapped/beheaded.

Less money boy orientated but I bet they are still out for long term support?

"Handsum man" - are you still using Scottish's picture online? :)

[Nirish guy]

Ha well I made it back alive no matter WHAT my insurance company insisted as they rescinded my policy just before I left ! but all back in just about one piece, mind you that latter part was more perhaps due to myself being a willing victim to the Ph guys seemingly never ending sexual demands :-)

As I said I was well pleased with Cebu and I definitely will go back there again sometime when I get the chance, however as I've literally just booked my next (usual) Bkk / Bali / Pattaya adventure not half an hour ago for July I may have to put that Ph's trip on the back burner again for another wee while.

And re the are they less money orientated etc - all I can say about that was that they were absolutely NON money orientated full stop!

I do realise of course that I may have been lucky / careful in my choices, but with the guys I met there was no question of any money or support or anything else being sought ( although I did buy one guy a pair of trainers but that was as much as surprise to him as it was to me and just sort of happened out of blue.

Of course absolutely they all would have loved me to be living there and so for them to be my "bf" long time ( hey there's worse places in the world to settle and do that perhaps ) but in terms of the usual Pattaya hands out for even saying hello in a bar or just for talking to someone who then expects a "tip" ( for FUCK ALL) then no, there was absolutely none of the that, quite the opposite, the guys in the ph's couldn't have been nicer actually.

However to counter that I'd travelled on down to Davao with my PH bf and we were having coffee in a shopping mall there when an older white guy sat down for a second to say hi and asked could I speak English etc. He seemed a nice, pleasant, mannerly guy and so I said "pull up a seat", however once my bf got up to go collect our coffee within seconds the guy was leaning across and talking quietly in my ear saying " ok I didn't want to say this while your BF was here but just in case you're thinking of moving here with one of these people be careful ! Trust me it's not all it seems, I've lived here for 10 years and the Flipino people ......you can then go on to list just about any insult you can think of including him implying they were untrustworthy, mean spirited and malicious etc ! I simply politely said " oh, really", he then went on to list the usual list of scams and guys who had been scammed by their ( female in his case) lovers and lost a load of money.

He also related how the police and the judiciary even helped a PH women scam her white husband and force him out of the Country ( sounds familiar I thought). He then told me how his wife has Alzheimer's and how the locals in his village had spread the rumour that he'd been beating her and that's what caused her to get this ( medically nonsense of course but who knows maybe he HAD been beating her for all I know). Anyway his final word as my BF arrived back and before he broke back into his friendly smile was a strong note of caution and to trust no one there ( not bad advice anywhere in Asia I thought to myself) and he then left to go back to the large mansion he said he lived in, complete with 4 staff and a chauffeur - just shows you money can't buy happiness it seems ( but it helps !).

Mind you when listening to him ( and I don't disbelieve what he said) all I could think of was " well now I could be sitting in just about any bar in Pattaya right now and hearing the very same stories" so I'm not sure that the Ph's is any better than any other place in that regard perhaps, but hey at least you're mainly getting scammed in English there so somehow that makes it all feel not quite so bad I guess ! :)

And as for am I still using SG's picture etc ? I'm assuming you're kidding as I've no idea what you mean, unless you're implying SG is "handsum" and as I haven't yet had the pleasure on that I really couldn't say......

[dab69]

"And as for am I still using SG's picture etc ? I'm assuming you're kidding as I've no idea what you mean, unless you're implying SG is "handsum" and as I haven't yet had the pleasure on that I really couldn't say......"

Of course I was kidding...
and sucking up to Scottish at the same time. :)

[Nirish guy]

See why am I thinking he'd like us to be imaging something like this.......

4248

When we all know the reality is most likely something more akin to.....

4249

Mind you, they say beauty is in the eye of the beholder as I guess for some Thai ( or Vietnamese boys :-) he is indeed one hell of a HANDSUM man :-) lol

No offence SG, we're only tugging your sporran ! ( and that costs 1000 baht short time right ? :-)

[goji]

Ha well I made it back alive no matter WHAT my insurance company insisted as they rescinded my policy just before I left !

Have you checked the legality of that ?
Surely rescinding the policy means any cautious traveller would not go, due to the risk of unexpected accidents & medical expenses etc ? So as you've paid for everything like flights etc, can they legally pull the rug from underneath you like that ?

