Airport time question, manila to Dumagute

[markmaloof]

Very quick travel question: my wife and I are flying to Manila in a couple weeks for two week dive trip in the Philippines. We are getting our itinerary together, and thinking about starting things in Dauin. Our flight gets into Manila at 11 AM. There is a flight to Dumaguete at 1:20 PM. From what I've read, the Manila airport is rated as one of the world's worst, especially if you're landing in the super overcrowded terminal one, which we are. Providing our flight does actually get in at 11 AM, do you think that the two hours and 20 minutes we have will be enough time to get through customs and make the 1:20pm flight to Duma?

 

[Centrals]

Very quick travel question: my wife and I are flying to Manila in a couple weeks for two week dive trip in the Philippines. We are getting our itinerary together, and thinking about starting things in Dauin. Our flight gets into Manila at 11 AM. There is a flight to Dumaguete at 1:20 PM. From what I've read, the Manila airport is rated as one of the world's worst, especially if you're landing in the super overcrowded terminal one, which we are. Providing our flight does actually get in at 11 AM, do you think that the two hours and 20 minutes we have will be enough time to get through customs and make the 1:20pm flight to Duma?

1. PAL has a flight to Dumaguete(PR2543) at 13:20. Previously all PAL flights departed from T2 exclusively but they had since transferred most of its domestic flights to T3! I believe the Dumaguete flights depart from T3 but you need to confirm it with PAL.
2. Do not use the shuttle bus and go for the yellow airport taxi directly.
3. Any delay on your arrival means missing the connection. So unless you are flying into the country on PR, you will need to buy a new ticket(unless PR take care of you).
4. If I were you I would rather stay one night in Manila and then get the earliest flight out. Cebu Pacific has one at 07:00 while PR flight is at 08:00.

 

[saila]

I agree with Centrals, to be at the safe side take rather that 13:20 flight to Dumaguete, that gives you enough time buffer (and there's also 15:00 flight by Cebu Pacific if you prefer to fly with them).

Many resorts also offer a Meet&Greet service in Manila, which means there's someone picking you up from the terminal 1 and taking you to terminal 3 check-in in a fastest possible way. An extra expense - yes, but this might be something to consider if you have a very tight schedule. I'm sure your resort will help you with arrangements.

Have a great trip markmaloof! You have a perfect timing, our underwater baby boom has started in Dauin and we have baby frogfish everywhere, I'm sure you and your wife will love it.

 

[Russ_UK]

If you used Cebu Pacific for you flight to Dumaguete, the last flight is at 3pm.
If you are lucky you might get out of terminal 1 in about an hour after landing, but it should not take more than 90 minutes.
It is nearly 7km, so 15 mins if no traffic problems, but you are there @ midday so expect @ 30 minute journey if using a taxi.
You will need a bit more luck at terminal 3 as check in there is usually painfully slow.
I'm going the Dumaguete next week and we will be staying for 1 night in Manila as we land in Manila @ 3pm, but even if I was landing as early as you I would not risk trying to make the connection. Do as Centrals recommends - stay 1 night in Manila and go on a more suitable early flight.

Cebu Pacific have got a promotion on at the moment, it started today and is available up to the 18th Feb - flights available from 1st March from 988php (+ taxes etc...)

 

[markmaloof]

Ok, slightly bummed that we got tickets flying into/out of Manila instead of Cebu, though I think the flights going into Cebu were getting in too late to go elsewhere anyways, and we would have spent a night in Cebu. Is Manila a worthwhile city to see for a day? (since we get in at 11am, and we were hoping to get down to diving area the same day). We have enjoyed staying in Bangkok all the times we have gone diving in Thailand, etc.

I don't know if one can purchase tickets at the airport, we could try to get on the 3pm perhaps (maybe that can't be done, and maybe it would be safe or necessary to purchase flights online before arriving).

Another thought is to check out Coron as a first destination instead, could possibly go there the same day (?). The only reason I mention it is because a friend said to me "Oh, Philippines, you guys must be going to Palawan", then I checked things out online and of course was pleasantly stunned by the tropical paradise visuals of that region. Diving is the main reason we are going, but we certainly like to enjoy things topside, and it looks super nice on Coron. The only thing is that from what I've read, it seems to be based a lot on wreck diving (something my wife and I are not so much into), and I've also read that sometimes the vis is not the greatest. I just get a feeling from reading that maybe the diving is better in the Cebu area overall. I suppose we could do a few days in Coron, then make the trek to Malapascua, Dumaguete or Bohol, etc.

