Philippine Travel Tips

It is recommended you print out this page for possible reference whilst on your vacation.

Essential Documents
Passport; airline tickets; travel insurance that includes diving to your qualified depth; diver certification including nitrox where applicable; log book.

Meeting point advice to guests who have requested to be met at the international airport

You will arrive via NAIA (Ninoy Aquino International Airport) -also called Terminal 1.

After arrival, collect your baggage and proceed through the customs declaration and continue walking straight ahead, officially called gate number 2 (don’t take the left exit). You will leave the international terminal through a glass sliding door. Once outside our representative will be waiting for you with a signboard mentioning your name.

On the very rare occasion our representative fails to meet you right away, please stay on the same level and proceed to the ‘HOTEL COUNTER” a few steps away to your right hand side (also outside). Ask for the Carfield representative.

In case of emergency only you can contact Filipino Travel Center on office hours via cell phone number 0918-5249878 c/o Ms Chris Galang. Outside office hours kindly contact Mr Ador Mendoza via cell phone 0919-6302442 or 0919-4504186 or Tim Humphrey on 0919-5007361.

Dive Kit
Essential Mask, computer, gloves (when wreck diving)
Optional Regs, BCD, fins, 3mm full-length wet suit, boots,
Useful: DSMB, reel, hood, torch, compass

Money
Bring either Sterling or US Dollars. Do not bring Travelers Cheques: they take 30 working days to clear and consequently you will get a terrible rate of exchange, assuming you find anybody who will take them. Do not attempt to take any currency, other than Philippine Pesos, to any dive location: you will suffer very badly on the exchange rate.
Change any currency as per the instructions on our 'Money Changing' page. Never go to a money changer recommended to you by someone on the street: they will take you to a crook who will palm your money and short-change you!

There are two specific ones to use in Angeles City. Anybody visiting this city is advised to call Tim at the number below for more information.

Count your money at the counter before leaving, as mistakes will not be entertained later. You are advised to be accompanied when visiting moneychangers and be aware of who is around you, especially on exiting the office and going back onto the street.

If it is arranged well in advance we can have Philippine Pesos waiting for you when you land at Manila.

Do not carry any large sums of money in pockets or other unsecured area of your person. Some Filipinos are the most accomplished pickpockets in the World! It doesn't matter how experienced a traveler you are, if you leave large sums of money in your pockets it will get stolen! I know, it happened to me, and it happened to everybody else I know who thought ‘it could never happen to them!

Use zipped pockets and, or, a money belt or ‘bum bag’.

There are ATM machines that will accept various bank cards. The CIRRUS/MASTER card allows a maximum transaction of Php 8,000.00 at standard ATM's but will allow Php 15,000.00 at an International ATM. ; the VISA card usually allows only Php 4,000.00. The exchange rates are almost always below the money changers and a charge is levied for each transaction. Credit cards can be used at most shopping malls and hotels in the cities , but again expect a levy in the region of 7%. There is now an ATM in Coron at the Landbank, on the right as you travel from the dock to the market..

Try this very useful link to find MASTERCARD/CIRRUS ATM's anywhere in the world.

And this one works for VISA cards.

Mobile phones
We suggest you buy a local SIM card for 150 pesos and put it in your mobile phone: it will be much cheaper to make calls. Then just buy a load as required to make local calls. You must make sure your phone has an ’Open Line’: some UK net works block their phones, notably Orange. These can be unblocked in selected parts of the Philippines:)

If you plan to use your own cell phone please ensure you have the global roaming facility enabled and that your phone is turned on when exiting the International terminal in Manila.

Medical kit and medical matters
We recommend you buy a ‘First Aid’ kit from ’Boots’ or similar retailer. This will take care of any cuts and abrasions. To this you should add a good quality pair of small scissors and tweezers, plus insect repellent, bite cream & spray, throat sweets, seasick pills if you use them, and your favourite painkillers. A small tub of ‘Vicks’ is also handy as it is very effective at soothing itches resulting form insect bites.
Malaria is not a big problem in the Philippines so anti-malaria medication is usually a waste of time. However, Dengue Fever is endemic in the whole area; it is painfully debilitating, and can be fatal. There is no preventative medicine to date. The best advice is to avoid bites from mosquitoes and to this end it is advised you use the insect repellent daily. A local one is widely available and reliable; it’s sold under the ‘Off’ label. You should also buy a spray can of ‘Baygon’, which is a bug killer. Use this in your room early each day, preferably before you go diving: the fumes are fairly toxic so you must allow plenty of time before re-entering the room to sleep etc. Mosquitoes like dark places and dark colours, as they make good camouflage. Use the repellent before you go out at night and, if possible, avoid placing your legs under tables etc. If you stick to this regime you should have no problems getting bitten by mosquitoes.
Use either Mercury Drug or Manson Drug for your pharmacy requirements. There are many privately owned and run pharmacies in PI (Philippine Islands), some of which are authentic, but many sell either fake or low-grade drugs. Most drugs can be acquired without prescription and are far cheaper than in the UK.

