Asia - Traveling to Boracay?

I am planning a trip to Asia this coming May or June with my brother's family and our mom, and was thinking of Boracay. Originally, was going to visit Singapore, but then changed to Boracay. My trip to Boracay would be 1 week (+ another week in Korea to visit our family there). Our trip would basically be from Las Vegas -> Boracay -> South Korea -> Las Vegas

1. How hard is it to get to Boracay? And is a week enough time? I read a little bit and they figure a day to get there, so I figure 2 days of traveling (getting there, and then leaving), which would leave us with 5 days on the Island?

2. Activities and expenses.

I heard in the phillipines, the dollar can get you alot (due to the exchange rate?), but was wondering how much I would need to bring. Was told that traveling to the phillipines could be relatively inexpensive in comparison to other destinations? Do they accept American Credit Card? or should I bring some cash and exchange it?

We are wanting to do as much activities as we can. Scuba diving, snorkeling, Jet Skiing, Fishing (can you do ocean fishing there?), "Ocean sailing" (where a boat pulls you as you fly through the air?). Wondering roughly how expensive it might be? or is it relatively cheap? Also, kiteboarding. according to: http://wikitravel.org/en/Boracay it only goes until april? I assume that the winds die down during the other times?

3. We are planning on going in Late May or Early June. How bad is the rain during this time? Sites state rainy seasons start in May or June or July (depending which site you go to). I am not worried about the heat (I live in Las Vegas, though, dry heat here rather than wet heat). Really hoping that it doesn't rain much in May/early June. We would go earlier, but we have a wedding to attend in June in Korea, hehe.

4. Any other recommended activities? or anything else to know?

1. I wound go KE LAX ICN MNL and back . Then buy PR or 5J for the final leg. Boracay is only accessible by air during daytime and the planes have limited luggage allowance. There will be a terminal change in MNL which takes time and effort.

2. Activities: your cost is dependent on your Asian negotiation skills. All the beach resort activities are there. Credit card acceptance is very high at the resorts but most activities are cash based.

3. May June is high humidity and rain season. The heat won't bother you but the humidity will. School in PH is out during these two months due to humidity so Boracay might get crowded (I have never been there during May/June).

4. Standard travelling smarts in terms of protecting one's cash/valuable and digestive track applies.

1. I wound go KE LAX ICN MNL and back . Then buy PR or 5J for the final leg. Boracay is only accessible by air during daytime and the planes have limited luggage allowance. There will be a terminal change in MNL which takes time and effort.

PR? 5J? <-- assume it one of their airlines? Yeah, I was thinking the Korean Air from LAX would be the best bet.

So I figure we would have to get our bags from Manila, then check in for the flight to Boracay-Caticlan. So probably 4-5 hours between those flights?

2. Activities: your cost is dependent on your Asian negotiation skills. All the beach resort activities are there. Credit card acceptance is very high at the resorts but most activities are cash based.

Guess I dont have to worry about negogiating then, haha. Would it be better to exchange cash in Manila (though, it would be at the airport, but then, maybe still better than at the Island?). I wonder if debit cards would work too at their ATM machines.

3. May June is high humidity and rain season. The heat won't bother you but the humidity will. School in PH is out during these two months due to humidity so Boracay might get crowded (I have never been there during May/June).

Dang. Though, from the looks of it, it looks to be the beginning of the season, so maybe we get lucky. Most sites say it doesn't rain till night usually.

thx for the response

Flight: PR is Philippine Airline and 5J is Cebu Pacific. Do not book the last flight in and out of Boracay due to delays and cancellations.

KE have very nice service into MNL from ICN. I have been know to fly YYZ ICN MNL when the fare is comparable to DL's.

You can exchange Cash in MNL but the airport rate is like the rest of the airport worldwide, inflated due to the cost of doing business at the airport

There should be no problem exchanging USD to Piso in Boracay; being a tourist destination. More local changers keep the rate competitive.

I have used AMEX VISA MC in PH as payment but never used an ATM. There are some issue with out of country transactions so I just take USD $100 notes. Use travel hidden wallets that are inside you clothing. Do not trust room safes.

If you want more convenience from LAX (or LAS), I'd suggest you fly PR. They offer a free (I believe airside, but I'm not sure) shuttle to NAIA Terminal 3 if you're connecting to any 2P (Airphil Express) flight, including flights to MPH.

Also, May is still considered part of the summer season, so don't expect rain until June.

Just be aware that the baggage allowance is only 10kgs for all flights to Boracay.
This applies to all airlines that operate to this destination.

Destination is Caticlan airport (MPH) which is right next to where the shuttle boats for Boracay Island leave.
All flights are turboprop aircraft (runway at MPH is too short for jets)

There are three airlines offering flights from MNL to MPH at the moment:
Seair (DG): Dornier 328 and 1-2 flights with LET-410 - flights leave from (old) "Domestic Airport"
airphilexpress: (2P): Dash 8-Q300 - flights leave from terminal 3
Cebu Pacific (5J): ATR 72-500 - flights leave from terminal 3

When booking airphilexpress (Air Philippines) or Cebu Pacific one can choose fares with hand luggage only or with 10Kgs "free" allowance.
Any weight that exceeds the 10kgs will be charged accordingly upon check-in.

At least Cebu Pacific offers pre purchase of excess weight at a discounted rate during the booking process.

I've been to Boracay in May and June and never saw any rain. I live just a couple hundred miles from there and the weather is usually beautiful in those months. Rainy season in the Visayas is roughly October or November to February. In May/June you might get a passing shower, but nothing too bad.

Bring a few hundred USD and plan on changing money in Boracay or anywhere outside the airport. Maybe try to just pick up $100 worth of pesos to get you started with taxis, boats, etc. until you get where you are going. In Boracay there are plenty of ATMs and most places will take credit cards. The local money changers will give you a great rate with no added-on fees.

Be sure and stop for dinner and drinks at the Hobbit House (http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g294260-d1159974-Reviews-The_Hobbit_House-Boracay_Visayas.html). And I would definitely recommend a massage on the beach next to the ocean. As you are walking up and down the promenade you will receive plenty of offers. After your massage you can relax at a bar on the beach and watch the fire dancers.

You might want to price out Hawaiian Airlines to Manila. They have direct flights LAS-HNL-MNL that might be cheap. If you can't get a good rate on the HA website, try Expedia (sometimes they give Expedia unpublished deals). There is a catch, however... HA only flies to/from MNL on certain days, so you have to search on those days. Here are the days:

Flight Days from Honolulu to Manila: Sun, Mon, Wed & Fri
Flight Days from Manila to Honolulu: Mon, Tues, Thu & Sat

As for your schedule, I think 5 days in Boracay is enough. Especially if you are continuing on to a wedding somewhere else.

