General Info

[Albert9989]

New check on flight costs and surprise, they look to be really interesting now, same level as before, even better.

Here from France to manila.

Sorry, wrong post. Prices for Manila are still not very good.

[Dashing Don]

As I am on the close side of 80 now I can't wait like you younger guys. How many humps do I have left?? Better to not tary any longer is my feeling. Even if there are issues happening I am going in March. I do have to find a medical insurance plan. Someone here mentioned safetywing ins so I will inquire or maybe travelguard is another possibility. I will stock up on KN95 masks and have already asked the apartment manager in cebu what the visitor policy is. Vacinated are welcome inside. I am wondering if its even enforced. Time will tell. I could not book flights with my fav airlines Koreon Air and Cathay Pacific for early March so went to booking.com and going various airlines with more stops than I like but whatever. I usually roam around to many cities on my Phil trips but maybe this time in the interest of less stress I will stay in cebu and bring the chatmates there. After more than 2 years without a trip I have a lot of pesos saved. Good luck to us all.

Great attitude Nightrider. You're right. The time is now. By the time the timid and cautious get the all clear, there'll be talk of skyrocketing stds or some other bogeyman.

I just booked the covid insurance with an outfit called Seven Corners. $33! A two-minute phone call and they emailed me the certificate while I was on the phone with the guy. $100 K coverage. While the trip is from the 16th to 28th they emailed me a one-page doc that said coverage began Feb 8--28.

Be clear that you're declining 'travel insurance' regarding flights etc. My sense was that that's where their real business is. Unless you want that.

As with all insurance, the devil is in the details. Perhaps there are some here that are actually interested in being covered. I was clear that I just wanted a piece of paper to present to Phil immigration and be greeted with a 'Mabuhay' and be on my way.

[PedroMorales]

1. Near 80 and still in the saddle? How do you manage it? I am debating meeting a hooker tomorrow and am unsure I can perform. If you can handle all the flight changes ok but be wary of scraper sites.

2. Scraper sites: Please ensure you are ok here. Let's say you are going from LAX to Manila after your booking.com search. It is often, almost always, best to book the flights with the airlines and not with booking.com or a scraper site.

As I am on the close side of 80 now I can't wait like you younger guys. How many humps do I have left?? Better to not tary any longer is my feeling. Even if there are issues happening I am going in March. I do have to find a medical insurance plan. Someone here mentioned safetywing ins so I will inquire or maybe travelguard is another possibility. I will stock up on KN95 masks and have already asked the apartment manager in cebu what the visitor policy is. Vacinated are welcome inside. I am wondering if its even enforced. Time will tell. I could not book flights with my fav airlines Koreon Air and Cathay Pacific for early March so went to booking.com and going various airlines with more stops than I like but whatever. I usually roam around to many cities on my Phil trips but maybe this time in the interest of less stress I will stay in cebu and bring the chatmates there. After more than 2 years without a trip I have a lot of pesos saved. Good luck to us all.

[Nightrider1]

As I am on the close side of 80 now I can't wait like you younger guys. How many humps do I have left?? Better to not tary any longer is my feeling. Even if there are issues happening I am going in March. I do have to find a medical insurance plan. Someone here mentioned safetywing ins so I will inquire or maybe travelguard is another possibility. I will stock up on KN95 masks and have already asked the apartment manager in cebu what the visitor policy is. Vacinated are welcome inside. I am wondering if its even enforced. Time will tell. I could not book flights with my fav airlines Koreon Air and Cathay Pacific for early March so went to booking.com and going various airlines with more stops than I like but whatever. I usually roam around to many cities on my Phil trips but maybe this time in the interest of less stress I will stay in cebu and bring the chatmates there. After more than 2 years without a trip I have a lot of pesos saved. Good luck to us all.

[Albert9989]

New check on flight costs and surprise, they look to be really interesting now, same level as before, even better.

Here from France to manila.

[D Cups]

Pretty dumb since your chance of being hospitalized from covid after being vaccinated and boosted is essentially zero. Now, dying in a trike accident in the Philippines? I put those chances at one in three.

Any legit insurance (I. E. Blue Shield) has you covered internationally.

I signed up with safetywing insurance. $144.76/ month but I will drop as soon as I can. Arriving PH Feb 17.

[FuriousGeorge]

Pretty dumb since your chance of being hospitalized from covid after being vaccinated and boosted is essentially zero. Now, dying in a trike accident in the Philippines? I put those chances at one in three.

Any legit insurance (I. E. Blue Shield) has you covered internationally.

[Pekkakoo]

Well insurance is not a big problem. I have a continuous travel insurance from Europe which I pay yearly and they cover all hospital fees and there is no limit. So as long as there is space in better hospitals I should be fine in case of covid.

I'm more concerned about condos and hotels and their policies. It wouldn't be fun if no visitors were allowed in. Usually I have stayed in an airbnb in Makati Manila but this time maybe BGC would be better.

I have vacation all March so maybe it would be best still to wait before booking what happens right?

[DzikaBomba]

After some thinking it is wise for tourist to have medical insurance. I would increase coverage to $50,000 - $100,000.

