Wikimania 2016 bids/Manila/Travel
Mabuhay! • Manila • The PICC • Program • Getting here • Accommodation • Local team • Budget • Self-evaluation
Visas
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The Philippines has one of the world's most liberal visa policies, with citizens from 157 countries and territories being allowed to enter the country without a visa for stays not exceeding 7, 14, 30 or 59 days. For Wikimania, this means that Manila is the most visa-friendly of any host or candidate city, beating even the previous record-holder, Hong Kong (with 148). In principle, countries which maintain diplomatic relations with the Philippines and whose nationals are not restricted nationals may enter the country without a visa.
Citizens of the following countries do not need a visa to enter the Philippines:
Citizens of all countries listed above are allowed to stay in the Philippines for 30 days without a visa, excluding Brazilians and Israelis, who may stay for 59 days. Holders of Hong Kong SAR and Macau SAR passports may stay in the Philippines for 14 days without a visa, while holders of British National (Overseas) passports and Portuguese passports issued in Macau may stay in the Philippines for seven days without a visa.
If you need a visa, you may apply for one at your nearest Philippine diplomatic mission, or through your nearest Philippine honorary consulate if there is none in your area. If there is neither a diplomatic mission nor an honorary consulate in your country, you may apply through the Visa Upon Arrival Program (VUAP), as will be explained below. The local team will be coordinating with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to ensure that all attendees will be able to attend Wikimania and will not face any problems upon arrival in Manila.
Special cases
edit- Are you Chinese or Indian? - Citizens of the People's Republic of China may stay in the Philippines for seven days without a visa if in possession of a valid Australian, Japanese, Canadian, Schengen or United States visa, as well as a return or onward plane ticket. Citizens of India may stay in the Philippines for 14 days without a visa only if entering through Manila and are in possession of either the same visas or a Singapore or United Kingdom visa. In all other cases, a Philippine visa is required prior to arrival.
- Need a visa but can't get one in your country? - The Bureau of Immigration has instituted the Visa Upon Arrival Program (VUAP), which allows restricted nationals from countries where there is no Philippine diplomatic presence (either diplomatic missions or honorary consulates) to obtain a Philippine entry visa upon arrival. Visas obtained under the VUAP must be pre-arranged in Manila before arriving, and in the event that an attendee will need to obtain a visa through this program, the local team will coordinate with the BI accordingly.
- Are you below 15? - To prevent child trafficking, Philippine law mandates that persons under the age of fifteen who are either arriving unaccompanied or are not accompanied by their parents may be denied entry into the Philippines. It is possible to obtain a "waiver of exclusion ground" (WEG) which grants entry to underage minors, which must also be pre-arranged in Manila before arriving.
Getting to Manila
editManila is served by two major airports. The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), located nine kilometers south of Manila proper, is the city's principal airport. It is the Philippines' busiest airport and a major Southeast Asian hub, with direct service to 42 international destinations in Asia, Australia, Europe and North America. NAIA also serves as the hub for flights to the rest of the country, serving over 30 towns and cities throughout the archipelago.
The airport is divided into four terminals:
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Terminal 4, which serves AirAsia Zest
The airport complex is served by frequent bus and jeepney service to points throughout Metro Manila, and a shuttle service connects all four terminals.
The following table lists the cheapest estimated ticket prices for Manila for one adult, inclusive of taxes, as computed using the ITA Software Trip Planner for bookings made a few months in advance. These are not necessarily the cheapest available ticket prices: several destinations, particularly in Asia, are served by low-cost carriers, and airlines frequently have seat sales which lower ticket prices further. Cities with non-stop service to Manila on low-cost carriers are highlighted in blue.