If OP is only going to Boracay HA PR and others would make sense. The mandatory family visit in S Korea make KE the only logical choice.

If OP is only going to Boracay HA PR and others would make sense. The mandatory family visit in S Korea make KE the only logical choice.

If KE is the only logical choice, I can suggest flying to CEB instead and transferring to 2P or 5J or DG there if the OP does not wish to deal with changing terminals in MNL. But 1-2 days in Manila doesn't (and shouldn't) hurt should the OP wish to exercise that option. :)

After all, it's more fun in the Philippines. :p

If KE is the only logical choice, I can suggest flying to CEB instead and transferring to 2P or 5J or DG there if the OP does not wish to deal with changing terminals in MNL. But 1-2 days in Manila doesn't (and shouldn't) hurt should the OP wish to exercise that option. :)

After all, it's more fun in the Philippines. :p

But if the final destination is Caticlan/Boracay the number of connecting flights at CEB is very limited.

A big plus for connecting at CEB is that immigration/customs is much more relaxed and usually significantly faster.
On the other hand Cathay Pacific (CX), Korean Air (KE) and Asiana (OZ) are the only airlines that make one-stop connections from the U.S. possible (besides the domestic connection to/from MPH)
Additional info if of any help: CX is Oneworld (e.g. AA), KE is Sky Team (e.g. DL) and OZ is Star Allianca (e.g. UA/CO)

CEB-MPH has actually only flights by Cebu Pacific (2 daily flts) and airphilexpress (1 daily flt)
Midseaexpress is planning to fly the route (with Jetstream32) but has not yet released any start date.

If you want more convenience from LAX (or LAS), I'd suggest you fly PR. They offer a free (I believe airside, but I'm not sure) shuttle to NAIA Terminal 3 if you're connecting to any 2P (Airphil Express) flight, including flights to MPH.

Also, May is still considered part of the summer season, so don't expect rain until June.

Cebu Pacific offers such a shuttle as well and it´s use is not tied to any specific conditions beside a Cebu Pacific flight from/to Manila (terminal 3)

I have been checking the PR website, and it cant seem to give me any pricing information "Unfortunately system failed to complete pricing request this time. Please try again.". grrr, did this yest/last night also.

I think we might just end up taking KE anyways. They also fly out of Vegas (some of the days are nonstop to and from korea from Las Vegas, which my mom likes as she hates being in the airport). hawaiian airlines would be out as they do not fly to Seoul without going back to Honolulu. I personally don't mind being at the airport but then again I always enjoy flying. Tickets looks to be around $1350-$1400 (not including tickets to MPH which seems to be roughly $100). Seems reasonable (my trip last year to Korea only was $1300).

I checked flying into CEB ... is a night flight from ICN (on the direct flight, and on other 1stop flights, dont land in CEB till late afternoon), which would mean waiting till next day to get to Boracay. Would add a whole day to the travel. (I guess if I did this, could check out Cebu). Then again, my bro and his wife (who is Filipino) are flying out a week ahead of us to visit her family near Manila and they plan on flying to MPH with me when I get there, so Cebu is probably not an option.

How long are the customs/immig waits in MNL at 11am? I havent checked other Int'l flights into MNL, so not sure if 11am is a prime time for inbound Intl flights. The flight from KE into MNL that we are looking at flies in at 11am. Then there are direct flights to Boracay ranging from 12:05 to 3:50. Looks like I would fly in Term1, then fly out of Term3 (or Term4 for SE Asian Airlines). And is the only way to get between Terminals through shuttles or driving (no train/subway type transport?) I am looking at a Google Maps of the airport, and it looks like there isn't with its layout. I will definitely have to keep Cebu Pac in mind for the shuttle. They do have the widest range for flights to MPH, and 4 flights from 2:35-3:50, of which I think we would book the 2:35 flight.

With the Baggage limit, is the limit per paid seat? Just wondering as brother is bringing his baby and is not paying for a seat (will be 20 months at time of trip)

Also, I found they do a fee/tax going in and out of MNL? Where do they charge you? I assume right before going out of the airport? Just wondering if I need to bring some Peso beforehand or if I will have time to exchange money at the airport before paying the fee.

Looks like I would fly in Term1, then fly out of Term3 (or Term4 for SE Asian Airlines). And is the only way to get between Terminals through shuttles or driving (no train/subway type transport?) I am looking at a Google Maps of the airport, and it looks like there isn't with its layout. I will definitely have to keep Cebu Pac in mind for the shuttle. They do have the widest range for flights to MPH, and 4 flights from 2:35-3:50, of which I think we would book the 2:35 flight.

With the Baggage limit, is the limit per paid seat? Just wondering as brother is bringing his baby and is not paying for a seat (will be 20 months at time of trip)

Also, I found they do a fee/tax going in and out of MNL? Where do they charge you? I assume right before going out of the airport? Just wondering if I need to bring some Peso beforehand or if I will have time to exchange money at the airport before paying the fee.

Baggage limit is per paid seat.
Departure tax ("Terminal Fee") ex MNL is 750,-Peso for international dep and 200,-Peso for domestic dep. to be paid in cash after check-in (but before security)
There´s no tax/fee/etc. when arriving into MNL.

I suggest you bring some Pesos (like 1000,-PHP / ~ 25,-US$) in cash so there´s no immediate need to look for a money changer (that would not give a decent rate anyway).
Just an additional info: after arrival at Caticlan you will have to pay sort of "environment fee" (which is specific to Boracay) together with the ferry ticket in cash. So, it´s advisable to have some Pesos in cash ...

I have been checking the PR website, and it cant seem to give me any pricing information "Unfortunately system failed to complete pricing request this time. Please try again.". grrr, did this yest/last night also.

Yes, i ran into this problem as well. I'd suggest calling PR (1-800-IFLYPAL).

How long are the customs/immig waits in MNL at 11am? I havent checked other Int'l flights into MNL, so not sure if 11am is a prime time for inbound Intl flights.

As far as I know, it isn't when arriving via Terminal 1. When I arrived from CAN on CZ (which on that day arrives at around 11:00 am), I was in line for around 20-30 minutes. The lines should be more organized now though than previously, but having been out of the country for the last few months, I wouldn't know.

A few widebodies do arrive though between 9:00 and 11:00: KL, CX, SQ and KE are some of them.

