Angeles City

[QUOTE=Manny51;1607270]I am sincerely asking, but why would anyone want to try and fly from Manila to AC? Isn't it only a 2 hour drive?...[/QUOTE]As some have said (FR) before, this does show that Manny has yet to be in the Philippines or Asia as a whole. You were remarkably polite Mr E in your response as this question from a 'well seasoned monger' does begs so many other questions. Manny can you fess up and tell us where you have really been as this question suggests you don't know much about Asia IMHO.

[QUOTE=WickedRoger;1607398]As some have said (FR) before, this does show that Manny has yet to be in the Philippines or Asia as a whole. You were remarkably polite Mr E in your response as this question from a 'well seasoned monger' does begs so many other questions. Manny can you fess up and tell us where you have really been as this question suggests you don't know much about Asia IMHO.[/QUOTE]Look, I asked a question sincerely and in earnest. I am sincerely wondering whether there is a down side to taking the bus to AC, so I am asking. I'm getting tired of this crap. I want to participate on this forum just like anyone else. I would prefer to hug it out now. Otherwise, we can chat about it in person when I visit the PI.

But to answer your question, I have been to Thailand 7 times, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Bali, Kuala Lumpur, Borneo, Vietnam, Singapore, Japan, and South Korea. In the PI, I have been to Cebu and the surrounding area.

May I ask where you have been?

[QUOTE=Manny51;1607414]

May I ask where you have been?[/QUOTE]I'm going to be holding onto the edge of my seat for WR's response. I think it safe to say hes been in many nooks and crannies of the Philippines. (note I said crannies. Not trannies!).

[QUOTE=MrEnternational;1607308]I think what you don't know is that Don Muang is in Bangkok. Ninoy Aquino is in Manila. So he wants a flight from the old airport in Bangkok to AC. P.S. The bus ride from Manila to AC is $3 and a taxi is about $60.[/QUOTE]My mistake. I thought I read someone asking about flights from Manila to AC. Didn't read the posts carefully, obviously.

[QUOTE=Manny51;1607270]I am sincerely asking, but why would anyone want to try and fly from Manila to AC? Isn't it only a 2 hour drive? Given the time it takes to get to the airport, that's probably faster than flying. I read many posts about how people do it. It doesn't seem that hard. Is there something I don't know? Are the buses crap? Is the ride uncomfortable? Are the buses robbed often? Even if it is only $60, the bus ride has got to be something like 60 cents.[/QUOTE]Yes and no.

One can take a bus from the bus stations for under $5, and the busses run regularly all day. But getting out of Manila for any vehicle between 9 am-8 pm is time-consuming, and the trip can be much longer than 2 hours. One must also get to a bus terminal, which is a taxi ride from NAIA or your hotel, which can take some time. Its still a quicker route than trying to fly from NAIA to AC, and I was not aware of any such flights.

When I want to get to AC from Manila, I try and do one of several things:

1. Try to find an arriving flight into NAIA that lands between 9 pm-6 pm. The Manila city traffic is light. Then take my AC hotel pickup service ($60-ish). Its expensive, but the beauty of this is that you have your personal driver waiting for you, you don't have to wait for anything, you don't have to taxi to the bus stop in another city (and wait for that bus to fill up before departing), you have a vehicle you can stretch out in the back seat (I often sleep), you get to control the driver and radio, he will make as many stops as you want (I typically stop at a convenience store for drinks for me and him just out of the airport, then along the freeway an hour up the road for fast food for me and the driver -- that's his tip; never seen a driver unhappy with a big mac and fries). A light-traffic trip is about 100 minutes.

2. Outside of that landing timeframe I usually spend the night in Manila. There are no thrills in AC that I can't also have in Manila, then fly-the-bus from Swaggy the next day.

A warning about Manila traffic. Several trips back, my AC hotel driver picked me up at the airport about 3:30 pm. Off we went. I've used that hotel's car service before (always spot-on service). I told the driver all the above usuals: radio off, stop at the convenience store and then McDo at the rest stop on the highway, etc. We got some juice at the store and off we went and I killed the juice. I was dog tired from the travel and went to sleep in the back. When I woke up it had gotten really really cloudy (it seemed to me, but I was wrong, it was dusk). I had to [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord140][CodeWord140][/url] like a racehorse. Traffic was horrendous and we were still in the thick of Manila, not on a freeway. I thought I'd slept half an hour, or maybe an hour, but I had slept almost 3 hours. I thought I would bust open from having to [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord140][CodeWord140][/url]. It took us 5 minutes to go one block ("Berry troppick sir".) Finally the driver found a place with a CR. I jumped back in the back seat and off we went, and I went back to sleep. The driver woke me at the higway rest stop as requested and I had to [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord140][CodeWord140][/url] badly again. It was dark and I looked at my phone: 7:20 pm. WTF? Had we been in the car nearly 4 hours? Yes. We were at the hotel 45 minutes later. To assume that its 2 hours from NAIA to your hotel might just be wrong (at times).

[QUOTE=Manny51;1607418]My mistake. I thought I read someone asking about flights from Manila to AC. Didn't read the posts carefully, obviously.[/QUOTE]In any case. There is nothing hard about getting from Manila to AC. Bus, taxi, car services or by swagman van service. Each will get you there safely.

Its a matter of how one likes to travel. Bus is least expensive (I don't use them any longer so not sure of current price) you have to take taxi to bus station. Once you arrive in Dau you'll need to take a trike to your hotel. . car service (my preference) is probably most expensive. 2800 p. Picks up at airport takes you directly to your hotel. . . Taxi's can be cheaper if you have negotiation skills. Swagman hotel runs a van service from their Manila hotel to varies hotels along fields.