In PH if you do test positive they can confine you to a hospital. If you are positive then it is best to be confined to a very good hospital like St. Luke in BGC or Makati Medical Hospital. Of course these hospitals are expensive especially if they know you have insurance. $35,000 coverage may not be enough in severe cases. Best to have more coverage and to be able to select a good hospital. Most plans have medical transportation coverage. Personally if I was severely ill I would opt for a flight to a hospital in Guam where my Medicare insurance would be in effect.

All depends on how much you value your life.

Its not if you want, but you have to get an insurance!

They are requiring an insurance covering up to 35 k $ from tourists now from now on:

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1167073

They are covering it from Thailand I think.

They also have this obligatory insurance.

[Dg8787]

After some thinking it is wise for tourist to have medical insurance. I would increase coverage to $50,000 - $100,000.

In PH if you do test positive they can confine you to a hospital. If you are positive then it is best to be confined to a very good hospital like St. Luke in BGC or Makati Medical Hospital. Of course these hospitals are expensive especially if they know you have insurance. $35,000 coverage may not be enough in severe cases. Best to have more coverage and to be able to select a good hospital. Most plans have medical transportation coverage. Personally if I was severely ill I would opt for a flight to a hospital in Guam where my Medicare insurance would be in effect.

All depends on how much you value your life.

[Goferring]

Is there a male name for 'Karen'?

Yes. Kevin.

[The Rose]

I read the following advice on this forum many years ago: taxis which are moving through traffic hunting for the next fare will always be less expensive than the taxi which is stationary and waiting for a fare, like the taxi waiting outside the hotel for exiting hotel guests. In the latter situation the passenger will have to pay more in order to makeup for the time the driver wasted while waiting. This makes crystal clear sense.

[WestCoast1]

Let's add to that the uncertainty about whether the 30 day tourist visa can be extended.

It's good that PI is technically opening and I love Pina pussy as much as the next guy. However, Additional insurance requirements; Risks of getting sick with limited medical backup; Hotel lockouts; ID restrictions; Girls' inability to travel; Difficulty to travel between provinces; a constantly changing and nonsensical list of rules?? Some guys must be desperate to get laid. 😜.

I'm waiting until it returns to much more user friendly.

I am confident the ice cream eating imbecile will not enjoy himself.

Is there a male name for 'Karen'?

My advice to anyone considering coming here is to wait for another 4-6 weeks during which time the rules may be relaxed slightly and recreational facilities may start to open again. Right now, this city is not a lot of fun.

Tip of the spear. . . Tip of the spear. . .

[WestCoast1]

Moved to Gen Info from AC thread.

After exiting the arrivals area of the airport I climb upstairs to the departures and find a cab which has just left off a passenger. I offer the driver 2,000 p to take me to my hotel in AC. The driver pays tolls and gas. No taxi driver has ever refused. There was a time when I offered less. I take an iPhone photo of the driver and the vehicle, making sure the driver sees me doing this, so as to discourage the driver from any funny business. During the ride I float the idea that on his return trip the driver should stop by the Dau bus terminal and see if he can find a group of riders waiting to take a bus who may be willing to pay a little extra for door to door service to Manila.

This is good advice.

In addition to going to AC, I have utilized the upstairs departures taxis to my hotel many times. Those drivers have no ride as they depart the airport departure parking area. The driver's choice: Drive back to the lower level and get into the arrivals taxi queue, or else back into the city looking for rides on the street (as he was probably doing when he picked up his airport fare). I often times tell the upstairs / departure driver p200 to my hotel, whether Malate or Makati (p300 during heavier traffic times, Monday-Saturday 12 noon to 9 pm). Its $6 stinking dollars to get to your hotel / condo. After a long-haul flight, that's small. Yes, of course the metered fare might be p100 less, but who cares? This is a faster method than walking outside at the downstairs arrivals area and getting into the taxi queue. Almost every driver agreed to my amount. On rare occasion when a driver balked, just let him drive off, there will be another right behind him who will accept the fare.

Another faster alternative for a taxi is to stay at the downstairs arrival area and get a private car to your hotel (p800-1200 is not unusual, but you get a larger van usually where you can stretch out and rest, and there is no dickering on the price).

[Sammon]

It's good that PI is technically opening and I love Pina pussy as much as the next guy. However, Additional insurance requirements; Risks of getting sick with limited medical backup; Hotel lockouts; ID restrictions; Girls' inability to travel; Difficulty to travel between provinces; a constantly changing and nonsensical list of rules?? Some guys must be desperate to get laid. 😜.

I'm waiting until it returns to much more user friendly.

I am of the same opinion. Was thinking of making a trip to see my long waiting virgin. Still says she is and waiting. Have been chatting with others also. I did some research and found many restrictions. Besides the hotels who were girfriendly may not be anymore for now. Travel restrictions maybe in place including proof of vaccination and temp check and such.

Have some credit from cancelled flights and plan to wait till October. Hopefully by then things should be back to normal unless another varient pops it's ugly head.