If arriving via Terminal 2, I can't answer that conclusively, but PR widebodies don't normally arrive at that time internationally.

Cebu Pacific offers such a shuttle as well and it´s use is not tied to any specific conditions beside a Cebu Pacific flight from/to Manila (terminal 3)

Hm. I can't find any information about this shuttle on their website. And is the shuttle airside or landside?

Hm. I can't find any information about this shuttle on their website. And is the shuttle airside or landside?

Landside

Yes, i ran into this problem as well. I'd suggest calling PR (1-800-IFLYPAL).

As far as I know, it isn't when arriving via Terminal 1. When I arrived from CAN on CZ (which on that day arrives at around 11:00 am), I was in line for around 20-30 minutes. The lines should be more organized now though than previously, but having been out of the country for the last few months, I wouldn't know.

A few widebodies do arrive though between 9:00 and 11:00: KL, CX, SQ and KE are some of them.

If arriving via Terminal 2, I can't answer that conclusively, but PR widebodies don't normally arrive at that time internationally.

Hm. I can't find any information about this shuttle on their website. And is the shuttle airside or landside?

From the flightstat.com website and a quick glance (at least for friday flights) there are only a couple flights in between 10-11am. so should be good. I just hope what i read on the internet isn't as bad as they say (one site rated the airport as the worst airport of 2011)

thanks for all the responses so far. Looking forward to this trip for sure !

If you are flying into MNL NAIA T1 I would do all my lavatorial routine just before final approach on the plane. Running water, air-conditioning is a luxury in that poorly maintained terminal.

If you are flying into MNL NAIA T1 I would do all my lavatorial routine just before final approach on the plane. Running water, air-conditioning is a luxury in that poorly maintained terminal.

Hm? The bathrooms were renovated and the air conditioning was working just fine the last time I was there (which was four months ago).

Hm? The bathrooms were renovated and the air conditioning was working just fine the last time I was there (which was four months ago).

Nov/Dec 2011 T1 Baggage claim, Men's toilets - no running water, just an attendant with scoop and big pail on a cart.

Since it is rainy season, be sure that you pack, not carry an umbrella. They are confiscated leaving Nina Acquino.

Also Airphilexpress and Cebu Pacific are tough on weight limits. If you are overweight on the 10kg allowance you have to join another long line and then return to original once you have your payment receipt.

Trying the trick of loading up carry on does not work as the checker at the exit of check-in makes you go back an buy more excess baggage and check the excess.

Rinse, lather, repeat as I learned a year ago doing this trip. Be sure to have small bills for the Caticlan to Boracay transfer. They pay the environmental fee, the tuktuk, the boat, the port fee and the tuk tuk to your hotel. You will be dropped on the main street if you end up at Station 1 and walk through the sand toting your luggage unless you hire a helper to expedite and carry.
If you have a hotel pre-booked request that they provide free pickup at the airport and you have a built in expeditor and schlepper.

I just hope what i read on the internet isn't as bad as they say (one site rated the airport as the worst airport of 2011

MNL is not the greatest airport, but the "worst airport of 2011" ranking came from the Sleeping in Airports Guide (http://www.sleepinginairports.net/worst-airports.htm). Which means it is much worse for departures than arrivals. For an arrival you have no need to hang around the airport (or sleep). Just get your passport stamp and get out, no big deal.

If you are arriving at MNL, even at the back of a widebody crowd, immigration doesn't take much longer than any other medium-sized city. If there is a long line ahead of you, maybe you'll have to wait 15-20 minutes tops (but usually less). I've never once gotten to baggage claim after my bags had already come up. Usually I get through immigration and still have to wait 5-10 minutes for my bag.

Customs is the same... After you get your bags, if you head for the "nothing to declare" lane, even with a big line it only takes a couple of minutes.

For departures, just try to arrange things so you don't spend a whole day waiting around the airport. If you have many hours to kill, take a taxi to the Heritage hotel in Manila (http://www.millenniumhotels.com/ph/heritagemanila/index.html). It might cost $5 and take 15 minutes. They have a nice lobby cafe and a casino in the hotel if you want to gamble. They used to have free wi-fi in the lobby, I don't know if they still do. If not, take a taxi down to Traders Hotel (http://www.shangri-la.com/en/property/manila/traders), they have a nice coffee bar with free internet and free computers. Just be careful going back to the airport during rush hour, plan for 30-40 minutes back if you want to be there in late afternoon.

I second opushomes regarding the schlepper. The trick is to make a reservation at a Boracay hotel in advance, and make sure it includes all the transfers. I'm not sure if they will include the transfer from the airport to the boat (but ask them to include that one). At a minimum you want them to pick you up on Boracay at the boat terminal and get you to their hotel. And back again at the end of the trip. All of that should be included in your hotel rate for no extra charge. But even if they charge you a few bucks for it, it's probably cheap, and probably worth it.

MNL is not the greatest airport, but the "worst airport of 2011" ranking came from the Sleeping in Airports Guide (http://www.sleepinginairports.net/worst-airports.htm). Which means it is much worse for departures than arrivals. For an arrival you have no need to hang around the airport (or sleep). Just get your passport stamp and get out, no big deal.

If you are arriving at MNL, even at the back of a widebody crowd, immigration doesn't take much longer than any other medium-sized city. If there is a long line ahead of you, maybe you'll have to wait 15-20 minutes tops (but usually less). I've never once gotten to baggage claim after my bags had already come up. Usually I get through immigration and still have to wait 5-10 minutes for my bag.

Customs is the same... After you get your bags, if you head for the "nothing to declare" lane, even with a big line it only takes a couple of minutes.

For departures, just try to arrange things so you don't spend a whole day waiting around the airport. If you have many hours to kill, take a taxi to the Heritage hotel in Manila (http://www.millenniumhotels.com/ph/heritagemanila/index.html). It might cost $5 and take 15 minutes. They have a nice lobby cafe and a casino in the hotel if you want to gamble. They used to have free wi-fi in the lobby, I don't know if they still do. If not, take a taxi down to Traders Hotel (http://www.shangri-la.com/en/property/manila/traders), they have a nice coffee bar with free internet and free computers. Just be careful going back to the airport during rush hour, plan for 30-40 minutes back if you want to be there in late afternoon.

I second opushomes regarding the schlepper. The trick is to make a reservation at a Boracay hotel in advance, and make sure it includes all the transfers. I'm not sure if they will include the transfer from the airport to the boat (but ask them to include that one). At a minimum you want them to pick you up on Boracay at the boat terminal and get you to their hotel. And back again at the end of the trip. All of that should be included in your hotel rate for no extra charge. But even if they charge you a few bucks for it, it's probably cheap, and probably worth it.

