From Germany to Gubat: Philipp Dukatz Travels to the Philippines

Enjoying a buko juice on the beach of Sabang, Palawan. All photos courtesy of Philipp Dukatz

Philipp Dukatz was working for Germany’s biggest telecommunications company when he decided to leave his job, give in to his wanderlust and travel to Southeast Asia, as he had long dreamed of doing.

The result is a year-long trek in which he zig-zagged the region, visiting the temples of Thailand and walking with the Komodo dragons of Indonesia, crashing a wedding in Hue and riding on top of jeepneys in Sorsogon—all chronicled in his blog Escapology.eu.

While Dukatz has since gone back to the corporate world, he says there are still some places he wants to visit, and others he wants to go back to. He spoke to GMA News Online via email about his travels in the Philippines.

Sambawan Island, Leyte.

Q: Was the language barrier a big one? Were you able to communicate easily with people?

A: I have traveled all across Southeast Asia, visited 9 countries overall, and I can say that communicating in the Philippines was probably the easiest. This was due to the Filipinos’ good command of the English language which made interaction easier. I found it a lot easier to get to know people, strike up a conversation and socialize than in any of the other countries I have visited. And all of this made for the unique travel experience which I ended up having.

Q: You talked about living the "Buhay-Baboy" in Gubat, Sorsogon. Was that a radically different lifestyle than you were used to in Germany?

A: The term was coined during a longer stay in Gubat, a small seaside town in the province of Sorsogon. We spent Holy Week there at a little beach and surf camp organized by the local surfing community. We got to know locals as well as other Filipinos from Manila who were also there for the so called Hayahay camp. We often sat together, had good food, drinks, listened to music, sang and enjoyed those relaxed days. It was a good life, without much to worry about, lot of laughter and happiness. Someone called it “Buhay Baboy” which, as far as I remember, translates to a “pig’s life”. Everybody liked it so much that it stuck instantly. My travel mates and I adopted the term for the rest of our journey and quoted it whenever we had another one of those “Buhay Baboy Moments”.

This lifestyle, of course only temporarily, was very different from what I was used to at home. I was caught up in a stressful job, lots of obligations and lots of worries, which, now that I look back, where not even justified. So yes, it was different and I enjoyed it a lot.

Dukatz with some residents of Gubat, Sorsogon.

Q: Do you prefer going to the off-the-beaten-track places?
A: I definitely prefer it on a general note but sometimes it also feels good to return to the backpacker trail. Just to enjoy the company of other travelers, exchange stories and travel tales. But usually venturing off the beaten track makes for the better travel experience. The things you experience are more unique and the interactions with the people are more real than in areas which have been exposed to tourism for some time. I can say that the best memories of my journey wouldn’t have been possible without going off the beaten track. But as I said, mixing it up a little is usually good as being on your own in the remotest areas can become a bit exhausting after a while.

Q: I don't think you went to Mindanao. Was it a deliberate choice not to go there, and are you planning to go there in the future?

A: We were actually supposed to go there but in the end we ran out of time. I think to really explore Mindanao, we probably would have had to skip Palawan and that was a place I really wanted to see. But yes, being a surfer I really would have liked to surf Cloud 9 in Siargao, to see the enchanted river, visit Davao and explore the other highlights of Mindanao. In the end, you can’t do everything but it is something that is high up on my list for my next visit to the Philippines. Hopefully not before too long.

Wreck diving off the coast of Coron, Palawan.

Q: You noted all of your expenses. Is this part of your routine when going on extended travels?

A: In my opinion this is a must if you are traveling long term. It is easy to lose track of your expense if you don’t note them in one way or another. For most people who decide to travel long term, money is the limiting factor rather than time, and this was also the case for me. So if you can prevent to overspend and budget wisely, you will be probably able to stay away for a couple of more months. And that is a good motivation.

Q: Did you have any truly unusual experiences, the kind that made you go, "I can't believe this is happening to me right now" or "I can't believe I'm doing this"?

A: Well maybe two different kind of experiences. The first thing involves me setting out for a solo trek into the Malaysian jungle of Taman Negara. You are not supposed to that on your own but at that time I didn’t feel like joining a group tour. I underestimated the trek and it ended up being a grueling march through leech-infested terrain with 35 degrees at about 90 percent humidity outside. I found an abandoned bungalow complex by the river and camped out overnight. The next day I really didn’t feel like hiking back so I hitchhiked a local longboat to make it back to the village I was staying at.

The other story is about my stay in Gubat, which I mentioned above. It was nothing crazy or thrilling, but there I was allowed to experience the amazing and unique Filipino hospitality first hand. During those days, I was offered food, drinks and shelter by people whom I was just introduced to. I was able to make real friends which is an extraordinary thing when traveling long term. I look back at this time with a smile on my face and a humble feeling of gratitude.

Dukatz and some newly made friends in Batad, Mountain Province

Q: Where are you off to next?

A: For now I am back to work so I can’t even tell when I will go traveling again. But I definitely want to visit the Philippines again and I can just hope that it won’t be before too long. I have received so many travel tips by my blog readers and facebook fans, that my list of places I want to explore is too long already. I’d like to see Ilocos, Batanes and Mindanao, just to name a few. Apart from that there a few countries in my bucket list which are really intriguing. Certain parts of India, Bhutan, Mongolia or Tibet for example. But at this time I have no real plans made..... not yet.

Cliff jumping in Siquijor.