FLYING TO THE PHILIPPINES

The usual way of flying to the Philippines to the Philippines from the UK is to fly into Manila from either London (Heathrow or Gatwick) or from Manchester.

Philippines Airways operates a direct flight which takes in the region of 14 hours, and has recently announced plans to upgrade its planes flying from London to the A350, with better amenities and seating.

Indirect flights will usually stop in the Middle East, often Qatar, or at Istanbul and I would aim for a flight time of about 18 to 20 hours.  A slightly cheaper flight is on one of the budget Chinese flights. This might involve a long flight to a Chinese airport and then a comparatively short flight to the Philippines. Apart from the possible savings, another reason for flying   to the  Philippines with an indirect flight might be to bypass Manila and fly direct to one of the other international airports such as at Cebu.

Review of flights with Royal Brunei

https://www.anthonystravels.com/royal-brunei-flights-a-good-value-for-money-service/


Internal flights

Internally, the Philippines is well served with many flights and at reasonable cost, particularly if you book at least a month in advance. The most frequently used carriers are Philippines Airways, Cebu Pacific, and Air Asia. Most destinations tend to be served through Manila or Cebu, so it pays to take care when planning multi destination stops. Also care should be taken with baggage allowances, as paying at the airport is expensive. There is usually a departure tax payable at the airport, although if flying out of Manila, this will be bundled in with the flight.

But you will not want to forget about the other forms of transport. Car hire is easy to arrange, although driving is not for the faint hearted in the Philippines. If you are not going far, how about a jeepney? These colourful vehicles were originally adapted from military vehicles left after the war, and are now very popular. If there is room, hop on, pass your fare to the passenger in front, who passes it to the driver.  Really!

It seems to work

Visas

Visitors from the UK do not need a visa if staying for less than 30 days. If staying for longer, you can obtain a tourist visa for 59 days from the Embassy before departure, and it can be further extended in the Philippines from the Bureau of Immigration. As in most countries, overstaying is a serious matter and can lead to heavy fines and detention.

It is no longer necessary to have passport validity beyond the time of your stay, but obviously career should be taken if you think you are likely to apply to extend your tourist visa

Safety in the Philippines

Better than the beaches, the diving, the wildlife, the adventure, the food and everything else that makes a holiday in the Philippines so special is the People of the Philippines. They are naturally  friendly, laid back and helpful. But, as with any country, there are always exceptions, and so you should take the usual precautions with money and valuables.

There is certainly violent crime, but this is usually directed at nationals rather than British tourists. Sensible precautions will mean that you should not be caught up in the crossfire.

Security and terrorism

Sadly nowhere is exempt from the possibility of terrorism, and the Philippines has had recent difficulties with Islamic terrorist groups, particularly in the Mindanao area.

Please consult the Foreign Office website for updated advice

FCO advice