Ahh good to know. Yeah, I prob figured that it was more dealing with people who stay overnight. So the problems wouldn't effect us too much. Just gotta keep our valuables close I guess.

We were thinking on trying to find a condo to rent for the week. Anyone have experiences with that? We will possibly have a party of 8 and we figured might be better to rent and split condo rather than a hotel? (we all asian, so we have no problem squeezing in a little). Or should we go for a hotel?

Also, buying the flight from MNL to MPH. It looks like Cebu Pacific would be the best bet (more flight times, and looks cheaper), but the prices and payment (I tried to go through the payment process and stopped at payment) were in Pesos. I assume they can take any CC? And my CC will just convert it to US dollars. Is there a better way of doing this?

when I booked my Cebu Pacific flight there was an option to pay in Pesos or pay in USD using my American credit card... either way works. The USD rate they give is not as good as what your CC company will give you, but they may charge you a fee for paying in foreign currency. Depends on your CC.

Oh and here´s another advice ...
Whenever arriving in any philippine airport - even in the province - make sure you have your baggage slip ready for inspection upon leaving the terminal.

But if the final destination is Caticlan/Boracay the number of connecting flights at CEB is very limited.

A big plus for connecting at CEB is that immigration/customs is much more relaxed and usually significantly faster.
On the other hand Cathay Pacific (CX), Korean Air (KE) and Asiana (OZ) are the only airlines that make one-stop connections from the U.S. possible (besides the domestic connection to/from MPH)
Additional info if of any help: CX is Oneworld (e.g. AA), KE is Sky Team (e.g. DL) and OZ is Star Allianca (e.g. UA/CO)

CEB-MPH has actually only flights by Cebu Pacific (2 daily flts) and airphilexpress (1 daily flt)
Midseaexpress is planning to fly the route (with Jetstream32) but has not yet released any start date.

Don't forget Delta :p.

They make 1 stop connections from the US as well via NRT or NGO to MNL.

Don't forget Delta :p.

They make 1 stop connections from the US as well via NRT or NGO to MNL.

DL doesn't fly to CEB, but it interlines with PR for NRT-MNL.

We were thinking on trying to find a condo to rent for the week. Anyone have experiences with that? We will possibly have a party of 8 and we figured might be better to rent and split condo rather than a hotel? (we all asian, so we have no problem squeezing in a little). Or should we go for a hotel?

LOL. The old Asian squeeze trick. :) I have never heard of anyone doing this. I don't think they have any highrise condos in Boracay. But you might be able to rent an entire furnished house instead of a condo. Try searching around on Sulit (http://www.sulit.com.ph/) to see what deals you can find. That's the most popular want-ads site in the Philippines, kinda like Craigslist in the USA. You can also find cheap hotel packages there for Boracay.

When I go to Boracay I don't follow my own advice. I don't book anything in advance, and I lug my bag myself. Then I walk down the beach and let the hawkers try to sell me rooms. Or let one member of your party watch the bags while someone else wanders and negotiates.

Last time I was there I stayed at a tiny hotel in Station One called "Lea's Beach Resort". It cost a whopping 1000 pesos per night (~$24 USD) including air conditioning and hot water. The TV didn't work very well, but the bed was comfy and it was right on the beach. My room actually had an extra bed. So if you don't mind squeezing a little, and having a cheap room, I bet you can find something similar. I can't imagine renting a furnished house/condo would actually save you money.

I wouldn't try going without a reservation on a busy vacation week though (ie Easter week). But during normal times there are way more hotel rooms than tourists needing them. If you feel adventurous then take the gamble.

LOL. The old Asian squeeze trick. :) I have never heard of anyone doing this. I don't think they have any highrise condos in Boracay. But you might be able to rent an entire furnished house instead of a condo. Try searching around on Sulit (http://www.sulit.com.ph/) to see what deals you can find. That's the most popular want-ads site in the Philippines, kinda like Craigslist in the USA. You can also find cheap hotel packages there for Boracay.

When I go to Boracay I don't follow my own advice. I don't book anything in a

The closest you'll get to "high rises" for a good price is right on Diniwid Beach, near station 1 but wrapped around the mountain rocks that has a walk way. The high rise type condos are next to a restuarant called Nami which is phenomenal by the way, great place and price to have lunch and dinner. Offers a great view of the ocean with the sun and palm trees :cool:.

when I booked my Cebu Pacific flight there was an option to pay in Pesos or pay in USD using my American credit card... either way works. The USD rate they give is not as good as what your CC company will give you, but they may charge you a fee for paying in foreign currency. Depends on your CC.

I will have to check again. I tried it, going to the last page I could without actually paying, where I entered in my credit card information. I saw no option.

here is SS: http://imgur.com/43e71

I dont have a CC that has free foreign transaction fees, both which charge 2.9% and 3%. So until I figure out the option to pay in USD, not sure which would be cheaper.

RevJim: A house or condo would do. But it might be cheaper anyways to get a hotel like you said. I will check out the classifieds just in case. We likely won't be in the hotel much anyways.

Again, everyone, thanks for the help!

My advice is to always pay in the home country currency. Usually a bad conversion is made into U.S. dollars, euros, or whatever. Most credit cards are charging conversion fees on U.S. dollars if the purchase is made outside the U.S. even for those countries such as Ecuador, Panama and Cambodia that have adopted the U.S. dollar as the defacto currency.

I demand that they redo the billing when they automatically give me U.S. dollars. I had a $300AUD charge in Australia that the converted to U.S. dollars on the receipt. They refused to charge me in Australian dollars. The resultant loss over the interbank rate was in excess of $15.00US. The card used had no conversion free associated with it. A Chase British Air Visa!

My advice is to always pay in the home country currency. Usually a bad conversion is made into U.S. dollars, euros, or whatever. Most credit cards are charging conversion fees on U.S. dollars if the purchase is made outside the U.S. even for those countries such as Ecuador, Panama and Cambodia that have adopted the U.S. dollar as the defacto currency.


that is usually the best way to go... I recently booked another LCC in Asia and while the total came in NZD I wanted to pay in SGD using my Singapore bank account (no fee if you do a direct bank transfer) of course simply choosing different currency meant the rate of conversion was whatever the LCC decided it to be... in my case a $486 NZD ticket now cost $518 SGD... where in reality when you convert the two it should have been something like $489 SGD.

