Which islands in the Philippines are interesting? How to apply for a Philippine visa?

Perhaps Bian Xiao's biggest impression of the Philippines is mango. Today, Bian Xiao will give you a detailed introduction to the Philippines, including transportation, visas and other issues. In addition, several Philippine islands are very good attractions, so you may be familiar with Boracay.

Basic information

currency conversion

The currency of the Philippines is peso, which is expressed in PHP. The exchange rate of peso fluctuates frequently, and the approximate reference price is 1 RMB equals 6.7 pesos (20 1 1 year1/month), but this exchange rate is rare in the local area. In Boracay, the exchange rate is usually worse than that of Manilla, so it is better to exchange US dollars for pesos, because there are few places to exchange RMB, and the exchange rate is not cost-effective. You can also change pesos before going abroad, which is basically the same as the price of changing dollars there.

UnionPay card

China UnionPay has opened POS card swiping and ATM cash withdrawal services in the Philippines, and all merchants with the "UnionPay" logo can accept UnionPay cards. Some merchants may not have posted the "UnionPay" logo. Cardholders can take the initiative to show UnionPay cards and ask cashiers whether they can use them. There are thousands of ATMs in the Philippines that can use UnionPay cards to withdraw local currency (Philippine peso). UnionPay cards cannot be used for bank counter transfer and cash withdrawal outside the Philippines. There is no charge for overseas credit card swiping. Compared with other bank card networks, UnionPay network consumes money conversion fees ranging from 1%-2%.

Asynchronous transmission mode

There are many ATMs in Boracay, and most of them accept major credit cards. There are several ATMs in UnionPay system that can directly withdraw pesos from China with debit cards. ATM machines in the Philippines can take 10000 pesos at most, but this option may only have an upper limit of 5000 pesos. When you withdraw money from an ATM with a bank card issued outside the Philippines, you will be charged an ATM service fee, which is currently 200 pesos. In addition, the issuing bank will generally take the corresponding withdrawal fee. Every 10 yuan, there is also a charge for inquiry. Note: ATM machines in the Philippines return cards first, and then spit out banknotes. Don't forget to take the money after returning the card, thinking that the transaction is unsuccessful. Be sure to ask if there is a handling fee before swiping your card in the Philippines. Some stores charge a handling fee ranging from 3% to 7%.

tip

The Philippines is a country where bellboys in hotels, musicians in restaurants, waiters in restaurants and bars, and room attendants all receive tips. The tip amount is generally between 10 pesos and 20 pesos. But when tipping in person, Filipinos avoid paying coins because it may be interpreted as charity. The general tip is 100-20 pesos, and the tip of tourist attractions and essential oil masseurs is higher, which is about 100-200 pesos.

consistent

The main telecom companies in the Philippines are Globle and Smart, and the signals in most areas are good. SIM cards of these two companies can be bought in many stores in the Philippines.

GLOBLE: A SIM card costs 40-50 pesos, and there is no phone bill in it. Need to buy a prepaid card with a denomination of 100/300/500 pesos, etc. Domestic calls in the Philippines are 7.5 pesos per minute, and international calls are 0.4 dollars per minute. In addition, Universal also produced tipIDD cards specially used for making long-distance calls, similar to domestic IP cards. It has a prepaid face value and a card number password. If you call China for 5 pesos/minute, you can recharge it according to the instructions on the back of the card. If you can't recharge it, you can ask the clerk to recharge it for you when you buy it.

There are many public telephones. Generally, PLDT's budget card phone card is used, and the call to China is 5 pesos/minute. Please note that this card has an expiration date. After the first use, the face value of 100 pesos is valid for 30 days and the face value of 200 pesos is valid for 60 days.

There is an ice shop called "HALOWICH" in D'Mall. There are free Skype international calls in the store, but only for guests who spend money in the store.

Philippine socket

The local voltage in the Philippines is the same as that in Chinese mainland, with a voltage of 220V and a frequency of 50Hz, but their sockets are American two-hole or three hole socket. Domestic two-hole flat plugs can be used normally, and other types need plug converters. You can ask for the plug converter at the front desk of the Philippine hotel, or you can buy the American standard plug converter in the major shopping malls in China in advance.

