The bad weather we had been experiencing on Palawan was due to a typhoon, which was making travel to further islands very difficult. This, combined with the added expense of travelling around the islands, led us to our decision to fly back to Manila. We would have maybe done another island, but with tours and ferries being cancelled until further notice, it didn’t seem worth the risk.

📍 Makati, Philippines 🇵🇭

We stayed in a place 20 minutes outside of Manila called Makati. It is a busy part of the city, and from the top of our hotel we had impressive views of the skyscrapers. Luke had done some research as well and Makati is deemed to be a safe place to visit and stay.

Whilst it’s not filled with things to do, it was a really nice area and in the centre there was live music and a small market.

On our first trip into Makati, we went to Venice Grand Canal which is a shallow canal that runs alongside restaurants, shops and apartments. We had glorious sunshine (something that seemed rare for recent weather) so it was the perfect spot to stroll and take in the heat.

Following there, we started to walk back using the way we had driven in as a guide. As we did, we walked past what we could only describe as ‘the slums’ – it was shocking to see first hand the conditions some people were living in.

During our walk, we came across the SM building. We originally went in to enjoy some air conditioning, but found a lovely roof terrace at the top that was open to the public, free of charge. The views were spectacular, and the sound of acoustic Christmas songs over the speakers made for quite a bizarre experience. Like I said in the last blog, it’s only September but they’re ready for Christmas in the Philippines!

Our second trip to Makati was where we discovered the music and market. It was full of people and activity, and we enjoyed our last meal in the Philippines there.

📍 Manila, Philippines 🇵🇭

Unfortunately, our day into Manila was disappointing and we quickly discovered it wasn’t the place for us. We didn’t feel safe when walking around so we didn’t spend as much time as we may have normally done. However, there was a nice park we enjoyed having a look around, and there is some interesting history behind it.

Rizal Park was named after a Filipino patriot called José Rizal, who was executed in the area. His execution fanned the flames of the Philippine Revolution against Spain, and he was executed by firing squad after being found guilty of rebellion, sedition and conspiracy.

There is incredible beauty in the Philippines, however there is also poverty unlike anything else we’ve ever seen. We’ll take away amazing memories of the white sand and clear water, but also the memories of the conditions people live in, or when your car stops and it’s swarmed by children begging. It can be a real eye opener.

If you ever plan a trip to the Philippines we would recommend you thoroughly plan it before you go. It’s not a straightforward country to travel due to all the little islands, so think ahead. Another thing to consider is the weather. Rainy season was coming to an end, but we still caught some of it, and trust us when we say that it rained constantly for a lot of our time there.

📍 Vietnam 🇻🇳

We landed in Ho Chi Minh today, and we’re very excited to explore Vietnam. We’re staying in a hostel for the first time on our trip, which is an experience we’re keen to give a try. We went out this evening to get our bearings, and we’re already enjoying what Ho Chi Minh has to offer!

Thank you for reading this installment of our trip and we’ll be back soon! Lots of love,

Caitlin and Luke