Baloy Beach , Olongapo

[katie23]

^depends if I'm not too busy during that time. I can give you tips and/ or meet you for coffee or a meal. Or take you hiking on a weekend!

If you stay within Luzon (or Luzon + Mindoro island where Puerto Galera is), travel by public transport is fairly easy. Bettyboo was able to handle it. See his Puerto Galera thread. I think his vacay was a week or so.

Another consideration is the weather. If you come during monsoon season, there might be typhoons. If it's a category 2 typhoon or higher, ferries & flights are suspended until the situation gets better. If you have limited time (and you'll have to fly back to UK/ Canada, etc) then it may be tricky.

However, it's an EL Nino (dry) year, so I don't know if there will be many storms this year.

[katie23]

It used to be possible to take a ferry from.manila to bataan is that still possible?

Yes, there was a ferry. Service stopped during covid. I don't know if they've resumed it. Travel to Bataan/ Zambales from Manila is a bit faster now (than 5 yrs ago) since there have been new highways built.

[Joe 90]

My mates going over there in June with his wife, she's not been back in six years and looking forward to meeting her family and viewing the progress on her house.
She has been working constantly for a well known celebrity couple and has saved a small fortune here.
I've been invited over but never really considered a visit till this thread and naturally your numerous informative threads.

[katie23]

^cool. June is still a good month to travel, not too many storms (in general).

PH is an archipelago and if you're doing inter-island travel, it can be challenging and may take the whole day.

If you're a newbie (and only have 1 to 2 weeks), you can do Manila + Cebu + Bantayan or Manila + Puerto Galera + Olongapo/ Subic or Manila + Boracay + Olongapo (but you'll need a flight to/ from Boracay).

I live ~1.5 hrs south of Manila, so can meet ppl in Manila for a coffee/ meal. I met Bettyboo at SM Mall of Asia for lunch & afterwards we toured Intramuros (old walled city). He was a right proper gentleman.

I think if you're travelling solo, you'll fit right in with the expats in Olongapo and "shoot the shit" with them, as BLD has said. Tizme lives in PG (Puerto Galera) so you can prolly meet him there. If you're lucky, he could prolly give you a guided tour in his new pickup truck.

Btw, I've been watching Camino de Santiago vids and have watched the film "The Way". I remembered your friend - the one you said has $$ but doesn't like to travel. Maybe you could suggest the Camino de Santiago (walk) to him. It's in Spain & there are several routes. One can take a long route (800 km, 30+ days) or short one (~100 km, ~8 days).

[cyrille]

All sounds good Katie.

If I venture over there, can you be my guide?

* * crickets * *





Slow winter, eh Joe.

[Norton]

I don't know if they've resumed it

This it?

SM MOA Manila to Bataan Ferry | Schedules & Fares | Ferry to Bataan

[Molle]

I met Bettyboo at SM Mall of Asia for lunch & afterwards we toured Intramuros (old walled city). He was a right proper gentleman.

But of course he was, he's not a womanizer, he is into goats.

[katie23]

^lol. Yeah, Betty is more into goats than humans.

@norton - I checked the link & tried to input several different dates. It said "no ferries found" but provided links for a bus company. I think that ferry service (Manila to Bataan) has been discontinued. Maybe not enough passengers since there are many bus companies available & travel time is shorter due to the new highways.

For anyone travelling to the north of Luzon (Olongapo/ Subic, Angeles, La Union, Baguio, Sagada, Hundred Islands, etc) by public transport, I would recommend Victory Liner bus company. The buses have A/C, 4 seats in a row. There are some VIP buses which have 3 seats/ row. If you're not overly large or tall, you'll fit on the seats. One can book online & they usually stick to their schedule. Advanced booking isn't required (you can just go to the station & buy a ticket) but it's advisable to have prior booking if it's peak season (Holy Week/ Easter, Christmas season, Halloween/ All Saints day and 3-day weekends). There are other bus companies (Five Star, Partas, etc) but I usually use Victory Liner & am satisfied with their service. (this is not a sponsored post)

[DrWilly]

You're a complete idiot. Pattaya has multiple shopping malls and night markets, multiple go kart tracks, multiple water parks, multiple beaches, jet skii , car or big bike rentals, tons of dining and entertainment options, all on one place. That is what I prefer.

Yes, that’s exactly ​why people travel to Pattaya. No need to hide it.

[aging one]

$200 per person return Manila/Don Muang, Air Asia in June. Do it, you know you want to. Plus you can play tour guide and show your wife around all the places you love in Pattaya. Get the 750 big bike for a week and really get out and go.

[DrWilly]

* * crickets * *





Slow winter, eh Joe.

all sorts of cringe

[katie23]

$200 per person return Manila/Don Muang, Air Asia in June. Do it, you know you want to. Plus you can play tour guide and show your wife around all the places you love in Pattaya. Get the 750 big bike for a week and really get out and go.

