World City Guide

Getting There By Water

The port area in Manila is called Pier Port. It is divided in two main areas – North and South Harbour. The South Harbour is located off Bonifacio Drive and the Muelle de San Francisco Street, in the port area, south of Metro Manila. The North Harbour is on Marcos Street in the Tondo district. Ferries arrive at South Harbour and leave from the slightly more difficult 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) provides further information.

Ferry services: The Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines East Asian Group Area (BIMPEAGA) has made sea travel more accessible, in theory, although this is still in the 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 (tel: (02) 991 2687 or 4258) leaves Zamboanga – a port on the southwest island of Basilan – for Malaysia, while the EPA Shipping Line (tel: (083) 380 3591) operates a cargo boat that takes passengers, however, 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; website: www.nenaco.com.ph), travels to Palawan, Mindanao and islands in Negros. Sulpicio Lines, 415 San Fernando Street, Binondo (tel: (02) 241 9701; website: www.onlyindavao.com/articles/shipsked.htm), and WG&A, Second Floor, Trinidad Building, Mabini Street and United Nations Avenue, Ermita (tel: (02) 525 6373; website: www.wgasuperferry.com), cover the same destinations, including 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.

There are also ocean ferry connection between Malaysia and Indonesia, as well as several provincial cities on Mindanao in the Philippines. However, these services are not recommended to tourists.

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