Philippines Trip Report: Moalboal Eco Lodge Experience

In this episode of the Global Travel Planning Podcast, host Tracy Collins and co-host Doug Collins swap roles with special guest interviewer Amanda Kendle as they share their firsthand trip report from the Philippines.

The conversation centres on their ten-night stay at Moalboal Eco Lodge, located a few hours southwest of Cebu. Tracy and Doug share what it was like staying in an eco-conscious accommodation and why this peaceful corner of the Philippines made such a strong impression on them during their first visit to the country.

Along the way they discuss the warmth and friendliness of the Filipino people, local culture and cuisine, and what daily life was like during their stay in Moalboal. From snorkelling experiences to relaxed eco lodge living, the episode offers an honest look at travelling in this part of the Philippines.

They also talk about the practical side of visiting the country, including arriving in Cebu, getting around, money and connectivity, and some of the cultural surprises they encountered, including the local love of karaoke and the visible commitment to animal welfare in many communities.

If you are curious about the Philippines or interested in sustainable travel experiences, this trip report offers an authentic glimpse into what it is really like to stay in an eco lodge and explore this beautiful part of the world.

Show notes - Episode 92

🎧 Listen to next

• Episode #29– From England to the Philippines: The Journey Behind Moalboal Ecolodge with Angie Briggs

Moalboal Eco Lodge 

• 🌴 Book a stay at Moalboal Ecolodge
• 🌴 Instagram – MoalBaol Ecolodge

Dog Sanctuary

• 🐕 Instagram – Moalboal Animal Welfare

Spay & Neuter Charity

• 🐶 Support the charity

Transcript

ig Question And Trip Setup

SPEAKER_02 0:00

What's it really like to stay in an ecolodge in the Philippines? In this episode, Amanda Kendall interviews us about our first trip to the Philippines, our stay at Mobile Ecolodge, what surprised us most, what we loved, and the key things to know if you're planning your own trip.

SPEAKER_00 0:15

Welcome to the Global Travel Planning Podcast. Your host is founder of the Global Travel Planning website, Tracy Collins. Each week, Tracy is joined by expert guests as she takes you on a journey to destinations around the world, sharing travel inspiration, itinerary ideas, and practical tips to help you plan your next adventure. Join us as we explore everywhere from bustling cities to remote landscapes, uncover cultural treasures, and discover the best ways to make your travel dreams a reality.

odcast Welcome And Guest Intro

SPEAKER_03 0:47

Hello and welcome to episode 92 of the Global Travel Planning Podcast. I am not Tracy or Doug. I'm Amanda Kendall, and I am interviewing Tracy and Doug for episode 92. It is their Philippines trip report. They have just come back from what sounds like a super amazing, really relaxing, delightful, lovely trip, and I wanted to know all about it. So they've invited me on to ask all the questions. So welcome, Tracy and Doug.

SPEAKER_02 1:16

Thank you, Amanda. That's very cool. Thank you so much for agreeing to do this as well. We really appreciate it.

SPEAKER_03 1:22

It's my pleasure. It's just my nosiness, really. I just want to know, and this is a good way to find out more.

SPEAKER_02 1:27

Can I also just say that if you're listening and you recognise Amanda's voice, you probably do. So Amanda, would you just like to say that obviously you are kind of the queen of podcasters in Australia? But thank you.

SPEAKER_03 1:40

I don't know about that. But yes, so I have been running the Thoughtful Travel podcast for about 10 years now. So yes, if you want to hear some more travel topics, um, hop on over to the Thoughtful Travel Podcast.

SPEAKER_02 1:53

So thank you. And I will link that in the show notes. Thank you, Amanda.

irst Impressions Of The Philippines

SPEAKER_03 1:57

Thank you. All right, so straight into it. It was your first trip to the Philippines for both of you. I have also never been to the Philippines, so I am a blank slate. Tell me what were your overall impressions of visiting the Philippines?

SPEAKER_01 2:12

Well, I'll saw them. My first impressions, and it lasted from the moment we stepped off the plane to leaving was what lovely people.

SPEAKER_02 2:20

Yeah, people are so friendly, so welcoming. Um, they really are hosting you in their country, and and that's how it felt right from the start. Um, everybody was really genuine and really friendly and wanted you to have a enjoy your time there, have a good time. Um, and you know, everybody smiled at you. Everybody was smiling. Yeah, it was just really relaxed, yeah, chilled out, relaxed. Yeah, in fact, I will say when we first flew in um on the Sunday, that was my first impression. You know what? Airports can be really chaotic and you know, people can be short-tempered and a little bit crazy or stressful. It was the easiest airport I have ever been to in terms of just the ease of going, the friendliness of the people. We had accidentally not got, we're supposed to get like a it's not a visa.

SPEAKER_01 3:09

I did a pre-registration for visa, but we didn't actually get the visa.

SPEAKER_02 3:12

We didn't actually do it properly. So they had to help us when they arrived. So it was just but so again, we went through the passport control and they went, Oh, just go down there and somebody will help you do it. And and it was done so easily.

SPEAKER_01 3:24

That's a strange thing. Smiling passport control.

SPEAKER_02 3:26

We don't get many of them.

SPEAKER_01 3:28

We do not, indeed.

SPEAKER_02 3:29

That is true. That is true. So it was very, like, very um right from the minute, it just was kind of very chilled and very relaxed and very welcoming. So uh that that was lovely. It was really, really nice. Um, so yeah, I think that was for both of us. We were like, wow.

SPEAKER_01 3:45

That's yeah, that's straightforward.

SPEAKER_03 3:47

That sounds brilliant. And that's my you know, it's my stereotype I have of the Philippines. So it is excellent to hear that it is true for and it's true when it's really uh a beautiful, friendly place. Now I really want to go already.

SPEAKER_02 4:00

Yeah, you need to. You need to.

SPEAKER_03 4:01

I will, I will, I will, I will. Well, you've got to spend the next little while convincing me extra to go.

