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Tag: Philippine Basics

  • Transportation in the Philippines – by Air

    The major gateway to the Philippines is the Ninoy Aquino International Airport which is located in the capital – Manila. With the increasing number of tourist, the airports are being upgraded to handle more passengers and bigger planes. Here are some of the growing list of International Airports in the country which may be your ports of entry:

    City/MunicipalityProvinceAirport CodeAirport name
    SilayNegros OccidentalBCDBacolod-Silay International Airport
    AngelesPampangaCRKClark International Airport
    Davao CityDavao del SurDVOFrancisco Bangoy (Davao) International Airport
    General SantosSouth CotabatoGESGeneral Santos International (Tambler) Airport
    CabatuanIloiloILOIloilo International Airport
    KaliboAklanKLOKalibo International Airport
    LaoagIlocos NorteLAOLaoag International Airport
    Lapu-LapuCebuCEBMactan-Cebu International Airport
    Parañaque/PasayMetro ManilaMNLNinoy Aquino (Manila) International Airport
    Puerto PrincesaPalawanPPSPuerto Princesa International Airport
    MorongBataanSFSSubic Bay International Airport
    Zamboanga CityZamboanga del SurZAMZamboanga International Airport

    Aside from the international airports, there are also a number of domestic airports scattered all over the archipelago. You need to check-out which airport that you would use to a particular province and which airlines are servicing that route.

    Most of the airlines operating in the Philippines are budget airlines. I think Philippine Airlines, the flag carrier, is the only full service airline.  Thanks to these budget airlines traveling across the different islands is now much more convenient. Here are 5 major airlines operating in the country:

     

    Major Airlines in the PhilippinesWebsite URL:
    Philippine Airlineshttp://www1.philippineairlines.com/
    PAL Expresshttp://www.flypalexpress.com/
    Cebu Pacifichttp://www.cebupacificair.com
    Air Asiahttp://www.airasia.com/ph/
    Tiger Airhttp://www.tigerairways.com/ph/en/
    Sky Jet Airhttp://www.skyjetair.com/

    To make it easier to plan out your flights to the Philippines, you can use http://www.skyscanner.com.ph/

    [box type=”info”]Guidelines[/box]

        • Do not make bomb jokes. Even just mere mention of bomb would get you in trouble. By trouble, I mean Prison!
        • Liquid, aerosol and gels in more than 100ml containers are not allowed in your hand carry luggage.
        • Arrive in the airport 3 hours in advance for international flights and 2 hours in advance for domestic flights.
        • Terminal fees are collected from passengers departing a particular airport. The fund is used for acquiring security equipments for the airport. The fee varies depending on the airport:
          • International departure: P200-750
          • Domestic departure on International airport: P200
          • Other Local Domestic Airports: P20-40

    What’s your favorite airline in the Philippines? Tell me about your experience below.

  • Transportation in the Philippines – by Sea

    This is just a part of a series of post about the different modes of transportation in the Philippines. If you are looking for Land or Air transport available in the country just click the hyperlinks.

    by Sea

    The Philippines is composed of 7,107 islands. If you’ll be traveling all over the country, you’ll eventually have to travel by sea. Here are the different means of transportation in the Philippines by sea:

    RORO

    Roll-on/roll-off ships ferry passengers, vehicles and cargoes from one island to another. If you are not in a hurry, you can try this plus the fare is much cheaper compared to planes. I’ve recently rode a RORO from Caticlan (Boracay) to Batangas. The ship has good accommodations and facilities. The service is good too. You can check-out their website here: http://travel.2go.com.ph/

    2GO RORO transportation in the Philippines
    2GO RORO

    Fast Craft/Fast Ferry/Catamaran

    Supercat
    There are also fast craft vessels that you could use for going to one island province to another. These are popularly known as the SuperCat (although SuperCat is actually a name of one of the companies offering this service). It is more commonly used in the provinces in the Visayas where the island provinces are just within a few hours from each other. The fare is a little bit high but you’re paying for the comfort and arriving in your destination faster.

    Here are the websites of some companies offering this service:

    SuperCat website

    http://www.supercat.com.ph/index.asp

    Weesam Express

    http://www.weesamexpress.net/

    Ocean Jet

    http://oceanjet.net/

    Bangka/outrigger canoe/pumpboat

    bangka
    The most popular transporation in the Philippines on the seas is the bangka. They are used for transportation and fishing. They come in different sizes. The capacity ranges from 2 to a 100 persons. It can be just paddle power or motorized. Similar to jeepneys, they are colorful and have cool and sometimes funny names. This is what you would usually use for trips in areas that have no access to the bigger sea vessels mentioned above. This is used for island hopping, snorkeling, diving and ferrying passengers.

