MY EXPERIENCE AS A SOLO FEMALE TRAVELER IN THE PHILIPPINES

IS MANILA SAFE to visit?

Manila is an interesting city to visit, I will not tell you that it’s a must to visit the capital, because it’s not. But, it is good to visit it because you will discover things that will culturally shock you. I’ve spent 3 days in Manila and I can tell you that is too much. But I don’t regret it because most of the time I spent it doing massages or beauty treatments. Just for this, Manila is worth visiting. And in Manila, I had the best street food ramen so far. And it cost only 95 cents, you read correctly, not even 1€. You’ve guessed it, I was shocked again, but for the first time positively. And you will find lots of Korean beauty shops where you can buy the best face masks in the world. I spent 150€ on face masks, half of a trolley. I was afraid they will stop me for contraband at the airport. I had for one-year face masks of all types. 

If you search on Google you will see that Manila has a high level of crime. However, tourists aren’t usually targeted. Petty theft is the most common form of crime that tourists face. If you’re out at night, avoid unlit areas and always walk in groups.  The bad reputation is mainly due to the criminal gangs, who do play their part in the country. And weirdly so, they are not locals. Apparently, nine Chinese drug cartels are involved in the most illegal drug trade in the Philippines.

From June 2016 until June 2022, the former administration of President Rodrigo Duterte intensified the anti-drug campaign, which helped a little bit, but recently, there’s been an increase in kidnappings, but not in Manila. Thanks to the War on Drugs campaign, in a recent 2022 Safety Index, the Philippines ranked the 59th Safest country out of 142 countries, above Canada (60), the United Kingdom (63), Australia (75), and the United States (86). So, don’t worry, if you trust visiting the States, you can go to The Philippines as well.

If you need to transit Manila to head to the paradisiac islands, one night is enough to stay. You will be safe if you stay away from public transportation and late nights outside. The safest region to lodge in Manila is Makati, which offers a wide range of accommodation options from budget to bespoke.

GETTING AROUND AS A SOLO FEMALE

Although the traffic is very rough, and the criminality even higher, you have safe options for getting around in Manila, or on the islands.

Here is how you can get around if you Travel Solo for the first time to The Philippines:

1. Jeepneys are a nice way to travel in Manila. Jeepneys are a cultural symbol, becoming a reflection of the Filipino spirit — resilient, innovative, and optimistic. It is very easy to spot them, due to their colors and you will have the region where they are heading written on the front. You pay the driver and just enjoy the ride. 
2. Take a taxi. They are very safe and comfortable to use, but they will get stuck in traffic for hours sometimes. I experienced this on my way to the airport to go back to Paris. I was afraid I will miss the flight as we were not moving for 30 minutes. But they are extremely cheap, so go for this option rather than taking the Metro, which I do not recommend.
3. Tuk-Tuk. They have the three-wheel type of tuk-tuks and are a fun way to go around. They have the possibility of taking two people. They are present in Manila and on all Filipino islands. Especially in Boracay, you will spot them everywhere. You just grab them and they take you wherever you want.
4. Motorcycle Taxis (Habal-habal) they are very present on the islands. I will not lie to you that some drivers look scary. You feel like you are in a narco movie. But they are totally safe, never had any safety problems with them or weird comments. They were very professional. They just look scary. If it was late in the evening, like 8 pm, when is completely dark, I rather went for a tuk-tuk option, for safety I suppose.