General Info

[Fleaker29]

Don't be a taker and not a giver. Please post us a solid field report of your experiences, as we are helping you along here.

The thing is that I visited all bars in Burgos and had a San Miguel beer at each. By the Pat one, I asked for one more that I could barely sip and had to drink water.

Ended up going back to my room with a Wendy's combo with me.

Next morning I got a PF girl for about 2 hours for $3,000 pesos and got to BBFS with her.

That was about it.

I'm planning a longer stay this February as I only spent 2 nights last time.

[Mr Enternational]

The point is that I want to know about the best place to exchange USD to pesos. I exchanged at the airport but if any of you knows a better place, I'the be happy to know.

This being 2025, I would say the ATM. I came out of immigration today and as always walked right over to the BDO ATM. I did 2 withdrawals of 10,000 each, plus 250 peso fee. The total out of my account on each transaction was $175.23, for an exchange rate of 58.49. Schwab will give me the 250 peso fee for each transaction back at the end of the month. Here in Angeles the exchange places are saying 58.10.

[WestCoast1]

Hello all,

I am one of those who comes and reads but usually doesn't post much.

In fact, I was in Makati last September, got drunk and didn't play until the last morning I spent there.

The point is that I want to know about the best place to exchange USD to pesos. I exchanged at the airport but if any of you knows a better place, I'the be happy to know.

Thank you gents.

The airport has a fair rate, just a peso or so below the street vendors. Street vendors have the best rate. Specifically, there is a vendor located next door to Sunette Towers, called Hanady. On Abaca St at corner Durban St, just across the street from the Durban Hotel. Just half a block from Burgos St corner Durban St. See pics.

Best to either bring a small amount of pesos from your home country (hit up your bank a few days prior to travel), or alternately hit up the airport exchange for a small amount (ie, $50 USD) initially for taxi fare and a meal, before hitting the street exchangers.

Hello all,

I am one of those who comes and reads but usually doesn't post much.

Don't be a taker and not a giver. Please post us a solid field report of your experiences, as we are helping you along here.

[Fleaker29]

Hi Fleaker,

I usually get all my Pesos via online foreign exchange before I leave home and it just saves all the mucking around when you're on the ground in the Phils finding the best rates etc.

Additionally, you don't have to worry about getting cash when you first arrive when you can be heading straight to your hotel and getting straight into the action or catching up with a contact.

I've always returned home with lots of pesos and just keep them for my next visit.

Just an alternative _ Phil.

Thank you Phil.

I'm not used to the online exchange thing as I'm not from the US. I come from México and I have learned not to exchange here to a 3rd country's currency as you lose way too much.

The best thing for us is to 1st exchange to USD or EUR and then to the local currency on arrival to the last country.

I want to go to Shanghai, Bangkok, Philippines and Japan next month.

Not planning to play in China, just some shopping.

[PhilJoy]

The point is that I want to know about the best place to exchange USD to pesos. I exchanged at the airport but if any of you knows a better place, I'the be happy to know.

Thank you gents.

Hi Fleaker,

I usually get all my Pesos via online foreign exchange before I leave home and it just saves all the mucking around when you're on the ground in the Phils finding the best rates etc.

Additionally, you don't have to worry about getting cash when you first arrive when you can be heading straight to your hotel and getting straight into the action or catching up with a contact.

I've always returned home with lots of pesos and just keep them for my next visit.

Just an alternative _ Phil.

[Fleaker29]

Hello all,

I am one of those who comes and reads but usually doesn't post much.

In fact, I was in Makati last September, got drunk and didn't play until the last morning I spent there.

The point is that I want to know about the best place to exchange USD to pesos. I exchanged at the airport but if any of you knows a better place, I'the be happy to know.

Thank you gents.

[Goferring]

Despite the mayhem on the ground in Manila, once you stroll through customs without a question asked or a bag checked, The Phils is still one of the easiest places I've ever had to enter.