SPEAKER_02 4:06

So we'll do that. Okay, now more specifically, you spent 10 days in an eco-lodge uh in Moball, which is, if I'm right, a few hours like southwest of Cebu or we landed at Sabu City, so I think it's about 75 kilometers like southwest on the coast, which sounds like it's not very far away, but it takes you about four hours in a car because the traffic is a bit like crazy. Um, and it what's interesting, it's like crazy that but there's a lot it it felt a bit like barley, a bit but except there was more cars on the road, especially in Sebu City. Like it took us an hour to get from the airport or it from actually entering Cebu City on um when we left to actually get to the airport. It was crazy, a lot of traffic. Um, anyway, so that by the by, so we it you'd think that things are closer than they are, but it isn't, so you have to kind of take that into consideration.

SPEAKER_01 5:07

Yeah, no kind of even with the cars and the traffic, we saw nobody losing the temper, it's just all friendly.

SPEAKER_02 5:14

Yeah, we're gonna have to get it.

SPEAKER_01 5:15

I rate no R-8 drivers, and you know, even though it was congested and busy, nobody seemed to lose the temper that I saw.

ow Moalboal Became The Plan

SPEAKER_02 5:23

No, no, not at all. Anyway, so the story about how we ended up going there, because obviously we hadn't been there. So yeah, so um I was uh because I've got quite a few busy months ahead of travel, um, and I knew that was coming up. So Angie happened to so I've known Angie um and Simon who actually own and run Mobile Ecolodge, and I've known them for nine years. I've known Angie because she was a travel blogger and she still is, she's got feet to travel. Um, and she kind of got a whole gang of us together to support each other in those early days of blogging. Um, and I've kept in contact with Angie. Now, just between Christmas and New Year, she sent me a happy new year uh message on Facebook, and at the same time, we were kind of talking about just somewhere to go just for a relaxing trip. Yeah, and she sent me that message in the morning. By the end of the day, I'd booked the flights and um at nine nights at at the Eco Lodge. Um I just I just said to her, I kind of think I sent her a message going, Oh, what's the weather like in February? Um, have you got availability? And then she didn't get back to me, so I was like, Oh no, I'm gonna book these flights anyway. Because I looked online and was like, There's there's there's jet star flights now from Brisbane to to Cebo City, and it's like a six and a half hour flight. It's a no-brainer, we're just gonna go and do that. Um, so Doug hadn't even asked for the time off work at this point, and I had everything booked.

SPEAKER_01 6:46

I was not even involved in the conversation, to be truthful with you, until over over dinner that night. Oh, by the way, we're going to the Philippines. Oh, are we? Okay.

SPEAKER_02 6:55

But there is another kind of story to this. So I've known Angie for, like, I say nine years. So that was kind of immediate because and also she's been on on the podcast previously on episode 29, where she was talking about her journey, her and Simon's journey from they actually lived in the southwest of England, and they um their journey from there to selling up and moving to the Philippines and and building the Eco Lodge. So um I I kind of she'd been on and talked about that. So I was kind of really interested to see what they had created. Um, but also Angie supports the local animal um sanctuary in Mobile, and um, so I've been kind of following along with that, and um, so they they work really closely and support like the there's a Spain neuter clinic and then the sanctuary. Um, and then last year um she found some puppies at the end of the drive, and so they went, they looked, they were taking it at this the the animal welfare sanctuary, but she was like, Was anybody want to sponsor um one of the dogs? And then you can you can name the puppy. Um so at that point we we sponsored London. So I was kind of keen to meet London since we've been sponsored, and I since she was basically a small puppy. Um, she's just over about a year and a bit old now. She's been spayed, she's had all the injections, she's really looked after, really well cared for, but we just wanted to meet her, didn't we? We did, yeah, that's right. Um so that was kind of going to see Angie, going to see the ecology, going to meet London. It was kind of and we hadn't been there before, so and it was easy to get to, so it kind of ticked just loads of boxes.

SPEAKER_01 8:25

And I was intrigued about an eco-lodge, to be honest.

SPEAKER_03 8:28

Is it your first say in that kind of accommodation?

SPEAKER_01 8:32

Yes, for both of us. It was for both of us. So we're intrigued is exactly you know, you have an image in your head when somebody says eco-lodge. I wanted to see how that works out in reality.

SPEAKER_03 8:42

Yeah, well, tell me a bit more, like what was eco about this eco-lodge? Because there's lots of possibilities, I think.

SPEAKER_02 8:48

Yeah, well, and oh gosh, and I I don't want to let Angie down. So it's I want to be really, really kind of clear about like how like her and Simon have really gone into this kind of um, you know, to make everything eco uh sustainable. Um, and I know uh on her I look on her website as well, when she talks about it, she's saying like about eco-tourism and about kind of you know um how they kind of develop the eco-lodge and everything. And she's saying it about it not being a label for them. It's like daily practice and woven into everything that they've done around the lodge, about how they host it, um, and and everything about it. And um, when when we actually arrived, um Angie went through a whole load of kind of um like information about uh things like you know w water in the resort, because water is very precious, because it's it's they collect the rainwater and that's what they use in in the resort. So, you know, we had an outdoor shower, so it's um, you know, about like you know, wet yourself but then switch it off and then lather up the soap, then switch back on again because of the amount of water that can be wasted. Um, and everything, how they've done it and how they've built everything is really taken into consideration kind of the nature of you know, where the it's really is a kind of like immersed in nature as well, like the bamboo that everything is built with is locally sourced.

SPEAKER_01 10:13

It was focusing for us though, wasn't it?

