Manila

[Dg8787]

I ususlly go for the meter-fare yellow taxis, but last time I arrived in Manila there was a line a mile long waiting for them (Terminal 3). So, I bit the bulet at paid 600 pesos for a quick taxi to Malate. After all, time is money.

RG

One of the smartest comments posted here. Time is money! Sometimes I have more time than money and other times I have more money than time. I spend accordingly.

[Amavida]

I ususlly go for the meter-fare yellow taxis, but last time I arrived in Manila there was a line a mile long waiting for them (Terminal 3). So, I bit the bulet at paid 600 pesos for a quick taxi to Malate. After all, time is money.

RG

Correct, the queues fow the yellows are usually too big for me to bother hence I grab a normal Manila cab.

BTW, P600 is too much for NAIA <==> Malate.

AV

[FreebieFan]

I'd want to re-quote GE's post in its entirety (almost) because my experience is the same.

I've lived in Manila for 17 years now and use taxis almost every day to go everywhere including from Ortigas to Malate now and again. I know I can easily count on one hand the number of times a taxi driver has tried to rip me off. I virtually NEVER have to ask them to use the meter.

Most are courteous and honest, and they enjoy having a chat too. I always ask them which province they are from etc and having been all over I can usually talk to them about their home province.

I know someone will jump on here and say that GE and I are living in some parallel universe and we cannot be telling the truth but I have no reason not to relate accurately my own experience.

I am sure taxi drivers recognise that we don't dress like "tourists" or "visitors" (shorts, singlets, sandals etc) , and we always know where is our destination and the best way to get there.

Not having your 17 years, but having had 5 there and countless visits, I'd second what RK and GE has said. I usually throw a little Tagalog in at the begining just so we all know the score.

One day I didn't do this and the driver started telling me he couldn't use the meter as it was a public holiday and that taxis were exempt from meter useage on such days. I nodded then suggested " Pare, paki hinaan radyo mo " (please turn down the volume on your radio ). He looked with bug eyes and said " Sir, your not a tourist" I replied no, he smiled, put the meter on and we both had a laugh and a joke. Thats the only rip off attempt I can recall.

[Ccntesz]

I tried searching and rtfm but could not find my answer. I'm visiting MNL again and trying to decide where to stay. I really had good luck with EDSA last time and MBC was hit and miss. My question is how early do the bars open at EDSA?

[Radical Guy]

There's a continuous stream of cabs available at the airport. P800 is way too much, cancel that. Either get a yellow cab which will use a Meyer & is fair price or if going in other cabs inform the driver your destination & ask how much. Don't agree more than P400, wave him off & get another or insist on Meyer. Be aware that metres are often fiddled in non yellow cabs. As a local I never ask meter settling for haggling the price up front.

I ususlly go for the meter-fare yellow taxis, but last time I arrived in Manila there was a line a mile long waiting for them (Terminal 3). So, I bit the bulet at paid 600 pesos for a quick taxi to Malate. After all, time is money.

RG

[Amavida]

Hi folks,

I am going to make my "cherry" Phil visit from 31 March. I have booked 3 nights in La Corona. Maybe a mistake given some comments in the Hotel section, but got great deal for Executive Suite. They wanted 800 pesos for car from Airport, so I plan to take organised cab from Airport. Is that sensible or should I pay the extra? I plan to see a couple DIA girls, visit MBC and pop into some clubs in EDSA. Any advice as to which clubs or other areas. Any to avoid / must dos?

I then plan to go to Angeles via Southern Cross bus. Stay in ABC for 5 nights. I will post there, but happy to listen to any advice.

Peter

There's a continuous stream of cabs available at the airport. P800 is way too much, cancel that. Either get a yellow cab which will use a meter & is fair price or if going in other cabs inform the driver your destination & ask how much. Don't agree more than P400, wave him off & get another or insist on meter. Be aware that meters are often fiddled in non yellow cabs. As a local I never ask meter instead settling for haggling the price up front the same as all the other locals.

DIA girls can be a time wasting lottery. If you're very time limited don't focus on them too much, just include them as a nice distraction to your main event. Likewise MBC, some nights the place is a gold mine, some nights a desert. If you're only in Manila 3 days EDSA or Burgos St bars are an expensive but reliable method to get laid.

If your hotel is in Malate/Ermita then your main area of operations is Robinson's mall day time & MBC, Amazon's & the many KTV'S at night. EDSA is a little way from where you are & Burgos even further. Traffic can be a real pain, factor that in your time budget otherwise you will waste your 72 hours sitting in cabs in traffic jams.

