First of all, hello to everyone on this forum!! I feel a bit cheeky making my first post a question buuuut, I'm in need of some advice and I'm hoping you kind people can help! I'm off to the Philippines in August to spend three weeks with my beautiful finacee who lives in Balanga in Bataan. Now my problem is, my flight arrives in at 8.45pm, and she can't meet at the airport as shes got a class she can't miss then, and the buses don't go to balanaga after 9pm. So my plan is to take a taxi there instead. How much would I look at spending, and were would people recommend looking? One website implied it would only be £45, but alas I can't seem to find that one again. Another website to take me to "subic area" (balanga wasn't on option) said £362! So I'm rather confused at how much I can expect to pay! Also I'd much rather use a service someone can recommend! Is it a lot cheaper to book online than just getting a cab from the airport? Any help would be gratefully appreciated!
Buses from Manila to Olongapo are very cheap. Is there is a bus close enough to be able to use a taxi when you get off the bus?
After a long flight, I would spend the night in a hotel to for some well deserved zzzzzzzzzzzzzzs, , and then After a good breakfast I leisurely make my way to were I am supposed to go. For a White boy, at that time of night, taxi or bus spells trouble. Do yourself a favour, book yourself a night in a hotel near the airport. It'll be worth it, trust me. Oh, welcome aboard..............
It's a tough decision. Dom is probably right and sensible.....but heck......if she is beautiful he would crawl over 5 miles of broken glass to get to see his girl.
Mr. sensible here.............. If one has done without for a long period of time....... A few more hours of waiting won't damage the relationship... Only strenghten it.
When I flew into Mactan once to see my fiancée, I kept looking at the airport terminal as the plane was coming in to land saying to myself, "She's in there now, she's in there now". As I walked on the tarmac, I was saying the same thing...."She's in there now". It was almost too much to take. My heart was pounding and I was trying to look as though I was calm. Move these planes, open these silly doors. Silly officials looking and stamping silly little books with silly little photos in. I cleared Customs and Immigration...."She's in there now"....People waiting expectedly, some smiling but most looking anxious. She wasn't there. I phoned her. She was back in the hotel. I took a cab to the hotel. "She's in that building now." She wasn't there. She wasn't in the hotel lobby; I was walking down the hotel corridor to the room and she jumped out on me. Her beauty was too much to take, I could have put her on a butty and eaten her with one bite, sauce not required. A woman's beauty does these things to a man.
I would definitely book into a hotel for the first night. I've been going there for 25 years and still do it, just to get my bearings...and a few hours sleep. By the time you got to your destination in the taxi, it would be waaay after midnight anyway, as well as costing silly money. The bus to Olongapo (as an example) is about 250 pesos ...Victory Liner aircon. Perfectly safe and efficient. When you've decided on the hotel you want to stay at, just get a taxi to it from the airport and tell the driver to put the meter on. 2-300 pesos should cover the ride to most hotels. Forget UK prices. Transport is very cheap in the Phils. A hotel in 'Pasay' area would leave you handy for bus stations ( 5 Star buses or Victory Liner). Instead of trying to find your way to your dreamgirl's home straight off...arrange to meet at a landmark in a convenient nearby town. Then she can guide you after that. Having looked at the map, looks like your best bet is to catch the Olongapo bus as far as Dinalupihan, then catch another bus from there through to your final destination. Should be a few hundred pesos altogether. You'll find the people on the bus and at the stations are very helpful. ...and you'll have at least one stop en route for a pee and a snack.
Just arrange a car and driver, there are loads of these services in mania,, can arrange before you arrive, my missus used to use this to go to pangasinanan cost her 5,000 peso, driver met her at the airport no hassles
Thanks for the responses and warm welcome guys! Cheers buddy! Yeah, in regards to taxis I was planning on booking online so he'd meet me there with a sign name on etc. I'm certainly aware of the dangers of manila at night, especially when jetlagged and tired Yeah I definitely wouldn't want to just hail a taxi straight of the airport! but exactly! That sounds perfect! looked online and there seems to be a few companies offering that sort of service. I didn't realise you could rent a car with a driver! Do you know what company you used or any you'd reccomend? I've toycorentacar which seems insanely cheap (£30 for 10 hours w/ driver!). Anyone know if there reputable? Couldn't find anything on a google search.
This is what I did. Hired a small minibus and driver. It worked well. Sometimes it was just me and MrsAsh and sometimes it was a full load including family etc. relatively inexpensive too. And got round the issue of me driving in Manila and not knowing my way about. In our case it was someone my wifes family knew.
Hiring a car and driver is a very safe, comfortable and economical way of getting around in the Philippines, I'm sure that anyone visiting the Philippines for the first time can have their transport needs organized by their loved one. The drivers I have hired in the past to take us to resorts and the like have cost about £20 a day using the wife's own family car, on each occasion I have offered to pay for the drivers accommodation but they normally prefer the extra money and sleep in the car I have noticed that some resorts actually offer driver accommodation rates as part of the package, the rooms are usually pretty basic but meet their needs adequately. I have always bunged the driver a good tip too and given them money for beer, some of them can be a good laugh and make a good travelling companion on long journeys. The family always know a driver as JA has stated in the above post.
Our driver was known to the family yes. We used him and the minibus each day except when away on homeymoon. Outwith that we used him on our wedding day to get the family about and to take the family to resorts in Batangas and Laguna and a trip to Tagaytay. I cannot remember how much it was now, there was a fee plus petrol. The driver attended the wedding reception and came on the trips with us. We always bought the driver lunch or gave him something for it ( not a lot ) On one occasion we hired two of such minibuses ( that my wife calls a van ).