SPEAKER_02 10:15

Yeah, it was. I mean, it just made us like think, but like they don't use any single-use practic um plastics whatsoever. Everything like they've got recycling bins for everything, like from the food, from the glass bottles, from cans, um, like everything's really thought out. And I was talking to Angie the other day, and she was thinking, like, she was saying to us that even the towels, she doesn't deliberately doesn't have white towels, she deliberately doesn't have white sheets. Um, because then again, like the for bleaching them and keeping them clean, like she doesn't want to have that with white ones where they get dirty, they're gonna be bleached. So she was thinking about that. So things like things air-dried, like the whole design of each of the the um the lodges that we stay in are uh is all done so it's like this is all so so done so thoughtfully. Everything's um like there's no air con, you've got fans, but it's done so that there's airflow. So you really feel like everything, it you really do feel like you're immersed in the whole nature. We had a gecko in in our in our uh lodge as well. Um it's set in like the gardens, um just everything like the support local businesses. So like we had um we we quite often would get a tricycle into or back from uh you know mobile if it, you know, because it's hot. So if I had some so we'd we'd we'd uh send a WhatsApp message um you know to Dante, who was a we would we are or Samson that we'd used to get the tricycles. So again, kind of supporting the local community, and also obviously they they work very hard um sponsoring and looking after um the dogs. Well, basically there's three things that um Angie does to support the dogs. Like one is she'll go around and then she'll give them tablets to help with the skin or any like we'll do worm in tablets. Obviously, she'll ask if if it's an own dog, she'll ask them before she does that. Um, she does that, she supports um spaying uh local dogs every month. So again, she'll go and if it's a stray dog or if it's someone an owned dog, she'll ask them. So I actually was very privileged enough to go to the spay clinic with two two local dogs that were spayed, and actually there were 38 dogs there that were spayed. It was amazing, it was an incredible experience. Um, and also she sponsors dogs as well. So um, and they have a little eco shop so that you if you buy anything from there, they give 10% goes to to the um animal welfare. Um, they also are really keen on like things like um the shark whale, you know, that are really kind of popular. The whale shark, I should say, not the shark whale.

SPEAKER_03 12:44

The whale sharks. You mean whale sharks?

SPEAKER_02 12:46

Yeah, whale sharks.

SPEAKER_01 12:47

It's a different species, it's a different species.

SPEAKER_02 12:50

Whale sharks, like the not encourage encouraging people not to go and dive with whale sharks because it's not uh a sustainable, it's not a good practice to do that. It's not uh you know, for a selfie, you can you know damage in the environment, it's not good for the whale shark. So they're kind of like keen on that sort of thing. But everything they do is is basically around mindful, everything is so mindful, yeah. Everything, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 13:13

And you know, the guests that were there arriving and leaving when we were there, everybody we spoke to seemed very open to the whole concept and listened and talked about as a theme for topic, you know, for conversation, yeah, for the other guests there that we spoke to, and so yeah, so it's very thought-provoking. I I saw, you know.

SPEAKER_02 13:31

Yeah, and I mean talking to Angie and Salmon is really interesting, like just the way they're thought through everything. And even now, like Angie's looking at constantly thinking about things, like for example, like the sheets and all that sort of when she was talking about that, and like the towels, so she was asking, like, do you want the towels changed? I'm like, no, because like she gives you a towel, like a bamboo towel rack to dry your towels on, so you don't need to change your towels, they're fine. And I said, Well, I wouldn't do it in a week at home, and uh same with my sheets, so I'll I don't need to do that here either. No, no, no, but even things like you know, you had an aluminum um water bottle and for each in the room, and then a water cooler so you can fill up the water. So again, not going out and buying plastic um bottles, um, you know, offering like the a cotton shopping bag so that we could use that rather than plastic, because they they do love giving plastic bags out in the shops. So it's it's all that. And um I think it's like just make you know making you think and about kind of um, you know, just even just the water, thinking about the water, how much water's wasted when you know they rely on rainwater. So if they've had if there's no rain, they don't have any water. So you've got to be really conscious about what you use.

SPEAKER_01 14:39

Yeah, and I think it's uh thought provoking and focusing when you leave as well.

SPEAKER_02 14:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 14:44

So here we are. Okay, we only have got home yesterday from from the trip, but I certainly think there's more thought-provoking gonna be for me. I'm pretty sure.

SPEAKER_02 14:54

Yeah, I mean we're pretty good in that. We like we're gonna be not we're not bad with that. We try, but uh and I think that's the thing is that as well that it it's it's taking some of those personal and seeing what you can over time put in your own in your own um in your own life and and think about kind of you know the just the impact really. Yeah, um but I just think it was it's it's just a great way to spend a trip, but it was just such a relaxing environment and so um just so I guess the nature as well. There's the nature around, and you know, you'd hear the geckos every night, and uh yeah, I mean it was and also where where it's located, you walk through to get into Mobile itself, um, you walk through a local village. Villages were so friendly, but again, like Angie's saying, you get it actually you're getting a glimpse of which not everybody does, um, you know, local life. Um meeting locals when you walk through, they're really friendly when we got lost. You're gonna know it that way. Um, which you don't, you know, you would not generally get the um ability to do that if you're staying in some, you know, yeah, big resort.

SPEAKER_03 16:04

Average resort, yeah, exactly. They uh they shield you from uh shield you as in, they uh try and keep uh keep those things apart, which is such a shame and not good for the local community at all.

SPEAKER_02 16:14

So yeah, no, exactly, exactly. And it was I mean it was really nice as well because like our the tricycle um guys that we had you know, Samson and and um Dante where they picked us up, it was great because we've gone, oh there's my house, and then we had to stop where Dante's and met his wife, and it was just love, it's just really lovely and asking, yeah, and it was really funny one night we would come back and they were and that Dante was like because it was Doug's birthday last week, and so Dante was like guessing our ages, and then he had to guess his age, and it was like it was just really good, like good fun, just like chatting about stuff.

SPEAKER_01 16:46

I was thinking even on the taxi drive when we first arrived, yeah, he stopped off and bought some dinner for him and his wife and family. So then we were driving down towards the Eco Lodge, he pulled over just so he could deliver his takeaway food for his wife and family set up for his dinner when he got in that evening. That's so sweet. Fair enough, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 17:05

Yeah, it's just so yeah, relaxed.

SPEAKER_02 17:07

It's yeah, yeah, chills out, really, really relaxed, isn't it? And um and Angie's got a really good, she's got you can go on the website and she's got more, she's always writing a new articles about this way of traveling and you know, about kind of this like nature, being immersed in nature and the advantages of that, and how they're constantly looking at kind of you know the eco sustainability and all that, that kind of really into making sure that they you know they support the local businesses, they do everything they they can to um you know as well educate as well about it. So really good.

SPEAKER_03 17:42

Definitely and like you said, Doug, the ongoing education because you leave and you keep thinking about it and you travel somewhere else and think about the things you learn.

