Southeast Asia is renowned worldwide for its booming sex tourism industry, and a huge part of that draw is the region’s large number of transgender sex workers.
If we were to say “ladyboy” to you, chances are the first place that would pop into your head is Thailand.
The Land of Smiles is hardly the only – or necessarily the best – place to encounter ladyboys, however.
We’d strongly consider hopping on a plane and taking a 3-hour flight to the Pearl of the Orient – the beautiful Philippines.
But why, you may be asking yourself, should you choose the Philippines over Thailand for your debauched nocturnal encounters? Allow us to enlighten you…
Is There Any Difference Between Thai and Filipina Ladyboys?
In a nutshell: yes. And the reason for this boils down to the prevailing religions in each country. Thailand, being Buddhist, has no religious injunctions against LGBTQIA+ people, and therefore it is far easier to be openly transgender there.
Transgender people in Thailand are accepted by their friends, family and society at large, and feel comfortable coming out as transgender at a young age.
Not so in the Philippines. As a former Spanish colony, the Philippines is a staunchly Catholic country and, despite its reputation as a top destination for sex tourists, deeply conservative in many ways.
Filipina ladyboys are more likely to be ostracised by friends and family, will frequently be misgendered, and may be harassed by law enforcement due to their transgender status.
“Due to the strong cultural influence of the west upon the Philippines, you will have a far easier time communicating there than in Thailand.”
It’s worth noting, however, that the general level of LGTBQIA+ acceptance in the Philippines is still higher than in most western countries.
Due to the strong cultural influence of the west upon the Philippines, you will have a far easier time communicating there than in Thailand.
The majority of Filipinos speak English to a decent level; in Thailand, this often is not the case, and you may have much more trouble communicating.
Physically, the differences can also be quite marked. Thai ladyboys will quite often begin hormone replacement therapy prior to or early into puberty, and as such are often almost indistinguishable from someone assigned female at birth.
Conversely, Filipina ladyboys may have been on HRT for much less time (or not at all), and so may not be as well developed in the mammary department as their Thai counterparts.
How Easy is it to Date/Sleep With Filipina Ladyboys?
Filipinos are generally pretty accepting of sexpats, so it’s not hard at all to find someone, ladyboy or not, willing to date you. It is, however, worth bearing the following in mind…
- Transgender Filipinas are women and consider themselves as such
An easy way to very quickly lose the interest of your recently acquainted ladyboy companion is to refer to her as such – or, indeed, refer to her as “he/him”.
Trans Filipinas consider themselves women, and they really do not appreciate being misgendered.
This is already sort of a societal issue in the Philippines, where – although fairly accepting of LGBTQIA+ in general – strict social and gender roles are set for queer people.
Gay men are expected to be effeminate and “harmless” (e.g. someone you’d cheerfully leave your girlfriend with) and lesbians are expected to be butch, drinking “men’s” drinks, smoking and acting like one of the lads.
This means that, unfortunately, trans women are often simply considered effeminate gay men, and they face frequent misgendering as a result.
In a nutshell – don’t be part of this insensitive and inconsiderate tradition. She’s a she, and she will appreciate you all the more if you refer to her as such.
- Consider online dating
Online dating has changed the game and made it a lot easier to meet transgendered Filipinas. You can use dating apps such as Tinder and Badoo and find trans Filipinas easily enough.
But if you’re serious about tracking down the ladyboy love of your life, consider a dedicated app such as Translr, Taimi or the Philippines’ very own Pinalove.
Standard app dating might be a tiresome slog in other countries, but not so in the Philippines. It’s incredibly easy to match, get chatting, and meet on the very same night!
Be warned that if this is the case though, your date is likely not going to be free. Expect to pay $30-40 USD for sex.
- Visit a lady bar
More in-your-face and direct than “hostess bars” you might find in other countries, lady – or bikini – bars feature a central podium of girls dancing in bikinis, with numbers attached to their bikinis. It’s as easy as calling the girl over or letting staff know that you’re interested, and she’ll be right over.
Though these bars largely employ cis women, there is a number of trans women, and you can make things easier on yourself by simply asking if they have ladyboys working there. Even if they don’t, they’re usually happy to point you to one that will.
This isn’t the cheapest option, as you have to buy drinks for yourself ($3 approx. per drink), drinks for your new lady friend ($6-8 per) and, should you negotiate to leave with your new companion, a “bar fine” designed to compensate the bar for the loss of the girl’s services ($40-$60).
Note that this does not include the price of sex, which needs to be negotiated separately and will run you around $40-$50.
- Visit a bar bar
A cheaper (but less straightforward option) is to simply go to a standard bar that’s reputed for its ladies of negotiable affections and picking up a freelancer. No overpriced drinks, no bar fines and no messing around. This method, as mentioned, is not quite as easy as picking a girl up though; you need to lay some groundwork, find out if you’re dealing with a ladyboy, and negotiate a price. This price will invariably be cheaper than the bikini bar option ($30 approx.)
