Job Discussion Forums

[BLAH]

hello, please help i am a student trying to plan a trip. which is cheaper for american dollars, indo or the phillipines?
thanks

[saint57]

Why not Cambodia?

[Tue]

Vietnam is really cheap also.

[moot point]

laos

[william wallace]

nil

[guilao]

Once you're there, you can get by on little. But holding on to your little is hard to do...hide your large bills (anything over 50 pesos), wear simple clothes and don't use a flashy camera to take pictures, else you will be hustled. The people you are likely to see are friendly, yet very poor. If you have a soft heart and a fat wallet you will be drained quickly.

If you go there, and are Western in appearance, keep a low profile and don't ever show your anger. There are occasional paleface kidnappings which sometimes lead to beheadings, shootings, and other ugliness. They've got problems with the New People's Army (commie thugs) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which has been working toward truce since blowing up a ferry boat early last year.

That being said, there are many cheap ways to get around: jeepneys, tricycles (motorized and bicyclized), planes, boats, vans, and busses. In Manila there is an elevated train system and the PNR line in Luzon allegedly works some of the time. This I'm still investigating; it seems sketchy when thousands of squatters live within 2 feet of the tracks, stealing materials for their shanties and so forth.

Must admit the P.I. grows on you, despite it's krunkiness. But if you are at all squeamish I could not recommend it for a visit. If you do go there, try to get out of Manila for part of your trip. Cebu Pacific offers cheap fares just about everywhere, including a link to Hong Kong for about 70 dollars US. My fiancee has flown them with no problems.

If you like nightlife, Makati is party central! Same rules apply: hide your nest egg, be nice and go with the flow. Stick to bottled beer if you want to make sure noone slips you a micky or a watered-down shot.

Couldn't tell you anything about Indonesia; but I would bet you could plan a cheap itinerary covering both countries. Just be careful, respectful, and enjoy every crazy moment. Happy trip!

[scb222]

indonesia would be the cheapest of the two you asked about. it would also be the nicer place to travel in my opinion. laos is a great place but it isnt too cheap anymore, comparatively.

[Serious_Fun]

[cameron.mayo]

[ppzz70]

I don't think you'll find many Asian countries cheaper than Afghanistan and Iraq.

[cameron.mayo]

I found thailand (overall) to be cheaper than Laos and Cambo...esp. up north chiang mai.

[Proffeshnial Teachman]

Vietnam is definately in with a shout as overall winner, Thailand is very good value, especially away from BKK as stated above. Cambodia suprisingly expensive (relatively) as many things are imported, Laos is about the same as Cambo. China can be very cheap too.

I hear the Phillipines is very cheap but have never been. Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong ruled out by default I suppose......

[White_Elephant]

I was recently in the Philippines for a month. It is certainly not cheap, especially in comparison with Thailand. You will spend about the same amount of money as you would spend in the USA for any goods you might need at the store including food, necessities, clothing etc. You might spend less on transportation if you like to ride in tricycles (8 people to one motorcycle)



and Jeepneys (dirty, crowed and loud)



or another alternative:




Hope you don't mind seeing sites like this of heavily armed guards and police wherever you plan to go:





People need to think about quality of life over cheapness. IMHO

[khmerhit]

If I were you, I would be looking for the most interesting, not the cheapest, country. Ideally, both--places like Afghanistan, like the man says, Pakistan, India, and CAMBODIA....