SPEAKER_01 17:50

That's right. Yeah, I I think I think it does. I think it can change your I mean it's sort of sounds a bit dramatic and a bit uh a bit you know, bit out there, sort of thing, but I think it does. I think you that's part of travel full stop, you know. Your whole experience is wherever you go, is sort of not just opinions and culture, but also a way you live your own life.

SPEAKER_02 18:09

Yeah, totally. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think so. And I I think it's important. I'm just gonna I'm not gonna wanna how we hustle about it, but I think you know, we're living in a world where there are big um big powers and big players who are saying, Oh, there's no such thing as climate change, these things don't exist, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And it's like we're all living it, we all know that it's happening. Um, and so and and I and I've heard the argument, oh, well, if these big countries don't do something, why should I do something? And it's kind of like, well, we all have responsibility, we all live on this this planet. So, you know, even if you just do something small, it can make a difference. And you know, uh it's like it's not saying that we're always gonna stay in an ecological because we do like the other hotels that we go and stay to as well. We do like sometimes a little bit of luxury, and you know, sometimes we like a bit of aircon, but it doesn't mean that you can't experience this and take away from it as well.

omfort Levels And Who It Suits

SPEAKER_03 19:03

Yeah, that's absolutely true. Yeah, yep. Yeah, I think that's fabulous. Uh so yeah, the we're mentioning luxury. So I this place sounds like my perfect kind of place to stay. I hate aircon anyway. I'm, you know, obviously I run the Thoughtful Travel podcast, so I am into the all of the sustainability side, the commitment to local communities, all of it is perfect. But I think that I'm not the most typical traveller. So what would you say to people who are used used to a bit more luxury? Do you think that they'd still be, you know, is it still a place that people would like to go? And what should they kind of know in advance?

SPEAKER_02 19:39

I think so. I think it suits honestly, it's it's adults only at their resort, so that's the first thing to say. That is there's no children um under 18. So I think it's it's there's only six people at this at their resort at the moment. They have three lodges, so it's small. Um, it's a great place to just go and relax. If you love nature, it's a fantastic place to go and enjoy the nature. They've got in they've got kind of one, I don't know what to call it, like the like a big kind of main lodge kind of area where it's got a kitchen, a sit-in area, and then you go upstairs and up the bamboo stairs, and they've got a uh hammock deck. So if you want to go like we did and chill out for 10 days and relax, it's a great place to go. I mean, we met when we were there, we met couples from all over the world. There was a lot from um Europe, Belgium, Belgium, yeah, Swiss, um, English. Um, there was you know, going and spending a few nights there. Um, I just think it's a really great place to go if you want to relax and just spend some time together. Actually, Angie put on her Instagram yesterday a picture of Doug and I in the hammocks, and she says it's great for couples therapy. You know what? And it really is because we just relaxed and chill. I don't think we argued once more there. We've been back 24 hours and we've argued twice. So there you go. So actually, we need to go back, but it's true, it really does work.

SPEAKER_01 21:02

I will add whatever your previous holiday experience and expectations, because I'm not gonna lie, I like my creature comforts, um, but it's having that open-mindedness to actually try something different, maybe a little bit out of your comfort zone, and it's no bad thing for anybody traveling.

SPEAKER_03 21:20

Yeah, fully agree. Yep. Great point.

SPEAKER_02 21:23

Absolutely, and you know what, I think it only enriches it anyway. I think having having, and we were talking about this with Angie and Simon the other day, it's like obviously sometimes they like to have a bit of luxury when they travel, and we all, you know, they've traveled, they've traveled very basically for a long time while they were saving up money and stuff. And and and so I think having it having a variety of experiences is really useful. I think it just can so like if you're used to a five star and you think, oh, I can't, I can't, I don't want to do this, I want to try this, I would just challenge it, do it, go there, try it. Um, because I think you will really thoroughly enjoy it.

SPEAKER_01 21:59

I do too. Yeah. I do too.

ood Finds And Daily Life

SPEAKER_03 22:01

Yeah. Variety is excellent, I agree. Uh now, what did you learn? I want to know a bit more about the Philippines in general. So you were obviously, you know, mostly in one spot, but did you learn some stuff about the Filipino culture, food, or what kind of things did you do?

SPEAKER_01 22:17

Well, I've worked with uh Filipinos um nurses mainly uh in the UK and in Australia. And I've always known friendly people and I've tried some Filipino food in the past, which has also been delicious. So I was keen to sort of see what it'd be back like in their homeland, and I was not disappointed on either front.

SPEAKER_03 22:37

Wonderful.

SPEAKER_01 22:38

Truthfully.

SPEAKER_03 22:38

I don't know much about Filipino food. Could you give me a little taste test of what's in the uh not names of, no, but usually try the food.

SPEAKER_01 22:49

Oh, that's lovely. What was that called?

SPEAKER_03 22:51

That's yeah, that's that's fair, that's fair. Are we talking like curries or rice dishes or salads or what's sort of their what's their main fair?

SPEAKER_01 22:59

A bit of all the above, really, to be truthful with it. There's one dish I took a fancy to. It was like a savory white sauce with chicken and pineapple.

SPEAKER_02 23:08

Pineapple, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 23:08

Oh absolutely lovely. And I'm trying to remember the name of it and I can't.

SPEAKER_02 23:12

Well, we've we did write it down, but um I I I don't want to murder massacre it because I would do, but that was really good. Um, and they there a lot of uh we did like the mango float, so that because I get lots of mangoes, the fruit was really, really good, yeah. Um I really like um pork, so they do this kind of roast um pork knuckle, and that's called crispy patter. Probably pronounced that wrong. Um, but I tried that and I had that with garlic rice, which is kind of traditional. That was really, really good. Actually, it was a lot, a lot of meat. We we both we shared that, didn't we? It was really, really good. Um, we tried lots of different food when we were there there, because there was a lot of kind of different we had we had Thai, we had Chinese, we had Filipino. Yeah, we did. Um we went to those. Yeah, we had yeah, so we tried lots of lots of different food. Um but we did we went to um a place called Ven's Ven's in Mobile, which um does really good um Filipino food, and that's where we had the the crispy pata and Doug had that um the creamy dish with the chicken and in fact they came and asked if I liked the pork because she was like this is our signature dish, and I went, Oh no, it was really, really nano.

