How to Find Cheap Flights to the Philippines: 5 Essential Tips to Save Money​

​Planning your trip to the Philippines? The first step is to score a cheap flight. Here are 5 smart tips to help you save money and get your adventure started on the right foot:
1. Book in advanceTry to buy your tickets at least 2–3 weeks before departure. Prices tend to rise significantly within 10 days of your flight.
2. Be flexible with your travel datesAvoid flying on weekends. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays usually offer the best prices.
3. Avoid peak days of the monthTry not to fly during the first or last 4 days of the month, or even around the middle days, when most people start or end their vacations.
4. Depart from major citiesFlights from big cities like Madrid or Barcelona are generally cheaper for long-haul routes. For domestic flights within Asia, use low-cost carriers like Cebu Pacific or Air Asia.
5. Use a powerful flight search engineWe recommend using a flexible flight search tool that compares prices across an entire month and lets you search by country or region instead of just one airport.
👉 https://www.skyscanner.net

⚠️ IMPORTANT: Exit Flight Required to Enter the PhilippinesTo enter the Philippines, you must show proof of onward travel—a flight out of the country. Airlines will often ask for it during check-in, and if you don’t have it, you may be denied boarding.
If you don’t have a fixed return date, we suggest booking a cheap one-way flight to a nearby country, such as:

• Hong Kong or Malaysia (from Manila or Cebu) with Cebu Pacific
• Kuala Lumpur or Kota Kinabalu with Air Asia

Another (riskier) option is to carry a temporary flight reservation, which you can cancel later. A reliable service for this is:
👉 FlyOnward.com – offers valid flight bookings for 48 hours from just $12.99 USD

Ready to travel smart and start your diving adventure in the Philippines? If you need help organizing your route or accommodations in Malapascua, just reach out to us!

VISA - time zone

La mejor opción es pedir un visado temporal (tipo 9A) antes de venir. Puedes tramitar el visado en la Embajada o Consulado de Filipinas en tu país. Debes indicar si el motivo es turismo, salud o negocios, y permite una estancia en Filipinas de 59 días (aunque caduca a los 3 meses).
​
Embajada en España
Eresma 2
​28002 Madrid
Tel.  91 782 3830 - Fax. 91 411 6606
Email: [email protected] 

Embajada en Chile
​Jurisdicción: Chile, Bolivia y Ecuador.
Felix de Amesti 367
​Las Condes, Santiago de chile
Tel. (02) 2208.1313 - (02) 2208.1400
​Email: [email protected]

​Embajada en Argentina
​Jurisdicción: Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay y Bolivia.
Zapiola 1701
​1426 Buenos Aires
Tel. 11 4554.4015 - 11 4554.4856
Email: [email protected]
​
​Embajada de Mexico
​Jurisdicción: Mexico, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama y Belize.
Rio Rhin 56
6500 Ciudad de Mexico D.F.
Tel. 525552028456 - 525552028403
Email: [email protected]

Consulado en Peru
Contralmirante Montero 355
Miraflores, Lima
Tel. 1 242.6073 - 9 402.4797
Email: [email protected]

Consulado en Colombia
Calle 108 # 14B-31
Bogotá
Tel 1 803.3694 - 310 231.1730
Email: [email protected]
​
Si vienes sin visado aun tienes varias posibilidades. Puedes pedir un visa on arrival igual al anteriror, pero emitido en el aeropuerto. Si prefieres evitarte el trámite, la mayoría de nacionalidades disfruta de un permiso de 29 días gratuito a la llegada, pero asegúrate de que tu pasaporte tiene aún una validez de, al menos, 6 meses.

Para extender cualquiera de las opciones acude a cualquier oficina de inmigración por algo más de 3000 pesos. Las principales oficinas están en Manila y Cebú aunque las ciudades pequeñas cuentan con agentes que tramitan el visado por una comisión menor, ahorrándonos tiempo y energía. En ocasiones el mismo resort lo puede tramitar.
​
Pasados 2 meses, el gobierno exige una Tarjeta de Certificación de Extranjero tipo DNI que encarece el siguiente visado hasta casi el doble. Una alternativa es salir del país y volver a entrar para para reiniciar el proceso.

La tasa de salida a pagar en el aeropuerto es de 750 pesos en Cebú y está incluida en el billete en Manila a octubre de 2017 (los cambios pueden ser inesperados).

DINERO - PRECIOS

The official currency is the Philippine peso (Php), and the exchange rate has been fluctuating around 60 pesos per euro in recent years. The best thing to do is to check the current rate yourself using our favorite currency converter. Just enter your currency in the first field and the Philippine peso in the second.​
​It’s not necessary to exchange money in your home country. All arrival airports offer a decent exchange rate to get you started with a small amount, and you can exchange a larger sum later in the city. The best rates are usually found at currency exchange offices, as banks tend to offer lower rates. Check a few places to find the best deal.

