Manila Explorer

Flights to Manila

From overseas, most visitors arrive by plane. Manila is served by three international airports. Philippine Airlines (PAL) has its own terminal, called Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 (NAIA 2), that serves both international and domestic flights.

PAL usually provides seamless transfers between their international and domestic network whereas you would generally not be given this service on other carriers.

At NAIA 2: at the departure area, charging stations for laptop users are available.

Most other international airlines use NAIA Terminal 1, which is gradually being replaced by the newly built modern NAIA Terminal 3 (NAIA 3). Currently (October 2008) all Cebu Pacific flights are based at NAIA 3 with more airlines being phased over. Other domestic airlines use the old domestic terminal. All 4 airports share the same runways and so travel between them is possible. The journey can take between 5 and 20 minutes in a taxi depending on traffic. Be wary of this if you have a connection between a domestic and international flight arriving/departing from these airports. Departure tax for all NAIA airports is 750 Pesos for International, and 200 Pesos for Domestic. The airport only accepts cash payments. Make sure that you have enough cash to pay the tax when arriving to the airport. If you do not have cash you can use one of two ATMs outside the airport. The airport has two security checks one to get to the terminal and one for departures. The ATMs are located outside of both security checks. Make sure to use the ATM before getting in or you will be forced to go out and go through security lines again.

Coupon (pre-paid) taxis are available at the airports to bring you to your hotel or wherever you may be going. Rates are fixed and dependent on the destination and generally are more expensive compared to what you would pay in a metered taxi. Coupon taxi counters usually are found immediately after exiting customs in both Terminals 1 and 2. Expect to pay somewhere between 500-600 Pesos (10 to 15 USD) for destinations within Metro Manila. Yellow Airport taxis are about half that price (200-300 Peso) and issue receipts for passengers.

The everyday metered taxis -- usually white with various operator names on the side -- can sometimes be found at the Arrival Terminal so you would either need to catch one unloading at the Departure Area or outside the airport complex. This may be easier said than done however, particularly when lugging around kilos upon kilos of baggage. Regular taxis cost 100-200 Pesos for the same journey to Metro Manila, although you'll probably have to insist on using the meter, or bargain down from whatever absurd starting fare they choose to name. If you are at NAIA 3, walk towards the road from the arrival area (5 minutes):metered taxis park beside the road.

Apart from taxis, there are no regular public transport services to the airports except for buses and jeepneys plying routes that pass nearby. It will take a few minutes' walk however before you get to a place where you can board and all this effort may not be worth the hassle so most opt to take a taxi.

Low cost carriers such as Air Asia[2] and Tiger Airways utilize the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) in Clark, Pampanga, said to be a THREE HOUR drive north of Manila, although in reality you can usually do it in 90 minutes. These airlines have dedicated bus transfer services that transport passengers to and from the DMIA via newly renovated toll roads. You can catch the bus by Philtranco [3] either from it's terminal in Pasay City, Manila or from SM Megamall (behind building A) in Mandaluyong, Manila. From Pasay the fare is 350 pesos and from SM Megamall 300 pesos. Departure tax for this airport has been increased to 500 peso.

Air travel between islands is reasonably priced, with tickets averaging P4,000 to P5,000 round trip to most popular destinations. Promotions, particularly the "Go" fares offered by Cebu Pacific airlines, have pushed domestic round trip prices to the P2,000-P3,500 range.

Cebu Pacific[4] is the Philippines' principal Low Cost Airline. They use Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3. International routes include:- Bangkok, Guangzhou, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Hong Kong, Kaohsuing, Kota Kinabalu, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Macau, Osaka, Shanghai, Singapore, Taipei and Xiamen.

Getting There By Ferry Boats

Ferries run all over the Philippines, but should you not reserve a first class cabin be prepared for uncomfortable cramped conditions. There seems to be lax enforcement of Western safety standards.

Supercats and fastcrafts connect short distances between islands on high-speed air-conditioned hydrofoil crafts. Not only do they provide a faster option than ordinary ferries, they are also much better maintained and have a remarkable safety record. Among the major routes serviced by fastcrafts in and around Manila are: Manila-Bataan, Manila-Cavite and Batangas-Puerto Galera.

Getting There By bus

The Strong Republic Nautical Highway has made inter-island travel by bus possible. Major islands are connected by Roll On - Roll Off ferries which can carry cars, buses and cargo trucks. An example is the Manila to Boracay route which goes via Batangas, Calapan and Roxas in Mindoro then Caticlan. Philtranco [5] and ALPS The Bus, Inc. [6] serve various inter-island routes and has a terminal in Cubao, Quezon City. Needless to say, however, that these trips can take quite a bit of time and may not be worth the savings if you have only a few days to spend in the Philippines.

Normal provincial buses serving other parts of Luzon also have terminals in various portions of Metro Manila. The Cubao area in Quezon City and the Bonifacio Monument area in Kalookan City is where buses serving the northern portions of Luzon (e.g. Baguio, Zambales) have their terminals.

The Buendia Ave. or Taft Ave. intersection in Makati and the area near the Taft Ave. and EDSA intersection in Pasay is where buses to the south (e.g. Batangas, Laguna) have their terminals.