SPEAKER_01 24:20

Some of the nanock, was it?

SPEAKER_02 24:22

Piny Yahang N Ninock, I think it is. There I've probably spelled that comp said that completely wrong. We did ask him and try to pronounce it a few times to get it right. Um, but it was it was really it was really good. I mean the food was really good. We I mean we we we every night we're going which one should we eat tonight? Yeah, that's right. Yeah, it was so much choice.

SPEAKER_01 24:42

All served with a smile, I have to tell you.

SPEAKER_02 24:44

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 24:45

Sounds amazing.

SPEAKER_02 24:46

The other thing that was really interesting about the culture, which Doug can and knew, but I wasn't, it was just how big music and karaoke is in the Philippines. Wonderful. Like honestly, like the local village beside us would the the music and everybody in the mus in the village would share it. So one um one boom box or whatever was was on loud from like five five or six a.m.

SPEAKER_04 25:08

they'd put it on in the morning.

SPEAKER_02 25:09

Um and then the music would be kind of going until I don't know, maybe nine-ish at night. Um, and it we're we're just kind of talking about that, and because the people in the village just don't have televisions, but they have the music and the kind of which is a really kind of good social um way to socialize. But also when we're talking to um uh Dante about the music and the love of karaoke, and he was saying, Oh yeah, every Filipino house has like a has a karaoke machine. Um and he said though while karaoke comes from Japan, the actual machine was developed in the Philippines and everyone loved it, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 25:44

Cool, I did not know that.

SPEAKER_02 25:45

So he was yeah, so he was talking about his favorite songs. Well, he he went and I was like, Oh, we can't sing, but apparently it doesn't really matter if you can sing.

SPEAKER_03 25:52

It does not matter for a karaoke, it is not about not about voices, it's about having fun. Yeah, yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_01 25:58

Maybe smart his favorite singer was Frank Sinatra. That's gorgeous. I said, Well, that guy could sing.

SPEAKER_03 26:05

Absolutely, yes.

araoke Mornings And Cultural Surprises

SPEAKER_02 26:08

Yeah, no, it was good. And I think you know, the other a couple of other things that I didn't expect, which um one probably um well, I'm not gonna judge it because it's it's not my culture, but in the Filipino culture, there's a lot of cockfighting, so cockerels everywhere. Cockerels I've never seen, I did not know this, but they are they are just just hundreds, hundreds of cockerels, like everywhere with just cockerels because of cock fighting.

SPEAKER_01 26:31

So that was you can hear them, trust me, you can hear them, right?

SPEAKER_02 26:33

Because the first time we walked through the village, I was like, why is there like a hundred cockerels here? What's gonna? And then I was talking to her, and she said, Yeah, it's like a traditional uh is cock fighting. And again, we're talking to our the tricycle drivers about that, and they were kind of saying, Have you been to a cockfight? And we're like, uh no, uh not not something for us, but we understand obviously it's a it's something that's important for their in their culture. Apparently they can make quite a lot of money from it, so for them it's kind of a you know, you kind of it's just one of these things, you you can't it's a cultural thing and it's it's you know, that's how it is. But um one thing uh we did see as well in terms of kind of I I guess turn it on the head because cockerels you kind of can cock fighting, not not particularly great, but what we did see is like how um there's dogs everywhere. I've never I've never seen so many dogs anywhere as I have in the Philippines. I really haven't, but how much um care we saw um towards a lot of the dogs was amazing. Like there was a lot of um, you know, people taking the dogs to be spayed and and the spay clinic, they will support like lower income uh families if they can't afford to have it done. Um I'm not saying that so across the board that all the dogs have been looked at just nowhere. There's a lot of street dogs and there's a lot of issues with puppies, and uh, and that is something that Angie's doing when she goes out and kind of treats the dogs for mange and stuff. But we did it, it seems to be like a they are a dog-loving country. Yeah, um, I think just that the problem has got out of hand in that there are so many, which is why it's so so important. Um, the work that Angie's doing, the work that the mobile welfare is doing, the work that the Spay and Utah Clinic is doing, and the volunteers. Yeah, the volunteers that help, um, it's really, really important. And I I will say that I am gonna put a link on, I'm gonna put pictures on, I'm gonna put a link on because I really, really, really want to encourage if you're listening to this podcast, you are a dog lover and you want to support. Now, whether that is you want to sponsor a dog, now I will say if you're gonna sponsor a dog, it's for the life of the dog, it's not just for like six months until it grows up. It's you're gonna support that dog for life, so that's a commitment. If you don't want to do that, but you want to um contribute to spaying or nutrition a dog, pref preferably spaying because I prefer to get to the um spay the bitches, it's it's just better. Um, then you can do that. You can make a donation. Um, at the spay clinic for each dog that is spayed, they will then do a street dog for free. Um so that's also you know that that's happening. Um, I mean that spay clinic that I was at, only six dogs were paid for. So there were 38 dogs spayed. So 32, so actually 2026 were paid for, so by the action. Um yeah, exactly. So I think it's really, really important. Super important yeah, to do that. And um, and also Angela's work as well, going around and and giving the dogs medication is also really important. And again, that just the educating about making sure that you know if you do have a female dog that you get it spayed so that it's not round after round after round after round of puppies. Yeah, um, yeah, so there's a lot of work being done on that. Um, but the people that I met who are caring for the dogs and looking after the dogs, they're just an amazing job. Really? Really amazing job, yeah.

ractical Tips On Money And Safety

SPEAKER_03 29:44

Yeah, wonderful. Brilliant. Okay, I'm learning lots. Um, now a bit about the practical side of things. Are there kind of some logistics tips or tricks, or you know, what's the the best way to deal with money, or phone, Wi-Fi, getting around. Tell me some more if I'm going to the Philippines.

SPEAKER_02 30:02

Um, okay, well, I would say um cash is important. It's very much cash king uh culture still there, so it's the pesos. Um Filipino pesos can be a bit difficult to get out of the ATM. Like there's a limit of about 10,000, and uh a couple of times we I think you've got 5,000 or 6,000.

SPEAKER_01 30:21

Because there's a little fee there was, so yeah, you couldn't get the 10,000 out. Five was the maximum each time.

