Manila Travel Guide and Tips is written particularly for foreigners, tourists and ex-pats, wishing to travel around the country where information, is hard to come by (except those posted by some travel bloggers, of course).
Cheap Flights to the Philippines:
The cheapest flights to the Philippines are mainly those budget carriers from Singapore (Tiger Airways), Malaysia (AirAsia) or Cebu Pacific flights from Hong Kong, Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur (KL)), Macau, Thailand (Bangkok) , Singapore, China (Guanghzou, Xiamen, Shanghai), Japan (Osaka). No information yet on the cheapest of the cheap flights to the Philippines from the US, Japan, UK, Germany, France or other countries outside of the list.
Philippine Visa Requirements:
Most foreign nationals can visit the Philippines Visa-free for 21 days provided they have a valid passport up to 6months and a plane ticket out of the country.Visa extensions can beavailed at the Philippine Immigration Office for a minimal fee and canbe extended up to two years (beyond two years, just a board a plane out of the country even for a day). Complete information can be found
here. The 21 day visa does not include citizens of India and most Middle Eastern countries.
Warning for
unaccompanied minors, i.e.children below fifteen years of age, traveling to the Philippines with foreign passports and unaccompanied by parents (unless one of the parents is in the Philippines), inquire about the
Waiver of Exclusion Ground (WEG) at the nearest Philippine Embassy of Consulate.
What to wear:
T-shirts,shorts, sneakers, sandals are fine but also bring dresses and attire suited for a particular place, meeting or occasion. Note that some places don't allow sandos, shorts, thongs or flip-flops so be prepared for things like this.
Climate and Weather:
Philippines has a tropical climate with plenty of sun, generous rainfall, gentle winds, Humid and with an average temperature of 26 degrees Celsius.Off-season for tourists is June to October where typhoons and storms visit the country, the cool months of November to February, probably the best time to visit, and and the hot summer months of March to May.
Filipino Time:
Philippine Standard Time (PST) GMT +8, the same time zone as Singapore, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur. Sunrises and sunsets occur at around 6am and 6pm give or take thirty minutes. This is different from the so called Filipino time, by the way.
Languages Spoken:
Filipino is the national language while English is widely spoken and understood.You may want to learn a word or two in Tagalog, where Filipino is based, or Cebuano, which has the most number of native speakers.Learning to speak a few phrases, even with wrong pronunciation, will elicit smiles!
Entertainment, Nightlife, Arts and Culture
Metro Manila thrives with exciting nightlife with bars and restaurants offering live bands, karaoke bars, sometimes spiced up with scantily-clad women in red light districts of Malate in Manila, Burgos street in Makati and Quezon Ave in Quezon City.
Popular venues for performing arts is the Cultural Center of the Philippines in Pasay City, while various
museums are present to give visitors a glimpse of culture of the islands of yore. A throbbing art scene is also visible in various art galleries in Metro Manila and around the country.
Movies in the Philippines costs just around P80 to P150 (around $2 to $4), still a bargain compared to most of Asia for first-run movies shown in modern movie houses and theaters (sometimes days ahead of showing in the US)
Airport Terminal Fees and Travel tax:
All passenger departures require payment of
airport terminal fees e.g. at
Ninoy Aquino International Airport(NAIA, formerly Manila International Airport (MIA)), airport terminal fee for international departures is P750, while it's P200 for Domestic destinations. This is the same for Mactan-Cebu International Airport and Davao International Airport. Other airports charge a terminal fee for departing passengers from P20 to P100.
Travel tax for international travelers, economy class, is P1620 (around US$38) and is usually included in the plane ticket price.
Refer to
Manila Airport Guide
Airport Taxis:
Cab sat NAIA can be specially-marked airport taxis (expensive and flat rate fare matrix depending on destination e.g. PhP550 for Makati, PhP770 for Quezon City). Metered taxis can be flagged down at the departure area of the airport; on exit, look for escalators or elevators going up to the departure area then negotiate with the taxis there (drivers can be choosy at times or negotiate for a rate) before boarding. (Taxi fare to Makati business district is around P100 to P150, Pasig City and Ortigas area is P150 range, Manila is P150-P200, while those for Quezon city is around P200 to P300 depending on traffic)
Manila Domestic Airport has both airport taxis and metered ones. Remember to get the taxi coupon from the dispatcher in case of problems or complaints.
Where to eat and notes on Filipino food:
Philippine cuisine is an eclectic fusion of Filipino, Malay, Chinese, Mexican,Spanish and American influences so prepare yourself for the unique blend of tasteful food available. Cosmopolitan that it is, restaurants from Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Mexican, Vietnamese, Arabic/Persian,European and fast food chains are present and easy to find. Restaurantsoffering
halal food are also present.
