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I’m writing this article after I received an e-mail inquiry regarding the best place to make a visa run. I realized that since I’ve personally been on 13a for a while, that the need for a visa run has not emerged recently. So, having extensively travelled around most of SE Asia for a number of years, I’ll detail the places that I find most interesting, and cheapest, in order to make that visa run.
First off, what exactly is a visa run? Well, the Philippines is a very flexible country for those who arrive on tourist visas. Unlike many countries, your visa is easily extended beyond the initial 30 days that most passports receive upon entry. Very simple, in fact.
- You arrive and get either 30 days immediately, or you can extend on the spot to 59 days by visiting the immigration office before getting your passport stamped. If you are married to a Filipina, and she is travelling with you (more properly, she), can avail of the balikbayan privilege and get one year.
- Before the 21 (or 59) days is up, you can extend at any BI office in 60 day increments, up to two years, without needing to leave, as long as you pay the fee.
After two years, you will eventually need to leave the Philippines, for at least one day. This is known as a “Visa Run”. What does a day entail? Well, you could take a 16:00 flight to Hong Kong, arriving at 18:00. Have dinner, and board a 22:00 flight back to Manila, arriving at 0:00 the next day… Not even 24 hours out of the country. This is “worst case.” Your two-year clock now starts ticking all over again.
But why stress about it? Why not take advantage of the time if you need to leave anyway? Why not play “tourist” for a bit? Why not take the opportunity to go shopping for things that are unavailable here or expensive here? SE Asia is highly diverse, with many things to see and do. Take advantage of the opportunity to live a little.
So, the following are my suggestions for the visa run category… Or even just a long weekend away:
Hong Kong
Pros:
- Flights are dirt cheap in advance, as little as 5,000 pesos return (Tiger, Cebu Pacific, Hong Kong Express, Cathay Pacific, PAL).
- Tons of things to see and do (Big Buddha, Ocean Park, Disney, Horse Racing, Victoria Peak, HK Harbour, etc., etc., etc.).
- World-class shopping
- World-class restaurants, especially any and all Chinese cuisine.
- Visa-free entry (14 days) for Filipino spouse.
Cons:
- Expensive hotels
Macao
Pros:
- Cheap flights (Air Macau, Cebu Pacific, PAL)
- Cheap accommodations
- Lots to see and do (casinos, history, architecture, culture different than Hong Kong)
- World-class casinos, if that’s your thing.
- Visa Free entry for Filipino Spouse.
Cons:
- Can become very expensive if you are not a good gambler.
- Once you’ve seen it, you’ve seen it.
Bangkok
Pros:
- Flights are cheap (Thai, PAL, Cebu Pacific)
- Good accommodations at excellent price
- Tons to see and do (Temples, palaces, etc.)
- Great restaurants
- Visa free entry for Filipino spouse
Cons:
- Several periods of instability over the last few years
- Need “Street Smarts”
Singapore
Pros:
- Great world-class restaurants
- Fascinating blending of cultures
- World-class shopping
- Lots to do (Sentosa, casinos, Singapore Flyer, hawker centers, cultural enclaves, architecture, concerts, etc.)
- Probably the cheapest international flights from the RP. (Jetstar, Cebu Pacific, SQ, Tiger)
- Quick connections by ferry to Malaysia and Indonesia
- Very safe (probably safest, cleanest city in the world.)
- Visa Free for Filipino spouse.
Cons:
- Expensive accommodations
- Can get “boring” on a long trip
- No “beach resorts” if that’s your thing.
Kuala Lumpur
Pros:
- Interesting culture
- Good restaurants
- Reasonable accommodations (quality / price)
- Good shopping
- Visa Free for Filipino spouse.
Cons:
- Airport is out in the boonies… not suited to quick return trips.
- Flights tend to be more expensive, except Air Asia from Clark. (Cebu Pacific, Air Asia, Malaysian)
Kota Kinabalu
Pros:
- Beautiful ecotourism destination (hiking, orang-utans, tropical setting).