A classic (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trip-reports/1242284-eightblack-family-holiday.html) by eightblack about the trip to boracay

Take the time to read Eighblack's Trip Report as it is a fun read!

You will most likely arrive in Terminal 1 and will need to head to Terminal 3 if you are taking Cebu Pacific (5J) or Philippine Airlines (PR but note that this is operated by Air Philippines). SeaAir flies out of the Domestic Terminal. There are airport shuttle buses that travel between terminals or you can also take a short cab ride. Just remember to give yourself ample time for potential arrival delays and traffic. As traffic can get crazy at different times of the day, you will want to factor this all in so as not to stress yourself out too much. Get ready to also pay for the airport terminal fee which is about 200 pesos per person for domestic, and 550 pesos by the time you head to Korea in June [it is currently 750 pesos but will go down next month]. They do accept the US$ equivalent of the terminal fees just so you know, in case you ran out of pesos by the time you catch your flight to Korea.

It is a short flight to Caticlan so whichever airline gives you the best deal and flight time is how I'd choose. You can also just split the trip between 5J and PR, and take one-way trips as buying a return fare does not offer discounts.

Being as you will be there for a week, suggest you consider getting a local SIM card for your cellphone as it makes it easier to coordinate with each other for your party of 8. Some of you will want to just laze by the beach, and others would want to wander off for shopping, or go to a spa or water sports, so it gets convenient to text each other without the worry of a large phone bill for roaming fees. You can buy this at the airport too.

Terminal 3 is really nice and there are enough restaurants to choose from and credit cards are accepted. Although watch out for your credit card's foreign transaction fee as they are as high as 3%. Check out Capital One's Venture card which has zero foreign transaction fees. I received one of their junk flyers which I luckily decided to read and jumped on the offer as I was about to travel overseas and needed a card that did not charge these crazy fees. Very convenient to use their credit card without the added foreign transaction fee when travelling, especially when I was running out of the local currency. And the exchange rates are as good or even better than the money changer's rates and you get the the grace period before you actually pay the bill! Just remember to pay the bill on time of course!

Like tentseller said, how much you will spend will depend on your bargaining skills and the activities that you want to do. You will get approached by all different types of hawkers -- cheap sunglasses, hats, boat rides, jet ski rentals etc who will ask for double/triple the price, and you will just have to whittle this down to a rate that you think is fair.

The last time I was there, we were a large group of 17 coming from different parts of the world so it was good that we got local SIMs so we could communicate and coordinate with each other easily. We stayed at the La Carmela de Boracay. The hotel took care of our transfers (for a fee) which saved us the trouble with finding our way to the little port area where you will catch the 'ferry' or in local lingo 'banca' that will take you to the island and the many fees that are charged at the port. It is an easy transfer so if you want the adventure, you can arrange for this when you arrive in Caticlan. When we got to the hotel, there was a booking mix-up, so some of us got upgraded to the Executive Suite building and assigned to the suites. Can't complain, although we were further away from the beach since our building was at the back of the property. Our room came with breakfast. But if you can nab a room like the ones offered at the Milflores, I'd go with that in a heartbeat as I prefer to stay in the Station 1 area. Much quieter and more beach space, but if you want some night life, and be adjacent to D'Mall for some 'shopping', bars and restaurants, then go with a hotel nearer to Station 2. Don't get me wrong, the distances between them are not too far away, and you can always take a leisurely walk along the beach to go between these places or opt to take a short tricycle ride for about 7 pesos per person (or less than a quarter!).

Try the mango fruit shake at Jonah's (near Station 1 side) after you have been out in the beach and need something to cool off. And consider trying out the local fastfood such as Mang Inasal which had a branch in D'Mall which offers barbecue chicken and other local dishes that your sis-in-law can introduce you to that they offer (sinigang, daing na bangus, etc). This is in addition to the assortment of restaurants that you will surely try out while you are there being that you will be there for a week.

By the way, there have been flight delays to/from Caticlan so try to give your local number when you book or do your online check-in in case there are flight delays especially on your departure date -- both my brothers who were there recently said that their flights got delayed. One brother who flew Air Philippines had his flight leave earlier and he did not hear about it till he got to the airport so he missed his flight; while the other brother who flew Cebu Pacific on a different trip had his flight diverted to Kalibo which is an additional 1.5 hr van/bus ride from Caticlan to Kalibo! He is still sorting with 5J to get a refund for the price difference as flights via Kalibo are cheaper than thru Caticlan. Take this into account just so you do not miss your international flight because of these schedule changes. Remember, these are low cost carriers so you just have to be prepared. They even charge for a bottle of water or soda. I am glad to note that when you get to Boracay, the hotels and restaurants serve filtered bottle water so it was safe to drink, and you can instead divert your $ to the local San Miguel beer!

Enjoy your trip! :D

To add some pictorial content.

http://i732.photobucket.com/albums/ww329/opushomes/2011-01-24133900.jpg

looking up the beach away from D Mall in front of the hotel where I stayed.

http://i732.photobucket.com/albums/ww329/opushomes/2011-01-24133849.jpg

looking down the beach toward D Mall

If you want to save step many Filipino stores/remittance outlets in major cities in North America sell Smart or Globe SIM cards. Make sure everyone is on the same carrier, the cost to SMS and voice calls are cheaper on the same carrier.

For a real Filipino beach experience, add Tanduay (PH rum) to the mango shake.

Mang Inasal: you must eat a few meals there to try the authentic and safe PH BBQ experience. The street vendors might be cheaper and tastier but your digestive system is not PH standard.

You will also find that your SIL will be quoted a different price for accommodations, activities, sports and rental than you will. This is the system.

BTW always have a printed copy of your full itinerary. You most likely will need it to enter the airport terminal.

cja: Do you know if they are accepting the departure fee by credit card? I left MNL NAIA T2 for the first time in Dec2011 and noticed Visa and Mastercard decals at the payment booth. There was a long lineup so I did not ask about it and I always have P750 in an envelope in my passport.

Yeah, I read the story from 8back. Was quite entertaining lol.

If you want to save step many Filipino stores/remittance outlets in major cities in North America sell Smart or Globe SIM cards. Make sure everyone is on the same carrier, the cost to SMS and voice calls are cheaper on the same carrier.

For a real Filipino beach experience, add Tanduay (PH rum) to the mango shake.

Mang Inasal: you must eat a few meals there to try the authentic and safe PH BBQ experience. The street vendors might be cheaper and tastier but your digestive system is not PH standard.