_ Phil.

Agreed.

I travel light and, if I can avoid the bag weight Nazis at departure, often I'll sneak my bag on as carry on. This makes the longest part of arrival finding a taxi.

G.

[Goferring]

Also don't forget the visa extensions, they didn't ask me for it this time, but every single time before.

Same for me last trip. She didn't even ask about length of stay or visas. It was me that asked whether I could get 59 days immediately rather than finding a Immi office later. She referred me to the office in the airport. It was a super easy process. The longest part was finding the exact cash to pay them.

G.

[Old And Ugly]

I always fill it up, they never asked, this was first time I didn't, and the officer made me do it. He said is mandatory once you enter, even if you stay only one day, and if you open the app it kind of looks like is waiting for you to finish the trip, with a departure. Good they didn't asked for the visa extension, because I had it, but I couldn't find it on line.
Maybe he didn't like me, or maybe they don't bother, but this time did because my GF didn't had it filled up either.

[PhilJoy]

Come to think of it, I don't think I've eTravel-ed or eGov'd on the outbound since 2022. Anyone else?

Not here either Westie upon departure.

The funny thing about filling it out before you arrive is they ask for your hotel / address when staying in The Phils. I usually stay one or two nights in Manila before moving on and they accept the initial Manila hotel address as your primary location. Travelling to Russia quite a while back, they wanted to know 'everything', besides what you last had to eat, to keep track of you while you were there.

The best thing about eTravel is, it now eliminates the need to find a pen, hotel address and your passport when awoken mid-sleep on a flight to fill in an arrival card. You do all of that in five minutes at home a day or two before you depart.

Despite the mayhem on the ground in Manila, once you stroll through customs without a question asked or a bag checked, The Phils is still one of the easiest places I've ever had to enter.

_ Phil.

[Muttley81]

Come to think of it, I don't think I've eTravel-ed or eGov'd on the outbound since 2022. Anyone else?

Same here. Etravel website says following still:

Arriving Filipino and foreign crewmembers;.
Arriving Filipino and foreign passengers;.
And Departing Filipino passengers.

We had group of expats over from many countries recently, none of them had to fill it in for exit.

[WestCoast1]

When do you have to fill it out for exiting the country? I thought it was just for Filipinos or SSRV or similar visa holders. I've never stayed past 59 days at one time, so I wouldn't know. I was there just two days my last trip 😂128514;128514;.

Come to think of it, I don't think I've eTravel-ed or eGov'd on the outbound since 2022. Anyone else?

[Jarango]

I'm traveling right now, I'm in Thailand, and I forgot to do the eGov for exiting PH, I had to stay on the side and do it, and it's not fun to look up all the info while under pressure.Also don't forget the visa extensions, they didn't ask me for it this time, but every single time before.

I have just left the Phils and did not have to fin in visas in real or virtual format. I was well within my visa period.

[Aml3740]

I'm traveling right now, I'm in Thailand, and I forgot to do the eGov for exiting PH, I had to stay on the side and do it, and it's not fun to look up all the info while under pressure.

Also don't forget the visa extensions, they didn't ask me for it this time, but every single time before.

When do you have to fill it out for exiting the country? I thought it was just for Filipinos or SSRV or similar visa holders. I've never stayed past 59 days at one time, so I wouldn't know. I was there just two days my last trip 😂128514;128514;.

[Old And Ugly]

For all of my covid+ entries, originating in the US, at the check-in process they requested the e-Travel (now eGOV) bar / QR code and asked for the onward / outbound ticket at SFO or LAX. As airport wifi might be spotty, it might be a good idea at your home or hotel, when completing the eTravel app process and get your QR code, to screen capture the barcode.

I'm traveling right now, I'm in Thailand, and I forgot to do the eGov for exiting PH, I had to stay on the side and do it, and it's not fun to look up all the info while under pressure.

Also don't forget the visa extensions, they didn't ask me for it this time, but every single time before.