One such example is the famous Filipino
adobo which is a way of stewing in vinegar, while
kare-kare is of Indian origin. The kilaw/kinilaw/kilawin, meat or fish soaked invinegar, is one of those dishes devoid of foreign influences.
Where to Stay:
Cheap Hotels/Apartelles/Accommodations/Condotels/Homestay/Hostels/PensionHouses/Bed and Breakfast need research and reservation prior to showing up unlike in other countries. In more established tourist areas like Malate, cheap hotels are easier to find. Most of the small backpackerhotels don't have websites so your most logical choice is an actual telephone call or you may ask a Filipino friend/fiancee to search for you.
Interesting Places to See and Things to do,More than the usual Tourist Spots in the Philippines:
The biggest thing about the Philippines is DIVERSITY!
There are so many options you can choose from if your want to explore old Manila, Intramuros, of the whole Metro Manila (composed of the city of Manila and all other sixteen cities and lone municipality of Pateros
Include Manila in your Philippine itinerary like a day tour of
Intramuros in the old walled city of Manila, Rizal Park,
Manila Ocean Park, visits to various Manila
museums then hie off to Tagaytay to see
Taal Volcanoand another day trip to
Pagsanjan Falls in Laguna to "
shoot the rapids."
Some tourists like the cold weather of Baguio City (up north) and Tagaytay(nearer to Manila). Others love the cooler and crisper air of
Sagada, a favorite backpacking haven full of nature treks, waterfalls and caves besides seeing the famous
hanging coffins.
Speaking of the country's rich Spanish heritage, old baroque churches are still extant in many towns while remnants and ruins of Spanish forts and watch towers can be marveled at. Examples: Fort Santiago in Manila, Fort San Pedro (Cebu and Iloilo), Fort San Felipe (Cavite City),
Fort Pilar (Zamboanga City)
Near
Sagada are the UNESCO-inscribed Banaue Rice Terraces that look like
stairways to heaven.
In Pampanga and Zambales stood
Mt. Pinatubo where trekkers can ascend to the crater in three hours past pristine volcanic ash landscape.
Hill Tribes and people still living a tribal culture can be found on several islands. In Mindoro, the Hanunuo and Buhid groups of Mangyan tribe still use the their own ancient script.
In the Bicol peninsula towers the majestic
Mayon Volcano with it's near-perfect cone while less than two hours from Legazpi City beckons
Donsol Whale sharks, locally known as
butanding where so many of the gentle giants live in Donsol bay.
Cebu Island, where Cebu City, the Philippines' oldest city is located, is a favorite retirement place for Americans, Australians and Europeans with a nicer city than Manila close to the beach. In January, Cebu City comes alive in full color with the Sinulog Festival.
Davao City,settled at the foot of Mt. Apo, the highest mountain in these islands,offers less crowded and liveable city peaceful and pleasant weather free from typhoons. Kadayawan Festival in September showcases Davao's best.
The Philippines is a Golf Mecca with lots of
golf courses and driving ranges with it's low green fees compared to other countries.
Diving in the Philippines is one of the best with dive sites at the center of the richest marine biodiversity in the world known as the Coral Triangle co-bordered by Malaysia, Indonesia, Timor Leste, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Island. Reputed to be the best dive site in the country is the UNESCO-listed
Tubbataha Reefs in Palawan.
Bird Watching, Butterfly Watching,
Whale Watching, Dolphin Watching,
Dragonfly watchingare very enjoyable due to the Philippines' rich biodiversity, said to one of the highest in the world in terms of endemicity. There's a guaranteed sighting of giant manta rays in Ticao Pass in Sorsogon.
Cable Wakeboarding at Lago de Oro in Calatagan, Batangas and Camarines Sur Water sports Complex (CamSur or CWC)
Surfing in the Philippines include beaches in La Union, Baler (Aurora), Siargao, and
Bagasbas Beach in Daet, Camarines Norte. Wind surfing is an activity in some resorts and places like Caliraya Lake in Laguna province,
Bulabog Beach on Boracay and other areas.
Kitesurfing and
Kiteboarding can be enjoyed at Bulabog Beach on
Boracay said to rival similar sites in Vietnam.
For adventure seekers, the Philippines is now home of Asia's longest
zipline(sometimes called flying fox or cable-gliding) at Outland Adventure in Davao City. Other zip lines in Davao are at Camp Sabros in Digos City,Eden Nature Park in Davao City and Tree Top Adventure Park in Subic Bay, Picnic Grove in Tagaytay and La Mesa Ecopark in Quezon City(within Metro Manila).
Some of the world's best beaches bannered by the world famous
Boracayplus hundreds of virgin islands and undeveloped beaches beckons,majestic waterfalls, unexplored caves (spelunking), kayaking, watertubing, snorkeling and other water-based activities are yours to enjoy.
