So it's your first time traveling to Manila and you want to know what to expect when you get there, well hopefully i can cover a dew things that may help you.
Once you arrive you will hopefully have filled out your immigration card as well as your customs declaration card on the plane before getting off this will save you some time because it will be very difficult to do so once your waiting in line to go thru immigration. The waiting time will depend on how many other flights have landed around the same time an can get very busy so you may spend 10-20 min waiting for you to get thru immigration. It is far from streamlined an can remind you of cattle trying to get thru a very small gate. Once you get to the window an it is all checked out you will get a stamp in your passport for a 30 day stay within the Philippines unless your from one of the few country's that only allow 7 days.
Now that you have passed thru immigration you go into the baggage collection area where it can sometimes be a struggle to get a spot where you will be able to get at your bag. The bags will come out an fall a short distance from a belt so if you are taking anything fragile i suggest you pack it well, The belt runs anti-clockwise so if you want to be able to get your bag sooner stand to the right of where it comes out. If you haven't got a bag with wheels or carry a lot with you there are plenty of trolleys available, but as i said it is a fight to get to be near the front of the belt.
With bag or bags depending on how much you packed you now make your way to customs where you don't get much hassle or i never have, but it pays to be wary of what you are carrying around with you such as if you have changed money to peso you are not allowed over 10,000 with you when you enter the country. You don't want to have to go thru an try explain why you have so much in their currency when you can get a better rate just a few meters away then anything you would get back home.
You have finaly made it thru customs and immigration hopefully without much hassle and with all your luggage. Now if you haven't got any peso with you i suggest that you change a little while in airport so you don't have to worry about paying the taxi without any of there money or if you want to pickup anything on your way to the hotel. Don't change all your currency here since you can get a better rate within metro manila as there are a lot of money changes everywhere.
Also you are able to buy a local sim card for Philippines just before you leave the arrival hall so if your in need of one you can get it here.
Well now your about to leave and you are going to have many people asking you if you want a taxi or a ride or where you are going, most are after a quick way to part you from your money an will give you an inflated price. My advice if you do not have anyone waiting for you is to go to the left to the taxi stand an you will get a metered taxi which wont cost you an arm an a leg.
Now if you have someone waiting for you this is were the fun begins, and hopefully you have someway of communicating with the person that you have waiting for you. If you do not have a phone with international roaming as said previously you can pick up a local sim from just inside the arrivals door.
Once outside the Main arrival terminal you will be facing a road that you will have to cross to get to the meeting area if you have someone waiting for you down there. Hotel buses and the like that do pickups from the airport will be just here but make sure your going with the right one.
If you have friends or family waiting Cross the road an head down the ramp and you will come to sheltered area and facing another road. On the other side is where who is waiting for you will be an you will have a hard time spotting them as there is always many people waiting there. My personal advice would be to contact who is waiting for you an have them come across to you because if you cross to the other side you are going to have a hard time of it as it is always packed with people. On the arrivals side there is Letters every 10m so stand near or under one an tell the person that is waiting for you that is where you are an they will be able to spot you.
Helpful Tips
- Before you Travel make sure to write down the address of where you will be staying as you will be required to write it on your customs and immigration cards.
- If meeting someone make sure you have a way to communicate with them once you arrive it will be very hard to just spot someone in the crowd.
- If traveling alone make sure you know where your going for the taxi driver because there are many hotels in Manila don't expect them to know them all.
- Always use metered taxi's when traveling from the airport it is a lot safer.
- Don't bother buying anything from the duty free you can get much the same prices outside if not cheaper.
- Be wearing light clothes as it will be hot an very rarely will it be cold so if your stuck inline waiting better to comfortable then sweating.
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| Metered Taxi |
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