Manila

[Fast Eddie 48]

I don't like jeepneys either. Crowded, smelly, and unless you know the city really well, who knows where they're going? The reason for taking trains -- sometimes and to some destinations -- is to avoid traffic jams that invariably occur at some places in town. Examples: anywhere on EDSA, Quiapo, many major intersections in Makati. Also, prices on the train are always the same. Prices in taxis depend on the honesty of the driver. Many disconnect their meters, others tamper with them.

Some tips for taking taxis:

Look for a large square colored sticker in the upper corner of the windshield on the passenger side. (Six months ago, when I was in PI, the stickers were orange. Somebody please advise if the latest stickers are of different color.) The sticker, about 6 to 8 inches square, means the meter has passed inspection. It doesn't necessarily mean the driver hasn't tamperered with it, but these taxis are a better bet than those with no sticker or with older stickers, like green.

Once inside the taxi check to make sure the meter is on and that numbers are changing. The meter is about the size of the old cassette recorders that people used to mount under their dashboards. The meter will be mounted immediately below the radio and above the shift column. The minimum fare is something like 20 or 30 pesos, but the numbers start changing after you go a few hundred meters. It's a good idea to make a point to ask the driver if the meter works, even if it is lit up. If he says no, tell him to stop and get a different taxi. Similarly if you see that it's not working, tell him to stop. Drivers without operational meters will tell you a price for your destination, they always say they're giving you a discount. They aren't, and unless you're really experienced with typical fares for various distances, you can guarantee they're cheating you.

Skip,

I don't know how the taxi driver surivive here cost of taxi is about the same as it was 5 yr ago cost is 3 usd within metro manila fuel cost have sky rocket and yet the government will not increase the min meter fare so most taxi driver cannot make a good living and don't use the meter, I do feel bad for them and not argue about a few dollar.

[Hesekiels]

I'm celebrating my Birthday and a Divorce, so I'm trying to have as much fun as possible.

GI:

My sincere condolence that you are getting one year older soon, but congrats to your divorce! :) Now seriously: If you want to have lots of fun I would rather recommend you LA Cafe, or, even better, go for a couple of days to Angeles City (from Manila just two hours by bus)! Believe you me, it is unbeatable!


Cheers - Hesekiels

[Blink157]

Merry xmas to all,

went to Grand boulevard hotel along manila bay for the massage and its not there any more.

Went with my fren upstairs to have a look at manila bay, nobody there, no guard, nothing, you could propably just walk out with some souveniers, Im sure some will do that :D

Just for fun I asked if they have room avaible, they had, price was 2900p instead of 4700p. If you stay there just be prepared for the unexpected...:D

Any info where the massage went?


Happy hunting!!

Blink

[Gl 1966]

Gents,

I will be in PI 16th Jan, 08. Besides all the posts I have read about all the well known bars in Ermita. Can some one tell me about Jurassic and Hussy's Bar. Is either one of the worth going too? I'm celebrating my Birthday and a Divorce, so I'm trying to have as much fun as possible.

Thanks,

Gl 1966

[Gl 1966]

Gents,

I will be in PI 16th Jan, 08 . Besides all the posts I have read about all the well known bars in Ermita. Can some one tell me about Jurassic and Hussy's Bar..is either one of the worth going too? I'm celebrating my Birthday and a Divorce, so I'm trying to have as much fun as possible.

Thanks.

Gl 1966

[Drignotum]

I am headed out to Manila from the 30dec-jan1 or so. I will be staying at the bayview in ermita. If anyone wants to meet up for a drink and show me the places, pm me. My mate lost his passport so cancelled his flight out so I will be going it alone in the Phils for the first time.

Cheers

[Soapy Smith]

Finrod Why use the train and jeepney taxi is cheap in manila most case is 150 peso that 3 usd ,I once got sick with the smog in the jeenpey never will take it again. Fast eddie 48

I don't like jeepneys either. Crowded, smelly, and unless you know the city really well, who knows where they're going? The reason for taking trains -- sometimes and to some destinations -- is to avoid traffic jams that invariably occur at some places in town. Examples: anywhere on EDSA, Quiapo, many major intersections in Makati. Also, prices on the train are always the same. Prices in taxis depend on the honesty of the driver. Many disconnect their meters, others tamper with them.

