Airport
Ninoy Aquino International Airport
IATA Code: MNLLocation: The airport is situated four miles (7km) south of the centre of Manila.
Time: GMT +8.
Contacts: Tel: +63 (0)2 833 1180.
Transfer between terminals: There are four terminals - Terminal 1, Terminal 2 (also called the Centennial Terminal), Terminal 3 and Terminal 4. Most international flights go through Terminal 1 and a few through 3, while Terminal 2 is used exclusively by Phillipine Airlines. Terminal 4 handles domestic flights. There is a free airport shuttle bus between terminals for passengers catching connecting flights, otherwise you'll need to pay a fee to use the HMG transport shuttle service. You can also catch the colourful "jeepneys", or decorated US Army jeeps, around the airport or into town.
Transfer to the city: Train: The Metro-Rail Transit station at Baclaran is 3 miles (5km) from the airport, and trains run regularly between 5am and 10pm. There is an airport shuttle that operates between the Terminal 3 and the station for PHP 20, or you can take a taxi or jeepney. Taxi: Yellow taxi cabs leave from the stands outside each terminal. They charge a flagdown rate of PHP 70 in addition to a fee of PHP 4 per 250m. Coupon taxis, with desks in the terminals, charge a flat rate depending on the destination and are often cheaper. Bus: There is an airport bus service that travels to the city centre every 15 minutes or so for about PHP 50. There's also a city bus service that leaves from outside the arrivals areas of Terminal 1 and Terminal 2.
Taxis: There are numerous taxis available outside the airport, but it is best to book one before leaving the airport at one of the Taxi Offices. On presentation of a receipt at the desk outside the airport, an attendant will organise an official metered taxi.
Car rental: Car rental is available from Europcar, Avis, Hertz and National desks at the airport.
Facilities: Passenger services at Manila airport include shops, restaurants and bars; ATMs, banks with currency exchange, left-luggage and postal services. The airport is hot and uncomfortable, however there is an excellent lounge, the Manila Lounge, which offers showers, clean toilets, drinks, magazines and newspapers for only US$11, or free for Diners Club members.
Parking: Short and long-term parking is available.
Departure tax: P750 (international), P200 (domestic).
Website: www.manila-airport.net
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Manila
Manila, the somewhat daunting capital and pulsating hub of the Philippines, is situated on the east coast of Luzon, the most northerly island, the largest and the most developed. The city was founded in 1571 on the site of a Muslim settlement. The city is made up of 16 areas which were once towns in their own right, and its major tourist attraction is the old Spanish walled city known as Intramuros, which contains some historic buildings and ruins.
Modern Manila is a morass of traffic and people, polluted and chaotic, an industrial metropolis that grew from the ashes of war when in 1945, the United States' forces fought to recapture it from Japanese occupation. It is also a city of theatres, libraries and museums, and the home to the University of the Philippines. The neighbourhoods of the metropolis vary from wide avenues full of palatial homes to squatter camps where the poorest of the poor scratch out a living.
Visitors to the Philippines cannot avoid using Manila as a starting point for their exploration of the other provinces and islands, because most charter flights to the outlying islands leave from the city's airport. The city is also within reach of day and weekend getaways on the island of Luzon; this makes it a good base for travellers intent on touring. One thing no visitor should miss is a famous Manila Bay sunset: a light show created out of the high humidity conditions coupled with the effects of cloud over the city's harbour. This remarkable sight allows a short respite from the more unpleasant aspects of the sprawling city. View the sunset from Rizal Park, Roxas Boulevard or from a cruise boat that plies around Manila Bay.
