Manila What to Pack

Luggage and bags: A duffel bag or large roller board bag. Depending on your length of stay.
A carry on bag for your reading and listening material, possible laptop storage, room for snacks and extra clothes.

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: Depending on your length of stay and the month that you arrive. In the warm months, t-shirts and shorts by day. At night, a nice short sleeved dress shirt and pant. The same for winter months but add a light sweater. Should you forget something from home, Manila is the shopping mecca of the world and you can always find what you need there.

Toiletries and Medical Supplies: Medications and sunscreen. Most articles can be purchased in Manila as they have many wonderful pharmacies such as the one in Green Hills Mall.

Photo Equipment: Besides China, the Philippines is a magnet for Camera buffs because of it's low cost photo equipment. Be sure to test out your camera and shoot several shots with an SD card before leaving the store. Make sure you can bring it back for refund or exchange and what is the time limit on it. Get that sales person's name and business card. For the most part, because you may have a short stay in Manila and might not be able to make it back to the store, it's "buyer beware".

Camping/Beach/Outdoor Gear: Camping is recommended in large groups and follow those that know where they're going. It wouldn't be wise to camp as a couple. People have been known to be hassled for money or worse, kidnapped. Highly discouraged unless you are going with someone from the regions or providence.

Miscellaneous: Upon arriving into the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, it is wise to purchase at least $100usd at the airport currency exchange. If possible, try to change with $100 dollar bills, for some reason they give you a better exchange rate than the other US bills.

Luggage and bags: if you're making manila you're base and still plan to go to the other islands you could probably bring a small or medium-sized bag or backpack for those few items you want to bring rather than dragging your whole suitcase from one place to the next.

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: pack light clothes all the time! this ain't antartica. unless you wanna suffer from heat stroke and faint from having too many clothes on, best to bring just some light shirts, jeans or shorts, sneakers and slippers and a few dressy items (in case you plan on dining out or enjoying the nightlife). a light jacket would probably help in case you plan to go to baguio or tagaytay but other than that there's really no need for the winter gear in my town.

Miscellaneous: do bring an umbrella if you're travelling during the rainy season (that's end of may until november).

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: As for clothing, spaghetti straps and razor backs are really advisable, especially during summer.

During rainy season, a jacket would be nice.

Wearing rubber shoes / sneakers would be fine all year long. But it is advisable to wear flip-flops during the summer.

Toiletries and Medical Supplies: A pack of tissue really comes in handy when using public restrooms.

Photo Equipment: Use of a digital camera would be really great. There are a lot of wonderful scenes everywhere you go.

Camping/Beach/Outdoor Gear: It's either a tanning lotion or a sunblock lotion.

Tanning lotion comes really handy when hitting the beaches. The sun is out almost all year long, being in a tropical country.

Sun block lotion comes in handy when you don't want to get a tan, DUH? :)

Luggage and bags: matches,candles or a torch for the black outs/brown outs.

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: flip -flops buy them there, shoes for the markets. pac-a-mac for the rains.

Toiletries and Medical Supplies: tampax - they are difficult to find

Photo Equipment: polariser filter

Camping/Beach/Outdoor Gear: The ever versatile sarong for everything! - buy in Phil. String for hanging clothes.

Luggage and bags: make sure your luggage has tags and names on it for easy identifications!Depending on where your going to stay I suggest pack light.

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: sun dresses! manila is tropic.. you'll need to wear loose clothing to allow your body to breathe..

Toiletries and Medical Supplies: *Sun screen Lotion! (very important for fair skin people)
* chop sticks
* Mosquito bite lotion (off )
* Some tummy medicine ( you might get bloating )
* travel pack facial wet wipes ( you will need it specially during summer season)
* Some citrus/ cologne spray (for easy refreshsing)
*womans vital toiletries
*some medicine (maidol, gasaid, tums, aleve)

Photo Equipment: Anything (camera, video camera) portable or digital will do just fine.

Camping/Beach/Outdoor Gear: try to pack couple of swimming suit just in case :)

Miscellaneous: Do your usual travel list and most of all have fun!

Luggage and bags: You will need it to wipe the sweat off your face due to the high heat and humidity. You will also need it to cover your nose and mouth due to the extreme pollution. The Philippines does not really enforce emission standards for vehicles romaing around the city so who know what comes out of their exhaust pipes.

Don't worry, you won't feel out of place with a hanky. Most, if not all, Filipinos carry them. Even the women.

Luggage and bags: You'll probably want to bring two luggage and your carry-on. Whether or not you have enough clothes to pack into the luggage is irrelevant because when you get to the Philippines, you might just realize that you'll be coming home with a lot more than you arrived with. The cheap shopping will really do a number on you, trust me.

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: slippers, sandals, rain coat or waterproof jacket in the summer (typhoon season). shorts, and tshirts. short sleeve button up shirts and khaki pants are a smart bet for going out at night. Keep in mind, if you intend on buying clothes when you're there, sizes are smaller than you would expect. A Filipino Large is somewhere near the equivalent of a North American Medium. I guess it has something to do with the average North American being overweight haha.

Toiletries and Medical Supplies: Skin astringent is essential due to the heavy (and I mean HEAVY) automobile exhaust pollution. You'll also want to bring a lot of OFF Lotion for the mosquitos as well as AFTERBITE if you happen to get bit. Polysporin is good for any cuts as well as rubbing alcohol to disinfect wounds. The Philippines can be very dirty so you'll want to keep any open wounds clean and covered.

Photo Equipment: Digital, film and video cameras are all nice... just make sure you know when and when not to use them. Sometimes people don't like to be filmed, especially in the squatter areas. Be mindful of any suspicious areas as well as snatchers are everywhere.

Luggage and bags:
The place is quite cheap so, bring a small luggage for you so that when returning home you can pack some souveneirs and bring along a small pouch bag for you cosmetics so that you won't rather need the big one.


Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear:
The Philippines is hot and humid throughout the year, though thanks to its massive coastline constant sea breezes somewhat temper the climate. Seasons can be roughly divided into the cool and dry season from November to February, hot and dry from March to May, and hot and wet from June to October. January is usually the coolest month with an average temperature of 78 Fahrenheit (25.5 Celsius), while May is the hottest at 83 Fahrenheit (28 Celsius). Rainfall varies, but some precipitation occurs most of the year-round. Beware of typhoons between May and November. Bring a pair of shoes, you might need this one specially when getting to an Island excursion.


Toiletries and Medical Supplies:
Bring with you always the tissue specially for us ladies in going to public toilets since they don't provide a free tissue for you better have one extra. If you'll going to a country side tours bring some medical supplies for any incidents.


Photo Equipment:
A small digi cam would be great.