Some tips for taking taxis:

Look for a large square colored sticker in the upper corner of the windshield on the passenger side. (Six months ago, when I was in PI, the stickers were orange. Somebody please advise if the latest stickers are of different color.) The sticker, about 6 to 8 inches square, means the meter has passed inspection. It doesn't necessarily mean the driver hasn't tamperered with it, but these taxis are a better bet than those with no sticker or with older stickers, like green.

Once inside the taxi check to make sure the meter is on and that numbers are changing. The meter is about the size of the old cassette recorders that people used to mount under their dashboards. The meter will be mounted immediately below the radio and above the shift column. The minimum fare is something like 20 or 30 pesos, but the numbers start changing after you go a few hundred meters. It's a good idea to make a point to ask the driver if the meter works, even if it is lit up. If he says no, tell him to stop and get a different taxi. Similarly if you see that it's not working, tell him to stop. Drivers without operational meters will tell you a price for your destination, they always say they're giving you a discount. They aren't, and unless you're really experienced with typical fares for various distances, you can guarantee they're cheating you.

[Fast Eddie 48]

Nice report, Skip. I've ridden both the LRT (line 1) and MRT (line 2): I can speak to the crowded nature of these trains during rush hour. You really don't want to find yourself at a station near the middle of a line at that time. I once had to let 4 trains by at about 5:30pm because they were too crowded. If you don't like those kind of crowds, then you'd best use a taxi or only use the trains during the middle of the day or later at night. And while I did not have a problem with pickpockets, I can see the potential for them. The usual precautions apply.

Finrod

Why use the train and jeepney taxi is cheap in manila most case is 150 peso that 3 usd ,I once got sick with the smog in the jeenpey never will take it again.

Fast eddie 48

[Finrod]

Nice report, Skip. I've ridden both the LRT (line 1) and MRT (line 2): I can speak to the crowded nature of these trains during rush hour. You really don't want to find yourself at a station near the middle of a line at that time. I once had to let 4 trains by at about 5:30pm because they were too crowded. If you don't like those kind of crowds, then you'd best use a taxi or only use the trains during the middle of the day or later at night. And while I did not have a problem with pickpockets, I can see the potential for them. The usual precautions apply.

[Soapy Smith]

manila report day three:

i am starting to think that taking the train to quezon city may not be the fastest way to get there. they all keep asking me if i am afraid to ride the train, like they all know something i don't. .[/blue][/size]

i apologize for responding to a ten-day old message, but i have considerable experience with manila's light rail systems and want to offer some feedback. if you know where you're going and follow a few precautions, these trains are quite safe. if this fits better in another forum, somebody will hopefully redirect me.

from many parts of metro manila, and especially from the ermita area, light rail is much faster and cheaper than taxi for getting to quezon city and many other areas. first trains start about 5:30 am and the last trains out of the station are at 10 pm. fares on any one line are from about 9 pesos to 15 pesos, depending how far you ride. you purchase tokens at the entry station and deposit them as you exit your end station. fares to all destinations are clearly posted at all stations. you can buy passes for longer periods of time, but i never checked their prices. for the routes they cover they are much, much faster than taxis because there are no red lights and no traffic jams, and they clip right along at a good speed. there are three lines.

line 1 runs north and south from pasay city (south) to caloocan city (north). at the southern end it starts at taft avenue and edsa, about six blocks east of the edsa entertainment complex. it runs north over taft avenue until rizal park, wiggles around manila city hall and other buildings, then continues north over rizal ave. until it ends in the north at edsa. (edsa actually forms a semi-circle around the south, east and northern sides of the metro area.) access closest to ermita is where taft crosses pedro gil or un ave.

line 2, sometimes called the mrt, runs along the median of edsa all the way from taft avenue (right at the southern end of lrt 1, six blocks from the edsa entertainment complex) all the way around the east side of the metro area and ends in quezon city near sm north. they plan to extend it to caloocan city to connect to the north end of lrt 1, but that's a few years off. at present it forms about 150 degrees of the edsa semicircle around the east side of the metro area. access to the makati area is at several spots, but the big one is ayala station at sm near glorietta mall and the big hotels.

line 3 runs east and west across the mid-part of the approximate semi-circle formed by the other two lines. west end is recto station, an easy and covered walk from doroteo jose station on lrt 1 in quiapo. it runs east, eventually crossing line 2 at cubao (in southern quezon city, site of araneta coliseum, farmers market, etc.), continuing on to marikina city and santolan. you can walk the connection between lines 2 and 3 through two malls and a covered walkway at the coliseum, but it's a good five minute walk.

