Packing Essentials: - Rain Jacket - Umbrella - Sunscreen - Bug Spray - Light Clothes (linens, short sleeves) - Comfortable Footwear - Sandals/Slides - Specific Medications Travel Preparation: - International Phone Plan (You can get SIM cards but better to save yourself the trouble) - Download Grab App (Uber in the Philippines) - Cash (Not all places will accept card but most will)
While this depends on the flight you choose, it is usually anywhere from 14-18 hours. We recommend arriving by Thursday the 26th at the latest the settle and adjust from jet lag.
Nino Aquino International Airport is Manila's major airport and where most if not all available flights will be going to.
We recommend the following hotels in Manila: - I'M Hotel - mid priced and closer to a popular part of the city in BGC. Korean spa and pool access included in hotel. Likely where Ben and Kaela will be staying. - Okura Hotel - close to the airport and a more expensive option - MySpace BGC hotel - budget option and near a central location in the Philippines, just outside of BGC. We will be providing shuttles for everyone to get to Batangas from Manila and back. It takes about 2-3 hours to drive from Manila to Batangas. We booked a private resort in Laiya for the wedding, called Cala Laiya - please email us to reserve your room.
You can, but don't! Unless you are a local and know how to drive in Manila, it’s just not worth the effort to rent or drive a car. Download the Grab app - it is easy to use and usually rides are readily available.
While there are 1000s of dialects in the Philippines, the national language is Tagalog. However, most people in the city will speak functional english. We recommend having your translate app ready just in case and being a good tourist by learning a few key words!