Manila Travel Forum

We arrive into Manila at 4am on a Friday morning from China and want to travel on to Boracay asap.
Can we transfer to Domestic term. and just buy a ticket to Caticlan when we arrive?
Are seats normaly easy to get?
Do we need an onward ticket to get into the domestic airport? (Security requirement)
We are a little nervous and hope someone can help.

Consider that it is peak season, you can get tickets but at a much much higher price or sometimes on waiting list.

Yes you need tickets to get into the domestic airport but airlines like cebu pacific and asian spirit have ticketing office just outside the the domestic airport so you can buy tickets from there. Cebu Pacific flights Manila-Caticlan starts at 5:30 am

I agree with the previous poster that since it's the peak season for travel here, it might not be that easy to buy tickets just a few hours before your flight. I suggest you buy them online (http://www.asianspirit.com/) before you even arrive in Manila. If by 'onward ticket', you mean airport transfer from the international terminal to the domestic, there is a shuttle service counter at the airport's arrival area (just before the immigration counters) that you can approach for that. Hope this helps.

When you arrive on your international flight, as a tourist, you will need an onward ticket to another country plus a passport with at least 6 month validity.

You don't need these at the domestic terminal however, they will not admit you into the terminal without a domestic ticket/e ticket and proof of id.

Also, once inside, expect to have to remove belts, caps, hats and shoes as you pass through security.

Credit card issues aside, personally, I would be trying to book your domestic ticket, in advance, online.

By the way, I could not see China on my list of nationalities that can enter the Philippines without a visa. Have you arranged a visa already or are you a different nationality?


Regards: Jim Sibbick

Jim and others,
Thanks for your advice. I am Australian and my gf is Chinese. She now has a Visa.
We hope to buy the onwards ticket to Boracay when we arrive at the domestic terminal ticket offices. We don't want to pre buy on the net as we can't be sure of our arrival and customs clearence times. Either just missing the connecting flight or booking something many hours later and hanging around Manila airport are not options we want on a holiday.
Most advice suggests we may not get 2 seats to Boracay easily! Maybe we can just choose another location if Boracay tickets are not readily available upon our arrival. Cebu or another location?

Well there are many other beaches to choose from here in Luzon. Calatagan and Laiya beaches in Batangas also has white sand and it is just about 2-3 hours from Manila. Or you can take a ferry to Batangas port to go to Puerto Gallera which is just like Boracay with all its activities, night life and food.