You will also find that your SIL will be quoted a different price for accommodations, activities, sports and rental than you will. This is the system.

BTW always have a printed copy of your full itinerary. You most likely will need it to enter the airport terminal.

cja: Do you know if they are accepting the departure fee by credit card? I left MNL NAIA T2 for the first time in Dec2011 and noticed Visa and Mastercard decals at the payment booth. There was a long lineup so I did not ask about it and I always have P750 in an envelope in my passport.

With the SIL, do you think she would get the cheaper price or me? We were thinking on just having her listen in and go from there if they were ripping us off or what not. She hasn't been to the Phillipines in over 10 years, but she speaks the language. Would it be better if she just lets them know that she is Filipino at the beginning?

Yeah, the LCC is my main worry. I am going to plan our flights with at least 3+ hours in between. On the way there, we fly in at 11am, and leave at 2:30 for Caticlan (3.5 hours) and then on way back, reserve earliest flight out (gets in Manila at 8am, and our flight out to Korea is at 12:15pm, so 4 hours between). Both ways have flights after just in case of delays, esp on way back. It would be a separate itinerary than our main flight, so I kinda worry if something happens on the way back and we miss our main flight. I guess if it may look like there might be some delays, could change our ticket to fly to manila the night before or something.

Again, Thanks for the info.

If I'm not mistaken, PR and KE have an interline agreement, so it should be possible to check your luggage through to MPH.

If I'm not mistaken, PR and KE have an interline agreement, so it should be possible to check your luggage through to MPH.

I will have to call them. I cannot find any information on that on either website or on google (whether through PR or on AirPhil Express). Though, wouldn't i have to retrieve my baggage in MNL to go through customs and all that jazz, then recheck in the bags anyway? I'm not sure

Last questions (I hope! sorry!). Just to verify:
Domestic Departures have 200 Peso, and Int'l is 750 Peso.
So I will be paying the 200 Peso when going from Manila > Boracay, then 750 Peso from Manila > Korea
Does the fee apply at all airports (so I would also pay 200 Peso from Boracay > Manila ? )

And then there is a fee at Jetty Port for Boracay, 50 Peso Terminal Fee, 75 Peso Environmental Fee

And lastly. Does anyone know if CebuPacific or the other Philippine LCC's verify CC with the ticket holder? I am buying the tickets for 2 other people who we are meeting there (they fly in from korea, on CebuPacific), but wasn't sure they would require the ticket purchaser with the credit card to be present or not. I have heard some airlines do it. I was planning on buying the tickets on my credit card, but not sure if that was going to be an issue.

Last question (I hope! sorry!). Just to verify:
Domestic Departures have 200 Peso, and Int'l is 750 Peso.
So I will be paying the 200 Peso when going from Manila > Boracay, then 750 Peso from Manila > Korea
Does the fee apply at all airports (so I would also pay 200 Peso from Boracay > Manila ? )

And then there is a fee at Jetty Port for Boracay, 50 Peso Terminal Fee, 75 Peso Environmental Fee

that should be it?

By the time you arrive in the Philippines, the international passenger service charge (terminal fee) at MNL will be P550. I believe MPH still charges P30 despite having been renovated, but it could be P200.

If I'm not mistaken, PR and KE have an interline agreement, so it should be possible to check your luggage through to MPH.

I do not recall seeing a baggage recheck upon arrival at MNL. I carried my bags through customs, out the door, onto the bus, into the airphil express terminal and then had to wait until check-in opened. You may be waiting some time tied to luggage in an area with very little around. Because Airphil express is a part of Philippines Airlines does not mean that there is going to be seamless baggage transfer. If you use Cebu Pacific there absolutely will not be.

One other item of note other than the confiscation of umbrellas is that the security lines are segregated by sex (at least in January, 2011). Be sure to get into the correct line.

... One other item of note other than the confiscation of umbrellas is that the security lines are segregated by sex (at least in January, 2011). Be sure to get into the correct line.

That is because T1 international departure uses manual human operated scanners. :D

And lastly. Does anyone know if CebuPacific or the other Philippine LCC's verify CC with the ticket holder? I am buying the tickets for 2 other people who we are meeting there (they fly in from korea, on CebuPacific), but wasn't sure they would require the ticket purchaser with the credit card to be present or not. I have heard some airlines do it. I was planning on buying the tickets on my credit card, but not sure if that was going to be an issue.

Maybe it's just me, but I've had really miserable luck with the whole "verify the CC" thing in the Philippines. Every flight on every airline asks to see the original CC.

Fortunately I know it's going to happen, so I plan for it. I don't know what they would do if you weren't present. A guy on this thread (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/online-travel-booking-bidding-agencies/1299159-expedia-singapore-airlines.html) says that if you purchase the ticket through Expedia, then the airline will NOT ask to see the credit card. I don't know if you can use that to your advantage somehow... also who knows if it applies to every airline, he only checked with SQ IIRC.

Maybe it's just me, but I've had really miserable luck with the whole "verify the CC" thing in the Philippines. Every flight on every airline asks to see the original CC.

Fortunately I know it's going to happen, so I plan for it. I don't know what they would do if you weren't present. A guy on this thread (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/online-travel-booking-bidding-agencies/1299159-expedia-singapore-airlines.html) says that if you purchase the ticket through Expedia, then the airline will NOT ask to see the credit card. I don't know if you can use that to your advantage somehow... also who knows if it applies to every airline, he only checked with SQ IIRC.

I flew SQ last year, and they never even asked for the credit card. But this was flying LAS-SFO-ICN and back, and we booked via Travel Agency.

Guess I will just have them pay for it on their own CC and reimburse them just to avoid any possible headaches.

So, after calling my CC and their Security Department, finally got my flights booked.... i hope ...

Flights there, I booked just fine.

Flights back, well, it made me sign up with Verified By Visa, but then, the transactions were still blocked. Called up CC, and they put a note to remove the hold, but still had problems.

Finally transferred me to their Verified by Visa security department or whatever, and was able to book my flight.

Only thing is, everytime I tried booking my flight and it failed (3 failed attempts), it raised the ticket pricing (sigh).

Had to book a different flight time to fly an hour later. But then my credit card shows up with a 7 charges, 1 main charge for 90% less than the expected charge amount (works for me!), but then 6 charges of $2.58. Whatever, as long as it goes through. (hope it goes through!)

edit: total of 10 charges, 8 being $2.58, .... lol

cja: Do you know if they are accepting the departure fee by credit card? I left MNL NAIA T2 for the first time in Dec2011 and noticed Visa and Mastercard decals at the payment booth. There was a long lineup so I did not ask about it and I always have P750 in an envelope in my passport.[/QUOTE]

hmm, I have never noticed this, maybe something new? I always make it a point to leave some pesos on me for the airport departure fee, or at least have small bills in US$ since they do accept US$. Next time around, I'll pay close attention and check out the cc payment option!

yup, they do ask for it, but I find it ironic because they don't exactly try to match it against the luggage that you are carrying!