The bus from Swaggies to AC is clean, safe, cheap but a little long winded method to get there. I almost always recommend book a car from your hotel to AC. This is a little higher priced but faster & more comfortable. Don't hail a cab off the street for this, bad idea. 5 nights in AC will see you ready to check in to a hospital for exhaustion. There is more cheap P4P girls per square in than anywhere else in PI. Be aware, most still bare back there due to constant influx of 'fresh of the farm' girls. Up to you how you view this.

You should have an absolute blast.

AV

[PeterTaylor]

Hi folks,

I am going to make my "cherry" Phil visit from 31 March. I have booked 3 nights in La Corona. Maybe a mistake given some comments in the Hotel section, but got great deal for Executive Suite. They wanted 800 pesos for car from Airport, so I plan to take organised cab from Airport. Is that sensible or should I pay the extra? I plan to see a couple DIA girls, visit MBC and pop into some clubs in EDSA. Any advice as to which clubs or other areas. Any to avoid / must dos?

I then plan to go to Angeles via Southern Cross bus. Stay in ABC for 5 nights. I will post there, but happy to listen to any advice.

Peter

[Gangles]

It looks like I am going to be staying in Dasmarinas with a honey for 10 days or so.

For a couple of nights, I will be on my own.

Does anyone know of any girlie bars, or similar, in the Cavite area?

Thanks in anticipation.

G

[Gangles]

I agree with RK, and GE.

I usually get in the front, and chat with the drivr all the way. His province, family, kids, income etc.

They are usually pretty happy that a foreigner takes a personal interest in them.

If I am going to a difficult destination, I say to the driver. Meter plus X, where X could be 50, 100, 200.

Neve had a knock back, never an argument. Because we both know exactly what the result will be easy.

I'd want to re-quote GE's post in its entirety (almost) because my experience is the same.

I've lived in Manila for 17 years now and use taxis almost every day to go everywhere including from Ortigas to Malate now and again. I know I can easily count on one hand the number of times a taxi driver has tried to rip me off. I virtually NEVER have to ask them to use the meter.

Most are courteous and honest, and they enjoy having a chat too. I always ask them which province they are from etc and having been all over I can usually talk to them about their home province.

I know someone will jump on here and say that GE and I are living in some parallel universe and we cannot be telling the truth but I have no reason not to relate accurately my own experience.

I am sure taxi drivers recognise that we don't dress like "tourists" or "visitors" (shorts, singlets, sandals etc) , and we always know where is our destination and the best way to get there.

[Zeppelin029]

Thought I'd add my two cents re. The taxi situation.

Seems to be lost on many of these cabbies that if you're pleasant and respectable, more often than not they'll get a worthwhile tip. Keeping in mind, as a few have pointed out. 50 pesos here and there is barely a dollar for us.

My personal experience, my cab from the EDSA complex to green belt, was a certain price. The girl wanted to go drink, and he wanted another 100 pesos to go to Burgos st. I told him 50 and no more. Stuck between a rock and a hard place because you have company, and it is late.

On the other hand, my taxi from AC back to NAIA was meant to be 1500p, flat rate. As others have described, the driver was friendly and we talked about him not having ever been to MoA despite dropping people there and the corruption in the government. When we arrived, I gave him an extra 300p, and he said "this is too much sir". So there you go, as is the case con most parts of the world, people are mostly honest trying to get by. But if you try to take advantage, there should be little tolerance for it.

[Slippery]

[QUOTE=Slippery; 1534446]I represented 5 taxi companies in the USA for many years. It was pretty much a break even thing unless the drivers were in accidents that weren't there fault in which case they were sent to me and I made some nice money. But over the years I got to know almost every driver from every one of those companies personally. Perhaps 110 drivers over the years. When I get in a taxi wearing whatever, I am automatically very sympathetic with the driver given my past background. About 20% of the time they refuse to turn the meter on."Up to you sir." Maybe they don't know that I live here as 90% of the time I'm indeed in shorts and flip flops."Up to you sir" to me, is a recipe for disaster. I then repeat my request for the meter. If there is either a refusal or "meter broken sir." I then tell them to stop the cab and the dumb a$$es keep going! Eventually they stop and I leave. Of course then I'm stuck in "no mans' land" and looking for another cab.

The other one that purely pisses me off, given my sympathy for how hard and long these guys work is when I want to go down to a well known corner in Ermita from my place in Malate.

I know its a 52-55 peso ride without any traffic and 71 if its really bad. Again, I know how bad it is for the drivers so I'll tell them not to turn the meter on and I'll give you 80, 90 or even 100 depending on what t ime of the day it is. Another 20% of these a$$holes demand more, even when they're being paid well with the meter off! That's pure cash in their pockets and they're trying to jam me. And then they don't even know how to get to where I want to go!