  • Do I need a visa to visit the Philippines?

    It depends on how long you are planning to stay. The citizens of the countries below are allowed to stay in the Philippines for up to 30 days without the need for a visa provided they hold a valid ticket to return to their country or to their next destination. Also, the passport should still be valid for at least 6 months beyond the contemplated period of stay. However, if you’re planning to stay for more than 30 days, you will need a tourist visa.

    From the website of the Department of Foreign Affairs, nationals from the following countries are allowed to enter the Philippines without a visa for a period of stay of thirty (30) days or less:
    (*Updated November 2014*)

    Andorra
    Angola
    Antigua and Barbuda
    Argentina
    Australia
    Austria
    Bahamas
    Bahrain
    Barbados
    Belgium
    Belize
    Benin
    Bhutan
    Bolivia
    Botswana
    Brazil*
    Brunei Darussalam
    Bulgaria
    Burkina Faso
    Burundi
    Cambodia
    Cameroon
    Canada
    Cape Verde
    Central African Republic
    Chad
    Chile
    Colombia
    Comoros
    Congo
    Costa Rica
    Cote d’Ivoire
    Croatia
    Cyprus
    Czech Republic
    Democratic Republic of the Congo
    Denmark
    Djibouti
    Dominica
    Dominican Republic
    Ecuador
    El Salvador
    Equatorial Guinea
    Eritrea
    Estonia
    Ethiopia
    Fiji
    Finland
    France
    Gabon
    Gambia
    Germany
    Ghana
    Greece
    Grenada
    Guatemala
    Guinea
    Guinea Bissau
    Guyana
    Haiti
    Honduras
    Hungary
    Iceland
    Indonesia
    Ireland
    Israel*
    Italy
    Jamaica
    Japan
    Kazakhstan
    Kenya
    Kiribati
    Kuwait
    Kyrgyzstan
    Lao People’s Democratic Republic
    Latvia
    Lesotho
    Liberia
    Liechtenstein
    Lithuania
    Luxembourg
    Madagascar
    Malawi
    Malaysia
    Maldives
    Mali
    Malta
    Marshall Islands
    Mauritania
    Mauritius
    Mexico
    Micronesia
    Monaco
    Mongolia
    Morocco
    Mozambique
    Myanmar
    Namibia
    Nepal
    Netherlands
    New Zealand
    Nicaragua
    Niger
    Norway
    Oman
    Palau
    Panama
    Papua New Guinea
    Paraguay
    Peru
    Poland
    Portugal
    Qatar
    Republic of Korea
    Romania
    Russia
    Rwanda
    Saint Kitts and Nevis
    Saint Lucia
    Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
    Samoa
    San Marino
    Sao Tome and Principe
    Saudi Arabia
    Senegal
    Seychelles
    Singapore
    Slovak Republic
    Slovenia
    Solomon Islands
    South Africa
    Spain
    Suriname
    Swaziland
    Sweden
    Switzerland
    Tajikistan
    Thailand
    Togo
    Trinidad and Tobago
    Tunisia
    Turkey
    Turkmenistan
    Tuvalu
    Uganda
    United Arab Emirates
    United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
    United Republic of Tanzania
    United States of America
    Uruguay
    Uzbekistan
    Vanuatu
    Vatican
    Venezuela
    Vietnam
    Zambia
    Zimbabwe

    *The following are allowed to enter the Philippines without a visa for a stay not exceeding fifty-nine (59) days:

    1. Holders of Brazil passports; and

    2. Holders of Israel passports

    The following are allowed to enter the Philippines without a visa for a stay not exceeding fourteen (14) days:

    1. Holders of Hong Kong Special Administrative (SAR) passports.

    2. Holders of Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) passports.

    The following are allowed to enter the Philippines without a visa for a stay not exceeding seven (7) days:

    1. Holders of Macau-Portuguese passports

    2. Holders of Hong Kong British passports.
    Where can I get a tourist visa?

    You can get a visa from the Philippine Embassies or Consulates. You would need to apply in person and prepare the necessary documents:

    1. Passport/Travel Document Valid for at least six (6) months beyond the intended period of stay in the Philippines;
    2. Duly Accomplished Visa application forms;
    3. Passport Photos (2 pieces);
    4. Proof of bona fide status as tourist or businessman;
    5. Confirmed tickets for return or onward journey to the next port of destination; and
    6. Payment of Visa Fees

    For more information visit Department of Foreign Affairs.

