ichy2

Save your Oz dollars for exchange to Baht. Use your ATM card in Cambo to get US greenbacks.

I'm late to this thread. Some great music here. Here's one I like a lot:

I've been a number of times. I highly recommend the Best Western Oxford Suites, Makati. This hotel is good value in Manila as it is right in the middle of the action on the corner of Durban and P Burgos. The bars are across and down the street and freelancers are literally at your doorstep. I booked a deluxe room on my last adventure in Makati for $50 US (including a decent breakfast) on Agoda and they upgraded me to the penthouse on arrival, (woohoo!) Look here: http://www.agoda.com/best-western-oxford-suites-makati/hotel/manila-ph.html You are walking distance to the Greenbelt Mall where you can find high priced freelancers and Glorietta Mall mall where you can find shopping, food courts, movies and girls! Because you are walker, I would challenge you to walk from your hotel to the waterfront and find the Manila Bay/LA Cafe (whatever it is called now). Find a girl late afternoon/evening and taxi back. I did it and it was a grand adventure and hike. The walk getting there was about the same length of time it took for the taxi ride back. The traffic really is that bad. Take a cell phone with you that you can swap sim cards and get a Globe card with data (I found their service to be the best in and around MNL.) You can then fire up Google Maps or Google Earth with GPS and track your movements around town and never get lost. This also works really well when you are in a taxi as you can make sure they are not taking the long way home. There is a lot of poverty in Manila, but not everyone is poor. Just keep your wits about you, don't walk in unknown places late at night and keep your eyes open. If you have time, jump on the Victory Liner in Pasay to Dau and visit Angeles City for few days. You will be glad you did! If you take a taxi from the airport, NEVER put your luggage in the boot. Always on the seat next to you. I found this out the hard way when a driver refused to give me my luggage until I paid him a ransom for the suitcase he was holding hostage! Go, explore and have fun!

I agree. The bikes look great! While the girls are beauties, they look fake. Im sure if I saw them dancing at Insomnia I would take an interest, but in this setting, yawn.

Don't give them your credit card and pay for only one night in cash. Then, if you have trouble as you state, spend the following morning finding some place more suitable.

Oh my! The infamous Miss Apple! I'd recognize that nipple anywhere!! Is she working or was she a customer?

Not being there and knowing the exact circumstance, it certainly sounds to me like this incident could easily have been avoided. The guy with the dog should have apologized and moved along as soon as he discerned trouble with the drunken Doa and her boyfriend. I'm not blaming him for the idiot stabbing him, but it is always best to avoid confrontation if at all possible.

I don't think I have ever seen it done. Is there a way to upload a video (to the board, not a 3rd party website) into a trip report the same as you would a picture?

I looked at this place a couple years ago. There is no way I would consider this as acceptable, unless it was priced at 600 bht per night, even then I would have second thoughts. When I was looking at this place, I also looked at the apartments across the soi with the wagon wheel, Inn of the Golden Crab. I spent the last two years (a month each year) at this place and highly recommend it. Would I stay at the Haven . . . 5 5 5, are you kidding?! Would I stay at the Golden Crab? In a heartbeat if I hadn't found some place better. My advice, look elsewhere. The Haven ain't no haven! But then, its just my opinion. Take it or leave it. (P.S. They night watchman @ Golden Crab keeps an eye on the Haven as well.)

Really kids? I realize it has sentimental value to some. I was in there a number of times and never found a girl of interest in that dung heap. Good riddance as far as I am concerned!

I stayed in the LK Metro neighborhood on my last trip. It is NOT another Walking Street. I do like the area a lot and will stay there again (my heart is still in Soi 13 as I think this is by far the best area for a room). There are a lot of ladies living in the area and it makes it easy to pick one up on the street (no bar-fine, no make-up, no hassles). The prices are right and the "Hole in the Wall" has the best food I think I've ever had. The Go Go's I think are crap and the Beer Bars are far between, but it is a good home base area if you are into looking for your average Thai lady on the street (which is what I am really into).

I've eaten there a few times. The food is mediocre at best. Not bad, but certainly not very good.

I ate at Crazy Dave's twice on my last trip. The food is only OK, but it was OK enough that I went back a second time. I do like the Lek Hotel for breakfast. The food is not great, but it has been good for the past 4 years that I have been eating there. Otherwise, my favorite is Thai food at the "Hole in the Wall." Yum

Either gay (ladyboy/boy-toy) or trying to reclaim years gone by. Regardless, boy is a conotation of pre-adult. Like it or don't!

Ha ha! How true. I love the "Hello/Fuck Off" quote. Couldn't have said it better myself!

I'm there until 8/16, when I board the ship of tears back to reality!

Why don't you kids quit fighting and help out. I just booked my airfare for my fifth trip and I am looking for a GOOD place to stay for 1,000 or less. Names, links to websites and comments on GOOD hotels would certainly be welcome. I also have stayed at PBR in the past and liked it, may stay again on my upcoming trip, but still shopping hoping for some place better.

I did a really cheap flight on Asiana Air from BKK through Incheon a little over year ago with with a 12 hour layover. It was not nearly as bad as you might think. I got into Incheon at 6 am, found a secluded spot and slept 8 hours on a comfy bench seat where no one disturbed me. Got up, had a good meal and was well rested with a couple hours free before my next leg.

For me it is following the taxi driver out of the airport and the moment that humid-heat mixed with the smell of Thailand finally hits me. Ahhh . . . Paradise rediscovered!

Being from the US I haven't really seen much of a down turn in my exchange rate. My first trip to LOS three years ago saw an exchange rate of 33 baht to the US dollar. My last trip (just returned home about a week ago) had the dollar going for 29.5 baht. A slight drop of about 4 baht to the dollar. A pittance as far as I am concerned. I still came in under budget on this last trip, and I didn't skimp. I had a good time, bought lots of clothing, toys and such and enjoyed myself.

I always find your posts amusing, but this is the first time I actually laughed.

Ha! No kidding. The idea that it is anything more than a shower is absurd! An hour or two later and it is mostly sunny with things back to normal. Sure it rained lightly for an hour or so, but it was certainly nothing to write home about!

Seriously? It is not "pissing" and it is not "constant." It is a mild summer shower at best. I find it refreshing as it is warm and the sun is trying to peek through. Still better than being anywhere else I can think of.

Wow! I can't (and won't) get anywhere near this. A couple beers during daylight and a few (3 or 4) at night. That's it for me.

Really? If you want to be a pig farmer, why would you buy a franchise? Go find some land for lease, buy a few oinkers locally and start sloppin' the hogs. If you are looking for an investment in the pork industry, visit a few of the bigger farms around and talk to folks. Now if you really want an opportunity, I can sell you a beer bar franchise for cheap! Its local to Pattaya and you can hire all the hottest girls in town to work for you. Even better, you can drink your beer at wholesale prices!!