The distinguishing factor appears to be where you are when you first get in that taxi. There's probably much less of a likelihood of encountering a dishonest driver in a more affluent part of the city. Never had a problem at the airport either, but I know my way around there. Several times drivers have offered to have them take me to my place 15-18 minutes away for "only 1, 400."

[Slippery]

I represented 5 taxi companies in the USA for many years. It was pretty much a break even thing unless the drivers were in accidents that weren't there fault in which case they were sent to me and I made some nice money. But over the years I got to know almost every driver from every one of those companies personally. Perhaps 110 drivers over the years. When I get in a taxi wearing whatever, I am automatically very sympathetic with the driver given my past background. About 20% of the time they refuse to turn the meter on."Up to you sir." Maybe they don't know that I live here as 90% of the time I'm indeed in shorts and flip flops."Up to you sir" to me, is a recipe for disaster. I then repeat my request for the meter. There is either a refusal or "meter broken sir." I then tell them to stop the cab and the dumb a$$es keep going! Eventually they stop and I leave. Of course then I'm stuck in "no mans' land" and looking for another cab.

The other one that purely pisses me off, given my sympathy for how hard and long these guys work is when I want to go down to a well known corner in Ermita from my place in Malate.

I know its a 52-55 peso ride without any traffic and 71 if its really bad. Again, I know how bad it is for the drivers so I'll tell them not to turn the meter on and I'll give you 80, 90 or even 100 depending on what time of the day it is. Another 20% of these a$$holes demand more, even when they're being paid well with the meter off! That's pure cash in their pockets.

The distinguishing factor appears to be where you are when you first get in that taxi. There's probably much less of a propensity for a driver to be crooked in Makati, The Fort, Global City, Alabang or other locales. Indeed, Ermita is crap and invites crap. I'm on the "nice end" of Malate but still have to deal with a dishonest taxi driver at least once a week.

[Wicked Roger]

Funny, I've lived here for 10+ years, come to Manila every week and while here take taxis almost every day. I think I could easily count on two hands the number of times taxi drivers have tried to rip me off. The huge majority of the time, they are courteous and honest, though the condition of the vehicles often leaves a lot to be desired.

GE

I tend to agree with GE (and RK) on this. Manila is the worst case for me while Cebu and Davao are excellent for taxis but it really is rare and when it does happen it is easy to correct. Now try a taxi in Cairo and you will think Manila is really innocent!

Not only vehicle condition as a hunky guy like yours truly sometimes has to squeeze into the car unlike other Asian countries LOL.

[Wjmpsr]

I'd want to re-quote GE's post in its entirety (almost) because my experience is the same.

I've lived in Manila for 17 years now and use taxis almost every day to go everywhere including from Ortigas to Malate now and again. I know I can easily count on one hand the number of times a taxi driver has tried to rip me off. I virtually NEVER have to ask them.

I am sure taxi drivers recognise that we don't dress like "tourists" or "visitors" (shorts, singlets, sandals etc) , and we always know where is our destination and the best way to get there.

I think we can all agree that if you have not lived here for 10 years or read this site you will pay too much when departing the airport. You are first accosted by the rip off taxis when leaving the airport.

With regard to the rest of the city I have had several bad experiences when asking for a short ride from Robinson's in Ermita. (I have also enjoyed many courteous and honest drivers.) My wife was with me for several of the bad rides. I hope I don't look like Gomer Pyle (sucker).Years ago I was a Peace Corps volunteer so I have some travel skills and hate sandals as I have nail fungus.

[Red Kilt]

Funny, I've lived here for 10+ years, come to Manila every week and while here take taxis almost every day. I think I could easily count on two hands the number of times taxi drivers have tried to rip me off. The huge majority of the time, they are courteous and honest, though the condition of the vehicles often leaves a lot to be desired.

I'd want to re-quote GE's post in its entirety (almost) because my experience is the same.

I've lived in Manila for 17 years now and use taxis almost every day to go everywhere including from Ortigas to Malate now and again. I know I can easily count on one hand the number of times a taxi driver has tried to rip me off. I virtually NEVER have to ask them to use the meter.

Most are courteous and honest, and they enjoy having a chat too. I always ask them which province they are from etc and having been all over I can usually talk to them about their home province.

I know someone will jump on here and say that GE and I are living in some parallel universe and we cannot be telling the truth but I have no reason not to relate accurately my own experience.

I am sure taxi drivers recognise that we don't dress like "tourists" or "visitors" (shorts, singlets, sandals etc), and we always know where is our destination and the best way to get there.