Articles on travel, culture, and expat life in the Philippines.
As a digital nomad who’s been living in Southeast Asia for the past 2 and a half years, I’d say that living here is mostly awesome… But honestly, sometimes the heat can get exhausting. So today, let’s take a look at some of the colder cities in Southeast Asia. None of them are cold enough … Read more
Traveling in Asia as someone who only speaks English, you’re bound to face some language barriers. Granted, most tourist areas will have a decent amount of English. But outside of those spots, it depends a lot on the country. Personally, I’ve been living as a digital nomad in Asia for over two years, and I’ve … Read more
On balance, the Philippines is relatively safe for foreigners. The overall “Safety Index” for the Philippines is ~58/100. That’s actually higher than the U.K., the U.S., Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Ireland, and France. That said, there are still safety issues in the Philippines—including some scary ones like terrorism, kidnapping, and deadly natural disasters. And not … Read more
I am not “tall” in America—but in the Philippines, I am. Today, let’s talk about what counts as “tall” in the Philippines. Would you be considered tall there? The average height in the Philippines is 165 cm (5’5″) for men and 154 cm (5’1″) for women. Overall, the Philippines has some of the shortest heights … Read more
One of the big reasons expats love the Philippines is the low cost of living. In fact, I speak from experience when I say I feel rich living there. But how much does it take to actually be “rich” in the Philippines? And would you be rich there? A monthly income over 100,000 PHP (~$1,800 … Read more
Moving to SE Asia was one of the best decisions of my life. Overnight, I basically became “rich” due to the lower cost of living. I’ve also gotten to experience many different cultures—and even dating became more interesting. If any of that sounds good to you, then I encourage you to plan your own “Escape … Read more
I’ve lived for ~4 months in Saigon and 1 month in Manila (BGC) as a digital nomad. I’ve also stayed in 15 other cities in Asia. Today let’s look at how these two big cities compare, and which might be a better choice for you. Keep in mind: I’m a single male American digital nomad in … Read more
I’ve lived 6 months in Bangkok and 1 month in Manila (BGC) as a digital nomad. I’ve also stayed in 15 other cities in Asia. In this post, I’ll share the differences I noticed between Bangkok and Manila, and which I recommend. Keep in mind: I’m a single male American digital nomad in his 30s. I … Read more
I’ve lived in Cebu City for about 2 months and in Manila for 1 month as a digital nomad. I’ve also stayed in 15 other cities in Asia so far. In this post, I’d like to explain how Manila and Cebu City stack up, from a digital nomad’s perspective. As of yet, my experience is … Read more
I recently tried living for 1 month in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Manila, Philippines. I had heard that BGC is basically the richest, nicest area in the whole Philippines, and I was intrigued. As it turned out, I did like BGC a bit more than Cebu City, the previous city I had tried in … Read more