Last questions (I hope! sorry!). Just to verify:
Domestic Departures have 200 Peso, and Int'l is 750 Peso.
So I will be paying the 200 Peso when going from Manila > Boracay, then 750 Peso from Manila > Korea
Does the fee apply at all airports (so I would also pay 200 Peso from Boracay > Manila ? )

yes, there is an airport terminal fee at each airport -- the one from Boracay to Manila is cheap -- probably just a $1 or $2 equivalent

And lastly. Does anyone know if CebuPacific or the other Philippine LCC's verify CC with the ticket holder? I am buying the tickets for 2 other people who we are meeting there (they fly in from korea, on CebuPacific), but wasn't sure they would require the ticket purchaser with the credit card to be present or not. I have heard some airlines do it. I was planning on buying the tickets on my credit card, but not sure if that was going to be an issue.[/QUOTE]

It has never been an issue -- on the many domestic flights that I flew during my last two trips last year, my domestic flights were paid by others, and no one checked. They just asked for an ID at check in - driver's license will suffice for the domestic flights. Even during my international flight on Cebu Pacific from MNL to Osaka, it was paid by my SIL cc and she was not even travelling on the same flight. I guess as long as the credit card payment went through, then it was okay. Hope this won't be a problem for you.

Last questions (I hope! sorry!). Just to verify:
Domestic Departures have 200 Peso, and Int'l is 750 Peso.
So I will be paying the 200 Peso when going from Manila > Boracay, then 750 Peso from Manila > Korea
Does the fee apply at all airports (so I would also pay 200 Peso from Boracay > Manila ? )

yes, there is an airport terminal fee at each airport -- the one from Boracay to Manila is cheap -- probably just a $1 or $2 equivalent

And lastly. Does anyone know if CebuPacific or the other Philippine LCC's verify CC with the ticket holder? I am buying the tickets for 2 other people who we are meeting there (they fly in from korea, on CebuPacific), but wasn't sure they would require the ticket purchaser with the credit card to be present or not. I have heard some airlines do it. I was planning on buying the tickets on my credit card, but not sure if that was going to be an issue.

Actually, MPH could increase to P200 so San Miguel can recoup their investment in the newly-expanded terminal.

Also, 5J does not check credit cards, but they might. I've traveled with them using tickets paid with my dad's credit card, so it should be no problem. Sometimes a photocopy of the card will suffice, as far as I know, so just be prepared. :)

Are any of you guys familiar with Manila? Looking for a hotel recommendation. Around $100 USD or lower.

Want something close to the airport, yet allow us to wander around and explore Manila.

I found some possible options:
St. Giles Hotel (seems a bit farther from airport though, and read Makati can be a little dangerous?)
Remington Hotel (only a couple reviews, seems maybe 3.5/5 it would seem, but real close to airport)
Midas Hotel

Leaning more towards Midas?

Also, things to do in Manila in less than a day? (I figure we have 12 hours to kill).

Are any of you guys familiar with Manila? Looking for a hotel recommendation. Around $100 USD or lower.

Want something close to the airport, yet allow us to wander around and explore Manila.

I found some possible options:
St. Giles Hotel (seems a bit farther from airport though, and read Makati can be a little dangerous?)
Remington Hotel (only a couple reviews, seems maybe 3.5/5 it would seem, but real close to airport)
Midas Hotel

Leaning more towards Midas?

Also, things to do in Manila in less than a day? (I figure we have 12 hours to kill).

I think overall, I would go with the Best Western near the US Embassy (http://book.bestwestern.com/bestwestern/PH/Manila-hotels/BEST-WESTERN-Hotel-La-Corona-Manila/Hotel-Overview.do?iata=&promoCode=&corpID=&propertyCode=99003). Expedia has them for $49/night on a Wednesday, YMMV. They were closed for a couple of months for a major remodel and they just reopened. I haven't stayed there since the remodel, but the neighborhood is a good place to be for tourist stuff, very central, very safe on the main drag near the embassy. Even though it looks far on the map, it's only about 6-7km from the airports.

If you want to spend a little more, IMHO the best hotel in Manila is Traders Hotel (http://www.shangri-la.com/en/property/manila/traders). Don't get me wrong; there are many hotels that are more expensive and somewhat fancier, but no other property has the perfect synergy of location, quality and amenities that Traders has.

Don't get too hung up on proximity to the airport, as Manila is a pretty small city. Both of the above hotels are right on Roxas Blvd and have very easy access to pretty much everywhere in town. If you do any tourist activities, you are either going to have to take a fast taxi back to the hotel and a slow taxi to the airport, or a slow taxi back to the hotel and a fast taxi to the airport, it's a wash either way.

Makati is the opposite of dangerous, it's the upscale yuppie neighborhood of the Manila area. That's where all the best shopping malls are, and all the most expensive tower condo buildings. Not much tourist stuff though, I wouldn't head over there unless you want to do some shopping (but the shopping is better in Las Vegas, IMHO).

Things to do in Manila.... I would recommend a horse-and-buggy tour of Intramuros, the historical district. Take a taxi to Intramuros and just walk up to any buggy and negotiate. It's fun for a couple hours, will give you a nice history lesson of the area, and it won't cost more than $10 or $20. Protip: try and find a buggy with 4 wheels, they are way more comfortable than the 2-wheel ones.

Manila has a very nice aquarium, I would definitely recommend that one. At the very end there is an opportunity to pay a few extra bucks and soak your feet in a pool filled with exotic cleaner fish. They come and nibble dead skin off your toes and whatnot. It's a neat experience and chicks dig it. Kinda ticklish.

Whatever you do, do NOT visit the zoo, no matter how tempted you might be. By western standards it is a miserable, depressing experience.

If you are there at night, and you are feeling very adventurous, try the Baclaran night market. Leave all your valuables, passports, jewelry, pocket stuff at the hotel and taxi up to Baclaran and just wander through the stalls. This used to be right on the main drag but now it has moved a couple of blocks east of Roxas. Your taxi driver will point you in the right direction. They have all manner of cheap knockoff goods, trinkets, clothes, souvenirs, etc. It is very much the local place to shop, you probably won't see any foreigners there.

