A few things to take into account:
With Grab: From NAIA -T1 to Metro Manila (Ermita area/Roxas Blvd.), I paid 276 PHP = approx. USD 6. With Uber: From Metro Manila (Ermita area/Roxas Blvd.) to NAIA -T3, I paid 178 PHP = approx. USD 4. If transferring within Terminals:
When departing from T1:
Places to visit, eat and/or stay:
For sunset views of Manila, head out to Sky Deck at the Bayleaf Intramuros Hotel which offers a good selection of Filipino food as well as a 360 degree view of the cityscape.
Once there, head out to their food courts and try out Gerry's Grill and The Aristocrat Restaurant.
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Good to know:
On departure: There is not any signal of how to navigate the small airport of Puerto Princesa. So ... once you arrive do as follows:
The Puerto Princesa Subterranean RiverAlso known as the "Underground River" it is one of the new 7 wonders of nature. I booked my tour from the Sheridan Beach Resort and Spa. We met at reception at 7:30 a.m. and we were given a short intro of what to do and not to while on the tour. It all sums up to keeping your hands to yourself and not to open your mouth under any circumstances while looking up. We then walked 5 minutes off the resort and reached the port where you will take a boat to the entrance to the park. I can say that we were one of the first to board and enter the Underground River. Way to go Sheridan's tour group! The same life vest you are given when boarding the boat is the same one you will keep throughout the tour of the underground river. Once at the park, you'll be given a hard hat and an audio guide that will narrate to you the history, facts and information about this UNESCO site. Then you're off (on groups of 10) to board a different boat that will take you through the 1.4 km (in 45 min) out of the 8.2 km long stretch of the underground river. Once inside ...![]() As per our paddle boat guide which I do have to acknowledge that he was the funniest guide ever. He kept us well entertained while also reminding us not to open our mouths as we looked up to the ceiling. The guide said: You will feel droplets of two kinds, cold and warm droplets. Those cold droplets are known to Filipinos as blessed water within the cave while the warm ones are those of the urine coming from the bats taking their siesta up above! This Underground River is the Philippines greatest pride and is well taken care of; however, new guidelines have been set to only allow 600 visitors to this site per day, instead of there regular 900 - 1500 visitors per day. The rock formations here are stunning. Just imagine that this limestone scenery grows just a few inches every 10 years. You also get to see stalactites and stalagmites as well as mineral formations and even a few snakes. Moreover, there is a mountain to sea biosphere which hosts a huge range of wildlife watching, mangrove forest tours, adventure caving for adrenaline-seekers as well as spending some time on the pristine beaches that offer cool and crystal waters to enjoy sunbathing and snorkeling. El NidoThat's Spanish for "the Nest". ... and other than the island hopping experience that leaves at 7:30 am for 4 hours, you can also try:
I do have to say that it's not so well organized as to how to pay, sign off your life and then embark on your zipline journey; but if you do go through it, it's an amazing experience, especially if you go during the sunset. To reach this point from the El Nido town, it could cost you 150 PHP on a tricycle who will leave you at mid-range of the hill and then you need to walk a few stairs (as warm-up) up to the top of the hill. It's a breath-taking (literally) 10 min hike. Go to Nacpan beach:This beach is located almost 45 min (on a tricycle) from El Nido town and offers more of a relaxed, laid back and not so touristy atmosphere. The tricycle driver that I chose - Rosto - charged me 1000 PHP to get here and back. He said that he normally charges 1,500 PHP but he was giving me this offer. You may contact him at 09079820654. If you do choose an AirCon van, you will get here quicker but I'm not so sure about the cost of it. ... and enjoy the sunsets! Good to know:
Once at the Jetty Port:
You'll end up having around 8 receipts/tickets which you will surrender throughout the different check points within the port; the last two being given to the boat captain before boarding. At the end you'll keep only half of two receipts, the Terminal & the Environmental/Admission ticket. For statistic purposes, you may be asked to fill out a Registration form. After the boat ride to Boracay: Once you disembark at the port in Boracay (hopefully you won't experience rough waters in your transit as you may get somewhat wet), head straight to the tricycle stand and pick one to take you to your accommodation. You should not pay any more than 125 PHP. Later on you'll find out that it really costs 10 PHP to go anywhere on the island but tourists get charged always 100 PHP. When you depart Boracay: Remember that you will need to pay a 200 PHP Terminal exit fee after you check-in and before you go through security. Boat Station 1Here you will find some of the top and best accommodations possible with relative peacefulness and with the widest beachfront part of White Beach. I ended up staying at One Crescent Place hotel and booked through Rocketmiles earning 2,000 miles posted to my account on AA.com. You may find my TripAdvisor review here. Places to visit / Things to do:
Once you are done here, head to Jonah's Fruitshake and Snackbar which is less than a minute away from this location and treat yourself to a refreshing shake of melon and mango or any other of your choice. My TripAdvisor review is here.
... and as Kenney Chesney sings: "Cuz when the sun goes down, we'll be groovin' When the sun goes down, be feelin' alright When the sun sinks down ... over the water Everything gets hotter when the sun goes down, yeah!" ![]()
If you arrive early, say a bit after sunset (5:30ish pm) you may catch a free concert or any other type of entertainment as prequel to the movie showing.
Boracay's PubCrawl "turns strangers into friends" leaves at 8:45pm every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from Station 4 Beach Bar. Cost: 990 PHP, early bookers get a 200 PHP discount. Goodies you receive: A shot glass (for 10 shots throughout the night out), a t-shirt, a wristband ... and the opportunity to meet people from different countries while bar-hopping and playing silly games on the beach. Other activities to consider:
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