Sunscreen.
Bring sunscreen from home to be sure you have an appropriate protection factor, we suggest factor 50+, and adequate supply as it's not always easy to find in the Philippines.

Toiletries.
Tooth paste, toothbrush, shampoo, wet tissues, wet shaving kit. All of these items are available locally, except wet tissues, however it is recommended you bring your own brand of wet razor, as, for some unknown reason, those you buy locally are not as sharp as those available in the West.

Clothing
T-shirts, shorts, swimmers, shirts & trousers for the evening

Shoes
Most of the time you can wear sandals or beach shoes, but sometimes it’s useful to have a comfortable pair of shoes or trainers, and a pair of good quality dive boots can be very useful for some of the more adventurous activities such as climbing into the lake in Coron and river walking in Cebu.

Hats
It is imperative that everybody has a hat and uses it. You are close to the equator, so the sun is very strong, even if it feels comfortable on the boat with a breeze blowing, or there is cloud cover, you will get burnt unless you wear a hat. You will not see Filipinos standing in the full sun without head protection and these guys have hair that is much thicker than ours, so take a tip from the locals: wear some protection.

Laundry
Laundry only costs around Php 10.00 per kilo in the Philippines so there is no need to bring lots of clothes.

Some Do’s & Don’t’s
The Philippines is a third world country with poverty in many areas. You are seen as someone in high standing and very wealthy. Although the country is generally safe don’t put yourself in unnecessary danger, don’t go out at night into isolated areas on your own, without advice or a guide, especially in cities like Manila.

The culture in the Philippines is generally quite modest, the religion is mainly catholic and the people are offended by men walking around town without shirts as well as women wearing swimsuits away from the beach or pools. In the more cosmopolitan areas this is not so much of a problem. See our Philippine Customs page for a more detailed insight into everyday life, Filipino style.

Begging children are sadly a common sight throughout Asian. They normally beg for an adult, usually a man, who sits around the corner under the shade of a tree, drinking and smoking. Any monies you give to the child go straight to the adult while the child continues to beg in the boiling sun. This can be a heartbreaking sight. If you wish to help the child the best advice is to give food not money. Your very presence in the country is helping the economy because you bring foreign currency.

Do not adopt an aggressive manner with Filipinos, nor mistrust everybody. These people are extremely friendly by nature and always try to please; so much so they will never accept they do not know the answer to any of your questions, nor that they are incapable of solving your problem – which they probably are! The best advice is to watch their eyes when they attempt to answer your questions: if they look anywhere but at your face they probably haven’t got a clue what you are talking about! A smile and a ‘thank you’ usually works wonders, even if, in the back of your mind your are thinking, ‘IDIOT!’

In the Philippines all foreigners are referred to as Americanos and all Americanos are called Joe, especially in the country areas away from large cities. An Americano in a jeepney - the local buses - is a prime target for any self-respecting Filipino pickpocket; do not get in one unaccompanied and do not carry any unsecured valuables.

Do not get in a taxi or a trike without first agreeing the price of the fare with the driver. If you are not happy with the price don’t get in.

If you use porters to carry your bags, make sure they are wearing a company uniform. If you use the buses make sure your baggage is secure and safe. (Unofficial porters will often try and charge you more than the fare for just carrying your bag a few feet).

Tips in bars and restaurants are not on a percentage basis, a normal tip is between five and twenty pesos per person regardless of the bill. Don’t tip unless you are pleased with the service. The exceptions to the rule are the boat boys and dive guides, they work hard for your benefit so don’t be shy about giving them what you think they have been worth to you.

Always use bottled water for drinking that has a manufactures seal. Tap water is generally quite safe for washing and showering and even cleaning your teeth, but if you are sensitive take extra precautions.

The two major causes of an upset tummy are ice in drinks and uncooked food. Ice is ok if it is tubed ice - it has holes through the middle and is shaped like a tube - however some bars use the same ice they use to cool the beer bottles, which is delivered on the back of a filthy truck, then dragged across the street before being broken up and place in a cool box. Once it is deemed to have acquired sufficient bugs from the dirty beer bottles it is then broken down further to pieces that will conveniently fit in your glass! Hey presto, one sick customer! I don’t want to scare you but it’s best to know these things so you can take precautions and enjoy your holiday. Check the shape of the ice!

Do not lay in the sun for more than ten minutes per day at the start of your holiday – even if you have beautiful thick brown skin, you will get burnt if you ignore this advice, and if you get burned at the start of your holiday, your holiday is ruined.

Do not do anything you would not do at home when diving. In warm, clearer, water, if you normally dive in the UK, there is a tendency to adopt a slightly cavalier attitude and take chances you would not normally entertain at home. Please remember one foot of water can be fatal – whether it’s warm or cold – so caution is always the watchword..

Do not remove any artifacts from any wreck site, yeah I know - boring - but if you could leave stuff for others to see in the future they will appreciate it.

Do remember you are in a foreign country and also on a different continent, so don’t expect to find a mini UK. It will be different, very different. Enjoy the difference! Respect the people and the country. Have a great holiday and hurry back! There is so much more to see!