| From | Airfare | Airline | Travel time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auckland | USD 1,012 (approx. ¥ 93,702 / € 756 / £ 679) | Philippine Airlines | 13h15/12h45 | Transfer in Sydney. The flight between Auckland and Sydney is on Qantas. |
| Bangkok | USD 221 (approx. ¥ 20,463 / € 165 / £ 149) | Philippine Airlines | 3h30/3h35 | |
| Beijing | USD 351 (approx. ¥ 32,500 / € 263 / £ 236) | Philippine Airlines | 4h45/4h55 | |
| Delhi | USD 616 (approx. ¥ 57,036 / € 460 / £ 413) | Malaysia Airlines | 10h40/11h | Transfer in Kuala Lumpur. |
| Dhaka | USD 752 (approx. ¥ 69,628 / € 562 / £ 504) | Philippine Airlines | 13h10/12h50 | Transfer in Bangkok. The flight between Dhaka and Bangkok is on Bangkok Airways. There is a cheaper two-stop option on China Eastern Arilines for $720, but with a longer journey time and stops in Kunming and Shanghai. |
| Dubai | USD 541 (approx. ¥ 50,092 / € 404 / £ 363) | Malaysia Airlines | 12h5/16h | Transfer in Kuala Lumpur. There are non-stop flights available on other airlines. |
| Ho Chi Minh City | USD 212 (approx. ¥ 19,630 / € 159 / £ 143) | Philippine Airlines | 2h45/2h40 | |
| Hong Kong | USD 198 (approx. ¥ 18,333 / € 148 / £ 133) | Philippine Airlines | 2h5/2h15 | |
| Jakarta | USD 279 (approx. ¥ 25,833 / € 209 / £ 187) | Malaysia Airlines | 8h25/9h5 | Transfer in Kuala Lumpur. There are non-stop flights available on other airlines. |
| Kuala Lumpur | USD 291 (approx. ¥ 26,944 / € 218 / £ 195) | Jetstar Asia Airways | 8h20 | Transfer in Singapore. There is a cheaper option on Jetstar Asia Airways for $284, but with a longer layover. There are also non-stop flights available on other airlines. |
| Macau | USD 355 (approx. ¥ 32,870 / € 266 / £ 238) | China Eastern Airlines | 11h40/10h5 | Transfer in Shanghai. There are non-stop flights available on other airlines. |
| Phnom Penh | USD 468 (approx. ¥ 43,333 / € 350 / £ 314) | Malaysia Airlines | 9h10/9h40 | Transfer in Kuala Lumpur. |
| Riyadh | USD 484 (approx. ¥ 44,814 / € 362 / £ 325) | Etihad Airways | 13h10/14h20 | Transfer in Abu Dhabi. There are non-stop flights available on other airlines. |
| Seoul | USD 354 (approx. ¥ 32,777 / € 265 / £ 238) | Philippine Airlines | 4h/3h45 | |
| Shanghai | USD 263 (approx. ¥ 24,352 / € 197 / £ 177) | Philippine Airlines | 3h50/3h30 | Flight departs from Shanghai Pudong International Airport. |
| Singapore | USD 150 (approx. ¥ 13,889 / € 112 / £ 101) | Malaysia Airlines | 7h25/6h5 | Transfer in Kuala Lumpur. There are non-stop flights available on other airlines. |
| Sydney | USD 606 (approx. ¥ 56,110 / € 453 / £ 407) | Malaysia Airlines | 15h30/14h20 | Transfer in Kuala Lumpur. There are non-stop flights available on other airlines. |
| Taipei | USD 199 (approx. ¥ 18,426 / € 149 / £ 134) | Philippine Airlines | 2h10/2h15 | |
| Tel Aviv | USD 1,470 (approx. ¥ 136,108 / € 1,098 / £ 985) | Korean Air | 18h5/25h45 | Transfer in Seoul. There are cheaper options on other airlines: the cheapest is on Qatar Airways and Royal Jordanian for $1105, but with a longer journey time and stops in Amman and Doha. |