SPEAKER_02 30:27

Yeah, otherwise that the machine just worked.

SPEAKER_01 30:29

I could adjust that machine or for that area.

SPEAKER_02 30:31

And some of the machine, I know another machine our card didn't fit into, so I'd just be like, you you know, you're gonna need cash, but you can't you need to get it when you get in the Philippines, that's one thing. Yeah, um, because you're gonna be paying cash for most things. I don't think I used my card outside of Cebu City, it was literally just cash at that point. Um now it's not a tip in culture, because we did ask about that because obviously a driver, but um, we were sure it wasn't a tip in culture. But um, you know, if you want to give a a few hundred pesos at the end of a trip, then um I'm you know, if you've had a uh tricycle ride or a taxi ride, I'm sure they're not they won't they're not gonna say no. Um we found WhatsApp was really useful to communicate with everybody, like our drivers, like the tricycle drivers, we just send them a message on WhatsApp um and they come and pick us up so that we use that. Um Doug didn't have any any uh data, well, did you?

SPEAKER_01 31:20

No. All these millions of people wanting to wish me happy birth. I had to wait until I got back. Oh my 10 people. Oh I like how did you survive with no data?

SPEAKER_03 31:34

That's hard.

SPEAKER_02 31:35

Um well I had a full head of hair when I got there and I left and maybe I um yeah, so well I had I did have a I had a a Sailie EasyM which were which worked for me.

SPEAKER_01 31:48

So Wi-Fi at the co-large worked.

SPEAKER_03 31:51

Oh okay.

SPEAKER_02 31:52

Yeah, perfect. That's fine, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 31:54

Easy.

SPEAKER_02 31:55

Yeah, so I'll manage with that.

SPEAKER_01 31:56

I had a few places we visited as well. Uh they had local uh Wi-Fi as well, but VPN use for safety.

SPEAKER_02 32:05

I'd it's hot. I'd also say it's hot. Yeah, how hot?

SPEAKER_03 32:08

What sort of temperatures and humid? Oh, it was hot. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 32:11

It was hot and humid. Yeah, I mean we've just come back to Brisbane where it's hot and it was hot there. So I I I don't think it's been that different. No, um so yeah, quite humid. But what was really nice is when we again went on that the on the uh hammock deck, there's a little bit more of a breeze up there, so it was it was really nice. And actually, we didn't um I mean we haven't got air con on our bedroom here, so it's no different for when we're over there. We had the fans, um, and as they're like because of the bamboo floor and like the like trellison, you had a breeze, there was airflow, so you so you didn't feel didn't feel too hot. Um, I know um well one thing when we did get there, Andrew was just asking us about like what sprays we had, like did they have DEET in because of like the so we didn't. I I actually used I've got a uh mosquito repant that actually came from the UK, which is um like animal free, it wasn't tested on animals and stuff like that, so didn't have anything bad in it because there were a few mosquitoes and stuff, but she was just saying like things like deet will um because all all the the floors are varnished. She's like, you know, it'll melt melt the varnish. We were like, whoa.

SPEAKER_01 33:16

Um yeah, which is it's crazy, but still for sun cream, sun blocks, and any bug spray. Um still put on away uh well away from the buildings, yeah. Yeah, no point of doing that.

SPEAKER_02 33:28

Yeah, um yeah, and I'm trying to think really uh we yeah, um shoes off.

SPEAKER_01 33:34

Yeah, well the culture is you you take your footwear off when you walk on the bamboo floors, yeah. So we did that.

SPEAKER_02 33:40

Yeah, yeah.

unknown 33:40

Cool.

SPEAKER_02 33:41

Um, but I'm trying to think of any other tips. I don't think so. I mean we got safety, especially in the city. Um, well, I we didn't feel there was no issues at all in Mobile. In fact, we felt really safe, and as Angie said, you can walk and no issues whatsoever. In Sebu City, it was we were absolutely fine. The one thing we were a bit surprised about, we went because we stayed, we arrived quite late the first day, so we stayed overnight in Sebu City and um we weren't getting picked up till 12.30 by the driver to go to uh Mobile. So we went to the Shopman Centre, and the Shopman Center, as the Shopman Center opened, you had to go through that and scan you, check in a big sign saying no guns. And we were like, What? Um so we yeah, we were a bit we were a bit surprised about that, weren't we? Um but otherwise we didn't feel unsafe at all. No, not at all. Not at all.

SPEAKER_03 34:27

Brilliant. Excellent. Um, not obviously the people were helpful, so if you ever had any worries, you could uh feel like someone would help you out.

SPEAKER_02 34:35

Yeah, yeah, absolutely, really helpful.

SPEAKER_01 34:37

Of course, English is um you know official language. Official language, uh everybody spoke very good English. Oh yeah, I wanted to ask you that.

SPEAKER_03 34:44

So everyone, even in a small village, like everyone speaks some English or good English or Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 34:49

I mean, Tracy's from the northeast of England, so English isn't always uh the most clear. Sorry, anybody from Newcastle. Excuse me.

SPEAKER_02 34:58

Excuse me. No, everybody spoke. I mean, we did try to learn a a a a few words. Salamat for thank you, but we weren't very we weren't very good. I have to say, normally we do try to learn a bit more. I don't know if I'm I'm saying that it's my age that I just can't remember.

SPEAKER_01 35:14

I think part of that is because everybody wanted to speak English as well.

SPEAKER_03 35:17

When you know they can as well, then it's yeah, it's easy to do. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 35:22

But I usually try to learn please and thank you um as well in the language. Just because it's like just again, trying. Yeah, you know, and it only needs a few words, so so um we did that. But um, yeah, I mean it it it was a good first visit. Yeah, I really enjoyed it.

hy We Want To Return

SPEAKER_03 35:38

That's my next question now. So, do you want to go back to the Philippines? And are there other areas you think you want to go? What have you heard about? Because it's like a lot of people.

SPEAKER_01 35:45

I'm certainly going back at some point. Definitely go back at some point, no question of that.

