Manila Airport Transfers: Getting Into Town With Ease

After a long, uncomfortable flight, endless queues at the airport and what seems like hours of waiting for your bag to be unloaded off the plane and put on the carousel, there’s nothing worse than trying to get your head around making your way to your hotel from the airport. 

It can be even more frustrating in a city like Manila where the airport is a mere 10km out of the city but not well connected to it. Unlike most major cities where there’s usually a decent train line from the airport that drops you off directly in the heart of town, Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport isn’t one of them. And with the only form of public transport from the airport being a bus that services just a few parts of the city, it really is slim pickings. 

Luckily for you (we always have your back), we have got our thinking caps fastened on tight and have taken all of the guesswork out of getting from Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport to your downtown destination with ease.

Here’s what we recommend: 

Although taxis from Manila airport are safe and regulated, it’s not unheard of to be forced to wait for up to an hour just to get in one. It’s also important to keep in mind that there are limits on the amount of luggage you can get in the boot.

The Philippines also has a ride share service called Grab (the Southeast Asian version of Uber) if you can be bothered downloading and signing up for yet another app.

Our choice, however? It’s a private transfer. And no, before you say anything, it’s really not as exxy as you’d think!

Oooh yeah, nothin’ like rolling into the arrivals hall and knowing you can skip past the taxi queue and head straight for a private, air-conditioned car – particularly when a gust of that unfamiliar foreign air wafts in through the exit and hits you square in the face.

With a pre-arranged private airport transfer, you can forget the hassle of waiting for a cab or grappling with confusing public transport and get going right away to your next destination.

With transfers available from Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Pasay, Manila, Makati, Quezon City, Muntinlupa and more, you can sit back and relax knowing you’ll be at your doorstep in no time.

The best part? A one-way transfer will only set you back around AUD$30, and because you’ve pre-paid, there’s no need to worry about not having the right change on you!

Once you’ve hit the tarmac in Manila you’ll be busting to get to the water’s edge. We get it, we’ve seen the crystal clear waters on offer!

If you’ve planned a lengthy stay in the Philippines there’s no doubt you’ll be hitting up Palawan, Cebu, Boracay and Coron Island, but if you are just visiting Manila for a quick jaunt and thought you’d miss out on some coastal time, you might want to give Puerto Galera a try.

Relatively close to the city (we’re talking a day trip here), the best way to get to Puerto Galera is on the Si Kat Ferry Bus. From downtown Manila, you can hop on a bus headed to the Batangas Pier where your ferry will be waiting to whisk you away to this little slice of paradise. What we love about this package is that once you’re on the bus part of the Si Kat Ferry Bus you don’t have to give the travel a second thought as your friendly guide will lead the way.

Once you’ve arrived, you’re free to explore. Take an island hopping tour, swim or snorkel, seek out the waterfalls or simply kick back, cocktail in hand and watch the waves roll in. Who would have thought that bliss like this could exist just outside the bustling city?

Whichever way you choose to get to and from the airport, it will be a helluva lot easier if you have a local SIM Card. If you need to WhatsApp your driver or you have to quickly Google what bus line you should be hopping on, you won’t want to have to rely on your telco provider from back home (or incur those outrageous roaming fees)!

With a prepaid SIM card, you’ll be connected to the internet when you need to be, without having to track your usage or live in fear that your next phone bill will be in the thousands. Simply switch over your existing SIM and you’ll have unlimited texts, calls and up to 8GB of data. Pick up is available at one of six major Philippines airports.

We’ve all been there. Early check-out time; late flight; a day of activities planned and nowhere to store the luggage. Urgh!

Well, if this is going to be you, fear not! With LuggAgent, you can have all your bags transported to the airport way before you need to be there, they'll store your baggage which means you will be footloose and fancy-free without any luggage to weigh you down.

Even though this kind of service has been around for a while, usually you need to seek the storage facilities out in deep, dark corners of airports. Ain’t nobody got time for that! With this secure service, you can have your bags stored and insured at this one-stop-shop. Take THAT, bulky old suitcase!

All you have to do is pre-book, choose a time for pick up and arrange for when you want to collect the luggage at the airport. So, so easy.

Bonus: it also works the opposite way, meaning you can arrange for your bags to be dropped at your hotel once you’ve landed in Manila. A fab option if you are travelling straight from the airport to, say, dinner or somewhere else where it would be super awks to turn up with a suitcase.

LuggAgents? More like LuggAngels!

We love to travel and everything about it (duh, who doesn’t?). But even though being in an airport can be an exciting start to your trip, hanging around in them too often can get a little dull. If you’ve never had access to an airport lounge before, or if you have and you want more of the action, treat yo’self to a pass that will provide you with access to a premium lounge service at Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Being able to visit the Sky View Lounge in Terminal 3, means you can indulge in unlimited food and drink, make use of the Wi-Fi, magazines and newspapers, reflect in the prayer room or just have some quiet time away from the rest of the travellers who are in transit.

To purchase your Sky View lounge pass, simply select your date of travel and show it at the lounge once you’ve passed security. When you consider how much money you can spend with a boring few hours at the airport this pass is an absolute bargain and a nice little way to end your holiday on a high note.

If it’s more than just to and from the airport transfers that you need, consider hiring a driver for the duration of your trip. I know, I know, it sounds super extravagant, but when you think about how much you would end up paying in taxis or Ubers, not to mention data usage and hanging around waiting for pick-ups, you’re actually getting an absolute bargain with this one.

For less than AUD$180, you can have use of a private chauffeur for an entire day in a vehicle of your choosing (car, utility or van). Simply tell the driver where you want to go, and they will get you there and be ready for pick up when you say so. Perfect for families with packed schedules or a go-go-go girls/boys trip away!

Organising a Manila airport transfer is easy with Klook, and don't forget your local SIM card so you can hit the ground 'gramming.

Heading to Boracay or Palawan after your stint in Manila?