Quick Currency question

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markmaloof

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I've had a crazy week, and not much time to consider myself a currency for a trip to the Philippines. We leave very late tonight. I'm reading that ATMs may be a problem in the Philippines. We land in Manila at 11 AM at terminal one, will take yellow taxi to terminal three for a 4 PM flight to Dumaguete, this Sunday. I'm going to try to go to a currency exchange place here in the city when I finish my job so we at least have a few hundred dollars with us, and our resorts (Atlantis Duma and Evolution Malapascua) take PayPal (!), and I believe the private transport we are hiring to reach them can also be included in PayPal paying at the resorts. I don't want to cut an ATM at Dumaguete at all, will be the currency exchange be open on a Sunday in terminal one, and most importantly, does it take for ever to get money there? We will be on a crunch for time. Will have US dollars as well, and I imagine I should get a money belt if I can.
 
I've had a crazy week, and not much time to consider myself a currency for a trip to the Philippines. We leave very late tonight. I'm reading that ATMs may be a problem in the Philippines. We land in Manila at 11 AM at terminal one, will take yellow taxi to terminal three for a 4 PM flight to Dumaguete, this Sunday. I'm going to try to go to a currency exchange place here in the city when I finish my job so we at least have a few hundred dollars with us, and our resorts (Atlantis Duma and Evolution Malapascua) take PayPal (!), and I believe the private transport we are hiring to reach them can also be included in PayPal paying at the resorts. I don't want to cut an ATM at Dumaguete at all, will be the currency exchange be open on a Sunday in terminal one, and most importantly, does it take for ever to get money there? We will be on a crunch for time. Will have US dollars as well, and I imagine I should get a money belt if I can.

Hi markmaloof,

At Atlantis Dumaguete (and Puerto Galera) we accept Visa, MC, Amex and JCB credit cards or cash (USD or Php) for your personal charges, but do not have the ability to accept PayPal. If you have arranged your private transfer with us that amount will be added to your personal charges at the resort. Tips, if extended at the end of your stay to our staff, must be made in cash (Php, USD, and other foreign currency is accepted).

Have a quick flight :) and a wonderful stay at our resort.
If you have any questions before you depart, please email me directly - or contact me on our website via our "Live Chat".

Sharon Connor
Marketing Manager
sharon.connor@atlantishotel.com
 
Oh, right! I had booked myself with you through another site that takes PayPal. Everything is fine, we have Visa and Amex cards with us. I think I'm going to get several hundred dollars in pesos here in New York City at a currency exchange Place, so I will have something we land in Manila, and hope there will be time in terminal one to get some more currency. Very excited for our stay with you!
 
markmaloof -

You'll be fine, I've landed in Manila a few times with zero peso, but ATM's have been spotted in airport, and work, and as long has you have some hard US$ currecy in your hand, 11am when you land I am sure there will be an exchange bank open. Enjoy the trip.

Cheers
 
You might want to inform your bank beforehand that you are planning to use ATMs in the Philippines, the first time I tried that 8 years ago my card got blocked, and my cell phone was in the hotel safe and they could not contact me to verify my whereabouts.
 
Searcaigh is so right. Hear him.

Plenty of ATMs in the airport as well as moneychangers. The upper limit per withdrawal isn't very high (10,000 pesos?) and there's a 200 peso charge on top of what your bank may charge you. But you can use your debit card so it isn't treated as a cash advance on credit card.

There are also ATMs in Dumaguete.
 
When I was there two years ago, I found that almost no one accepted traveler's checks (had to cash them in at their Manila office at the end of my trip) and no ATMs accepted my M/C and I was nearly stuck in Sabang with no $$$. Fortunately a couple I had just met a few days earlier loaned me several hundred $$$ to pay my bill and I paid them back in Manila when we met up there. I am anticipating a return possibly this fall and will carry a M/C that should work in the ATMs there as well as cash.
 
You might run into a pleasant surprise my last visit in Nov 2014 ,my flight was scheduled to land in the old terminal which I think was terminal 1 . Upon arriving I noticed nothing looked familiar and had someone meeting me at the terminal 1 . It seemed several weeks earlier all International flights were now at the opposite terminal without my knowledge there was a mix up with the person waiting for me whom flew into this terminal and took a taxi too the other one lol ....… We finally straightened it out . The thing is it is the terminal that Cebu Pacific and the other domestic airlines fly out from .You will not have to switch airports . the taxi fare if this is no longer the case is about 350 peso's givee them 500 it is a little over a dollar
 
You will not have to switch airports . the taxi fare if this is no longer the case is about 350 peso's givee them 500 it is a little over a dollar

Unless the exchange rates have dropped drastically and I missed it, (don't I wish!) 500 pesos is about 11 bucks US, not one. Still cheap by US standards, but not ridiculously so.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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