Optimal travel time

The Philippines has a tropical maritime monsoon climate with high temperature and rainy weather. Although it can be divided into three seasons: cool season, dry season and rainy season, there is little difference between the seasons. Due to the influence of monsoon and complex terrain, there are regional climate differences even on the same island. The cool season is from 65438+February to the following February, with slightly lower temperature, comfort and less rainfall, which is the best season for tourism. January is the coolest season with an average temperature of 25.5, and May is the hottest season with an average temperature of 28. 1-June is the dry season, and July-65438+February is the rainy season. May-165438+ 10 is the typhoon season. Pay attention to whether planes and ferries are suspended.

: visa

1. What documents do I need to go to the Philippines?

A valid passport for 6 months and a valid Philippine visa are required.

2. A valid passport (what is a valid passport)

(1) Passport validity period (if the passport validity period does not meet the requirements, you should apply for passport extension or renewal)

To apply for a short-term visa, the passport must be valid for more than 3 months beyond the expected date of departure from Schengen.

To renew a multiple-entry visa for one to five years, the validity period must exceed 15 months after your visa application date.

Long-term visas for more than 3 months must be valid beyond the estimated departure date 15 months. (2) There are at least two blank visa pages in the passport.

(3) In the following cases, the passport issuing department must make a new passport.

There is no plastic film (anti-counterfeiting transparent film should cover the photo) or the plastic film falls off on the same page as the photo in the passport.

Passports are sealed in plastic by a company.

Passport is scratched, scratched or modified. (4) If the passport has been issued for more than ten years, even if it is still valid at the time of application, you should apply for a new passport at the relevant domestic departments.

Tip: It is not recommended for adults to register one or more children in their passports. We strongly recommend that you use a single passport to facilitate the issuance of individual visas.

3. Philippine tourist visa processing

(1) Application materials for individual tourist visas

Passport (valid for more than half a year)

One copy of the first page and one copy of the last page of the passport.

1 visa application form (can be downloaded from this website. Please fill it out in English. When printing, it should be printed on a piece of A4 paper on both sides, and a 2-inch recent photo should be attached at the end)

International round-trip air ticket (acceptable copy)

Certificate of work in Chinese and English (printed on company stationery and stamped with official seal)

Original bank deposit certificate

Original id card

(2) Visa fee

Single tourist visa: 167.5 RMB (snapped up on the same day: 335 RMB)

Multiple-entry visa: 335 yuan for three months and 335 yuan for six months in 670 yuan.

Fan Xiao reminded: The above is the price for the embassy to apply for a visa. If you find it troublesome to apply for a visa, you can find a treasure or a travel agency. The price is between 200 yuan and 250 yuan.

(3) Visa extension

You must apply at any office of the Philippine Immigration Service. In the Philippines, you can entrust a local travel agency to handle it. If you apply for an extension after the visa expires, you need to pay 10 10 pesos.

(4) Visa-free policy in the Philippines

The Philippine government granted visa-free entry to China ordinary passport holders with valid Schengen, Australian, American, Canadian or Japanese visas for seven days. As long as the conditions are met, you can enter the country without a visa, and you don't need to transfer to the above countries through the Philippines.

Scenic spot

Boracay

The two main sightseeing beaches in Boracay, White Beach and Brapoh Beach, are located at the two ends of the island from the narrowest middle part. Baisha Beach faces west and Brapoh Beach faces east. There are other beaches on the island.

The most romantic white beach in the world, the honeymoon dream holy land for many people, as many tropical island elements as possible, as well as exciting water activities, rich nightlife and cheap exotic food, are all waiting for you to experience.

aviation

Visitors to Boracay usually take international flights to Manila, the capital, and then transfer to Boracay. Please note that Manila International Airport and domestic airport are separate. Please arrange the transfer time.

There are two airports near Boracay. The distance between them is about 2 hours' drive, and there is a shuttle bus of 150 pesos. More than 20 small planes fly to Boracay every day. This ticket costs about 3000 pence.

