World Travel Guide

City Guide  - Manila  - Water
Water

The port area in Manila is called Pier Port. It is divided in two main areas - North and South Harbour. Ferries arrive at South Harbour and leave from the slightly harder to find North Harbour. There are very few facilities at the port - some food and drinks stalls and a seating area. Philippines Port Authority (tel: (02) 527 4856 or 4844; fax: 527 8358) can provide information.

Ferry services: The Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines East Asian Group Area (BIMPEAGA) has made sea travel more accessible in theory but is still in early stages - the ferries operate on rather erratic schedules. It is worth confirming and then rechecking any schedule for ferry travel to or from Manila. International schedules are even more difficult to predict. Aleson Lines leaves Zamboanga, a port on the southwest island of Basilan for Malaysia, and the EPA Shipping Line operates a cargo boat that takes passengers, but this leaves from the southern port of General Santos.

There are frequent inter-island ferries with ports dotted throughout the islands. Negros Navigation, Loyola Building, 849 Arnaiz Avenue, Makati (tel: (02) 818 3895), travels to Palawan, Mindanao and islands in Negros. Sulpicio Lines, 415 San Fernando Street, Binondo (tel: (02) 241 9701), and WG&A, 2nd floor, Trinidad Building, Mabini Street and United Nations Avenue, Ermita (tel: (02) 525 6373), cover the same destinations along with numerous smaller islands such as Masbate. The Philippines has a poor record of maritime safety in its domestic waters and many ferries have sunk. In general, travellers should exercise caution by observing the condition of boats.

Transport to the city: There are usually taxis available from the port into the city. They should cost P50 from Matale but travellers from the port usually pay at least P100. This area is pretty thin on other modes of transport; a taxi is recommended.



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