| Tokyo | USD 411 (approx. ¥ 38,055 / € 307 / £ 276) | China Airlines | 7h20/6h45 | Transfer in Taipei. Flight departs from Narita International Airport. There are non-stop flights available on other airlines. |
| Buenos Aires | USD 2,748 (approx. ¥ 254,438 / € 2,052 / £ 1,842) | Qatar Airways | 28h50/37h55 | Transfer in São Paulo and Doha. There is a cheaper option on United Airlines and ANA for $2643, but with a longer travel time and stops in Houston and Tokyo. |
| Caracas | USD 1,830 (approx. ¥ 169,440 / € 1,367 / £ 1,227) | EVA Air | 52h55/40h37 | Transfer in Bogota, New York City and Taipei. The flight between Caracas and New York City via Bogota is on Avianca. |
| Chicago | USD 1,061 (approx. ¥ 98,238 / € 793 / £ 711) | United Airlines | 19h25/22h55 | Transfer in Tokyo. The flight between Tokyo and Manila is on All Nippon Airways. |
| Los Angeles | USD 699 (approx. ¥ 64,721 / € 522 / £ 469) | China Southern Airlines | 20h30/22h10 | Transfer in Guangzhou. There are non-stop flights available on Philippine Airlines. |
| Mexico City | USD 1,175 (approx. ¥ 108,794 / € 878 / £ 788) | American Airlines | 26h/22h57 | Transfer in Los Angeles and Tokyo. The flight between Mexico City and Los Angeles is on Aeroméxico, while the flight between Tokyo and Manila is on Japan Airlines. |
| New York | USD 865 (approx. ¥ 80,091 / € 646 / £ 580) | Asiana Airlines | 21h45/22h30 | Transfer in Seoul. |
| Rio de Janeiro | USD 1,554 (approx. ¥ 143,885 / € 1,161 / £ 1,042) | Etihad Airways | 29h3/29h27 | Transfer in São Paulo and Abu Dhabi. The flight between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo is on TAM Airlines. |
| San Francisco | USD 804 (approx. ¥ 74,443 / € 601 / £ 539) | China Southern Airlines | 17h35/23h40 | Transfer in Los Angeles and Guangzhou. The flight between San Francisco and Los Angeles is on Delta Air Lines. There are also non-stop flights available on Philippine Airlines. |
| Santiago | USD 1,895 (approx. ¥ 175,459 / € 1,415 / £ 1,270) | United Airlines | 36h45/34h55 | Transfer in Houston and Tokyo. The flight between Tokyo and Manila is on All Nippon Airways. |
| Toronto | USD 1,167 (approx. ¥ 108,053 / € 872 / £ 782) | United Airlines | 23h30/21h57 | Transfer in Chicago and Tokyo. The flight between Tokyo and Manila is on All Nippon Airways. There is a cheaper option on United Airlines and ANA for $1041, but with a longer travel time and the return flight stopping in Guam, Honolulu and Houston. |
| Vancouver | USD 893 (approx. ¥ 82,683 / € 667 / £ 599) | China Airlines | 17h/17h35 | Transfer in Taipei. There are non-stop flights available on Philippine Airlines. |
| Washington, D.C. | USD 1,161 (approx. ¥ 107,497 / € 867 / £ 778) | Etihad Airways | 28h35/29h55 | Transfer in Abu Dhabi. |
| Amsterdam | USD 742 (approx. ¥ 68,702 / € 554 / £ 498) | Malaysia Airlines | 17h20/19h | Transfer in Kuala Lumpur. |
| Belgrade | USD 886 (approx. ¥ 82,035 / € 662 / £ 594) | China Airlines | 19h40/26h40 | Transfer in Frankfurt and Taipei. Outbound between Belgrade and Frankfurt is on Lufthansa, while inbound between Frankfurt and Belgrade is on Air Serbia. There is a cheaper option on China Airlines, Lufthansa and Air Serbia for $842, but with a longer layover in Frankfurt. |