Currency Converter by OANDA

BE CAREFUL!
In Manila and Cebu, avoid dealing with so-called street money changers offering unbeatable exchange rates. They are professional scammers.
The following ATMs accept foreign cards: Metro Bank, BDO (Banco de Oro), BPI (Bank of the Philippine Islands), Citibank, and HSBC. All charge a fee of 150 PHP in addition to your home bank’s fee. You can withdraw 10,000 pesos per transaction, with a daily limit of 20,000, except at Citibank and HSBC, which allow up to 50,000 pesos per transaction.
Traveler’s checks should be exchanged in major cities, as it’s virtually impossible to do so in rural areas.
Make sure you arrive on small islands like Malapascua and Cabilao with enough cash in pesos. You won’t find any banks or ATMs there. Many businesses do not accept credit or debit cards, and if they do, they often charge an additional 5% or more. It’s possible to exchange euros and dollars, but the rates are usually unfavorable.
PRICES
In general, the Philippines is an affordable destination. In rural areas, you can eat and drink in local places for less than 250 pesos per day. In Malapascua, you can get a plate of stewed vegetables for around 20 pesos or a pork rib at a street BBQ for about 65 pesos. A liter of beer costs about 80 pesos. However, in big cities, prices for tourist goods and services can be as high as in Europe.
As for accommodation, there’s something for every budget. Do your research or ask for advice to find the best value for money.

language

The official language is Tagalog, originally from Metro Manila. Pronunciation is very easy for Spanish speakers, as words are pronounced just as they are written. You’ll find a good number of Spanish words such as: carne, puchero, calamares, casa, cuarto (for room), hotel, museo, embajada, calle, coche, tren, bus, hospital, doctor...
In the Central Visayas, people speak Bisaya or Cebuano, which also preserves many Spanish words — including the days of the week, months, and numbers used in dates and prices. You can say: "lunes a las seis y media" and locals will be surprised at how well you "speak Cebuano"! This makes it much easier to understand transport schedules, hotel check-in and check-out times, or price negotiations. Other useful Spanish-derived examples include: barato, bicicleta, mesa, silla, vaso, plato, cuchara, cuchillo, tenedor, servilleta, patatas, jamón, queso, harina, piña, cerveza, fiesta — and many more.

health

There is no malaria in almost any part of the Philippines (except in the remote south of Palawan), and dengue is mostly limited to the big cities. Nevertheless, it’s a good idea to avoid mosquito bites by using some kind of repellent. A great option is to buy a fabric wristband with a small plastic repellent insert that needs to be changed every 15 days (available at most pharmacies), and to sleep under a mosquito net.
In small islands and more remote areas, there are no clinics or hospitals, and often not even a doctor. However, basic medicines like painkillers, decongestants, and oral rehydration salts can be found in some local shops. If you're prone to ear infections, it's best to bring your own ear drops, as these are nearly impossible to find on the island (although some dive shops may be able to help with minor issues).
The decompression chamber assigned to the Visayas region is located in Cebu, which also hasome of the best hospitals in Central Philippines.

phone - data - electricity

The international dialing code for calling the Philippines from abroad is +63 (or 0063). Philippine phone numbers usually start with a 0, which should be omitted when dialing internationally. For example:
Our local phone number is 0927 0796 415 if you are calling from within the Philippines, but if you're calling from outside the country, you should dial +63 927 0796 415.
The mobile phone network works normally in most of the country. However, keep in mind that the Philippines has over 7,000 islands, so signal coverage may not be guaranteed in more remote areas. To avoid roaming charges (which are very high in the Philippines) and potential compatibility issues with local networks, it’s highly recommended to buy a local SIM card, which costs less than 1 euro.
The best mobile providers are:

• Smart Buddy – known for the widest coverage
• Globe – known for faster data speeds

Both offer cheap prepaid plans, though international calls can be quite expensive. Affordable mobile phones (not the latest models) are easy to find. You’ll need to present your passport to purchase a SIM pack.
The Visayas region is very well covered, and even small islands like Malapascua have good signal strength.

As in most Asian countries, internet cafés are common in towns and cities. You may have to share the space with a swarm of kids battling zombies or aliens, but these places are usually fast and inexpensive. Most also offer decent printing services.
Most resorts and restaurants provide Wi-Fi, although the connection can be slow. In some places, just ordering a drink or meal gets you the password; others may charge for access (usually valid for a full day unless otherwise stated). It’s a good idea to ask before ordering to avoid surprises.
The electrical system in the Philippines runs at 220V / 50Hz (like in most European countries), but most outlets use flat two-pin plugs (see image). Some places have universal sockets that fit European plugs, but this is not always the case. It’s a good idea to bring a travel adapter, especially when visiting small islands like Malapascua (although some resorts may have one to lend).

How to get to Malapascua