50 miles north of Manila is Angeles City, known primarily as the Philippines’ gogo bar headquarters. Here, along the 4 block stretch of Fields Avenue, you’ll find dozens of bars with dancing girls, most of whom are available for companionship.
Compared to the nightlife in Bangkok, Angeles clubs don’t offer as wide a range of anatomical options, provider-wise, but the girls are generally friendly and engaging. But also by comparison, drinks are cheaper (95 peso – $1USD beers, or 150 lady drinks), meaning that bar-hopping here is more cost-effective: grab a couple of sips and you can leave, and it costs very little to visit much of the street, and not be totally inebriated at the end of your evening.
Two of the friendliest bars we found were Voodoo and Angelwitch, both run by Derek Hewitt, who also runs the Kokomo Hotel. Derek gives his guests a few rules of survival here, and they’re worth noting. For the most part, they’re appropriate for any adult district in any part of the world, as well:
1 Carry just a little more money than you intend to spend.
2 Carry plenty of small bills for paying trikes and goods from Sari Sari shops.
3 Never give to beggars not even 1 peso, we all did, we all find it hard not to, BUT YOU WILL REGRET IT, IF YOU DO.
a) It identifies you as a tourist and gullible, not only to the beggar but everyone in the street.
b) You might be followed and pestered by the beggar for MORE.
c) These are not poor people – ALL the money is handed over to the minders.
4 NEVER BUY FROM STREET VENDORS, don’t even ask the price of anything, don’t stop if you are approached, don’t let them touch you.
5 NEVER TAKE A RIDE IN A TRIKE, when the driver approaches YOU, even if he knows your name or says he knows you or it’s free. Pick your own trike from a rank and insist on NO BACK RIDERS.
6 NEVER EVER play cards or any other game with the locals – IT’S A CON!7 In Angeles, NEVER befriend a girl on the street or in public areas. She can get you into more trouble than you can imagine. Similarly NEVER allow a girl to bring a friend to your room she may be underage, if they are working the street it means they CAN’T get a license to work in the bars, why?
8 You are very safe in Fields Avenue, all the way up to Alaska Bar and down to Walk About Bar, also on the side street next to Kokomo’s and the right turn called Real Street and next to any of the big hotels in the area. Use a trike from the rank to travel outside these areas till you get familiar with the City.
9 Check your bar bill in all bars for extra drinks being added and the addition of the bill when you’re leaving.
Very good advice, especially if you are bored and careless.