:: Travel Access ::

Q: What are the Entry Regulations?
A: Valid passport. Except for stateless persons and those from countries with which the Philippines has no diplomatic relations, all visitors may enter the country without visas and may stay for 21 days provided they have tickets for onward journey. Holders of Hong Kong and Taiwan passports must have special permits. Visas and special permits may be obtained from Philippine embassies and consulates.

Q: What are the Health Regulations?
A: A certificate of vaccination against yellow fever is required for travelers coming from infected areas. Children less than one year old are exempted but may be subject to isolation when necessary.Hospitals are listed in the "Yellow Pages" of the local telephone directory. Health centers provide emergency medical attention in remote towns and cities.

Q: Airport Fees
A: P750 for International departure and P100 for local departure(paid in Philippine pesos only). Departing passengers for international destinations are advised to check with airport or tourist information counters (Tel. Nos. 524-1703; 832-2964) the departure fees which may change without notice.

Q: Can I use my credit card in Philippines?
A: Yes, but... we recommend that you bring a combination of cash and credit cards. Visa, MasterCard and American Express are accepted at many restaurants, but there are hundreds of Banks with ATM Machines available at very low costs. Cash advances are available at many hotels, banks and currency exchanges as well.

But keep a few things in mind:

1. In general, Philippines operate with a "cash economy", meaning that in most situations you will be expected to pay for goods and services in local currency, not with dollars or credit cards. However there are many, many currency exchange offices available. It is very easy to exchange dollars for Pesos.

2. The banking situation is very stable in Philippines.

3. Travelers Checks are for security, not convenience! There are a limited number of places to cash traveler’s checks, and there is a fee for doing so. It can take up to a few hours, by the time you go to the American Express office, stand on line, cash your checks and get back to your vacation. We recommend wearing a money belt and bringing mostly cash instead, but of course, it's completely up to you.

Money & Costs
Currency: Philippines pesos
Budget meal: AUD $3-15
Moderate restaurant meal: AUD $15-30 Top-end restaurant meal: AUD $30+
Budget room: AUD $55-75 Moderate hotel: AUD $125-150 Top-end hotel: AUD $150+

Food is ridiculously cheap in Philippines, and drinks are not much more, especially outside Manila. You can travel comfortably for around AUD$15-30 a day, If you stick to mid-range * restaurants and bars, you can expect to spend around AUD $25 a day.

Exchange kiosks have the best rates, while hotels generally have the worst. Hard currency can be changed into pesos anywhere, but travelers' checks credit cards are only accepted at certain banks and exchange offices in a few larger cities. You'll need to bring some cash but there are an abundance of ATM machines available.

Q: What should I wear?
A: Light, casual clothes are recommended. Warmer garments are needed for mountain regions. When visiting churches and temples, propriety dictates that shorts and scanty clothing be avoided. Formal occasions require dinner jackets and ties (or the Philippine barong tagalog) for men and cocktail dresses or long gowns for women.

Q: What will the weather be like?
A: March to May is hot and dry. June to October is rainy. November to February is cool. Average temperatures: 25°C to 32°C; humidity: 77%

Q: How do I call the Australia from the hotel?
A: You can call Australia directly from your room, however, all the hotels charge outrageoAUD rates for overseas phone service (average charge is $6.00 per minute or more). We recommend that you call your friends in the Australia and have them call you back, instead of being charged $6.00 per minute.

Q: How much luggage can I bring?
A: You may bring (1) pieces of "check-in" luggage, maximum 20kgs and (1) "carry-on" bag maximum 5kgs.

Q: What is the voltage used?
A: 220 volts a/c is the common standard. 110 volts a/c is also used, especially in major hotels.



	Q: What are the Entry Regulations? A: Valid passport. Except for stateless persons and those from countries with which the Philippines has no diplomatic relations, all visitors may enter the country without visas and may stay for 21 days provided they have tickets for onward journey. Holders of Hong Kong and Taiwan passports must have special permits. Visas and special permits may be obtained from Philippine embassies and consulates. Q: What are the Health Regulations? A: A certificate of vaccination against yellow fever is required for travelers coming from infected areas. Children less than one year old are exempted but may be subject to isolation when necessary.Hospitals are listed in the "Yellow Pages" of the local telephone directory. Health centers provide emergency medical attention in remote towns and cities. Q: Airport Fees A: P750 for International departure and P100 for local departure(paid in Philippine pesos only). Departing passengers for international destinations are advised to check with airport or tourist information counters (Tel. Nos. 524-1703; 832-2964) the departure fees which may change without notice. Q: Can I use my credit card in Philippines? A: Yes, but... we recommend that you bring a combination of cash and credit cards. Visa, MasterCard and American Express are accepted at many restaurants, but there are hundreds of Banks with ATM Machines available at very low costs. Cash advances are available at many hotels, banks and currency exchanges as well. But keep a few things in mind: 1. In general, Philippines operate with a "cash economy", meaning that in most situations you will be expected to pay for goods and services in local currency, not with dollars or credit cards. However there are many, many currency exchange offices available. It is very easy to exchange dollars for Pesos. 2. The banking situation is very stable in Philippines. 3. Travelers Checks are for security, not convenience! There are a limited number of places to cash traveler’s checks, and there is a fee for doing so. It can take up to a few hours, by the time you go to the American Express office, stand on line, cash your checks and get back to your vacation. We recommend wearing a money belt and bringing mostly cash instead, but of course, it's completely up to you. Money & Costs Currency: Philippines pesos Budget meal: AUD $3-15 Moderate restaurant meal: AUD $15-30 Top-end restaurant meal: AUD $30+ Budget room: AUD $55-75 Moderate hotel: AUD $125-150 Top-end hotel: AUD $150+ Food is ridiculously cheap in Philippines, and drinks are not much more, especially outside Manila. You can travel comfortably for around AUD$15-30 a day, If you stick to mid-range * restaurants and bars, you can expect to spend around AUD $25 a day. Exchange kiosks have the best rates, while hotels generally have the worst. Hard currency can be changed into pesos anywhere, but travelers' checks credit cards are only accepted at certain banks and exchange offices in a few larger cities. You'll need to bring some cash but there are an abundance of ATM machines available. Q: What should I wear? A: Light, casual clothes are recommended. Warmer garments are needed for mountain regions. When visiting churches and temples, propriety dictates that shorts and scanty clothing be avoided. Formal occasions require dinner jackets and ties (or the Philippine barong tagalog) for men and cocktail dresses or long gowns for women. Q: What will the weather be like? A: March to May is hot and dry. June to October is rainy. November to February is cool. Average temperatures: 25°C to 32°C; humidity: 77% Q: How do I call the Australia from the hotel? A: You can call Australia directly from your room, however, all the hotels charge outrageoAUD rates for overseas phone service (average charge is $6.00 per minute or more). We recommend that you call your friends in the Australia and have them call you back, instead of being charged $6.00 per minute. Q: How much luggage can I bring? A: You may bring (1) pieces of "check-in" luggage, maximum 20kgs and (1) "carry-on" bag maximum 5kgs. Q: What is the voltage used? A: 220 volts a/c is the common standard. 110 volts a/c is also used, especially in major hotels.
	___________________________________________________________________________
COPYRIGHT © 2008 TRAVELACCESS TERMS & CONDITIONS