Travel & Transportation

15 Mistakes to Avoid When Traveling in the Philippines

Written by Patrick
Travel Insurance

It’s always a good idea to educate yourself about things you should not do when visiting a foreign country.  The following is a list of traveling mistakes to avoid while you’re in the Philippines:

  • Don’t insult the Philippines or it’s people. 
  • Don’t disrespect elders. 
  • Don’t use first names to address someone older.  Use po or kuya. 
  • Avoid confrontation and raising your voice or expressing anger … especially in public. 
  • Don’t ever humiliate Filipinos in public. 
  • Don’t expect Filipinos to arrive on time … and don’t get mad when they don’t arrive on time. 
  • Don’t be easily offended.  
  • Don’t go anywhere in the Philippines without doing some research… otherwise you may be very disappointed. 
  • Don’t drive in any major city. Use public transportation or hire a driver.
  • Don’t show off your mobile phone, tech gadgets, or other valuables. This is one of the common mistakes when traveling anywhere in the world, not only in the Philippines.
  • Don’t expect everything to be cheap.  Many prices are equal to or more expensive than Western rates.
  • Don’t refuse food when offered by a host… otherwise you will offend the host.
  • Don’t participate in group drinking sessions. This can lead to trouble. 
  • Don’t avoid eating the food because of the strange names… most are quite good. 
  • Don’t discuss religion.  

READ MORE:  Cultural Etiquette in the Philippines: Guide to Dos and Don’ts

About the Author

Patrick

Patrick is an entrepreneur, digital nomad, explorer, and photographer. Patrick is always in search of fun and adventure. He is well travelled throughout the world, and although location independent, his home base is Phoenix, Arizona in the USA. Patrick loves island lifestyle which is no wonder why he is so interested in spending time in the Philippines with it’s over 7,000 islands. Patrick created this site to share his knowledge of and experiences in the Philippines with Filipinos as well as other foreigners.

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