SPEAKER_02 35:49

Yeah, well, hopefully we're gonna go back and dog sit for um for Ange and Simon at some point so they can have a bit of a break. Because they've got three dogs that they've adopted um since they've been there. So obviously for them it's a bit more restrictive to leave because they've got the three dogs. So we you know, at some point we said we'll we're happy to go and um and and dog sit and mobile ecologsit. Yeah. Um so that would be really good. Um, it's just a perfect place to go if you want to just go and relax. There's a lot of things to do in mobile, there's lots of things to do in there that we didn't do, but we specifically went to relax and just I kinda find out a little bit about the Philippines and explore and just have that rather than go to say, you know, tick stuff off. We know there's a lot of like good diving, there's a good snorkeling, and that's the sardine run I know, which has dug something that he'd like to do.

SPEAKER_01 36:41

Oh, yeah, I missed it this time because I was being too lazy staying in the hammock. So my uh snorkels had a a you know a holiday to the Philippines and back without getting wet. So yeah, if Duke could drag himself out of the hammock, uh that is definitely on the agenda next time. Right.

SPEAKER_02 36:59

Yeah, and um, I think we'd like to go and see some of the other islands as well. I think there's like 2,000 islands in the Philippines. There's a there's a lot of islands. So um I think um Bahol is where we've been told is really, really good to go to. So I think if we do anything next time, um we'll we'd we'd speak to Angie and Simon anyway, because obviously they're they're experienced about traveling around. So um, and I know they'd helped quite a few people who were staying in terms of uh the best way to get to different islands because there's different ways to like ferries to get instead of having to go back to Sebo City from them. There was a kind of closer ferry, I think. Um so yeah, I I would ask them, and I did actually before we even went, I sent I said to Andrew, these are the kind of questions I've got about like what should we what should we wear? What about money? What about tipping? What about all that stuff? So she she's got articles and all of that. So I kind of read through. Um, I mean, literally, we just lived in shorts, shorts and t-shirt. It was it's just it was really, really hot. Um a few people said to us, Oh, we're surprised you got in February because of the weather. And I'm like, well, it's not, it's high season. The it's not cyclone season, not typhoon season. Um, it's actually high season. I think we had one day of rain, but again, it's El Nina at the moment, so that can have an impact on on that kind of uh weather pattern. Um, but otherwise it was it was it was really good. We didn't have any any issues whatsoever. Just hot.

SPEAKER_03 38:23

Which is normal there, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 38:25

Yeah, exactly. Exactly. So uh, but yeah, nothing nothing untoward. But I think um, yeah, I mean there was just there's just so much we enjoyed about it. I think it was good.

SPEAKER_03 38:35

Sounds amazing. Okay, well, I think I was kind of sold already before we chatted, but now I'm doubly sold. So I will get there. It's not all that far from Australia to get up to the Philippines. So it's always been somewhere that I've kind of been thinking about and just never made it. So yeah, now I've got an extra reason to try.

SPEAKER_02 38:55

Well, honestly, we were in exactly the same boat, and it if if Angie just happened to send me that message at exactly the right time when I was thinking, where should we go? And I was just like, Hey, it's six and a half hours away. There's a door in the no a no-brainer. Yeah, um, yeah, and and somewhere new to go and see and um and experience do some good as well, like you've had a yeah, well, yeah, absolutely. Go and experience something different and and uh and you know, try something different and enjoy something different. I think Doug and I are very much the type of travelers who will try experience, um you know, we're flexible, we want to know, we we we're also nosy. Like I say, you're you know, you're nosy. We're nosy, that's why we do what we do on the city.

SPEAKER_03 39:46

Curious, Tracy, I call it.

SPEAKER_02 39:48

Okay, you're curious. Exactly. Um, because we want to know, and um and and and so you know, perfect way to do it. As I said, I spoke to Angie um a few a few episodes ago on the podcast, and she was talking all about that journey. I followed that journey, and now I see that kind of end product on where they're at and and the amazing things that they're doing and mobile, the amazing resort they've created, um, the amazing impact that they're having. Just they're fantastic, wonderful people, uh genuine people.

SPEAKER_03 40:23

Um so you know, you go not only, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 40:26

Yeah, exactly. Um, so we it's just like it's fantastic to see what they're doing, doing so well.

SPEAKER_01 40:32

Yeah. Um when Sam and Nanji listen to this, thank you very much for making our experience on the Philippines, our first trip absolutely magical. Thank you.

SPEAKER_03 40:41

Absolutely, absolutely, thank you guys. And I'll be there soon. Actually, I have to wait, I have to wait till my kid turns 18 by the sounds of it. But it's not that far away. So come and I'll be there.

SPEAKER_02 40:52

Yeah, we've got yeah, yeah, absolutely. And um, yeah, yeah, just just go and explore and enjoy it. And um, if you want somewhere to relax, that's that's where they go.

SPEAKER_01 41:02

That's right. Sounds brilliant. Now I've sussed the hammocks out, I know what I'm doing.

SPEAKER_02 41:06

Yeah, it got in and fell out.

SPEAKER_01 41:09

It moved.

SPEAKER_03 41:11

Yeah, hammocks do move. That's one of the like killing points of them. Right.

SPEAKER_01 41:16

It's not easy with a cup of tea in your hand, but you know, you manage. Yeah, that is a bit of a juggling actor.

SPEAKER_03 41:22

I'm sure you got used to it. That's a good skill you can now add to your resume.

SPEAKER_01 41:26

So very adaptable. As long as I can adapt with a cup of tea in my hand, I'm usually happy.

ammocks Outdoor Showers And Highlights

SPEAKER_02 41:32

I was gonna say as well that we we did have because because uh Angela and Simon do um breakfast, so you can have a breakfast. They do actually vegan and vegetarian options, so if you're vegan and vegetarian, you can have that. Um but we also we enjoyed that with the the breakfast and the cup of tea and the bringing the break. So we did that a few mornings, which was also really lovely that they they brought that down and we um we sat on the deck having the having our having our toast and uh omelette and a cup of tea. Yeah, which yeah, and the other couple, yeah, the other couples that were staying in. Because we were there longer than quite a lot, so we're meeting people as they were coming and going, which is which was really cool as well. Um so of course, staying in Eco launch, as you you know mentioned, there's loads of highlights that we want to make sure that we cover. Um we've talked about the hammocks, which were just so amazing, weren't there?