And Russ, thanks for the tip about the Cebu air promotion!

 

[Centrals]

1. Manila is NOT Bangkok!! You can visit the Intramuros in the afternoon.
2. You can buy the ticket at the terminal.
3. If you like wrecks then Coron is highly recommended but the viz is never great. The allowance on check in bag is pretty restricted. But you will be wasting one diving day to travel from Coron to Dumaguete.
5. The 07:00 Cebu Pacific flight will get you to Dumaguete around 08:00. As all the resorts are within 30 mins from the airport so you have plenty of time to get yourselves ready for the morning dive.
6. If Malapascua is your last destination in this trip, you fly out from Cebu City to Manila. But if it is Bohol, you fly out from Tagbilaren.
7. It would be a real rush to cover Bohol, Coron, Dumaguete and Malapascua in 2 wks.

 

[FT]

If I'm reading the schedules correctly, PAL has a 14:40 flight to Tagbilaran (Bohol). Depending on terminal changes and luck, that might also be doable. Bohol - Dauin - Malapascua is reasonable in two weeks, all ferry / land travel so no lost diving days till the end, when you need to be sure of being overnight in Manila prior to departure.

But 7 am flight the following day is more certain. You can stay in Manila nearish to Intramuros and have a look round there in the afternoon, and get an early taxi to the airport at a time when traffic is not too horrid.

 

[markmaloof]

Ok! I have to thank everybody for their help! One thing to clarify: we are only going to do two locations (starting with Duma, think we will spend second week at Malapascua). I think my above posting was confusing and made it sound like we were attempting to do four in two weeks. We decided against Coran (at least this visit), as we are not super into wrecks and I keep reading "bad vis".

We are not crazy about staying in Manila, so here plans A, B and C come into effect
A) I am buying two tickets for the 3pm flight to Dumaguete and we will try for the best. We get in at 11am, so if it takes us 1.5 hours to clear customs, that gets us to a yellow taxi by 12:30 or so and then the 1/2 hour trip (if there is traffic, I'm told) to terminal 3, getting us there for our flight at 1pm, two hours before it leaves at 3pm. So hope that it works out!
B) If we miss that flight (ugh), eat the cost of the tickets, see if we can buy any flight to Cebu, and contact resort to see if they can arrange a land transport (yes, I know $), or if we can take the 7pm or 10pm boats.
C) We fly to Cebu, stay overnight (maybe near airport?), do one of the morning ferrys to Dumaguete, start diving early afternoon. I think we like the idea of staying in Cebu closer to things than staying in Manila IF we can't make the 3pm flight!

Ok, other than getting there, we are excited about our first time in the Philippines! This board has been a fantastic source, thank you all!

 

[Centrals]

We are not crazy about staying in Manila, so here plans A, B and C come into effect

A) I am buying two tickets for the 3pm flight to Dumaguete and we will try for the best. We get in at 11am, so if it takes us 1.5 hours to clear customs, that gets us to a yellow taxi by 12:30 or so and then the 1/2 hour trip (if there is traffic, I'm told) to terminal 3, getting us there for our flight at 1pm, two hours before it leaves at 3pm. So hope that it works out!
B) If we miss that flight (ugh), eat the cost of the tickets, see if we can buy any flight to Cebu, and contact resort to see if they can arrange a land transport (yes, I know $), or if we can take the 7pm or 10pm boats.
C) We fly to Cebu, stay overnight (maybe near airport?), do one of the morning ferrys to Dumaguete, start diving early afternoon. I think we like the idea of staying in Cebu closer to things than staying in Manila IF we can't make the 3pm flight!

These are my opinions:
A) As long as your international flight arrives on time.
B) According to The page you were looking for doesn't exist (404) - Schedule.ph, the last ferry is 19:00 and takes 06hrs!!!!!
C) You will get into Dumaguete earlier and quicker if you overnight in Manila! The 06:00 ferry from Cebu will arrive at Dumaguete around 10:00 while the 07:00 flight from Manila arrives at 08:00.

 

[BuceoFilipinas]

Hi Markmaloof, If I may add, in case you choose to fly to Cebu, you can also travel to the south of the island by road, take a short ferry to Negros and continue by road till your resort... You may try this on your own or request the resort to fetch you in Cebu. That will be faster than getting the ferry all the way from Cebu to Dumaguete.