Adrenaline-filled Whitewater rafting in the rivers of Infanta/Real in Quezon, Cagayan de Oro River in CDO and Chico river in Kalinga in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).
Massage services and spa are mushrooming with 1 hour massage in Manila typically costing just PhP300and up. Try also traditional massage called
hilot performed by a
manghihilot and traditional foot spa/massage of the Cordilleras called
dagdagay (or
kolkolis)that uses bamboo sticks to massage your feet.
ColorfulPhilippine fiestas and festivals are there for your visual feast and shutterbugs all year round. Just look for the schedules and start your travel planning there.
You'll never run out of great suggestion for your travel itinerary!
Public Transportation and Moving Around:
Thinking of driving in the Philippines? You may avail of an international drivers license but not recommended. Filipinos drive like crazy; better let locals do it for you. (Indians drive crazier though according Tutubi's Korean friends when they were in Mumbai in April 2004)
In Metro Manila, the fastest way to move around is to use the elevated rails, called MRT (Metro Rail Transit) and LRT (Light Rail Transit)cheap at P10 to P16 depending on distance, then short cab or jeepney rides.
Taxis in the Philippines charge P30 for the first 500meters, P2.50 for additional 300 meters and P2.50 for every two minutes of waiting time. This doesn't hold true in Baguio where the flag down rate is only P25 due to lack of air-con unnecessary for its cold weather.
Ferries are available to go island-hopping. You may check
this sitefor updated ferry schedules. Small outrigger boats, locally known as banca, can be hired at piers and beaches to transport you to nearby islands, go diving or snorkeling.
Cheapest domestic flights inthe Philippines are those P1 promos by Cebu Pacific and occasionalpromos by Air Philippines. The largest and oldest airline is Philippine Airlines. Other carriers are SeAir, ZestAir (formerly Asian Spirit),and PAL Express who operate small planes to select destinations.
Buses ply EDSA, the megalopolis' main artery but prepare for heavy traffic so take the trains as much as you can. Bus terminals going to the provinces are mostly located in Cubao (Quezon City), EDSA Pasay City,LRT/Gil Puyat, and Caloocan/Monumento.
Jeepneys,who trace their origin to abandoned GI jeeps of WW2, offer connecting routes to every nook and cranny of the city and the whole country with preset routes and low fares, one of the cheapest in the world.
Tricycles,motorcycles fitted with sidecars, will get you to destinations in small towns and cities without taxis though, in some towns, cumbersome forl anky and wide-bodied people.
In remote areas, motorcyles are fitted to accommodate more people, called
habal-habal.
Shuttle services are available in certain areas not serviced by buses or jeepneys. An examples is Eastwood City, Libis Quezon City.
Cheap car rentals and vans for hire can be contacted at hotels if they don't have hotel cars (this one usually works in the provinces)
Philippine Shopping Tips:
The Philippines is a shopping mecca with cheap souvenirs, goods and other items. Mall culture permeates in society evidenced by the mushroomingof large malls e.g. SM, Robinsons, Rustans, NCCC, Gaisano et al.
Haggling is acceptable in public markets like Divisoria, Baclaran and other bazaars (locally called
Tiangge). If you're a local, you can get a better price if you can speak the local language or get one to haggle for you.
Please see:
Manila Shopping Guide
ATM, Banking and Money matters:
Currency used is the Philippine peso divided into 100 centavos. Denominations ofP0.25, P1, P5, P10 coins and P20, P50, P100, P200, P500, P1000 paper bills.
Travelers checks are not honored in most establishments so better bring cash for most purchases and credit cards(VISA/Master card/JCB) for those who accept them.
Exchange money at legitimate money changers and be wary of short-changers in hole-in-the-wall money changing shops (lots of them in Malate)
You may withdraw money from ATMs using your VISA/Plus/Mastercard/Cirrus/Maestro/JCB/CUP from several local ATMs.
ATM charges apply.
Current Peso-Dollar exchange rate: US$1 = PhP48.50 (approximately, March 2009)
Safety and Security in the Philippines:
Is it safe in the Philippines? The Philippines, with its share of trouble spots common in the world, is a relatively safe destination and not really a dangerous backpacking destination. Just practice street smarts, similar thing you do in New York, L.A., London or other big cities; dress down so as not to attract attention. There are certain places that should be avoided at night but it should never apply to the whole country or risk losing the chance to see and experience what the Philippines offers to tourists!
Philippine tourism lags behind other southeast Asian countries like Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore but it doesn't mean the Philippines is not a beautiful place. You're missing lots of things should you decide to bypass these paradise Philippine islands.