line 3 is newer, wider, always air-conditioned, and much less crowded than the other two. lines 1 and 2 can get quite crowded during rush hour on weekdays, so much so that you may end up passing up a couple trains that are literally too packed to permit anyone else in. but they run about 5 minutes apart, and you'll eventually find one you can onto.

there is some potential for robberies on lines 1 and 2. i never saw it happen, but locals told me stories, mostly of the third and fourth hand variety. typical m.o. is a couple guys working together, one of whom snatches a purse, wallet, or pack, and dashes off a train just before the doors close. sometimes they do it in a crowded station. one guy bumps and distracts you, the other guy grabs your stuff and runs the other way back through the crowd. being big or looking ornery doesn't deter them., but it's not hard to protect yourself from them. carry valuables in a money belt or under your clothing in front. i always carried a small pack. on line 3 i carried it on my back. when i switched to the other lines or entered busy stations such as doroteo jose or ayala, i put my valuables in it, switched it to the front, with straps through my upper arms. i crossed my arms across the pack in front of me. people gave me funny looks, but i felt very secure this way, even when the train was very crowded. you get used to the claustrophobic experience in the crowded cars, and people generally behave themselves. several young western women who rode the lines regularly told me they'd never once been groped or pinched, even in crowded cars. btw, trains are typically about four cars each, and the first cars on lines 1 and 2 are reserved for elderly, women, and the disabled.

if you plan on being in the metro area any length of time, take a few minutes and about 175 pesos to a national book store (almost all the malls and other shopping areas) and buy a copy of the smaller version of metro manila citiatlas. it shows the whole metro area in great detail, including the lrt lines.

editor's note: i certainly hope that the author or somebody else will post a link to this report in the reports of distinction thread. please click here for more information.

[Columpuss]

To avoid the driver from taking you to Timbuktu and back charging you an arm and a leg, just tell them, if you are on Edsa Ave, go strait to Roxas Blvd, turn right and strait to the Hyatt. These are major arterials, he only needs to turn two times to get to the Hyat, one block east of Roxas, from Edsa thus can't run up the meter by running aroundl. LA cafe is on Del Pilar, couple blocks north of Hyatt

[MichaelTheOne]

Found the place ..its a stone's throw from Hyatt Regency Hotel as well as The Heritage Hotel. Reason I ask was to have a bearing on where the place is in relations to my hotel. Didnt want to ask the bell boys just in case they think I am a pervie. D*** it..traffic is murder though..take a bit of time to get there by car.

Anyway, local contact has been making home deliveries. Yet to sleep alone. HAHA.

First, don't think anything about asking for a cab at the hotel. It is safe and they will not ask where you are going. Once in the taxi (hotel should write down the number of the taxi) the driver knows that he has to start the meter and shouldn't try to rip you off and he will ask you where to go. Just say LA Cafe! Believe me, you are not the first and will not be the last to ask to be taken to the LA Cafe.

Second, if you do not want to ask the bell boys for a taxi to the LA Cafe, how in the world are you going to get a girl in the hotel.

Third, act like you belong there. If you show any signs of being neverous, you will be a target for any scams out there.

Stay safe and please report back how it went:D

Robb

[Robbaf]

Yup, I am shacked up at Shangri La EDSA. Can someone tell me how to get to LA CAfe, etc....

Hunting alone. Dont want to ask bell boys..need to maintain fasade..hehe...Wanna be you lone wolf leaving to hunt for the nite ! Appreciate directions guys

First, don't think anything about asking for a cab at the hotel. It is safe and they will not ask where you are going. Once in the taxi (hotel should write down the number of the taxi) the driver knows that he has to start the meter and shouldn't try to rip you off and he will ask you where to go. Just say LA Cafe! Believe me, you are not the first and will not be the last to ask to be taken to the LA Cafe.

Second, if you do not want to ask the bell boys for a taxi to the LA Cafe, how in the world are you going to get a girl in the hotel.

Third, act like you belong there. If you show any signs of being neverous, you will be a target for any scams out there.

Stay safe and please report back how it went:D

Robb

[MichaelTheOne]

Yup, I am shacked up at Shangri La EDSA. Can someone tell me how to get to LA CAfe, etc....

Hunting alone. Dont want to ask bell boys..need to maintain fasade..hehe...Wanna be you lone wolf leaving to hunt for the nite ! Appreciate directions guys

[Been There]

Thanks to McGillicutty and Woodman for their excellent reports. Some good info I will use when I arrive next month. Top effort, thanks again!