Travel guides
The things people ask before they book
Visas, the immigration counter, and what a trip actually costs once every fee is counted. Written for Filipino travellers, and kept dated so you know how current it is.
What do I actually need to prepare before travelling abroad?
Before you fly: what Filipino travellers need
Passport rules, which destinations need a visa, what happens at the Philippine immigration counter, and the fees that come on top of any tour price.
Read the guideWhat are my rights if my flight is delayed or cancelled?
Your flight was delayed or cancelled. Here is what you are owed.
The Air Passenger Bill of Rights sets out what an airline must give you for a delay of three hours or more, and what you can claim when a flight is cancelled without notice.
Read the guideDo I have to pay the full Philippine travel tax?
Travel tax: who pays less, who pays nothing, and how to claim it back
The travel tax is not the same for everyone. Children pay half, some passengers are exempt entirely, and if you have already overpaid you can apply for a refund.
Read the guideHow do I renew my passport, and how long will it take?
Renewing your Philippine passport without the panic
Appointments are free and mandatory, renewal costs ₱950 or ₱1,200 expedited, and processing runs 15–20 working days. Here is the sequence, and the peak months to avoid.
Read the guideDo I really need travel insurance, and what does it actually cover?
Travel insurance, in plain terms
What a policy covers, where it is compulsory rather than optional, why Schengen plans often exclude trip cancellation, and how to read a policy before you buy it.
Read the guideWhat actually happens at the airport when I fly out?
Your first flight abroad, gate by gate
The order of events at a Philippine airport on departure day — eTravel registration, check-in, travel tax, immigration, security — and roughly how long each takes.
Read the guideWhat do I have to pay on arrival at Boracay, El Nido or Coron?
The fees nobody mentions when you fly to a Philippine island
Environmental and terminal fees are collected on the island, usually in cash, and are not in your airfare. Here is what the main destinations charge and who is exempt.
Read the guideWhen is the best time to travel around the Philippines?
When to go where in the Philippines
Amihan and habagat explained, when typhoon season actually bites, and why writing off July to October across the whole country is the most common planning mistake.
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