The Philippines. Manila and Boracay Basics: Top Things to Know Before You Go

What You Need to Know About the Philippines, Manila and Boracay

My month-long Philippines trip is just around the corner and I wanted to put together a short intro to the Philippines, Manila and Boracay.

The Philippines: What You Need to Know

The Philippines is an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia, in the Pacific Ocean. The Philippines is made up of 7,640 islands, 2,000 of which are inhabited. The country is broadly categorized in three main geographical divisions:

Luzon - This is the largest, northernmost island. Manila is a part of it.

Visayas - The major islands Panay, Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, Samar, and Masbate.

Mindanao – In the south. This is the second largest island.

Manila: What You Need to Know

Manila, the capital of the Philippines, is a densely-populated metropolis located on a bay of Luzon (one of over 7,000 Philippine islands). Manila has a population of about 15 million in a 240 sq mi area, making it the most or one of the most densely-populated cities in the world.

The City of Manila is the capital of the Philippines and is made up of 16 administrative districts like Binondo, Ermita, Intramuros, Malate, Quiapo, and more.

The greater Metropolitan Manila area or Metro Manila is officially called the National Capital Region (NCR). Metro Manila made up of cities like the City of Manila, Makati, Quezon City, Parañaque, Pasay, Taguig, and more.

Boracay: What You Need to Know

With its powdery white-sand beaches and tranquil turquoise water, Boracay is a paradise on Earth. Boracay covers only 10km and the narrowest point is only 1km. Boracay is located in the western region of Visayas, in the Aklan province, under the jurisdiction of Malay.

Boracay has received various recognitions from top travel magazines such as the Best Island in Asia award from Travel + Leisure and the Top Island in the World from Condé Nast Traveler.

The most popular beach in Boracay is the White Beach (it’s also the biggest), but there are many other world-class beaches exist such as Puka Shell Beach, Bulabog Beach, Diniwid Beach and Ilig-Iligan Beach.  All these beaches have white sand and they are unique their own ways.

Boracay White Beach is divided into 3 sections: Station 1, 2 and 3. These stations are essentially the north, middle and south parts of the beach.

Station 1: Wider Beach & Luxury Resorts

Boracay’s famous visual landmark Willy’s Rock is in Station 1. Here you will find most of the luxurious hotels and resorts. Station 1 is comparatively quieter than Station 2. 

The water is shallow and the beach is wider here with no separate walking path. Station 1 has the finest stretch of white sand.

Only a few clubs are in the same proximity within a short walking distance if you want to enjoy the Boracay nightlife.

Station 2: The Centre

This is the middle part of Boracay and the most crowded, with an assortment of shops and restaurants. You will find many mid-range hotels and resorts. The water is still shallow but not as much like Station 1.

The biggest D’mall sits right in the middle of Station 2. There is a seafood market, D’Talipapa, located in the south. You will find lots of bars, live music, and 3 clubs where you can experience the Boracay Nightlife.

Station 3: Nature and Tranquility

This is the quietest station with lots of greenery and lots of budget-friendly hotels. The beach is a lot steeper here. There are only a handful of laid-back bars and one club for nightlife.

Merino Wool T-Shirt – My First Impressions of a Merino Tech T-Shirt

First Time Buying A Merino T-Shirt

After waiting for many tears, I finally bought a Merino wool T-shirt. Merino wool clothes are expensive. The are made from a specific type of Merino sheep wool and offer some unique characteristics.

Some of the benefits Merino clothes offer include:

- Super Soft & Comfortable

- Moisture Wicking & Odor Resistant

- Naturally regulates body temperature to keep you comfortable all year round

- Perfect for travel

What I have heard is that you can wear Merino clothes for a few days without any odour. Also, its natural heat-regulating property keeps you warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

The big disadvantage of Merino wool clothes is that they are very expensive. For example, a t-shirt can cost around $100. This is what kept me from buying a Merino t-shirt for a long time.

The t-shirt I bought is made by a brand called Merino Tech. It is made of 100% organic Merino sheep wool from New Zealand. When I first opened it, I was impressed right away.

The fabric feels very smooth and soft. It also looks high quality. I found a few Merino socks included as a gift. My main reason to buy a Merino wool t-shirt is for travel. I am going on a trip to the Philippines next week for almost a month and this will be a good opportunity to put my Merino wool t-shirt to the test.

I have a video review which can be viewed here:

Merino T-Shirt First Impressions

The Ultimate Philippines Itinerary | How to Create the Best Philippines Itinerary

My 20+ Days Philippines Itinerary

My nearly month-long Philippines trip is right around the corner. Today, I will give you some insights on my Philippines tour and I will also give you some tips on how to create the perfect Philippines itinerary.