| Berlin | USD 894 (approx. ¥ 82,776 / € 668 / £ 599) | Etihad Airways | 20h5/19h10 | Transfer in Munich and Abu Dhabi on the outbound, while transfer in Abu Dhabi only on the inbound. The flight between Berlin and Munich is on Lufthansa. |
| London | USD 867 (approx. ¥ 80,276 / € 648 / £ 581) | China Eastern Airlines | 22h40/20h45 | Transfer in Shanghai. There are non-stop flights available on Philippine Airlines. |
| Madrid | USD 853 (approx. ¥ 78,980 / € 637 / £ 572) | British Airways | 20h50/22h55 | Transfer in London and Hong Kong. The flight between Hong Kong and Manila is on Cathay Pacific. |
| Moscow | USD 794 (approx. ¥ 73,517 / € 593 / £ 532) | Emirates | 17h25/18h25 | Transfer in Dubai. Flight departs from Domodedovo International Airport. There are also similar flights on Etihad Airways for the same amount, requiring a transfer in Abu Dhabi. |
| Paris | USD 723 (approx. ¥ 66,943 / € 540 / £ 485) | Qatar Airways | 17h10/20h | Transfer in Doha. |
| Rome | USD 830 (approx. ¥ 76,850 / € 620 / £ 557) | Emirates | 18h45/19h20 | Transfer in Dubai. |
| Stockholm | USD 836 (approx. ¥ 77,406 / € 625 / £ 561) | China Southern Airlines | 21h40/26h | Transfer in Amsterdam and Guangzhou. The flight between Stockholm and Amsterdam is on KLM. There is a cheaper one-stop option on Qatar Airways for $814, but with a longer layover. |
| Vienna | USD 1,001 (approx. ¥ 92,683 / € 748 / £ 671) | British Airways | 24h5/21h30 | Transfer in London and Hong Kong. The flight between Hong Kong and Manila is on Cathay Pacific. |
| Warsaw | USD 1,002 (approx. ¥ 92,776 / € 749 / £ 672) | Emirates | 19h20/17h25 | Transfer in Dubai. |
| Zürich | USD 856 (approx. ¥ 79,258 / € 640 / £ 574) | KLM | 18h55/20h40 | Transfer in Amsterdam on the outbound, while transfer in Hong Kong and Amsterdam on the inbound. The flight between Amsterdam and Manila stops in Taipei. On the return, the flight between Manila and Hong Kong is on Cathay Pacific. |
| Accra | USD 1,495 (approx. ¥ 138,423 / € 1,117 / £ 1,002) | Qatar Airways | 23h5/31h10 | Transfer in Lagos and Doha. The flight between Accra and Lagos is on Arik Air. |
| Cairo | USD 587 (approx. ¥ 54,351 / € 439 / £ 394) | Oman Air | 22h5/17h25 | Transfer in Muscat. |
| Johannesburg | USD 818 (approx. ¥ 75,739 / € 611 / £ 549) | Etihad Airways | 20h5/20h50 | Transfer in Abu Dhabi. |
| Lagos | USD 1,203 (approx. ¥ 111,386 / € 899 / £ 807) | Etihad Airways | 29h45/29h | Transfer in Abu Dhabi. |
| Nairobi | USD 1,218 (approx. ¥ 112,775 / € 910 / £ 817) | Qatar Airways | 15h40/23h45 | Transfer in Doha. |
| Tunis | USD 1,029 (approx. ¥ 95,276 / € 769 / £ 690) | Emirates | 18h30/19h30 | Transfer in Dubai. There is a cheaper option on Qatar Airways for $969, but with a longer layover. |
Manila is also served by the Diosdado Macapagal (Clark) International Airport (DMIA), located 85 kilometers north of Manila in Angeles City, Pampanga. Several low-cost carriers, both local and foreign, currently serve Clark, flying to two domestic and seven international destinations. The airport is connected to Manila by frequent bus service.