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Travel and accommodation in the Philippines

Travel and accommodation in the Philippines - puerto galera
The Ninoy Aquino (NAIA) is the International Airport in Manila, located 7km from the city centre, and served by more than 30 airlines flying all around the world.  There are plenty of airlines flying from the UK to Manila including Malaysian Airlines, Emirates, KLM, Singapore Airlines, Royal Dutch Airlines, Qatar Airways, Korean Air, Gulf Air, Kuwait Airways, Thai Airways, Japan Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Etihad Airways and Lufthansa.  The cheapest flight to Manila from the UK is likely to be with Qatar Airways, who offer fares from as little as £420, while European or the Asian airlines such as Singapore Airlines or Malaysian Airlines offer fares from around £520 return.  The biggest and most reliable domestic airline to fly around the country is the national airline; Philippine Airlines (PAL).
 
The flying time from the UK is around 14 hours but this varies depending on time spent in transit, for example, if you fly with KLM there will be a two hour stopover in Frankfurt making the total journey time 16 hours. 
 

Getting around the Philippines

Taxis are cheap in the Philippines but from the airport take an airport taxi or a hotel car to avoid being ripped off by individual taxi drivers who are not part of a franchise.  ‘Coupon’ taxis are a pre-pay ride; you pay for the journey in advance and hand a voucher to the driver.  If you opt for a metered taxi set a price in advance and it’s a good idea to have the address of your destination written down to show the driver, and also good practice to tip. 
 

Travel and accommodation in the Philippines - jungle
Driving is on the right but driving in the Philippines can be hair-raising, especially in down town Manila.  Rental cars from the airport come with drivers and although you can hire cars without a driver, it is recommended to have one because parking is really difficult and it makes life much easier to have someone know where they’re going in such a bustling and frenetic city.
 
There is an extensive train and bus network in the Philippines but the local mode de transport for city slickers is either the ‘Jeepney’ or the ‘Trike’.  The Jeepney is a very unique form of transport and a leftover from the army jeeps of the Second World War.  Today, they are a symbol of national pride and you can’t miss them as they’re adorned with colourful designs with bright Filipino themes.  Passengers take their seat on one of the two benches at the back and knock on the roof to request a stop.  Jeepneys follow set routes which are painted on the side of the vehicle, fares are very cheap and they can be flagged down more or less anywhere.
 
Alternatively, Trikes can be hired for short trips and are the Philippine version of the classic Rickshaw.  You can locate a Trike terminal near a marketplace.  The motorized version is called a tricycle, while the pedal-powered one is called a pedicab.  Buses operate the main tourist areas and the fares are more expensive for the air conditioned versions. 
 
Long distance travelling is best done by train and the Philippine National Railways has an extensive network.  The Metrotren travels as far south as Carmona and Cavite, and as far north as Meycauayan and Bulacan.  Metro Manila, the Light Railway Transit (LRT) stretches from Caloocan to Baclaran while The Metro Railway Transit (MRT), the newer part of the train system, traverses the length of EDSA, connecting with North Avenue in Quezon City to Taft Avenue in Pasay City and passing through the major arteries of Makati's financial district.
 

Hotel accommodation

Hotel accommodation costs £15-£25 a night for a 3 star hotel in Manila and £40-£60 in a four star hotel.  The currency in the Philippines is the Peso, (PHP) which is divided into 100 centavos.  There are roughly 98 Pesos to £1. 
Manila is seven hours ahead of British summer time, and eight hours ahead of winter time.
 
 
Photos courtesy of  the Philippine Department of Tourism.

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If you want to know more about the options for private dentistry in the Philippines, take a look at our featured clinics and providers.