The airport, also known as Godofredo Pramos Airport or Boracay Airport, is the main entrance and exit of Boracay. Close to Boracay, you can only take off and land small planes, and the air tickets are more expensive.

To Boracay: Take the ferry to Boracay, 15 minutes. Admission 19.5 pesos, island tax 50 pesos, environmental tax 50 pesos. Pay 50 pesos environmental tax when you leave.

Callipo International Airport

It's far from Boracay where most planes land. Departure tax for international flights is 500 pesos, and airport tax for domestic flights is 100 pesos.

To Boracay: 200 pesos for minibus and 350 pesos for bus.

steamboat

There is a pier on Boracay. You have to walk on a narrow board to get on and off the boat. You can ask someone to help you with your luggage for 20 pesos. Generally, when we go to Boracay, we always go to Cadillac first, and then go to the island by boat. Distance 15 minutes, ticket 25 pesos, island tax 50 pesos, environmental tax 50 pesos, and environmental tax 50 pesos at the time of departure.

Ship: Take a boat from Manila North Port to Xinhua Washington on the north coast of Banana Island, and then take a bus to Boracay.

Transportation: Take a bus from Quezon Castle to Batangas, then take a boat to Karapan, then take a bus to Rojas, and then take a boat to Boracay. The whole journey takes about 14 hour, and there are flights at 7:00 and 20:30 every day.

Bohe i.

Mint, this name sounds very literary and fresh. In fact, this island is far more approachable than imagined. Mint Island is small in size, but rich in games. You can take a crab boat to see dolphins, snorkel and see corals, and sail by speedboat at sea. You can play as you like.

Baohe Island is the tenth largest island in the Philippines, 70 kilometers away from Maktan Island in Cebu. This is a coral island. The beach where the broken coral is washed by the sea water is not fine sand like flour, but it is still cool to step on it even in the scorching sun. The beach is white, reflecting the seawater into distinct layers, with light green in the vicinity and dark blue in the distance.

aviation

There are no direct flights to Mint Island in China, so there are two ways to reach Mint Island: one is to fly to Manila first and then transfer to tagbilaran; The other is to fly in Cebu and then transfer.

Tararan airport.

TalaranAirport is located in tagbilaran, Philippines, and its main civil aviation business is domestic routes in the Philippines. Mint Island is not very developed. You can carpool to the hotel outside Tabiralan Airport, and the one-way fare is about 400-500 pesos.

Cebu Airport to Pier

When you walk out of the terminal, someone wearing a badge will come and ask you if you want to take a taxi. These are actually chartered cars. You can go straight ahead, cross the crosswalk and climb a flight of stairs to the real taxi stand. These taxi drivers usually set a price with you. If you dial the meter, it depends on the traffic conditions. It is usually cheaper than reducing the price, but few drivers agree to dial the meter. Cebu Airport only provides yellow taxis, which are operated by the airport. It costs about 300 pesos to take a taxi from Cebu Airport to pier 1.

steamboat

Tagbilaran Port operates at least 12 passenger routes to many cities in the Philippines. There are 35 passenger ships going to Cebu every day, and the sailing time of speedboats can be reduced to 1.5 hours.

Cebu has four docks, mainly Oceanjet at pier 1, WeesamExpress at pier 3 and Supercat at pier 4, which sail at 6 o'clock at the earliest. There is a preferential price for booking round-trip tickets. Cebu-Bohol Island takes about 2 hours by boat, and it takes about 40 minutes from Bohol Island Pier to hotels around Arona Beach.

palawan

Palawan island is a long and narrow island in the southwest of the Philippines, attracting more and more tourists with its nature and exploration. This Amazon-style jungle inland area is the last ecological virgin land in the Philippines, surrounded by more than 1000 islands, which is called seaside utopia.

