Travel/Unforgettable Destinations

The metros run well, but the same can’t be said for the buses. Several buses failed to show up. I would also recommend trying pizza al taglio, which are rectangular pizza slices. Bonci Pizzarium was a great place for this.

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The Vatican is definitely worth a visit.

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Greetings from Coron Island in the Philippines!

I’ve explored Southeast Asia quite extensively over the last four winters while escaping the winter gloom, but this is my first time in the Philippines. I must say, what a beautiful and friendly country it is overall!

Many Nordics spend their winter holidays in Thailand, so here is a bit of a comparison between these two countries based on my own experience:

  • Communication: Thailand is known as the land of a thousand smiles, but communication often remains at a very basic level. In the Philippines, on the other hand, English is the second official language, so getting things done is really easy. You can have truly deep conversations with the locals, and they love to joke around!

  • Transportation: The Philippines is a country of thousands of islands, so moving from one place to another is largely done by flying. In Thailand, you can travel within the country conveniently and cheaply by trains and buses. The Philippines doesn’t offer the same ease, so you should clearly budget more for travel.

  • Food: Both countries offer great culinary experiences. However, Filipino cuisine is often better suited for a sensitive stomach, as the food is not as spicy as in Thailand. I personally became particularly fond of “Beef Kaldereta” here.

  • Price level: The Philippines is slightly more expensive than Thailand, especially in the most popular holiday destinations. According to my estimate, accommodation and dining out is about 20–30% pricier.

The Philippines doesn’t see the same wave of mass tourism as Thailand, so the vibe here feels “more authentic” in that sense. On island hopping tours, you can spend time on the beach or go snorkeling in complete peace and quiet.

I highly recommend it!

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Great. Greetings from nearby El Nido. A year ago was my first time in the Philippines (including El Nido and Coron) and the places are so great that I’m back again. Next year I’ll probably have to take a 5-day island hopping trip El Nido - Coron - El Nido.

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One day it would be amazing to visit NYC. The skyscrapers :heart_eyes: I’ve also been dreaming of moving to the USA in 9.5 years max. We’ll see if it’s any more peaceful then than it is today. It would be good to get rid of the unrest and for the country to start trading with others instead of imposing tariffs on everyone else except Russia.

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For those in the Philippines, I recommend visiting Siquijor and Camiguin.

If you like diving, then Apo Reef and Malapascua. Coron also has impressive wrecks that are worth visiting at least for snorkeling if you don’t dive.

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If you happen to visit Surigao while in the Philippines, I recommend staying at Surigao Dreams, which is run by a Finn named Aleksi. It’s a wonderful place and, of course, there’s even a sauna where you can watch the sunset over the sea from the benches.

They also organized a snorkeling trip to what is definitely the most stunning coral reef I’ve ever seen—and I’ve seen quite a few over the years.

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An AS Roma or Lazio home game if you’re interested in football.

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There are so many nice islands in the Philippines; Bohol was also nice, as was Port Barton, which has very few tourists.

There sure are! I mostly just listed the best ones in my opinion. There are still a ton of places I haven’t explored myself, like Port Barton and the Surigao someone mentioned.