Manila, Philippines — Travel Tips
Getting There By Air
Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL)
Tel: (02) 877 1109.
Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA, pronounced ‘na-EE-ya’) is located in Parañaque City, 12km (7 miles) southeast of Manila. It has two working terminals: Terminal 1 has aging and cramped facilities, while Terminal 2 (named the Centennial Airport) is more modern, but exclusive to Philippine Airlines. A third, more modern terminal has been completed, but a legal battle has kept it padlocked.
Airport facilities: These include duty-free, souvenir shops, banks, ATMs, foreign exchange facilities, a post office, tourist information offices, left luggage, restaurants, car hire from Avis and Hertz, and hotel representative counters. Free telephones in the baggage claim areas allow visitors to phone ahead to confirm or arrange accommodation. Business centers with Wi-Fi access are available.
Transport to the city: NAIA is located at the southern edge of Metro Manila. From the airport, it is 30 to 60 minutes’ drive to the City of Manila; 30 to 45 minutes to Makati; 30 to 60 minutes to Pasig and 60 to 90 minutes to Quezon City. Travelers are advised to take a taxi with a Department of Tourism (DOT) accreditation. Flagging a taxi on the road outside the airport is notoriously expensive. Some hotels also offer airport shuttle services.
Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) (or Clark International Airport)
Tel: (045) 599 2888.
Website: www.clarkairport.com
Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) is located 85km (53 miles) northwest of Manila in Clark Field, Pampanga (a former US military air base).
Airport facilities: These are limited to a few snack bars, but a few hundred meters away at SM Mall you can find banks, ATMs, a grocery and restaurants.
Transport to the city: Philtranco (tel: (02) 832 2456; website: www.philtranco.com.ph) runs a shuttle service to the city center (journey time - 45 minutes). The shuttle terminal is at Megamall, Pasig City.
Approximate flight times to Manila: From London is 15 hours 30 minutes; from New York is 17 hours 30 minutes; from Los Angeles is 12 hours 35 minutes; from Toronto is 17 hours 20 minutes and from Sydney is 7 hours 40 minutes.
Getting There By Road
Traffic drives on the right and the minimum driving age is 18 (although 'student permits' are available to 16 year-olds). Speed limits within Manila vary from 40kph (25mph) to 100kph (63mph) on expressways. An overseas national driving license is acceptable but can only be used for up to three months after arriving in the Philippines. Motoring organizations in Manila include the Automobile Association Philippines (AAP) (tel: (02) 723 0808; www.aap.org.ph) and Wheelers Club International (tel: (02) 911 0911; www.wheelersclub.com.ph).
Emergency breakdown services
Automobile Association Philippines (tel: (02) 723 0808).
Routes to the city
The two main roads in and out of Metro Manila are NLEX (North Luzon Expressway) and SLEX (South Luzon Expressway), both of which are toll operated. NLEX leads to Bulacan, Pampanga (Mt Pinatubo), Angeles (Clark) and Baguio City. SLEX leads to Laguna, Tagaytay, Batangas, Quezon Province and Legaspi City (Mayon Volcano). EDSA (Epifanio de los Santos Avenue) is the main road through metropolitan Manila. It spans north to south allowing access to the major cities and the airport. EDSA begins in the south, along Manila Bay, and ends in the north in Caloocan City. For access to Manila Bay, Rizal Park and the international hotels of Ermita and Malate, use Roxas Boulevard.
Driving times to the city
From Angeles – 1 hour 15 minutes; Baguio – 5 hours; Batangas - 2-3 hours; Legaspi – 10-12 hours; all depending on Manila's chronic traffic jams.
Coach services
There is no central bus station in Manila so bus companies operate from multiple terminals around the city such as Cubao and Pasay City. Philtranco (tel: (02) 851 8078; www.philtranco.com.ph) operates buses between Manila and southern Philippines destinations such as Legaspi, Sorsogon, Tacloban (Leyte) and Davao on Mindanao Island. Victory Liner (tel: (02) 559 7735; www.victoryliner.com) operates services into Northern Luzon to Angeles, Baguio and Banaue (for the rice terraces).
Getting There By Rail
Few visitors arrive to Manila by train because of the limited services operated. The main railway station is Tutuban on Dagupan Street.
Rail Operators
Philippine National Railways (tel: (02) 319 0041; www.pnr.gov.ph) is the sole train operator. Its single operational line - Main Line South – runs infrequent services across Southern Luzon to Legaspi via Calamba and Naga. The journey takes around 10 hours but bus services are quicker and more comfortable.
Getting Around in Manila, Philippines
Public Transport
Public transport in Manila is a mix of light rail, buses, jeepneys and taxis. Manila's light rail system presently operates three lines. The Metro Manila Rail Transit System (tel: (02) 929 5347; http://dotcmrt3.weebly.com) runs the MRT3 (Metrostar Express), which shadows the Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) from North Avenue to Taft Avenue accessing Makati and Ortigas. The Light Rail Transit Authority (www.lrta.gov.ph) operates two lines: LRT1 (tel: (02) 854 0984) runs north-south between Monumento and Baclaran; LRT2 (tel: (02) 647 3452) flows east to west from Santolan to Recto. Lead coaches are usually reserved for women and senior citizens. Future plans include a new North Rail Line to NAIA Airport. Single-journey fares are cheap and dependent on destination. Stored value (multiple-use) tickets for the three lines (worth up to P100) may be purchased at stations. Jeepneys are highly decorative long-wheelbase transporters modeled on US Jeeps. They ply set routes all over Manila. Simply locate the destination map painted on the cab, hail and jump onboard. Call out your destination to the driver and pay a fixed inexpensive fee. Manila is served by a plethora of private bus companies. Cost varies depending on destination and whether the bus is air-conditioned - tickets are available from kiosks, stations and some shops. There are no bus schedules but EDSA has buses available round the clock. Pasig River Ferry Service Transit System (tel: (02) 926 5232) operates a new ferry service. Ten stops along the River Pasig take approximately 90 minutes from Plaza Mexico terminus in Metropolitan Manila to San Joaquin near Taguig. Sights include Malacañang Palace.
Taxis
City taxis have flag-down fees and thereafter drivers should use meters. Established taxi operators include Avis (tel: (02) 831 2701), 24-7 (tel: (02) 642 3525), Basic (tel: (02) 900 1447), and EMP (tel: (02) 293 5930). Tipping is discretionary but expected. FX Taxis are larger (usually) Toyota utility vehicles that pick up multiple passengers along set routes.
Driving in the City
Driving in Manila is not for the faint-hearted particularly during rush hour on major roads such as EDSA. Traffic darts across lanes with little warning while excessive horn-honking and tailgating is de rigueur. Road signs are not always obvious and expect serious traffic jams. Manila operates a traffic volume reduction program prohibiting vehicles ending in predetermined license plate numbers from driving for one specific day per week. License confiscation and a fine for those who disobey (www.trapik.com/road_rules.asp).
Car Hire
The minimum age for car hire in Manila is between 21 and 25 years old, depending on the company. Foreigners must show passport ID and a valid national driver's license or International Driving Permit. Major providers include Avis (tel: (02) 584 2464; www.avis.com.ph) and Budget (tel: (02) 812 2277; www.budget.com.ph). Local company JB Rent-A-Car (tel: (02) 526 6288; www.jbrentacar.com) offers competitive deals. See www.carrentalmanila.com for price comparisons.
Bicycle Hire
Cycling in Metro Manila isn't sensible. For those desperate to experience pedal power, pedicabs operate in certain parts of the city.
