Getting Around MANILA
The Philippines capital city , Manila, has all the usual problems associated with major cities anywhere in the world. .... TRAFFIC ......... but Manila, and to a lesser extent Subic,Angeles,Cebu and even Boracay at times, suffers more than any other city. Manila is thought by many to be the worst city in the world for traffic congestion. That being said , as a gateway to the rest of the beautiful Philippine Island and as a tourist destination in its own right , it is well worth the hassle to visit here.
Patience is a virtue when travelling around Manila. Dont expect to get anywhere fast. Always allow plenty of time to get to your destination, whether it be a dinner engagement , a flight , a business meeting or simply visiting some of the many bars and clubs in Manila for a night out.
Taxis
Taxis are usually very easy to find , but when you find one sometimes its just that they dont move too fast. Be prepared for taxi drivers commenting of the 'Big Traffic Sir' . although you have to feel sympathy for the driver , it is usually a pre-empt to asking for more money for the fare. They might even try to ask for a set payment instead of turning on the meter. When you have been travelling around the Philippines long enough you will obtain the skills neccessary to negotiate with the driver, until then , its better you insist on the meter being on, otherwise the chances are you will pay considerably more for your journey. If the driver refuses or argues about turning the meter on , get another taxi.
MUST DO's WHEN GETTING A TAXI
1/ Always tell the driver to put the meter on BEFORE you get into the vehicle, and certainly BEFORE you place any bags into the taxi.
2/If you are already in the taxi , and he refuses to start the meter GET OUT and get another one.
3/Never pay the driver BEFORE you get out and NEVER BEFORE you retrieve your bags and belongings from the boot and elsewhere in the taxi.
4/ Once inside the taxi ALWAYS lock the doors and keep windows shut. 99% of taxis have aircon, so its usually better anyway, but for sure a lot safer.
5/ Never open the window or door to beggars or street sellers, when you are stopped in traffic. Best way is just to ignore them completley and look the other way until they go.
6/Be patient wth the drivers and if in 'Big Traffic' and they are decent with you, make sure you give them a good tip, they deserve it.
Jeepney's
Jeepney's are very plentyful and hard to miss with there multicolour painting and artifacts adorning the vehicle, and sometimes being finished in bright Chrome.Jeepney's are cheap , noisy and usually crowded but will get you to where you want to go ... eventually. However , we here at Your Philippines would advise NEW visitors to the Philippines NOT TO TRAVEL ON JEEPNEYS , especially in the bigger cities such as Angeles, Manila, Cebu and Subic.Certainly NOT if you are travelling alone.
Jeepney's are known as hotbeds of petty crime such as muggings,pickpockets etc. Even Filippino's are very careful where and when they travel on Jeepneys. Liken it to travelling on the London Underground, The New York Underground late at night , or getting that late night bus from the city centre after the clubs and bars are shut. Its better if you are new to the country to either travel with someone that is local or knows the ropes and leave travelling on Jeepneys until you are more aware of the Filippino culture , laws, rules,and dangers that MIGHT exist.
Motor Tricycles (Trikes)
They would normally fit 3 people , 2 inside with one on the pillion seat.Although some trikes have small seats for more passengers and some take a lot more even when there are NO seats.
Dont forget , generally the Philippine people are of small stature and if you are a big guy you wont find trikes comfortable or easy to get in and out of.
Be prepared to inhale half of the exhaust fumes of Manila if you are stuck in traffic as when you are sat in a trike, it so happens your mouth is just at the right height for car,vans and especially jeepney exhaust pipes to get rather personal with your lungs.
Bad weather can also be a problem as although most do have some kind of flimsy cover for rainy days, you can find yourself getting rather wet if the rain is heavy.Dont forget they have no doors, no glass in the side or back windows, so you are really open to the elements. When you are NOT in traffic and its a hot day, it can be rather pleasant to get a nice breeze on you face when travelling in a trike.
They are cheap, and you just flag one down if its empty. If you cant see one passing , just shout loudly TRIKE and clap your hands a few times hard and wazawam a trike will appear or maybe two.
Ask the fair BEFORE you get in, although most have a set fare ( around 12 pesos) except in Angeles where you will pay considerably more
MAKE SURE YOU HAVE SMALL CHANGE FOR ALL THE ABOVE ----- THEY WONT CHANGE BIG NOTES.
L.T.R. ( Light Transit Railway)
Manila also has a LTR ( city railway) which runs the length of the city. Having not used this mode of transport , we cant really advise about the pros and cons but they seem fast and reliable, and popular with locals , although i havent spoken to any westerners yet that have used the LTR.
If you should or have used it, let us know about your experiance so we can inform our readers . Email at info@yourphilippines.co.uk.
Horse and Carriage
For a novelty feature you can also ride on the horse and carriages that pound up and down the Baywalk area.
Buses
Buses are also available and we will be publishing details of bus depots etc soon.
Car Hire/ Motorbike Hire
Driving around Manila ( or any city in the Philippines )is not adviseable unless you have previous experiance of driving in AsianTraffic. Its best left to the locals.Just sit back and enjoy the ride.
However there are many Car Hire and Motorcycle Hire companies in Manila. Care needs to be taken when picking up the vehicle and always best to have someone that knows the Philippines and Manila in particular come with you..
We suggest it always better to hire a car WITH driver and most taxi drivers will hire themselves out for a few hours , a day or even a few days. You will have to negotiate terms which will include rooms, food etc if its an extended hire period.