If you happen to be here between August 9 and 19, you can catch a Cirque du Soleil show in Manila (http://mb.com.ph/node/341478/cirque-du-) too. ;)

Just some thoughts, hope that helps...

One more thing... the 2012 Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta (http://www.philballoonfest.net/) is February 9-12 this year. It's a bit on the far side, but if you were a hardcore balloon enthusiast (and in town on the right day) you might want to head out to visit that.

awesome. I think I will just get the Trader's hotel.

Do you think they will be stringent on the max occupants (I dont know how they are in Philippines)? (the asian squeeze trick, har har). Agoda shows a max 1 person occupancy for the rate, but the room size looks like we can easily put all of us in there (just kinda sneak in there i guess?), and we dont plan on being in the room for much anyways.

I will only be in Manila on June 5-6 for one night, so couldn't visit the Cirq show (not like I could see it here in vegas hehe), but the other recommendations looked good.

awesome. I think I will just get the Trader's hotel.

Do you think they will be stringent on the max occupants (I dont know how they are in Philippines)? (the asian squeeze trick, har har). Agoda shows a max 1 person occupancy for the rate, but the room size looks like we can easily put all of us in there, and we dont plan on being in the room for much anyways.

I will only be in Manila on June 5-6 for one night, so couldn't visit the Cirq show (not like I could see it here in vegas hehe), but the other recommendations looked good.

I doubt Traders will give you a hard time, but I've never tried to check in with more than a couple of people. In general, it is extremely common for locals to do that trick, and the very cheap local hotels are really strict about it. A big, anonymous, fancy hotel catering to foreigners (such as Traders) probably won't notice as much, as long as you all don't wander into the lobby together at the same time to check in. Traders lobby isn't very big, so they would probably notice a dozen people arriving and only one person checking in. ;) Just try to get a rate that does NOT include free breakfast and my guess is that you can get away with it. My theory is that if you get free breakfast, they are more apt to keep an eye on the head count.

The best thing about Traders is that you can get taxis there 24 hours per day at the snap of your fingers. Just be careful when you walk outside, there might be a taxi parked 10 feet away in what looks like a hotel parking spot. If you get in that taxi, make sure they start the meter before driving away. Sometimes the drivers pay a bribe to the guards to get that spot and wait for tourists to come out and then overcharge them. But being on the main drag, you don't have to put up with that. Get out and flag any of the 5 million cabs driving by on Roxas. :)

Traders is also very close to the SM Mall of Asia, which has loads of restaurants, so if you can't decide what to eat just taxi over there and look around.

Last questions (I hope! sorry!). Just to verify:
Domestic Departures have 200 Peso, and Int'l is 750 Peso.


These are the fees charged at Manila.

Btw.:
The intl. fee will be reduced back to 550 Pesos from feb 1, 2012 due to the former "increase" of 200 Pesos was granted for 5 years only.
And these 5 years "expire" on jan 31, 2012 and no extension permit was given !

I noticed on the Zest Air website that they claim to have two routes that may be of interest to the OP: Kalibo-Pusan and Kalibo-Inchon. Zest Air is a new LCC based in the Philippines.

yeah i saw that, but i dont think their flight schedule for may/june is out yet for international flights, cuz i can't find anything from Seoul to even Manila that far out. Either that, or they are requiring me to call them to check.

Either way, I have the tickets now, and the prices for the Korea-MNL portion of the flight was much below what I was expecting to pay. So now, for me, it is just the 4 month wait till I fly out!

hate to bring up this old thread .... just one last thing.

I pretty much have my trip booked. I fly in MNL May 27, Fly to Boracay May 30, Fly back to MNL June 5, Fly out to Korea June 6. Gave us a day between flights on the way back just in case of any problems coming from Boracay and to let us see Manila a little bit.

So another question popped up. I am flying in on May 27. I am thinking about flying to Singapore from May 27 to May 30, on Jet* Asia. I can fly out on an evening flight from MNL. But on the way back, I can either fly a 2am flight and arrive at 6:30, or a 6am flight and arrive at 10am. My flight to Boracay is at 2:30pm, so it would leave me with 4.5 hours (door to door) to get from T1 to T3. Should I take that chance? There are 4 other flights along with this flight that fly in on the 10am-11am time frame (an E90 bombadier, 737, and 2 widebodies 777 and A340), all within the last 30 minutes of the hour (9:30-10am). So likely the immigration/customs line might be long?

My main concern is a delay from Jet*. But at the same time, I would rather wait in SIN airport (amenities are better there, with movie theater, garden, etc) if possible. I think as long as there is no delay, or maybe a minor delay, then the connection should be possible with not much worry? But it seems that Jet* is a pretty good LCC and I am flying out of SIN which is a pretty good airport in and of itself.

Or should I fly in on the 6:30am flight and not take a chance?

There is also a shuttle bus I think from what I read online (http://www.silent-gardens.com/air-maps.php) that connects all terminals. So I think I would be able to take the shuttle without every having to go outside the airport itself?

I can either fly a 2am flight and arrive at 6:30, or a 6am flight and arrive at 10am. My flight to Boracay is at 2:30pm, so it would leave me with 4.5 hours (door to door) to get from T1 to T3. Should I take that chance?

My main concern is a delay from Jet*.

Or should I fly in on the 6:30am flight and not take a chance?

So I think I would be able to take the shuttle without every having to go outside the airport itself?

I don't have any experience with Jet* so I can't help with that much. But I can say that the transfer times listed on that website are a tad on the long side. I transfer a lot between terminal 2 and terminal 1 (international) and even in medium traffic it doesn't take more than about 10 minutes.

I can't even imagine a situation where it would take more than 4.5 hours to get from aircraft door to aircraft door, including baggage claim, customs, immigration, transfer, checkin, and security on the other side. I'd probably be comfortable with that transfer given a layover of about 3 hours. Worst case it takes you an hour to get out of terminal 1, an hour in traffic, and an hour checking in and getting through security for your next flights. But that's worst case, each of those things shouldn't take more than 20 minutes.

There IS a shuttle bus, however it is outside. If you have bags, you will have to retrieve them yourself at baggage claim and bring them with you. If you are running late, just hop a yellow meter taxi and let them take you directly to your airport. The driver will be highly annoyed that he has such a short trip after waiting in line for hours, so you should probably round it up a couple hundred pesos for his trouble.

Of course all of that doesn't account for Jet* being on time. I'm sure there's on-time statistics somewhere that will tell you your chances....