Area
Metro Manila comprises an area of 246 square miles (636 square
kilometres)
Geographic Info
Metro Manila is 589 miles (950 kilometres) from the northern most point, and 856 miles (1,380
kilometres) from the southern most point. At the heart of Metro Manila is the Ortigas Centre, a 4.3-mile (7
kilometres) drive from the Makati business area and a mere 8 miles (13
kilometres) from the international airport.
Visa
Visitors with passports valid at least 6 months beyond the period you intend to stay and either a return ticket or a ticket to another destination outside of the Philippines, are allowed entry without a visa for up to 21 days. For visits longer than 21 days, a temporary visitor's visa must be secured from the Philippine embassy or consulate in your country.
Currency
The unit of currency is the peso. One (1) peso is equal to 100 centavos. Currency notes are available in denominations of 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1,000. Click
here for currency converter.
Shopping
A visit to Manila isn´t complete without a trip to at least one of its sprawling shopping malls. Shops deal only in Philippine Pesos, but most malls have foreign currency exchange counters that accept major currencies. Most shopping centres are open from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., extending to 10:00 p.m. or beyond during payday sales. Major credit cards are accepted; be prepared to show your passport to the cashier as proof of identity.
The malls carry import-quality local and high quality designer brands of clothes and shoes for all ages, sporting goods, furniture, appliances, groceries, toiletries, and food and beverage. They house state-of-the-art cinemas and auxiliary products and services such as amusement
centres, spas, medical and dental facilities, bars, coffee shops, photography and videography studios, salons, banks and hobby shops, among others.
Taxes
A 12% Value Added Tax is usually included, but municipal taxes ranging from 0.5 to 0.7% may be levied on services and purchases.
Tipping
10% service charge is usually added to the bill. If not, 10% of the bill is adequate for tipping. |