Here is an overview of how every day unfolds:

Day 1 – EVA Air Flight YYZ – TPE

Day 2 - EVA Air Flight TPE – MNL

Manila to Lucena | 2 Nights in Lucena

Day 4 – Check out and bus to Manila

Cebu Pacific flight to Boracay from Manila

Check in at Calypso Dive Resort hotel in Boracay

Day 5 – Check out and check in at Airbnb Absolute Beachfront Studio with Kitchen & Balcony - 2 nights

Day 6 – Boracay Island and Beach-Hopping Boat Tour

Day 7 – Check out and check in at Diamond Water Edge Resort

Day 8 – Check out and check in at Airbnb Beachfront Loft - 3 nights

Day 9 - Boracay Sunset Cruise Experience

Day 11 - Check out and check in at Boracay Ocean Club hotel

Day 12 - Check out and check in at Airbnb Double room w/ balcony, Ocean view, Bulabog Beach - 2 nights

Day 14 - Check out | Cebu Pacific Flight to Manila

Check in at The Bayleaf Intramuros, Manila

Day 15 - Check out and check in at Airbnb Penthouse view on 60th - 3 nights

Day 18 - Check out and check in Manila Marriott Hotel

Day 19 - Check out and check in at Airbnb Spectular Sunset Views 59th Flr Gramercy Poblacion - 2 nights

Day 21 - Check out and check in at Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria - 3 nights

Day 24 - Check out | EVA Air flight MNL – TPE – YYZ

Although my Philippines trip itinerary looks simple, it is actually quite complex. If you miss one day or double book the same day twice, it will ruin the whole trip.

My tips are to put the whole trip day by day on a piece of paper or physical planner and then start booking. Once you finish booking, forward all your confirmation emails to an online trip planning service like TripIt or Kayak.

TripIt or Kayak will show you your full trip day by day and if you made any mistakes, you will be able to find out right away.

I have a video showing more details which can be viewed here:

Philippines Itinerary | How to Create The Best Philippines Travel Itinerary

How to Keep Your Money Safe When You Travel

Best Way to Keep Emergency Money When Traveling

There are bizarre ways to hide money, when you travel or even at home. Some examples include, diversion soda cans, hair brushes, peanut butter jars, books, potato chip cans, and many other ways.

Some of these are good places to hide cash while traveling and some of them are dumb. Today, I will talk about my favourite and in my opinion, this is the best way to hide emergency cash when you travel.

I hide some emergency cash in a money belt that you can wear just like a regular waist belt you would use with your pants. I am not talking about a pouch type of travel money belt that amateur travelers use. I have a video on that here: Why Business Travellers Don't Use Money Belts & You Should Too

The wearable money belt I use works just like a regular pants belt. Because it is made of fabric, you don’t need to remove it going through airport security. There is a hidden compartment inside it where you can stack cash. In the unfortunate even of getting robbed, you still will have money on you to return to your hotel.

I usually keep $50 to $200 cash hidden in my belt and it is always with me because I don’t use a regular leather belt when I am traveling. 

Also, I keep several wallets in my bags and hotel and spread out my cash and credit cards. If I lose one, I will have a backup to continue my trip and will not get stranded in a foreign land.

I have a video on the above which can be viewed here: The Best Ways to Hide Money While Traveling

Canada’s Best 3 Cash-Back Credit Cards to Offset Sky-high Grocery Prices

Top 3 Cash Back Credit Cards in Canada

Grocery prices are skyrocketing and there is no sign they will come down anytime soon. To offset high grocery prices, I will give you the best 3 cash-back credit cards in Canada. Although these credit cards won’t lower grocery prices directly, the cash you will receive back will be significant and help you to cope with higher grocery costs.

I will concentrate only on the grocery cash back return in this article.

CIBC Dividend Visa Infinite – Provides 4% cash back. Annual fee is $120. This is the only card that offers cash-back redemptions anytime once you reach $25. If not redeemed monthly, cash back will be provided annually.

Scotia momentum Visa Infinite - Provides 4% cash back. Annual fee is $120. There is only an annual option to redeem your cash back.

American Express SimplyCash Preferred – Fees are charged monthly, but come close to $120 annually when you add them up. 4% cash back on groceries, but on everything else (except gas and groceries) the cash-back rate is 2% with no limit, making it the only card in Canada to provide this type of cash back.

Honorary Mention – BMO World Elite MasterCard - Provides 5% cash back on groceries (the highest in Canada), however the problem with this card is that there is a $500 monthly limit on groceries for 5% cash back.

I have a video on this topic which can be viewed here: How to Beat High Grocery Prices with These 3 Canada’s Best Cash Back Credit Cards