Today, we start with a brand-new series called Q&A Tuesdays. Our editors pick a question sent in by our readers from all over the world and provide an answer to the best of their knowledge and abilities.
There are no specific criteria to the kind of questions that could be sent in, so anything goes.
For the first edition of Q&A Tuesdays, we pick a question by a reader from Germany:
I will be spending the next eight months traveling around Southeast Asia, including of course the Philippines. While on the road, I plan of carrying on my web-based job in order to finance my travels and sustain my needs. What does a backpacker slash digital nomad like myself need to keep in mind before going to the Philippines?
- Rosa (Germany)
The Philippines is a fairly popular choice for backpackers. This is due in large part to the country's exotic tropical allure. In fact, the Philippines is renowned the world over for its pristine white sand beaches, lush rainforests, unique topography, diverse marine wildlife, and of course, its friendly people.
It's no wonder then that the country manages to attract millions of foreign tourists each year. Among these include digital nomads who derive their income by working through their tech devices anywhere on the planet so long as there is a functioning Internet service.
Alas, if there is anything the Philippines is infamous for, it's its terrible Internet connectivity.
Studies after studies show how the Philippines lags behind the rest of the world when it comes to Internet speed. This is atrributable to many factors, including the duopoly of the Internet market by two corporations which results in the deincentivization of innovation, the lack of government support, dismal cable connection due to the archipelagic nature of the country, bureaucratic inefficiency, and frequent occurrence of natural disasters, among others.
While Internet connection does not pose much of a problem in urban areas, it becomes a concern in far-flung provinces and remote islands, where the Internet service could go from weak to inexistent.
So what's a digital nomad to do then? We break down your options here:
1. Manage your expectations and your workload.
If your job involves regularly uploading files in gigabytes, this may be a problem, particularly when you are in the rural countryside. The country's 3G network, which drops to 2G and HSPA at regular intervals, is not built to withstand the rigors of heavy Internet usage. This means you cannot use your phone's tethering function to download or upload huge files without wasting time or incurring huge costs.
So reserve your local SIM for social media, emails, and casual browsing. For serious work, consider availing of a portable wifi modem. This is available at airports, malls, and tech stalls scattered all over.
Although not perfect, portable wifi modems provide better signal reception and more stable Internet connection, resulting in faster download/upload speeds.
Pro tip: Internet speed is noticeably much faster during off peak hours from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. the following day.
2. In the Philippines, going from one destination to the next entails a lot of travel.
Make sure to take into account the time it takes to reach your destinations. Know that the Philippines is an archipelago with more than 7,000 islands, so going to the next item on your itinerary may entail a jeepney or tricycle ride over land, ferry or boat ride by water, or a flight or two.
The surreal tropical sights more than make up for this hassle, but know that it's not easy. Plan carefully and book tickets in advance if you can.
3. Book hostels with positive feedback from previous guests.
There isn't as big a hostel culture in the Philippines compared to other Southeast Asian destinations like Thailand or Vietnam, but there are places that provide services catering specifically to backpackers' needs.
In recent years, there has also been a considerable growth in AirBNB usage, apartment rentals, and bed and breakfasts.
Before booking, check out reviews. Reading other people's prior experiences will help you determine which accommodations provide better service and which ones don't.
4. Consider the weather.
It is summer the whole year round in the Philippines. There are, however, two pronounced summers: the hot and dry summer from January to May and the wet summer from June to December.
Dry summer, with long sun-drenched days, is considered the peak season of traveling, particularly the months of April and May when price of accommodations surge upwards to 30% and hotels are almost always fully booked. This period coincides with school break, so it's when most families go on vacation.
Wet summer is the off peak season of travel. It's when the southwest monsoon and typhoons batter the country with incessant rains and strong winds, resulting in flight and sea voyage cancellations, school suspensions, and road closures. It's when hotel rates are at their cheapest, too.
5. Make urban centers your travel hub.
Cities in the Philippines ar densely populated and plagued with the ills of urban life: congested roads and bottleneck traffic, noise pollution, and lack of decent mass transportation. But they offer virtually everything you need on a 24/7 basis, so tit for tat.
Apart from convenience stores, gyms, and fast food restaurants running 24/7, cities are also hosts to workspaces. Here you can set up base while catching up on work, resting from a hectic trip, or planning the next leg of your journey.
Admittedly, the Philippines is not the easiest to travel to. The fact that it is an archipelago detached from mainland Southeast Asia, as well as its rambunctious political situation, confounds this problem even more.
But those who dare to visit are often rewarded with vistas and panoramas that are simply out of this world, not to mention unique experiences that are by turns enriching, educational, and unforgettable.
Have a safe and productive trip to the Philippines!
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Got a question yourself? Post it in the comments section below or on any of our social media channels. Watch out for the next edition of Q&A Tuesdays next week!