- Inexpensive, and beautiful, beach resorts.
- Very unique culture.
- Flights are cheap on Air Asia and Cebu Pacific from Clark. Expensive on Malaysian.
- Clean and safe.
- Visa Free for Filipino spouse.
Cons:
- It is still a bit remote. Travel outside the city into Sabah can get expensive.
Brunei
Pros:
- Unique and fascinating culture.
- Ecotourism opportunities.
- Visa Free for Filipino spouse.
Cons:
- Expensive Flights (Though going down, now that Cebu Pacific flies there… Royal Brunei)
- Can get very expensive on hotels.
- No liquor or beer.
- After you’ve seen it, you’ve seen it. (Bit boring after a couple of days.)
- Expensive transport.
- Close to beach resorts in Miri, Malaysia (Sarawak)
Guam
Pros:
- Part of the US (If that’s your thing… US shopping / goods)
- Interesting history.
- Nice beach resorts. (diving, swimming)
Cons:
- Expensive flights (Continental, PAL)
- Expensive resorts / hotels.
- Can be unsafe.
- Visa required for Filipino spouse.
Palau
Pros:
- Unique Pacific culture
- Off the beaten path
- Very nice resorts
- World-class diving / scuba.
- Visa Free for Filipino Spouse
Cons:
- Expensive flights.
- Expensive accommodation.
Taiwan (Taipei or Kaohsiung)
Pros:
- Great shopping (especially electronics)
- World-class Chinese cuisine
- Lots to see and do
Cons:
- Flights can get expensive (Air China, Cebu Pacific, Mandarin, Pal)
- Hotels can get expensive
- Language issues
- Visa required for Filipino spouse.
Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh, Hanoi, Da Nang)
Pros:
- Unique and interesting culture
- Lots to see and do (history, markets, etc.)
- Good restaurants.
- Nice accommodation, cheap.
- Great resorts on S. China Sea coast.
- Visa free for Filipino spouse (Complicated visa on arrival for Westerners).
- Cheap internal transport
Cons:
- Air fare can get expensive (PAL)
- Vietnamese cities can be somewhat chaotic (crowded)
China
Pros:
- Tons to see and do (In most cities).
- Shopping for anything and everything
- Inexpensive accommodations (even luxury hotels are typically much cheaper than elsewhere)
- Internal transport is cheap.
Cons:
- Everyone needs a visa.
- Airfares can get expensive (PAL, Cebu Pacific, Air China, China Southern).
- Language issues.
- Food and restaurants are spotty in quality.
- Pollution issues.
Indonesia
Pros:
- Inexpensive accommodations
- Nice beach resorts in certain areas (Bali)… NOT Jakarta.
- Cheap shopping.
- Interesting culture (Lots do see and do)
- Visa Free for Filipino spouse.
Cons:
- Developing world (Most Indonesian cities are somewhat chaotic)
- Expensive flights (SQ, PAL, Cebu Pacific, Royal Brunei)
- Far enough that a quick visa run is impractical
- Food issues (sanitation)
Korea (Seoul / Busan)
Pros:
- Interesting, and different, culture
- Great restaurants
- Lots to see and do (Temples, the DMZ)
- Very good shopping
Cons:
- Language issues
- Accommodation can get very expensive
- Flights can get expensive (Though the price is falling…
Asiana, KAL, Cebu Pacific) - Internal transport is expensive
- Restaurant meals can get very expensive
- Visa required for Filipino spouse
- Bit far for a quick visa run
Japan (Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka)
Pros:
- Utterly fascinating culture
- Lots to see and do
- World-class restaurants
- Shopping for anything and everything, including many unique
products (Though expensive)
Cons:
- Flights tend to be expensive
- Hotels can get very expensive
- Internal transport very expensive
- Restaurant meals very expensive
- Visa required for Filipino spouse
- Far for a quick visa run
AND, for those wishing a little different sort of visa run, the Zamboanga – Sandakan ferry offers an interesting possibility. However, the trip is 20 hours in each direction, and only two departures in each direction each week. No online booking, though the travel agents who deal with ferries should be able to help. The trip is safe (terrorism-wise), though the ferries suffer the same navigational, overloading, and equipment issues that other Philippine ferries face. In other words, AT YOUR OWN RISK, KNOW WHERE THE LIFEBOATS AND PRESERVERS ARE AS SOON AS YOU BOARD, AND DON’T BOARD IF YOU SENSE OVERLOADING. Fares average P3,500 each way. I strongly suggest buying first class unless you like a hard deck, lots of salt air, and a really “rustic” experience. Aleson Lines is the ferry operator.