Oh and who were the insurers (please) ? Just in case I want to avoid them.

[Nirish guy]

"Have you checked the legality of that ?"

What you mean do the insurers have the right to cancel / withdraw cover ? Yes, I believe they do as they stare quite clearly in their terms and conditions which are available before you buy the policy that there are several reasons that can and will cause them to withdraw cover, one of those being and as in my case, the UK Government ( and several others too) issuing a specific travel advisory notice re an area to suggest travel to that area should only be undertaken "in exceptional ciclrcumstances" .

In my particular case it was frustrating as it WAS an "area" they were talking about i.e. Samal etc ( albeit that's a very large area I guess) rather than an entire country, but unfortunately both Davao and Cebu also fell into their "best not to go" areas and on checking with them, they then checked with their underwriters who replied of course Sir it's "up to you" but we strongly advise against going but if you want to just be aware that we can't and won't cover you for the duration of your trip to those areas ( which unfortunately for my entire holiday basically),

To be honest I fully expected and understood their position re possible terrorism and kidnap cover etc and I did volunteer to accept an exclusion clause re those things to be added but they ( shittily I thought) went ahead and just removed ALL cover, even for basic accidents and normal every day medical stuff which I though was a bit mean of them.

I pointed out that my policy had been in place for over 10 years with them without a single claim but their reasoning was that a terrorist incident could happen, resulting in a car crash or other associated injury and that could cause a possible grey area of cover, so to avoid any confusion they just preferred to remove ALL cover so I was crystal clear on their position ( how very nice of them).

And re your "surely rescinding the policy means any cautious traveller would not go, due to the risk of unexpected accidents & medical expenses etc ?" - yep, I'm guessing you're probably right about that too, but hey, life's short and I'd already booked my trip several weeks before I'd rang them ( which was the day before I was to travel) and I figured that for 50 other weeks of the year I managed to get by without seriously injuring myself so on the law of averages I was prepared to risk and take a chance for those other two weeks.

Also figuring that if I was injured it would either be simple medical ( in which case fair enough just grimace and pay it myself) or if it was more kidnap related then I had bigger problems to worry about !! I did in fact leave instructions with my office manager re that second issue as to what to do in the case of being asked to pay a ransom etc or not ( yes by the way was my answer, sell bloody everything I said if and pay the bloody thing and I'll worry about being poor later but at least I'd still be alive - well, hopefully anyway).

So, yes whilst I'm not suggesting that that was maybe my smartest ever life decision, fuck it, sometimes you just have to get on with life and let the chips fall where they may.

I would add that I was with my ph bf and his entire family for most of the "dangerous" area part and so was quietly confident that their local knowledge would keep me safe(ish) - and it seems that I was right as I did make it back in one piece.

Oh and the insurer was Multitrip.com, albeit I believe they are only the reseller and it's either Aviva or Alliance who were the underwriters, sorry I can't remember whicj one exactly just now and I CBA going all the way up to my computer upstairs to check. Sorry :-)

In the insurance company's defence though their actions were and are totally standard throughout the industry and I'm sure and believe that all other insurers would have followed exactly the same path and in fact they told me as much when I'd asked them to recommend anywhere that COULD give me cover in my circumstances. So I hold them no ill will against them - well, maybe aside from them removing my standard basic medical cover, which was just I felt a bit unnecessary and mean and petty and just s bit opportunistic I thought).

[GWMinUS]

Nirish,
I missed many of your posts, as I was enjoying my Holiday in Cebu City in February.
Glad you found Cebu "exciting". I assume you made it to Mango and found Alchology?
And you managed to not get raped by the Ladyboys...
Did any of the guys take you out to other clubs??
Which hotel did you book? How was it?
And were you there for Sinulog. Many years ago I knew two hot young guys who were in the top dance group. Always enjoyed seeing them in their "Village" costumes.
About Davao. I guess you spent most of your time with your BF's Family.
When I was there many years ago, there where no Gay Bars. But I enjoyed the massage and happy ending at several places in central. Do not remember the names. The tips were rather expensive but the men were hot!!!
Funny to hear the stories you were told by the OLD WHITE MAN!! I think the Filipino Ladies are more of a concern than the Filipino Men. That is because you can actually married them and they then have their "ways".
Anyway, post more details when you have time.
PAALAM