Going to be in Manila for seven days for work. I'll be there March 14-21. Have a few questions if some can answer them.

I have a four hour layover in Incheon on both my arrival and departure trips. I'm planning to stay in the transit area of the terminal with no intention of going through customs there. What's the best way to kill the time at Incheon Airport?

I'm going to have a day and a half in Manila before the work stuff. What are a couple can't miss things in Manila?

I'm flying Korean Air. Any reviews on them from y'all?

I know that the weather there is usually in the 80s with 100% humidity. I'm not a big guy by any means, but I do sweat A LOT. Will I stick out like a sore thumb if I'm wearing Under Armour polos and button downs? The trip is informal settings. No suits or anything like that.

Any areas in the city that I must absolutely avoid?

I'm aware of the taxi situations there. I've already been advised. I think I'm just going to get a car service.

Any other tips/recommendations would be appreciated.

You are going to stick out there anyway I suspect. Might not be such a bad idea to hire a car service if you can do it.

Yes it's hot and very very humid.

I can't really remember what there was to do there, sorry (it's been 15 years).

Beware of people you don't know befriending you, even if they speak very good English, are dressed in a business suit, and have a chauffeur driven car. I tell you this from experience.

I'd do Corrigedor in Manila. It's supposedly an easy day trip.

Corregidor is on my list

If you can swing a car service get one. If not prepare to be crammed like a sardine in the back of a Jeepnee with 10-15 short, overweight Filipinos.

It is very hot and very humid and highs this time of year are going to be in the low 90's

do not get into a Jeepney.

go see the American Cemetery. second Corregidor. Sun Crusies is the go to tour operator

Manila is not at the top of my list of great Asian destinations.

I've been to Manila/the Philippines a few times, even went to a bachelor party in Manila once.... wowee! Stay away from Burgos street if you want to avoid women and "women" with loose morals.

Private car would be ideal. Kidnappings do happen in Manila.

Corregidor would be good. I really enjoyed the Imelda Marcos tour around downtown Manila. Pretty interesting/bat sh** crazy lady.

Makati is typically where all the expats hang out. There's usually lots of American people there, mainly armed forces types. Manila isn't generally a place where you take a stroll around town, so I wouldn't worry about how you dress. You will need to accept that you're just going to sweat, plain and simple. That's just life in the tropics.

I've heard the new Casino there is meant to be OK.

Try a balut (or don't). Pork/Chicken sinigang or Chicken adobo are freggin delicious.

When leaving the Philippines, you will pay an exit tax, paid in pesos. I think it was like 10 or 15 bucks worth of pesos. Keep that in mind.

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I've been to Manila/the Philippines a few times, even went to a bachelor party in Manila once.... wowee! Stay away from Burgos street if you want to avoid women and "women" with loose morals.

Private car would be ideal. Kidnappings do happen in Manila.

Corregidor would be good. I really enjoyed the Imelda Marcos tour around downtown Manila. Pretty interesting/bat sh** crazy lady.

Makati is typically where all the expats hang out. There's usually lots of American people there, mainly armed forces types. Manila isn't generally a place where you take a stroll around town, so I wouldn't worry about how you dress. You will need to accept that you're just going to sweat, plain and simple. That's just life in the tropics.

I've heard the new Casino there is meant to be OK.

Try a balut (or don't). Pork/Chicken sinigang or Chicken adobo are freggin delicious.

When leaving the Philippines, you will pay an exit tax, paid in pesos. I think it was like 10 or 15 bucks worth of pesos. Keep that in mind.

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Can always find someone trying to sell some "Baaaalut"

Start with the 7 day, but if you are feeling really crazy you can jump up to the 21+ day ish where you start getting bones and feathers!!!

Try the Tanduay Rum particularly the 15 year aged. Overall the people are great.

Incheon is a great airport. They have fantastic shower facilities, so if you need one, don't be afraid to take one (if you're doing the direct flight from IAH, this is a must). They're free and excellent. They have a pretty good food court and kind of a 'nap room', where you can just sit in a recliner and watch tv.

Korean Air is first-rate. No complaints.

When planning your Corregidor trip, double check what days of the week the ferry runs before you get there. I was there in August and didn't get to go because the ferry wasn't running those days. Also, some of the government buildings require a reservation several days ahead to tour. I missed out on the presidential palace because of that.

It will be uncomfortably hot the whole time, and you'll have a tough time getting away from it even indoors.

Taxis in Manila were ok for me (can't say the same about Cebu or Leyte). When you hail a cab, ask the cabbie if he has a meter. If he says yes with no problem, you're probably ok. The set fee taxis from the airport, which are usually vans, are nicer but about 5x more expensive. You should be able to get a regular taxi from NAIA to Makati for 300 pesos or so no problem. Ask your hotel counter to call you a cab when you're leaving to go back to the airport. It will be reasonably priced and reputable.

Be careful with which terminal you need at the airport. They're very disconnected and hard to get from one to the other. The cabbie needs to know which terminal you're going to well before you get there. Also, aim for getting to the airport 4 hours early for departure. It's as bad as Incheon is good.

Go to Intramuros if you can and just walk the streets. Lots of great old buildings, some from the 17th century that survived the Japanese invasion, plus you can tour the original Spanish fort. You'll have to get good at saying no to the guys who want to give you a tricycle tour though. Go to at least one SM mall while you're there, they're crazy.

