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crazy_arcade
Joined: 05 Nov 2006
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 Posted: Wed May 28, 2008 6:01 pm Post subject: Philippines Help! |
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Yes, yes I know, there have been a million Philippines threads. However, I'm a selfish jerk and I want my own goddamnit!!!!
So my girlfriend and I are off to the Philippines from July 21st to August 3rd. I usually travel light and stay in european style guesthouses/hostels. She's travelled before but only by package tour because of language concerns (ie. didn't speak English).
We arrive in Manila at the ungodly hour of 1am. I was thinking that we would just hang out in the airport til' 5 or 6 am and just get the first flight to Borocay or....anywhere. We're planning on saving two days for Manila on the way out for some shopping and to visit some friends.
Now...what is the airport in Manila like? We're flying in on Cebu Pacific...do we need to change terminals for a domestic flight? Will there be anything in the airport--internet cafes, lounge or something? Other options? What would you do?
Next, for this trip we were talking about Borocay and other islands that are North of Mindinao. We were also talking about Palawan but I heard it's super rainy this time of year and that the Visayas and Mindinao have the best weather (but I've heard other bad things about Mindinao).
Would it make sense to just check the weather forecast on the 22nd and buy tickets to wherever has the best weather or do we really need to book in advance? Also, other than Borocay...where else would would be good to enjoy the beach, do some nice day trips, and also enjoy some mellow nightlife?
Finally, we're flying in and out of Manila...so getting from island to island and then back to manila...any recommended itineraries?
Thanks....and....I think we need a Philippines sticky! |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Wed May 28, 2008 8:35 pm Post subject: Re: Philippines Help! |
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| crazy_arcade wrote: |
Yes, yes I know, there have been a million Philippines threads. However, I'm a selfish jerk and I want my own goddamnit!!!!
So my girlfriend and I are off to the Philippines from July 21st to August 3rd. I usually travel light and stay in european style guesthouses/hostels. She's travelled before but only by package tour because of language concerns (ie. didn't speak English).
We arrive in Manila at the ungodly hour of 1am. I was thinking that we would just hang out in the airport til' 5 or 6 am and just get the first flight to Borocay or....anywhere. We're planning on saving two days for Manila on the way out for some shopping and to visit some friends.
Now...what is the airport in Manila like? We're flying in on Cebu Pacific...do we need to change terminals for a domestic flight? Will there be anything in the airport--internet cafes, lounge or something? Other options? What would you do?
Next, for this trip we were talking about Borocay and other islands that are North of Mindinao. We were also talking about Palawan but I heard it's super rainy this time of year and that the Visayas and Mindinao have the best weather (but I've heard other bad things about Mindinao).
Would it make sense to just check the weather forecast on the 22nd and buy tickets to wherever has the best weather or do we really need to book in advance? Also, other than Borocay...where else would would be good to enjoy the beach, do some nice day trips, and also enjoy some mellow nightlife?
Finally, we're flying in and out of Manila...so getting from island to island and then back to manila...any recommended itineraries?
Thanks....and....I think we need a Philippines sticky! |
Are you flying into terminal 1?
You will probably need to change to the domestic terminal for your domestic flight. Having said that, Cebu Pacific DOES have 1 red-eye flight from terminal 1 going to Cebu.
NOTE: The domestic terminal is CLOSED at night.
There will be nothing open in terminal 1 (except perhaps for one money changer) when you arrive.
No-one around the airport will be able to change or make change for a p500 or p1000 note. Try to get some p100 notes here before you leave.
It would be in your best interest to book your flight to Boracay on-line with either Cebu Pacific, Asian spirit or SEAair if it is your intention to get there.
If weather is a concern for you I would seriously look at: Bohol (Alona beach, Anda), Cebu ISLAND (not Cebu city), Camiguin or northern Mindanao.
The northern region (Luzon) and Leyte are inside the typhoon belt and they get hit regularly between July and November.
