Manila

[X Man]

LA Cafe is in Ermita. Just a few blocks north of Malate.

Hey, read the forum and you will see that LA Cafe in Malate is best for freelancers. Geez.

[WestCoast1]

WR is correct. Everything about the airport is inadequate, out of date, and fairly shabby. Only one runway can be used at a time, the ground landing equipment was antique ten years ago, and the amenities are a joke. Further, there are no immediate plans, as far as I know, to build anything new. I guess the country will wait for some donor or other to come give them the money to build something, but for the moment, the air travel situation deteriorates year by year. Together with all of the other transport infrastructure.

NAIA is a virtual meme for political incompetence.

GE.

Well put. A few websites with info: http://www.flightstats.com/go/Airpor...rt=MNL&x=0&y=0 and I loved this:

Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport (airport code MNL) is the main gateway to the Manila Metro Area and all the Philippines islands. Manila Airport has four terminals, 1, 2, and 3, which oversee international travelers, and Domestic Terminal serving local carriers. The airport managed more than 27 million passengers in 2010, which put it in the top 50 for world's busiest airports. Served by 29 airlines, the airport is also a hub for travel throughout Asia. About four miles south of Manila, there is a 2-kilometer taxi ride to the Light Rail Transit line that takes travelers into the city. The Manila Airport Hotel is on-site next to Terminal 1.

Do international travelers grab their luggage and then take the LRT?

And an official site:

http://www.manila-airport.net/

[DanGood]

Hey,

I'm soon in Manila / Makati (still don't know). Can anyone help me to find the pearls that are skinny, tiny but legal. I like them on their 18. So if you can help or let me come with you, it would be fun.

If any local guy want to be my sexguide there, I would appreciate. I'm fully straight, ready for many games like 3 some, parties, gang.

[GoodEnough]

PAL also has a few flights at T3 so always best check as I have seen a few guys in your position CT.

T3 taxis I suspect will be worse when the 5 international carriers all land there, business class lounges I am checking as I am told by a fellow ISG friend that Singapore does not and as he flies SQ a lot he is one very unhappy bunny.

I agree with the 'gates' comment and suspect the local carriers will be pushed to parking without an air bridge at times. Already I have noticed Cebu Pacific using gates 134 etc more so that means a bus ride where they try to shove 60 people into a bus fit for 30! Can't see T3 dong that for the international airlines.

But above all this, the main problem is the airports have 1 main runway and congestion in the sky is the norm especially mid afternoon. Is a mess and the equipment is third world IMHO so having a cleaner terminal, etc is nice but if you are circling Manila for 45+ minutes (as I have done!) it really takes the gloss of everything.

And just think, it only took this country ten years or so to build a terminal that was totally out of date before its doors opened. Delta now uses it, Cathay will use it as of next month, in addition to Cebu Pacific amd some PAL flights. I think other international carriers are also moving over. Of course there aren't sufficient gates, so, consistent with airport practice circa 1965, buses make up the slack. This may also be the only terminal I've ever seen outside Africa that doesn't have an Arrivals / Departure schedule in the main lobby, so if you enter he terminal with a boarding pass for a domestic flight, lots of luck trying to figure out where your gate might be.

WR is correct. Everything about the airport is inadequate, out of date, and fairly shabby. Only one runway can be used at a time, the ground landing equipment was antique ten years ago, and the amenities are a joke. Further, there are no immediate plans, as far as I know, to build anything new. I guess the country will wait for some donor or other to come give them the money to build something, but for the moment, the air travel situation deteriorates year by year. Together with all of the other transport infrastructure.

NAIA is a virtual meme for political incompetence.

GE.

[D Cups]

Hey,

I'm in Manila for 2 days and I'd love to get some advice on the best place to find a freelancer.

Hey, read the forum and you will see that LA Cafe in Malate is best for freelancers. Geez.

[Firdau]

Hey,

I'm in Manila for 2 days and I'd love to get some advice on the best place to find a freelancer. I'm near the Shangri la Plaza (Mandaluyong). I was thinking of heading to QC but not sure. I also read that Edsa IEC is kinda expensive and not good any more. Thoughts?

I went to the Eastwood Citywalk last night. Nothing. Just groups of people having a good time, nothing at the Metro Citywalk near my hotel either.

I'll post a report later if there's something worthy of reporting.

Thanks!

[Wicked Roger]

I always thought only Cebu flew in and out of T3, until my ANA (United code share) connecting flight from Tokyo landed there about 4 weeks ago.

I do not think T3 has enough gates to support all flights coming in from T1. If they do come over to T3, then T3 will turn into a nightmare.

PAL also has a few flights at T3 so always best check as I have seen a few guys in your position CT.

T3 taxis I suspect will be worse when the 5 international carriers all land there, business class lounges I am checking as I am told by a fellow ISG friend that Singapore does not and as he flies SQ a lot he is one very unhappy bunny.

I agree with the 'gates' comment and suspect the local carriers will be pushed to parking without an air bridge at times. Already I have noticed Cebu Pacific using gates 134 etc more so that means a bus ride where they try to shove 60 people into a bus fit for 30! Can't see T3 dong that for the international airlines.

But above all this, the main problem is the airports have 1 main runway and congestion in the sky is the norm especially mid afternoon. Is a mess and the equipment is third world IMHO so having a cleaner terminal, etc is nice but if you are circling Manila for 45+ minutes (as I have done!) it really takes the gloss of everything.

[Cool Traveler]

I always thought only Cebu flew in and out of T3, until my ANA (United code share) connecting flight from Tokyo landed there about 4 weeks ago. I had a dating site girl waiting at T1. I assumed it would land at T1, like my United flight from Guam. Both my cell was dead on arrival, so for the first time, I had to ditch a pre-arranged girl. Ended up at Havana.