So, this is my list. Keep in mind that it reflects my opinion ONLY, based on my personal experiences (I have been to all of these places, most of them many times)… You may find a package deal online, or just want to live life to its’ fullest. There are many smaller places to see that I have not listed. I only focused on the most common places with nonstop flights from Manila. Many airlines have also started flights from Cebu and Davao, so you do not necessarily have to go from Manila.
See the world! Explore! Take the necessary visa run, and instead of complaining, make the most of the opportunity. You only live once.
John, Awesome article. I personally prefer Thailand and after a day or so in Bangkok would head down to either Pattaya or Phuket. Awesome food, massage, golf and beaches and other things Thai LOL. Some foreigners may want to go check some of these countries out as there will no doubt be a mass exodus from the Philippines if and when the Phil Peso hits the 37 -38 mark to the US Dollar. Bye Bye Philippines and hello Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos for many fixed income Americans living in the Philippines. Bob will have to do LIP sister sites LIV,… Read more »
Hi Paul, I have noticed a number of post on this website as well as other websites (mostly forums) that suggest if the (PHP) Peso drops to some dreaded ratio to the US dollar, say 37 or 38 to the dollar, it would be time to bail out of the Philippines and move to Thailand, Laos, Vietnam or some other magical place. I’m not an expert in these matters, but I think there is a fundamental flaw in that sort of thinking… Look at this link below, (you will need to “add” the PHP to the chart and also add… Read more »
Rich: I wrote about this early in the spring… Many people also forget that quite a few currencies are pegged to the US Dollar, so they fluctuate in conjunction with the dollar.
John – I don’t have to take a visa run whenever I visit the Philippines for an extended period, but if I were to be in that situation, I would probably go to Bali, Indonesia, for its breathtaking scenery. No, I have never been there, but I have heard about it — including the fact that it was once the scene of a terrorist bombing. But you can’t always just go through life being afraid to visit a place because of something horrible that happened in the past. Of all the places you mentioned, though, the Zamboanga – Sandakan route… Read more »
Ricardo: The problem with Bali is that there are no direct flights from here, so you lose a day each way in making a visa run. There are some really nice resorts and beaches there, though. It is well worth a visit if you’ve never been.
Ricardo you might also consider going by boat from General Santos City to Sarangani Island and then to Manado, Indonesia. A road less traveled let’s say.
Paul: I would agree, but those vessels typically only run during the tuna season (I wouldn’t rely on it for a visa run, since you really don’t know until you get to the dock)..
Thanks Paul… I left off Cambodia and Laos because there are no direct flights there from the Philippines, and those are the only two in SE Asia where I have never been. That said, I’ve heard really good things about both (especially Laos), and I know that expats in Thailand would make their visa runs there fairly often (When you could still easily extend in Thailand).
I just booked a flight on Tiger from MNL to SIN, just $135. Thats probably the cheapest I’ve seen in a while. But you are correct that there is no cheap accomodation. If your really on a budget, you can crash at a dorm style room in China Town for about $35 a night. Everything else in Singapore is cheap, except the alcohol and cigarettes (and dont smuggle any in). The food in Singapore alone is worth the trip.