$200 is a good price. If they have 2 weeks vacation, they can easily go for 1 week in TH in between. See BKK and Pattaya. Tour the Grand Palace, Wat Po, Wat Arun, Chatuchak, Siam Paragon (for the wife, if she hadn't been). Then go to Pattaya so he can remove it out of his system. He's been there 10+ years ago & has the rose colored glasses. Take in the cerulean seas.

[DrWilly]

Then go to Pattaya so he can remove it out of his system.

Remove it?

That won't happen.

He's addicted.

[BLD]

^lol. Yeah, Betty is more into goats than humans.

@norton - I checked the link & tried to input several different dates. It said "no ferries found" but provided links for a bus company. I think that ferry service (Manila to Bataan) has been discontinued. Maybe not enough passengers since there are many bus companies available & travel time is shorter due to the new highways.

For anyone travelling to the north of Luzon (Olongapo/ Subic, Angeles, La Union, Baguio, Sagada, Hundred Islands, etc) by public transport, I would recommend Victory Liner bus company. The buses have A/C, 4 seats in a row. There are some VIP buses which have 3 seats/ row. If you're not overly large or tall, you'll fit on the seats. One can book online & they usually stick to their schedule. Advanced booking isn't required (you can just go to the station & buy a ticket) but it's advisable to have prior booking if it's peak season (Holy Week/ Easter, Christmas season, Halloween/ All Saints day and 3-day weekends). There are other bus companies (Five Star, Partas, etc) but I usually use Victory Liner & am satisfied with their service. (this is not a sponsored post)

The Philippines is a delight to travel in. But not during Xmas or holy week . Just stay somewhere until.ot calms down is my advice. Don't even think about the logistics

[BLD]

Remove it?

That won't happen.

He's addicted.

He could hang out with sausages? In wongamat see a different side

[BLD]

The last time I was in subic/ barretto I had booked a guy with a Jeep to take me to Manila departing at 5.0o am and a mate of mine said , if he doesn't turn up.and I'll drive you down to Bataan to get the ferry. The guy turned up so didn't have to put it to the test.

[katie23]

^I've tried travelling during Christmas (from Batangas to Antique prov/ Panay island) and during Holy Week. It's like the crowds of India during their festivals! Sometimes there's pushing, shoving, etc. Won't want to repeat that unless it's an emergency.

As I've seen from vlogs (a few years before), there are minivans from Subic/ Baretto to Manila. I don't know if they still operate. If backspin is going to Baretto or Baloy, he/they can take a trike from their resort to Olongapo - to the Victory Liner station. They can take the VL bus to Manila.

I checked the link that Norton gave. It seems like the ferry (Bata an-Manila) is no more.

Side note: I checked if the vlogger "Overstay Road" is still living in Baretto (or Angeles). Turns out that he + partner + their kids moved to Cebu province, to be near his partner's family. His son (5 y.o) has autism and is non-verbal. It's a challenging situation and he said that he felt it's better for the kids (at this time) to grow up in the countryside where they have space to play, be outside, be with cousins & extended family. Disadv is healthcare - it isn't so great (they live in a small town) and he's prolly the only gringo for miles around. No bars or clubs like he's used to in Angeles or Subic. Headworx knows abt that guy.

[Topper]

Here's a very recent video of La Union...

[aging one]

I hope skiddy likes it. The guy is an idiot.

[BLD]

Here's a very recent video of La Union...

That's uncanny. I watched that utube this afternoon. Don't particularly enjoy his vlogs though. There's better ones

[katie23]

^^I concur. Guy knows how to pick the thumbnails. (heh) I only watched some parts of it - couldn't watch all. He had some nice drone footage, though.

As I've said before, La Union caters to the younger crowd (of Filipinos). I have several millenial friends who've posted (on FB) of their adventures there.

Prior to La Union, the vlogger spent time in Angeles city. For those who don't know, it's like when a foreign guy goes to Pattaya - same same. To each their own. (shrug)

I went to La Union beach when I was in college. It was much more primitive then.

Backspin said that his wife finds La Union "too far north". I kinda agree, since his wife's place is in the south and a bit out of the way. It's their choice...

[Topper]

That's uncanny. I watched that utube this afternoon. Don't particularly enjoy his vlogs though. There's better ones

His thing isn't doing the tourist things, but more showing his American and Canook audience what life is like in different parts of the PI. I don't watch many of them either TBH.

[cyrille]

I only watched some parts of it - couldn't watch all.

Well, no. I'm not sure anyone could.

[katie23]

^yeah, I concur.

This came out on my YT feed. So in case Backspin & wife are interested in Port Barton in Palawan. It's less developed than El Nido. To get there, you'll need a flight to Puerto Princesa then 5-6 hrs ride in a minivan or private taxi. One can also go via Air Swift (owned by the Ayala Corp) but they have a monopoly on that route so airfares are steep.

This was made by a female foreign vlogger. I couldn't place the accent - maybe Scandy? I found it pleasant to watch, not clickbaity. She even ate balut! (kudos to her)

[helge]

This was made by a female foreign vlogger. I couldn't place the accent - maybe Scandy?

Not Scandy accent; we all speak the Queens English

Sounds french