[QUOTE=WestCoast1;1607423]Yes and no.

One can take a bus from the bus stations for under $5, and the buses run regularly all day. But getting out of Manila for any vehicle between 9 am-8 pm is time-consuming, and the trip can be much longer than 2 hours. One must also get to a bus terminal, which is a taxi ride from NAIA or your hotel, which can take some time. Its still a quicker route than trying to fly from NAIA to AC, and I was not aware of any such flights. [/QUOTE]Has anybody checked to see in ABC Hotel is still offering up the helicopter service from NAIA?

[QUOTE=WestCoast1;1607423] light-traffic trip is about 100 minutes. [/QUOTE]The fastest I have ever made it was door (AC Hotel) to Term 1 NAIA in 1 hr 30 min. And that was leaving Angeles at 4:30 AM and arriving at NAIA at 6 AM. Light traffic all the way. That was 5 years ago and almost nothing has improved since then.

Well. . . . maybe some improvements. . . . The mayor is trying in reducing daytime truck traffic and control the non-franchised buses and jeepneys. There seems to be moderate enforcement during the daytime.

SO. . . . still. . . Expect traffic.

Late night arrivals. . . . I schedule a driver. . . . or nowadays I think about getting a taxi to Ermita and grabbing Swaggy / Southern Cross the next day. (same as others.).

It's always possible to find some light entertainment at the LA Cafe in Ermita.

[QUOTE=WestCoast1;1607423]To assume that its 2 hours from NAIA to your hotel might just be wrong (at times).[/QUOTE]For me, a noon Friday arrival one time and Manila traffic was horrible. . . Easily 4 hours to Angeles. 3 hours is typical.

Munch.

I can't find any certain answers as to what are valid I'd's for airline travel in Philippines for Filipinas. I want to take a local Filipina with me to Cebu from Clark or Manila and back. I would appreciate help from actual experienced travelers that has gone thru the security point with Filipina in tow. Thanks in advance.

[QUOTE=Manny51;1607414]Look, I asked a question sincerely and in earnest. I am sincerely wondering whether there is a down side to taking the bus to AC, so I am asking. I'm getting tired of this crap. I want to participate on this forum just like anyone else. I would prefer to hug it out now. Otherwise, we can chat about it in person when I visit the PI.

But to answer your question, I have been to Thailand 7 times, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Bali, Kuala Lumpur, Borneo, Vietnam, Singapore, Japan, and South Korea. In the PI, I have been to Cebu and the surrounding area.

May I ask where you have been?[/QUOTE]Wow! You have had about the same number of trips to Asia as I have. But on the other hand, the total duration of my trips adds up to nearly 30 years! I note that your PI trip was less than 3 days.

August 11,2014 [URL]http://www.harrythehorse.asia/?p=10588[/URL].

I am in shock as I write this. I was just informed that doggy dave was murdered in his house at 5 pm last night. It appears to have been a robbery by two Filipino men that he might have known since he gave them entrance to the house.

His neighbor (a foreigner) heard yelling from the house, "help, help", told his wife and she thought it was the tv. But he said "no, it sounded like a real voice". He called 117 (emergency #) and it took the police one hour to arrive. The neighbor saw the two men leaving and was able to get the license # of the tricycle. Howard arrived on the scene at 7 pm. Doggy lived in plaridel near blue fields hotel.

This is horrible news as dave had so many friends and would not harm a fly. If it was robbery the bastards would not have gotten much as dave lived a simple life. His daughter is coming home from baguio where she is in residence completing her two year requirement at the hospital.

Doggy had requested that he would like to die quickly and be cremated. The manner in which he died is totally unacceptable. No other details available at this time. His friend of 25 years howard mckay will take care of all the details and assist the daughter.

A bit of music died last night.

[QUOTE=Manny51;1607414]But to answer your question, I have been to Thailand 7 times, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Bali, Kuala Lumpur, Borneo, Vietnam, Singapore, Japan, and South Korea. In the PI, I have been to Cebu and the surrounding area.

May I ask where you have been?[/QUOTE]If you had been to Thailand then you would the airport etc hence the FR.

Where I have been: 65+ countries, all continents, all over Asia, add in lots of South / Latin America and some more unsavoury places and that is my travel diary. Recently send 42 weeks on the move. So I do know my airports. LOL.

[QUOTE=Dg8787;1607449]I can't find any certain answers as to what are valid I'd's for airline travel in Philippines for Filipinas. I want to take a local Filipina with me to Cebu from Clark or Manila and back. I would appreciate help from actual experienced travelers that has gone thru the security point with Filipina in tow. Thanks in advance.[/QUOTE]Postal and / student ID is OK within the Philippines.

Easy to get postal ID if she has not got. Have flown mainly times between Cebu. Davao, Manila and Clark with the odd trip elsewhere in the country and cuties used either ID easily. Check in together is my advice.

[QUOTE=Ikksman;1607469]Wow! You have had about the same number of trips to Asia as I have. But on the other hand, the total duration of my trips adds up to nearly 30 years! I note that your PI trip was less than 3 days.[/QUOTE]So what's your point Ikk? No pissing matches needed. Maybe he has a bigger dick than you.

[QUOTE=Slippery;1607552]So what's your point Ikk? No pissing matches needed. Maybe he has a bigger dick than you.[/QUOTE]I am really surprised that I need to answer a question like this! And the comment was not really to do with me, but addressed the to and fro between Manny and WR.

Do I really need to explain it? No, I can't be bothered! Intelligent members here can understand my point!

[QUOTE=WickedRoger;1607497]Postal and / student ID is OK within the Philippines.

Easy to get postal ID if she has not got.[/QUOTE]WR, what is the approximate cost for a Postal I'd?