Don: Singapore is great for a weekend getaway. Another option is Orchid Country Club… Not the most convenient location (MRT is not close by, so taxis), but the rooms are four star for a two star price (around S$120) and, if you are a golfer, there are discounts for registered guests. The Changi Country Club has a similar offer on bungalows (They sleep 6, so many of my colleagues chip in together), with a three day minimum. As to cigarettes, it is not worth the risk if you get caught… and they DO check. Rule of thumb on entry, only… Read more »
Hi John – Great information for those also wishing to just take a break away from the every day humdrum of living here.
I’ve filed it away for later use.
Regards.
Jim.
Thanks Jim!
I’m pretty sure the 2 years of extensions is down to 14 months maximum now.
I believe that it is 16 months.
I stand corrected, with the final extension it does indeed add up to 16.
Tony: It has been a while for me, and I was in and out so often that I never went beyond about 45 days. I defer to Bob, since he tends to be up to date on these things.
May I ask a question? If someone has two passports from different countries, for example US and PH. Can you use both on the same trip? For example, you leave the PH on a PH passport to go to HK. Can you use a US passport to enter and/or leave HK to return to the PH. Pardon me if this is a stupid question, but I have wondered about this for a while. I have heard of people travelling with two passports from different countries. They use the one whichever is best for the country they are going to. Thanks.
John: You can, but you need to enter and leave each country on the same passport. For instance, if you enter the RP on a US passport, you must leave using that same passport. You can then enter HK on the RP passport, but you must then leave HK on the same passport. I ran into this myself when I held two US passports (You can get permission from the State department to do this if you travel frequently (need lots of visas) or go to countries where an Israel stamp, for instance, is problematic, as in many Arab countries).… Read more »
Thanks John. That explained it.
Very good information John. How hard is it to get a visa to China?
Hudson – Its very easy your local travel agent will arrange one for you. I visited China last year and I would go back again.
Regards.
Jim.
Hudson: It is not difficult, but can be a pain. China, if you buy through a travel agent, they usually will handle it for you (on a tour, usually). The problem with going to the embassy and applying is that often you need to be a permanent resident of the country in which you apply, which is a problem for those here on tourist visas. I’ve had issues with the China Embassy in Manila (They won’t issue multi-entry here to non-Filipinos… Need to go through Washington). The dual entry visas I’ve gotten here have taken 1/2 day to apply and… Read more »
I found that Hong Kong is the easiest and cheapest to get to … food is excellent.. but its a little pricy there,,,and only a couple of hours away….
Lenny: I would agree either there or Singapore for a quick trip.
You hit a home run again John. I just got my 13a this past August so I don’t need the visa. Bob is right about the 16 months, at least that is what I was told at the BI office in Davao City. BTW – I love Hong Kong!
Gary: I love Hong Kong too… Really neat city.
I am married to a Filipino have been for 8 months and have to make a run in sept. i am planning to get a Balikbayan once we get back. I see something about ECC and was charge the fee for that when i received my ACR card and have my receipt. 1. will there be other charges when I go before I fly out to get my ECC? 2.Are there going to be any problems leaving Hong Kong because I dont have a future flight out of Manila? 3.Is there anything for my wife to get before we go… Read more »
Hi Andrew – Something is wrong. You don’t get an ECC when you get your I-Card. An ECC is acquired just before you leave the Philippines. You will need to get an ECC before leaving.
All your wife should need is a passport and the marriage contract so that you can get the Balikbayan Visa when you return. Other than that, you should be good to go.
John,
Good article. Lots of good info that will come in handy in the future. Is Tiawan the best place to purchase electronics? Thanks so much for the info.
Papa Duck: Thank you. I’ve found Taiwan to be cheapest, especially with computers and portable electronics… most components are manufactured there or manufactured by Taiwanese companies.
Hong Kong is almost always cheapest for cameras and cell phones (Though computers are a bargain there, too).