Instagrammed: Hello, Philippines!

Tagaytay, Philippines by Expat Edna

Somewhere in the past few years, the Philippines ended up on my EVENTUALLY list.

You know the one: the list of places you know you’ll eventually see, restaurants you’ll eventually visit, chores you’ll eventually get to — things you put off because hey, they’re not going anywhere.

So you never get around to them.

(Cough, Musee Orangerie and Restaurant Chartier. Two years in Paris and I’ve still never been.)

For far too long, every time I had a free weekend, the Philippines would pop up — only to get pushed aside for another trip to Thailand or Hong Kong or Chengdu. Part of me was waiting until I had more time: I’d heard from multiple friends (especially Steph & Tony) that the Philippines was best done slowly, with a couple weeks, at least, to spare.

But then I received an invitation to a good friend’s Filipino wedding. I love weddings. And I finally moved the Philippines from the EVENTUALLY list to the position of country number 25.

My first trip to the Philippines, as seen through Instagram:

Taal Volcano, Tagaytay, Philippines by Expat Edna

The wedding was held in Tagaytay, about an hour’s drive south of chaotic Manila. A common getaway spot among tourists and locals, Joe and I greatly appreciated its cooler weather and stunning landscapes — especially Taal Volcano, the world’s smallest active volcano.

Not only that, it’s a volcano, located inside a lake, located inside another volcano! The crater of the second, larger volcano is actually where the town of Tagaytay sits. Nature is amazing.

Palm tree view, Tagaytay, Philippines by Expat Edna

The downfall of popular tourist destinations: high accommodation rates, especally for the obscenely cheap Philippines. It cost about $50/night for our ‘airbnb’, which turned out to be a slightly run-down hotel, and 1500 pesos ($33) just to get a ride to the pre-wedding BBQ a few miles down the road. Still, at least we had this view.

Crispy pata and bulalo, Tagaytay, Philippines by Expat Edna

Filipino food gets a bad rap but these local specialties were hearty and filling: crispy pata, or fried pork leg served with a soy-vinegar dip; and bulalo, a savory beef shank stew — perfect for when you’ve had one too many San Migs at a pre-wedding barbecue….

Sharon's travel themed wedding, Tagaytay, Philippines by Expat Edna

The wedding was, of course, travel themed: the bride lived in the Philippines, United States and Zambia before settling down in Paris. Guests representing six continents had flown into the Philippines for the big event — I’ve never seen such an international wedding!

Wedding at Sonya's Garden, Tagaytay, Philippines by Expat Edna

Sonya’s Garden was an anthophile’s dream, with nooks and crannies and hidden canopies full of colorful flowers at every turn. The wedding venue was so beautiful, I had to make an exception to my generally strict ‘I loathe feet and refuse to take photos of them’ rule.

Poolside in Makati by Expat Edna

Quick lesson on how to trek from Tagaytay back to Manila when you’re unable to hire a car:

Hop into a jeepney to the Sky Ranch (to eat lunch at Mushroom Burger before the journey).
Take a tricycle to the bus station.
Hail down a bus heading to Makati.
Walk until you find a jeepney.
Taxi the rest of the way when you give up on finding a jeepney.

Total cost: around 350 pesos, or less than $8.00 for the both of us! (A car would have cost $50.)

It did take four hours though — so a couple beers and jump in this pool were much needed after the afternoon-long trek.

Sunset in Makati, Philippines by Expat Edna

The sunset in Makati, a suburb of Manila. Joe’s here often for business — and looking into the not-so-distant future, I think the Philippines will be seeing more of me, too.

Follow my Instagram adventures at @expatednaWhere’s your favorite place to explore in the Philippines?

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15 Comments

  • Reply
    marghini
    May 12, 2015 at 03:39

    The landscape reminds me so much of Hong Kong! Just more palms ;)

    • Reply
      edna
      June 2, 2015 at 02:54

      It felt a bit more hectic than Hong Kong too ;)

  • Reply
    Deserae
    May 12, 2015 at 04:05

    These pictures are so beautiful. The Philippines was on my “someday” list as well, but these pictures are really inspirational.

    • Reply
      edna
      June 2, 2015 at 02:54

      Thanks Deserae!

  • Reply
    ChinaMatt
    May 12, 2015 at 04:23

    Beautiful. It’s also on my “I’ll get there at some point” list of destinations. I really should go sooner rather than later. If I do make Taipei my home, I’ll probably get there by the end of the year.

    • Reply
      edna
      June 2, 2015 at 02:54

      You really should. It’s so close and so cheap!

  • Reply
    Jordan
    May 12, 2015 at 15:07

    Beautiful photos. I spent time in the Philippines a few years ago and I absolutely loved it. I was in Boracay with some friends and we had the best time. It was gorgeous, cheap, and the hospitality is unlike anywhere else in the world. Thanks for sharing your experience!

    • Reply
      edna
      June 2, 2015 at 03:27

      Thanks for reading! I still have yet to go to Boracay, it’s on the list though!

  • Reply
    Steph (@ 20 Years Hence)
    May 12, 2015 at 17:40

    Yaaaaaay! So glad you finally made it to the Philippines and that you enjoyed your stay so much! It’s just gorgeous there, isn’t it? (Maybe this can be where we have our next epic meet up?) I only wish we had been on the Instagram train at the time of our visit…

    • Reply
      edna
      June 2, 2015 at 03:28

      Yes! Let’s do it. This fall?

  • Reply
    Debbie
    May 15, 2015 at 09:50

    I absolutely love your photos! Philippines is so exotic to me!!
    Enjoy your trips and come to greece someday!!
    xx

    http://debsbug.blogspot.com

    • Reply
      edna
      June 2, 2015 at 03:28

      Thank you Debbie! And I’d love to go to Greece — hoping to get there later this year!

  • Reply
    Ceri
    May 15, 2015 at 11:15

    What a stunning place to get married. The Philippines is one of those places I’d really love to visit but have heard that female travellers really shouldn’t go to on their own. :/ Might have to persuade someone to come with me then.

    • Reply
      edna
      June 2, 2015 at 03:29

      Oh really? I haven’t heard that at all, but I’d still say it’d be better to go with someone to share all the fun anyway :)

  • Reply
    Escape from Manila - Expat Edna
    September 10, 2016 at 02:09

    […] to suggest Tagaytay, ninety minutes outside Manila — I’d been a year and a half ago for a friend’s wedding and knew it would film […]

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