Don't be too quick with that thought. I used to be a regular traveler to the Philippines until I discovered Vietnam. The more times I went to the Philippines the less I liked it. The cost to get there was high, the infrastructure not good, the costs for hotels was high and to be polite, the food was awful and expensive. The thing that kept me coming back was the fact that most people spoke English.
Then I discovered Vietnam. Return airfare can be found for less that $900 CDN including taxes. Very comfortable hotels many with pools will run you $20 to $30 CDN a night including a free breakfast. The least I paid in one small town was $11.00. The food is delicious and will run you in the range of about $5.00 a meal. One way airfare from Saigon to Hanoi will run you about $60. Busses cost $10.00ish. Every hotel I stayed in would arrange my airfare and bus service for me and deliver my tickets to my room within minutes. Top quality shirts will run you $25, slacks $60, and suits $125. All made to measure and ready in 24 hours.
I am not much of a monger when I am there, but a BBBJ will run you $25.00 with FS double that. I am a dating site guy and never slept alone unless I chose to. Generally I met with dating site lady's and we would travel together to see the sites, and I would have a free built in tour guide.
Cambodia is very similar in costs and was the only place where a dating site lady suggested she could use some help. Three nights and days ran me the grand total of $50. She was remarkable and naked the moment we stepped into the room until we left to go outside. Unlimited pops.
I just booked 30 days from late September to late October and don't expect the trip will cost me more that $2,500 all in including having my Cambodian friend travel from Phnom Penh come to Saigon to spend a few days. Language was never an issue with my trusty Google Translate.
Albert, like you I started with Thailand and Philippines. Then I discovered Vietnam and Cambodia. The people, not just the ladies, everyone, including innkeepers, waiters, taxi drivers; everyone is friendlier in Cambodia. I did not enjoy myself as much in Vietnam, probably because I stayed near Hanoi and Halong Bay, where all the tourists were. In Cambodia, I wasnt doing too hot in Phnom Penh until I left the city to the more relax area around Sihanoukville. Since I discovered Camboida, i don't think I will bother with Thailand, Philippines and Vietnam anymore.
My plane tickets to Shanghai or Hong Kong are frequently free, courtesy of Aeroplan and my old employer who insisted on flying me all over the place. Last year, I flew Delta to Hong Kong for <$700CAD return. From there, an excursion to Cambodia was less than $200, much cheaper to arrange tickets once you are in Asia. My "accountant" guide with benefits in Sihanoukville costed me a grand total of approximately $250CAD for the entire week; I probably overpaid, lol, but she is educated and her English is good by local standards. Eating out with her in what she considers to be nice restaurants is like $20-$30 a night including drinks. I spend too much time in their casinos as well so I have no idea what the minimum can be, I just know if I do the same here in Canada or in Vegas, I would be spending a lot more for lessor services.
Having said that about Cambodia, two places in China still fascinate me. Shanghai, where I have spent >$1,000USD in a single night, something to be said about my date turning everyone's head in the restaurant as we walked in, they probably recognized her on last month's fashion magazine cover. There is also something about opening up an app and 167 ladies are shown as available in my hotel's vicinity, you can send the lady a gift after the date through the same ad, there is nothing third world about China when it comes to pooning. I have also spent $200-$300USD a session in Macau, not any cheaper than in Canada, but a simple stroll among the pedways near all of the hotels/casinos exposes you to ladies of every race, every build, every age you can imagine, to get one around your arms is as simple as establishing eye contact and smile. It is in Macau that I learned the code, if I have my arm around her and she holding onto me tightly, the male security at the door would simply smile and the female hotel security at the elevator would simply glared at me; otherwise, even if she is 1mm away from me, she would never make it through the door, only after we are safely in my room that she would let go of my arm, hotel security is amazing there.
We definitely have to compare notes one day. I have never been to Saigon, may be that's why I did not enjoy Vietnam like you did.