- Visit a mall or, simply, the street
Prostitutes are plentiful in the Philippines (particularly in Angeles and the Malate district in Manila) and when walking down the street, you will often be propositioned by a scantily-clad lady offering a “massage”. Typically this actually means sex.
Though often the cheapest option ($20 approx.), be warned that trans street hookers are not usually the most attractive, can be pretty aggressive in soliciting your business, and may even try to rob you if they get the chance. Caveat emptor.
Where Can You Find Filipina Ladyboys?
Unlike in Thailand, it’s not particularly easy to find a bar or club dedicated entirely to ladyboys, and a little legwork may be required to find one.
That said, you don’t exactly need to be Hercule Poirot. Here’s our guide to tracking down Filipina ladyboys when you’re in the Philippines.
Manila
The Philippines capital is inevitably one of the easiest places to meet ladyboys, and there are a few spots.
P Burgos Street is Manila’s most famous red-light district, and it is packed with girly bars where the discerning gentleman can pick up some company for the evening. And yes, this includes ladyboys.
Probably the best bar for trans ladies here is High Heels. A large, open venue with plenty of girls of both cis and trans varieties, it will not be long before you’re being groped and led into a dark corner for a blowjob ($20 approx.). As with other go-go bars, you can pay a bar fine to leave with your lady of choice, though it will cost a bit (around $60).
LA Café in Ermita is the best bet for picking up a freelancer. A restaurant-cum-bar, LA Café is extremely popular amongst ex-pats and it’s not hard to see why.
There are plenty of girls and ladyboys freelancing inside, and with no bar fine to pay, it’s much cheaper than trying your luck in a go-go bar.
If you’re a night owl, the club Exklusiv in Malate is a great place to pick up a ladyboy after 1 am. You’ll likely need to buy her a drink and have a chat to first set her at ease; provided you’re not a total weirdo, it should be a fait accompli to get her back to your hotel room for a fee.
Angeles City is Full of Filipino Trans Girls
Manila has no share of go-go bars and red light areas, but Angeles is the city of sin in the Philippines. Though much smaller than the capital, the concentration of girls (and ladyboys) here is off the chain.
Despite this, however, there are no ladyboy-only bars, and indeed most of the bikini bars have a strict “girls”-only policy in an attempt to prevent patrons from finding unexpected extras in the bikini bottoms of their companions.
Bretto’s Sports Bar, on the eastern end of Angeles’ iconic Walking Street, is probably the easiest way to come across ladyboys in the city. It’s a great, relaxed bar with a large outdoor seating area, and there are usually 5-6 ladyboys hanging out here.
“It will not be long before you’re being groped and led into a dark corner for a blowjob!”
You may also find a few at Phillies Sports and Grill at the western end of the street, but more likely you’ll spot a gaggle hanging around outside Phillies. If you express even the slightest interest (e.g. glance over), chances are they’ll approach you.
They are extremely direct and will suggest a place you can go, but be warned that they may be tempted to up the price after the deed (this exact thing happened to us; the police got involved and, well, that’s a story for a different blog).
If you’re not ready to go the whole shebang with a ladyboy but are curious, you can opt for a massage parlour with a happy ending/blowjob option. Teodoro Street is your best bet for this; expect to pay around $10-15 respectively.
Cebu City Has Lots of Filipina Ladyboy Dating Opportunities
Cebu City is a great place to meet ladyboys, and indeed it’s not out of the realms of possibility that you can meet a non-professional ladyboy here who’s willing to go back with you without money being exchanged.
For those of us without movie-star good looks or chiselled abs, though, there are always the traditional options…
Street ladyboys are plentiful in Cebu City; as in Manila, though, such streetwalkers are not the most attractive and can be pushy and aggressive. Deal with them at your own risk and expect to pay around $20.
A night out can be fruitful in Cebu; Liv Super Club is a particular hotspot for ladyboys and it’s relatively easy to attract their attention and hang out for a while before negotiating the price for getting them back to your hotel.
The trans girls you can find in here are some of the hottest in the Philippines, so take your time and enjoy.
Ayala Shopping Mall is also, surprisingly, a great place to meet ladyboys. Grab a coffee and you’ll quite often be approached, whereupon you can negotiate for the next step.
Note that, given the locale, this is necessarily a daytime activity; if you’re easily embarrassed or flustered, this might not be the approach for you.
Now, Get Out There And Find Your Dream Filipino Ladyboy!
And there we have it; the not-quite-but-pretty-damn-comprehensive guide to hooking up with Filipina ladyboys. Have we missed any of your favourite hotspots?
Further Ladyboy Articles
- The Backdoor Guide to Finding the Best Ladyboy Porn in 2022
- The Top 10 Countries for Transgender Dating Will Surprise You
- 9+ Sexy Transgender Bars From Shemale Clubs to a Sissy Bar
Do you have any tips for pursuing trans ladies of the night in the Philippines? Drop us a line; we’d be thrilled to hear from you!
