Anyone have experience or know the easiest route to get from Dumaguete to Pampanga Manila and back? Looking to go there for a few days and from what am told no ferry or airport there I guess. Rather avoid long bus rides as much as possible but won't be driving so plane, ferry, bus and such route. Any suggestions very much appreciated thanks
You did look at a map of the Phils before you posted this question, didn't you? Pampanga is a province on Luzon north of Manila and the two major cities are Angeles City and San Fernando. If you need to go there you fly to Manila and take busses from there to wherever you need to be. If you need to be in Angeles I would advise ''Fly the Bus" for which you look at the website of Swagman (they run hotels in Manila, and Angeles too). Trip from Ermita, Manila to Angele City some 6 hours (in aircon environment). Vicmico
What part of Pampanga will you be visiting? As Vicmico kinda mentioned, Clark International Airport (Angeles) is in the middle of Pampanga. There are flights with Cebu Pacific via Cebu City (Monday, Wednesday, Friday evening) or if you are going to southern Pampanga, you can fly to Manila, then take the bus, as he mentioned also. Bus from Manila to Angeles is about 2 hours and 15 minutes, not 6 hours!
I went there a few weeks ago as I had to go to Clark enroute to Macau. Took a metered taxi to the Victory Liner terminal in Pasay. The airconditioned bus was approx 350Pesos and takes you to the LAST terminal in Dagupan. You catch a tricycle there for about 1Km and they charge you 80Pesos to Pampanga or the Clark SM. There are many hotels there and I stayed at Natalia Hotel (Formerly Apartelle many years ago). The hotel is OK, but conveniently located. Price was 1500 pesos per night, then a hotel taxi for 500 pesos took me right into the Departure area of the Clark Airport. If you hire a V-Hire or taxi, it will cost you nearly 4000 Pesos which includes the two toll fees. Trip took a little over 2 hours. Hope this helps you with your trip!
I would drive (in a car preferably) it if you've never done it before and you're not strapped for time/cash. A lot of things to see and do on the way. I'd go the Dumaguete-Cebu-Masbate-Pilar-Naga-Batangas-Manila-Angeles(assuming that's why you're going to Pampanga) route to avoid the shitholes called Leyte and Samar. Spending a couple nights in Cebu (around Mango Square), Naga City (on Magsaysay Ave, only on Fridays and Saturdays), and Makati (I really enjoy the Shangri La hotel and the businesses surrounding the area). Make a party out of it.....and I guess you could take some pictures of that nature crap if you're into it, lots of that along the way.
Option 1: Fly to Manila (MNL) from Dumaguete. Then take the bus and get-off (Victory Liner, Genesis, Philtranco-Clark Airport) at Dau, Pampanga. Option 2: Fly to Clark International Airport (CRK) via Cebu with Cebu Pacific (5J) Option 3: Road Trip. Dumaguete - Bacolod - Iloilo - Caticlan - Batangas - Manila - Pampanga
Just an update in travel to Angeles City; if you fly from Dumaguete to Manila, arriving in Terminal 3, there is a new "point to point" bus service run by Genesis that leaves almost hourly, directly from T3 arrivals area and goes non-stop to SM Clark, across from Fields Ave. It then travels on to Clark International. Cost is P350. When returning to Manila, you can catch the same bus at SM Clark, near Pizza Hut. Here is their website: http://www.genesistransport.com.ph. They are also on Facebook.
Is it not easier to fly from Dumaguete directly to Clark? Interesting. On some search sites they show direct flights. On other only flights with at least one stop and change plane.