Puerto Princesa is the capital of Palawan and its underground river park is world-famous. There are many large and small islands around palawan island, so it is also a paradise for diving and snorkeling. Famous diving sites include Rita Island, Pandan Island, Panglima Reef and Tubataha Reef, among which Tubataha is a good place to watch turtles and birds.

plane

There are flights from Manila and Cebu to Princess Harbor, the capital of Palawan province, which takes about an hour. You can also fly to other places in palawan island by small plane, such as Holland Island and Cologne Island. There is also a small airport in Lan, which can take off and land small planes and fly directly from Manila to Lan Island, but the seats are limited and the price is high. Cologne has an airport, and there are direct flights to Manila, Princess Harbor and other places.

steamboat

WGA passenger ship sails from Manila to Princess Harbor twice a week, one of which takes about 27 hours and costs 17 15 pesos. Another transfer at Cologne Island takes about 65,438+04 hours and 65,438+0,270 pesos. There are two boats going to Holland every week, about 30 hours, 800 pesos.

Landuo

Landao covers an area of 96,000 hectares and has diverse ecosystems, such as tropical rain forests, mangroves, white beaches, coral belts and limestone reefs. Now, it has become the first choice for tourists. There are unique natural landscapes, wildlife nature reserves and countless fish on the island.

Portland is famous for its hidden lagoons, palm groves and cruise ships off the coast. In the afternoon, Lan Island was bathed in sunshine, lazy and full of comfort.

plane

Lan is also a small airport, which can take off and land small planes and fly directly from Manila to Lan Island, but the seats are limited and the price is high.

* * * bus

The shuttle bus from the bus terminal in Princess Harbor to Landau takes about 8 hours and costs 300 pesos. The shuttle bus from Sabang Station to Landau takes about 7 hours and costs 1500 pesos. The shuttle bus from Landau Station to Cologne Island takes about 9 hours and costs 650 pesos. At the last 6 o'clock of the bus, if people are not full, they may wait for half an hour.

Mom pats Luffa Island.

Mom's Luffa Island is Malapaska Island, which looks like the pedicle of Luffa, so travelers call it "Mom's Luffa Island". This narrow island is famous for its pristine, quiet and diving. Diving here gives you a chance to go to the only place in the world where you can see the long-tailed shark, and see a rare "shark", which is an island with well-preserved original ecology and is most suitable for parent-child travel.

"Mom pats the towel gourd island" is a very small island. If Cebu Island is shaped like a loofah, then "Mom pats the loofah Island" is the loofah pedicle. It takes about 1 hour to get there by crab boat from Maya, Cebu Island. There is only one village on the island, which is quiet, comfortable and primitive. The island has become a famous island in the Philippines because of its good ecological environment, perfect diving environment and "long-tailed shark".

Fly directly from Guangzhou to Cebu and arrive at Cebu Airport. You can reach Mama Pai Luffa Island via Maya Pier. Maya is the northernmost town and pier of Cebu Island, about 127km away from Cebu, and it takes about 40 minutes to reach Mapai Rufa Island. )

Siago i.

Siargao Island, also known as Gongyu Island, is a relatively large island in the northeast of Mindanao, Philippines, with few tourists and is famous for its suitability for surfing.

As Yagao Island is far from the capital and located on an outlying island on the edge of the Pacific Ocean, its customs have not been destroyed so far. Rainforests, rice fields, forests, palm trees, everywhere can be primitive and simple, and the locals are very, very friendly. The annual average temperature is about 30 degrees, which can be divided into dry season or rainy season. The temperature will be above 35 degrees in dry season, and now the average temperature in rainy season is around 25 degrees. If it rains, it will still feel a little cold. 65438+February is rainy season, and the rest months are dry season.

Affected by the southwest monsoon, the best surfing season in Gaodao of West Asia is from August to 165438+ 10. September and 65438+ 10 are the best, August, September, 65438+ 10 and 165438+ 10 are the surfing seasons in the Philippines, and April is also good. The above seasons are suitable for middle and senior ronin. The waves in June and July are even smaller, which is especially suitable for first-class ronin to practice and improve here.

Suitable place for surfing: Generally, there are two wave spots around Daku Island in the south of GL City, and there are several wave spots on the island further south. Basically, these waves need local crab claw boats to go; TUASON surfing area, in which CLOUD9 is the most famous wave spot, and the open competition is held in CLOUD9. The wave spot in the cemetery is suitable for beginners, and most beginners study at this wave spot.