If you want specifics, search any one location name with me as the poster and you will find tons of useful information on the Visayas (central Philippines) region as well as tidbits for places like Siargao in northern Mindanao.
Tiger Beer has also posted tons of good stuff about the different regions in the RP.
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Yu_Bum_suk
Joined: 25 Dec 2004
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| Posted: Wed May 28, 2008 9:15 pm Post subject: Re: Philippines Help! |
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| crazy_arcade wrote: |
Yes, yes I know, there have been a million Philippines threads. However, I'm a selfish jerk and I want my own goddamnit!!!!
So my girlfriend and I are off to the Philippines from July 21st to August 3rd. I usually travel light and stay in european style guesthouses/hostels. She's travelled before but only by package tour because of language concerns (ie. didn't speak English).
We arrive in Manila at the ungodly hour of 1am. I was thinking that we would just hang out in the airport til' 5 or 6 am and just get the first flight to Borocay or....anywhere. We're planning on saving two days for Manila on the way out for some shopping and to visit some friends.
Now...what is the airport in Manila like? We're flying in on Cebu Pacific...do we need to change terminals for a domestic flight? Will there be anything in the airport--internet cafes, lounge or something? Other options? What would you do?
Next, for this trip we were talking about Borocay and other islands that are North of Mindinao. We were also talking about Palawan but I heard it's super rainy this time of year and that the Visayas and Mindinao have the best weather (but I've heard other bad things about Mindinao).
Would it make sense to just check the weather forecast on the 22nd and buy tickets to wherever has the best weather or do we really need to book in advance? Also, other than Borocay...where else would would be good to enjoy the beach, do some nice day trips, and also enjoy some mellow nightlife?
Finally, we're flying in and out of Manila...so getting from island to island and then back to manila...any recommended itineraries?
Thanks....and....I think we need a Philippines sticky! |
I recently flew into Manilla International around midnight and it would *not* be the place I'd want to be stranded with a nervous K-wife who's never travelled independently. In fact it would be about the last place on earth. The lower level is completely blocked off from the upper level at night, and the only decent area to sit around and wait is in the upper level. There's nothing in the lower level and you even have to pass through security every time you go in and out.
If you want your wife's first non-package holiday to get off to a good start talk to the travel agent and drop a bit of money on a decent hotel that can send a driver to pick you up your first night. |
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last goodbye
Joined: 13 Aug 2006
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| Posted: Wed May 28, 2008 11:42 pm Post subject: |
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| The "get a hotel that'll pick you up" is GREAT advice... Landing so late, you won't see the giant slum all around the airport.... |
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butlerian
Joined: 04 Sep 2006
Location: Korea
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| Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 1:17 am Post subject: |
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| last goodbye wrote: |
| The "get a hotel that'll pick you up" is GREAT advice... Landing so late, you won't see the giant slum all around the airport.... |
Manila Airport Hotel is next to the airport. They'll even pick up for a small charge. It's not great but it'll do for the night.
http://airporthotelmanila.com/ |
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crazy_arcade
Joined: 05 Nov 2006
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| Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 2:39 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks.
Guess I'll look into that. |
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ultra
Joined: 09 Nov 2007
Location: Book Han Gook Land Of Opportunity
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| Posted: Sat May 31, 2008 3:49 am Post subject: Re: Philippines Help! |
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| crazy_arcade wrote: |
Finally, we're flying in and out of Manila...so getting from island to island and then back to manila...any recommended itineraries?
Thanks....and....I think we need a Philippines sticky! |
Regarding your itinerary, since you're asking for advice, considering your available time,
if you wanna go South, you should fly into Cebu and consider skunking your friends or invite them to travel with you.
The other places you wanna go to is up to you and depends upon your interests.
For tickets, check:
http://www.cebupacificair.com/
They periodically have online ticket sales that could be considered give-aways, to increase market share.
There is one going on now til 04 June.
Mabuhay! |
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