    Visa Extension

    If you would like to extend you stay in the Philippines, you will have to report to the Bureau of Immigration, secure an extension of stay and pay the corresponding immigration fees. Information on fees for extension of stay and other Immigration fees are available at the Bureau of Immigration website.

    Did you get your tourist visa? Was it easy? Please share to use your experience on the comments 🙂

    Image courtesy of photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

  • Facts about the Philippines

    Where in the world is the Philippines?

    Ok.. ok.. After watching the It’s More Fun in the Philippines and WOW Philippines videos, probably your next question is: where in the world is the Philippines?

    Ok, let me help you.

    The Philippines is an archipelago located at 13º00´ N, 122º00´ E. Just kidding! Who understands that?

    It is in the Southeast Asia region. It is located just below China/Taiwan, above Indonesia/Borneo and on the right of Vietnam. Or you could just use the map below as your reference.


    View Larger Map

    The Philippines is composed of 7,107 islands. The 3 main island groups are Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

    Philippine Map
    Philippine Map from www.drdf-uppi.net

    What’s the capital?

    The capital of the Philippines is Manila which is part of the National Capital Region (simply called Metro Manila) that is composed of 16 cities. It is located in Luzon.

    What’s the language?

    One of the official language is Filipino which is based on Tagalog, one of the dialects.

    The other is English. The Philippines is the 3rd largest English speaking country just after the US and the UK. Most Filipinos speak and understand English. Some Filipinos don’t even speak Tagalog. They speak only their native dialect and guess what? English! So, you can pretty much strike up a conversation with anyone in English.

    If you get lost, you can just simply ask for directions in English. I’m sure you’ll find some willing Filipinos to help you. Sometimes, they might not understand your accent or get shy but they can just easily grab someone to help you out.

    How do I get around the Philippines?

    The most common mode of transportation is the jeepney. There are also tricycles which you would use for shorter trips. Of course, there are also buses, taxis or cabs in urban areas.

    You need to ride a plane or a boat to get to the islands.
    For long boat trips, you can ride a RORO and for shorter trips like island hopping you can ride a bangka.

    There are 6 major airlines in the country which offers great deals if you book ahead of time.

    I’ll discuss more about the different modes of transportation here, here and here.

    What’s the weather like?

    The Philippines is a tropical country so expect it to be hot (Average Temperature: 78 degrees F or 25 degrees C)and humid (Average Humidity: 77%).

    There are 2 seasons: dry and rainy. But the dry season can further be divided into two – cool dry and hot dry.

    Seasons:

    Rainy Season – June to November
    Cool Dry Season – December to February
    Hot Dry Season – March to May

    If you are coming for a visit, you can monitor the weather here in the official website the country’s weather bureau – PAGASA (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration). I know the website looks ugly! 🙂 You can also get the weather app for Android and IOS.

    Will I be able to access the Internet?

    I know you wanna know this! Internet cafes are available in urban centers and popular tourist spots. Wifi is also available in malls, coffee shops and hotels. You can also access the internet through 3G and 4G mobile networks. So don’t worry that much, you’ll still be able to update your facebook status, tweet and upload travel photos to the envy of your friends back home.

    Will my cellphone work in the Philippines?

    The mobile network band used in the Philippines are 900/1800, 3G 850/ 2100, 4G LTE, HSPA+ so you could pretty much use your phone here since most phones now are triband.

    If you are planning to stay in the Philippines for a while and you’ll be making a lot of local calls, you should just probably buy a new prepaid SIM card which only costs around 30-40 pesos.

    Electricity

    Most tourist spots have electricity. There’s still a lot of areas in the Philippines that doesn’t have electricity though but usually these are remote areas like an island and mountainous regions. Some remote communities, resorts and hotels have their own generator to light up their places during the night.

    If you are doing the off the beaten track type of traveling, of course, don’t expect the place you are going to have electricity.

    Also, the Philippines uses 220 Volts AC, 60 Hz so if you have gadgets and equipments with you that’s only for 110 Volts you need a transformer to use it. Keep this in mind so you won’t end up with a toasted, useless gadget. Although, most hotels already have a socket for 110 volts it’s better to check first.

    Some more facts about the Philippines:

    Population: 96 Million
    Local time: UTC/GMT+8 (No DST)
    Currency: Philippine Peso (PHP) locally known as piso
    Currency denomination: 5 cents, 10 cents, 25 cents, P1, P5, P10, P20, P50, P100, P200, P500, P1,000
    Government: Democratic Republic
    Religions: Roman Catholic, Protestant, Muslim and Buddhist
    Country code: +63
    Most popular dish: Adobo
    Most popular beer: San Miguel Pale Pilsen and Red Horse