Flights To Manila
Currently the only direct flights to Manila from the UK are with Philippine Airlines, departing from London Heathrow. So when you use our search to find your Manila flight, look out for them if you want to avoid stopovers and waiting in airports. The flight time for direct flights is 14 hours, however they are usually more expensive than connecting options.
The majority of cheap flights to Manila include at least one stopover on their way to their final destination at Manila-Ninoy Aquino International Airport. This stopover is usually either close to the start of your journey in a European hub like Amsterdam or Frankfurt, or close to the end in Singapore or Hong Kong.
Expect to be on your travels from the UK to Manila for at least 19 hours, and it could be considerably more depending on how long your stopovers are and how many you have. It's not necessarily cheaper to book a two-stop flight - one-stop prices are usually in the same ball park, so if you're after a cheap fare to Manila make sure you shop around.
Onward Travel in Manila
With all that travelling, chances are that once your flight to Manila finally touches down, you're going to want to get to your hotel as quickly as you can. Expect to spend some time getting through immigration after your flight to Manila touches down so be prepared for this. The good news is that transfers needn't take too long once you emerge the other side - especially if you're prepared to pay.
So once you've cleared immigration and been reunited with your luggage, the fastest way to get to your hotel is to hop right into a yellow metered taxi. Obviously traffic can play a part in how quickly you can get to your hotel once your Manila flight arrives, but this is the speediest way to get there. Buses from the terminal can take you to Makati City and Quezon City cheaply if you've not got much in the way of luggage.
Nipping over to the departure terminal and hopping in a white taxi can be a great way to save cash on your taxi ride into the city. These taxis are licensed for everything but picking up customers at the airport - so they save on paying that fee and they pass this on to you. The only downside is that security may have something to say on the matter - so be discreet!
Getting Around Manila
You have a few options when it comes to traversing this vast city, and of these, getting behind the wheel of a Manila hire car can help you be most independent in your travel. Obviously, navigating can be tricky in a big city - so ask for one with sat nav, and beware that the rush hour traffic can be horrendous.
There is a small train network called the Strong Republic Transit System, which runs trains across the city, but beware that single use tickets are only valid for one line, rather than one journey with changes. There are also plenty of buses, which aren't numbered but do display their route on the front and side of the bus - so it's best to ask for help beforehand from your hotel. Jeepneys are smaller versions of the same.
If you're after a quick trip from one sight to the next, then taking a tricycle or pedicab. These are especially good at getting to harder-to-reach destinations, and the good news is that they have to display a fare matrix, which is by and large adhered to for short journeys. Long trips it's more usual to negotiate the fare before you get going.
