Shopping in the Philippines offers the tourist or foreigner an interesting experience. The first thing to understand is that you will not be able to buy all of the same specific products and brands as you can back in your country although you might find a number of them.

Clothing is one thing that is quite abundant in the Philippines. I think of a lot of clothes get dumped off in the Philippines from surrounding countries like China. You will find brand name clothing at usually cheaper prices than in Australia or the USA etc. You can also buy pretty good clothes at very affordable prices in departments stores. Outdoor independent shops are everywhere in the cities and bargains could be found in these but be careful you don’t pay more than it is worth.

The shopping malls are pretty good in the large cities like Manila and Cebu. These malls are often larger than ones you will see in your own country. The Ayala mall in Cebu is quite a well designed shopping place with it’s range of shops and the balconies going up several floors with restaurants lighting the place up in the evening for a great indoor/outdoor dining experience.

Once you head out into the provinces then the shopping becomes a whole lot different, larger provinces have a small supermarket/department store called Gaisano but all there will be besides that might be a market and a few home run shops scattered here & there.

Food options can be a mix of good restaurants to Mum& Pop home diners offering left over soups and rice sold outside their window. These places need to be treated with caution to the new traveler.

I find the b-b-qs are a good way to enjoy the outdoor food and you know what is in it, usually just chicken and corn or whatever you order. Pork and fish are the main meats eaten, fruit and veggies are easy to buy in the local markets.

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