Checking in at Terminal 3. It is a lot faster and getting into the Terminal 3 is a lot cleaner unlike Terminal 1. You see that huge crowd at T1. And T3 is a lot newer airport. I think T1 handles a lot more OFW's. At the present moment, I have only seen ANA check-in counter apart from the CP counters. There are more coffee shops here at T3 than T1. I have never seen a business class lounge. So, not sure if there is one.

Checking Out of Terminal 3. I like it better because the immigration crew is a lot younger and seem to just stamp and let you off. At T1, the Immigration crew is a lot older, and tend to look you up more closely. None of the horizontal escalators work, so usually a long walk from gate to the immigration point. And almost always, the bags are always out before I get to the carousel. As you walk out, before you go outside, ATM machines to your left. And there are SIM kiosks. I did buy a SIM once, and got ripped off. So, check carefully what you are getting. Read the card they hand over to you.

Taxi's. As you get out, the yellow taxi's are to your right. And yes, always a long wait but not all the time. I never had to wait longer than 20 minutes. I will not comment on the white taxi's as I never use them. If my memory serves me right, metered charge comes to about 170 to 190 pesos to get to Makati.

Location. This is the part I like the best. T3 is closer to Makati. If you use T1, the taxis come all the way around the airport and pass T3, before getting into Makati area. So, you save about 15 to 20 minutes here. This compensates for the taxi wait. The taxi gets on the highway within 5 minutes, and gets off just after about 5 minutes and then surface road in Makati. The ride is only about 20 to 30 minutes to where the Intercon is, depending on traffic in Makati. Always ask for the highway, and it will cost you an extra 20 pesos.

They also have a free shuttle bus that takes you to the Casino hotels. I think every hour. It is right in between the white taxi stand and yellow taxi stand across the way. Ask the security outside, and they will point it out. You do not need to show proof of stay. Just tell them you are going there. I did this twice when I stayed at the Marriott. If you are lugging luggage, use the taxi! If you are going across on a taxi, the drivers will grumble. My next trip, I will try to get a taxi at departure and see if that works. I will report back.

I do not think T3 has enough gates to support all flights coming in from T1. If they do come over to T3, then T3 will turn into a nightmare.

[Jp Slicky]

I went up there after looking at the que and there were guards at the only one or two doors you can exit.

[Fast Eddie 48]

I tried going up to the departure area to get an incoming taxi, but with the guards at the door there it is a one way check valve and cannot get out to the in coming, Yellow cab must have paid a hefty fee or bribe for the rights to service outbound, arrival passengers be dammed.

To JP.

The last time I was at terminal 3 just arrive from Hong Kong I go uo to arrival to get a taxi just drop off customer and all taxi driver asking 600 p to Malate, I think they all work together on this but terminal one is different I can still get taxi driver to just use the meter, so what I did is catch a free shuttle to the Resort world casino across the st have lunch there and get a meter taxi there to Malate.

Fast eddie 48.

[Radical Guy]

I tried going up to the departure area to get an incoming taxi, but with the guards at the door there it is a one way check valve and cannot get out to the in coming, Yellow cab must have paid a hefty fee or bribe for the rights to service outbound, arrival passengers be dammed.

Actually, that's not true. One time I dropped my lady off in the departure area to catch her flight back to the provinces, and accompanied her to the check-in counter, and had to walk out to catch another taxi on the upper level. There is one door at the very end where you can go back out, and catch a white meter taxi.

RG.

[Jp Slicky]

I tried going up to the departure area to get an incoming taxi, but with the guards at the door there it is a one way check valve and cannot get out to the in coming, Yellow cab must have paid a hefty fee or bribe for the rights to service outbound, arrival passengers be dammed.

[Soapy Smith]

Thanks H, WR, AV, JP.

Sounds like sim and load will be the least of my worries. I like the idea of RW as an outlet for taxis. I wonder how long it will take the taxi Gods to figure out that traffic has moved from Terminal 1 to 3.

[Hutsori]

The scams, the lack of white / yellow. At peak times the 'efficiency' of T3 will be lost on international passengers. Prices will increase for those who don't want to wait 2 hours or who can't / don't want to go to the arrivals area to try and get a cheaper white cab (but even there the queues can be horrible).

Using the domestic airline and arriving at the wrong time of day can be bad enough let alone with lots of other international passengers IMHO but it is something we will suffer as we love the Philippines.

I recall Resorts World (RW), which is across the street from terminal 3, has a shuttle bus that runs to / from the terminals. If the wait for a taxi at NAIA is particularly bad I'd take the shuttle to RW and hail a taxi there. Of the dozen times I've been to RW I've never had more than a few-minute wait for a taxi. Just a thought.

[Wicked Roger]

Nice flight from Japan on Cebu Pacific, but it was a 2 hour + wait / que for a metered taxi.

A good point JP as I noted in a much earlier FR that unless they did something about the taxis. The scams, the lack of white / yellow. At peak times the 'efficiency' of T3 will be lost on international passengers. Prices will increase for those who don't want to wait 2 hours or who can't / don't want to go to the arrivals area to try and get a cheaper white cab (but even there the queues can be horrible).

Using the domestic airline and arriving at the wrong time of day can be bad enough let alone with lots of other international passengers IMHO but it is something we will suffer as we love the Philippines.

I will pick my flights carefully as I use some of those carriers who now fly to T3. But this could mean I don't hang around Manila as much and just transfer to the domestic flight as no real traffic hassles getting from T1 to T3 anymore.

On the plus side (I hope) the air con (AC) will be better than T1, it is a cleaner airport, but the taxis could be an issue as you rightly pointed out.