SPEAKER_01 42:17

Yeah, I've always been a little bit confused about hammocks because they're an accident waiting to happen. But once I've got my head around, not literally my head around it, so actually managed to get into the hammock. Okay, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 42:29

Yeah, just so relaxing. Um, another thing we absolutely loved is that outside outdoor shower.

SPEAKER_01 42:36

Yeah, that's that's quite a thing, isn't it? Yeah. I mean, what better way to be sort of feeling next to some nature to be showering outside? Showering outside, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 42:46

Yeah, so that was absolutely fantastic. Loved the outdoor shower, it was just amazing. That is attached, so you just go down steps from inside your um lodge itself down into the yeah, and we're mindful to do it correctly. Yep.

SPEAKER_01 42:57

Well just uh turn the shower off, wet yourself, then turn the shower off. Yeah, preserve the water.

SPEAKER_02 43:03

Yeah, then yeah, get the soap on and then shower on again because yeah, preserving the water. But it was great, and it was it was really cool in as well when it was hot to have a lovely cool shower outside. Um, so that was a real I loved that. It was a both highlight, we both loved that. We both loved the the hammock deck, it was just amazing. Um, and it was really actually so relaxing because we could work in the morning, yeah, um, and then in the afternoon, so we could work a bit in the morning and have a bit of sway on the hammock deck, but a cup of tea.

SPEAKER_01 43:28

I used to do my videos for YouTube.

SPEAKER_02 43:30

Yeah, you were, and then going out in the afternoon and well going out having some lunch and then having a walk around Mobile itself. It was it was absolutely fantastic. It was um and also, as I mentioned, like part of what Mobile Ecology do as well is they support the the local community and they work very hard um to support the um um the local dog uh animal welfare sanctuary, um, which I've mentioned before we we sponsor a dog London at the sanctuary. So um it was lovely for um and it Take me along there so I could actually meet London for the first time. So went with Angie the first time and met London and her sisters Lindy and Poe, which was fantastic. And had a look around. I think it was 118 dogs at that point when I was there a couple of weeks ago. They have they're looking after, which is which is incredible. And then you went the second time with me as well, didn't you?

SPEAKER_01 44:19

I did. And I was a little bit uh a little bit emotional because uh London reminds me of a dog I used to have many years ago as well. So she's very sweet. Similar colourings, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 44:28

Yeah, so very, very sweet. And also, um, as I mentioned before, part of what Angie does is they're um, you know, helping well taking some dogs to the spay clinic every month, uh, which they pay for. Um, so I was lucky enough to um go with Ange to the spay clinic and see um just the amazing work that they're doing there every month um to to spay uh local dogs and um the obviously people from the local community bringing in the dogs to be spayed as well, but they did go and um collect um stray dogs from the area as well and brought those in, and then they were all spayed on this day. So I think it was I think when we're talking about 38 dogs.

SPEAKER_01 45:06

You can see how Angie's uh known by the locals and a reputation. Um, you know, amount of people came over chatting to her, so she's respected in the community.

SPEAKER_02 45:15

Absolutely, yeah. Um, and just doing amazing, amazing work. Yeah, that so it's just fantastic. They do such a fantastic job. So those are really the highlights of I mean, there's just so much just that actually staying in the the the each I mean, just the lodge was so it's so different to anything we ever stayed in before. It's lovely.

SPEAKER_01 45:32

That's right, it was as we mentioned it's just different, but we're open-minded to try different things.

SPEAKER_02 45:36

Yeah, no, it was fantastic, like the bamboo floor, and so the airflow, so you didn't need air corn, you just had the fans, which was absolutely fine.

SPEAKER_01 45:43

Um just another one of my highlights, believe it or not, was the uh the trike drivers, Dante and uh Samson. Yeah, because it's just nice people, and you know, locals and sports in the local industry, just nice people to talk to.

SPEAKER_02 45:56

Absolutely, and just fantastic to meet.

SPEAKER_01 45:58

Thoroughly enjoyed that.

SPEAKER_02 46:00

Um, yeah, and of course the food was the highlight, it was just we absolutely love the food.

SPEAKER_01 46:03

We love the food, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 46:05

So that was good. Um, but also we enjoyed the breakfast that Simon made us lovely breakfast. We had the breakfast. Yeah, absolutely, and uh lots of cups of tea on the on the uh hammock deck. So that was absolutely fantastic. So yeah, absolutely wonderful. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 46:19

Oh, fabulous. All right, well, you've sold me. Thank you very much. It was very lovely to chat with you.

inks Support And Sign Off

SPEAKER_02 46:25

Thank you. Uh, thanks, Amanda. Thanks so much for coming on to the episode and um and asking us all these questions. And um I will say, um, for if you're listening and you want to sponsor a dog or you want to pay for a um spaying of a dog, I will put, as I say, I'm gonna put all those links in the show notes, which are at globaltravelplanning.com forward slash episode 92. I'm obviously gonna put a link as well to Morbo Ecolodge. Book it, go to the Philippines, go and stay with Angie and Simon and have a fantastic time. They've done a wonderful, wonderful people, wonderful, friendly reception in the Philippines. And I say go and experience something different. If ecology, like for us, it was something new, go and experience it because you're gonna love it.

SPEAKER_01 47:08

Definitely.

SPEAKER_02 47:09

Thanks very much again, Amanda, for interviewing us for this podcast. It's always fantastic to talk to you, anyway. Always good to chat. And I will put a link to your podcast as well in the show notes as well, as always, to um yeah, go and listen to Amanda as well, Thoughtful Travel Podcast. Excellent podcast. Thanks, Amanda.

SPEAKER_03 47:27

Thank you both. Lovely to chat. Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 47:29

And I will sign off now with the usual thing that we say at the end of every podcast, which is happy global travel planning. Thank you for joining us on this episode of the Global Travel Planning Podcast. For more details and links to everything we discussed today, check out the show notes at globaltravelplanning.com. Remember, if you enjoyed the show, please consider leaving us a review on your favourite podcast app because your feedback helps us reach more travel enthusiasts just like you. Anyway, that leaves me to say, as always, happy global travel planning!