As far as food goes, be sure to eat some lechon if you can. Also crispy patay, halo-halo, and calamansi juice. The bakeries are amazing and very cheap. And, you can't say you've been to the Philippines until you eat Jollibee's at least once. I'd avoid Max's Fried Chicken however. The biggest thing is to try as many fruits as you can. Suntol, ramutan, jackfruit. Durian if you can handle it. If you go anywhere near a coconut orchard, see if you can get a local to get you one down and open it up for you. It sounds really dumb, but grab some Kopiko More-in-1 Brown Coffee packs.

Manila's just like any other big city safety wise. Keep your head on straight and be careful where you go after dark and you'll enjoy it.

Thanks everyone. I'm really looking forward to the trip.

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do not get into a Jeepney.

go see the American Cemetery. second Corregidor. Sun Crusies is the go to tour operator

Manila is not at the top of my list of great Asian destinations.

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I'm curious as to why you say not to get in a jeepney

you are in a foreign country
you don't know the language
the routes are not designated
you don't know how much it costs
its like you are riding in the back of a pickup truck
traffic is horrific
you have no idea who is on the thing with you

what can possibly go wrong?


trust me don't do it.

also don't get on a damn motorbike in Bangkok

This message brought to you by the US Embassy for the benefit of crazy american tourists.

On the other hand, I rode a ton of these in Mindanao.



Try getting four white guys and two Filipinos in there and go up a steep hill at about 12 mph. We tipped one of them backwards on itself getting out. And what a bargain! Only 50 pesos to wherever you wanted in town for the whole crew.

But yeah, seriously, unless you have a trusted Filipino with you, don't get in a jeepney or trike.

I guess if it's your first time there then riding on it without a Filipino probably wouldn't be a good idea. I trust my wife and her family though. I've rode on a jeepney and trike many of times.

I have a friend from Davao who keeps wanting me to visit. He's very clear that Davao is "safe" but that if I left town, he couldn't ensure my safety.

I had a close call with a jeepney equivalent in Chiang Mai. A Swiss guy hopped in who was clearly tweeking (think Dave Chapelle skit where the guy constantly scratches)took a keen interest in my watch.

Leave manilla, and go to Angeles city. Trust me on this one

I know I'm a month late

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Leave manilla, and go to Angeles city. Trust me on this one

I know I'm a month late

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I got close, but never made it all the way into Angeles City. I am very familiar with the reputation of it. I assume with your user name we're thinking of the same thing.

In addition to what's listed on this thread, here's another several observations on Manila. I was there for a work week, but then spent an extra long weekend with my expat friends who lived there. They had a full-time driver, so that helps with the taxi situation, but I can agree that jeepneys don't look too safe. Inhaling all the pollution alone would keep me from trying it.

Batangas - a resort area a couple hours south of Makati - great place to relax, swim, and scuba dive.

Tagaytay - High on a mountain overlooking a dormant volcano with huge lake around it - great recreation area with awesome views. Pretty upscale, for the Philippines, too.

Casino - Pretty nice place. We actually won money, but it has some strange rules for craps and other games, and it's difficult to cash out. Just be prepared for a bit of a hassle.

Korean Air - on a separate trip, I flew from Tokyo to Seoul on Korean Air, and they did an on-plane upgrade for me. Pretty surprising, as that's never done in the States. They noticed that First Class had empty seats, so they grabbed me out of the business class seat (which was fine) and I was in the lap of Korean luxury. Be prepared for interesting food choices - I actually liked trying stuff I couldn't identify.

Strange bump I know but I'm currently in Davao. My second week in a 1 month business trip. I have to say that I love it. The city is very safe, if you don't travel on the outskirts. We visited Samal Island a few times already for some cliff diving and ATV riding. Everything is cheap here. The American dollar goes very far. Got a 90 minute Swedish massage for $5 from a very cute Filipino lady. Speaking of women, be weary. That's all I have to say. There are a lot of malls here with the same prices you get back home. We've visited the local "markets" where you can get find some great imitation brand items very cheap and they look, feel authentic. Bought a Bvgari watch for $60. Food is good. Haven't tried Balut and I never will. All in all, it's a great tropical city where everyone is so freaking friendly.

Bumping instead of creating a new thread. We'll be in Manila for one day as a cruise stop this August. Corregidor is on the top of our list; has anyone made the trip and how did you get there? If Corregidor isn't doable, what are some worthwhile backup plans? Intramuros sounds interesting, but honestly we've seen Spanish old towns before in the Caribbean. If it's more of the same Spanish colonial architecture and history, we might get more out of something else.

Sheesh...Blast from the past on this thread. Now I've been to Asia over 20x and Manila like 6

G Martin 87 said:

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Bumping instead of creating a new thread. We'll be in Manila for one day as a cruise stop this August. Corregidor is on the top of our list; has anyone made the trip and how did you get there? If Corregidor isn't doable, what are some worthwhile backup plans? Intramuros sounds interesting, but honestly we've seen Spanish old towns before in the Caribbean. If it's more of the same Spanish colonial architecture and history, we might get more out of something else.

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If you're there the full day/evening, there is a Nobu in Manila if you want some high end sushi. I did the Omakase there which was like $110 and it was amazing. The same meal is $300+ at all the Nobus in the states.