Manila to Dubai Flights

  About Manila

The highly populous city of Manila is the capital of the Philippines. The urban city is recognised worldwide as a city prone to the maximum number of natural disasters, owing to it attracting a high number of cyclones regularly. Despite being vulnerable to natural disasters, Manila is actually known to be a fast-growing city in the Philippines. Located on the bayside, the city has been tremendously influenced by the Spanish as it was once a colony.

Best time to visit Manila

Manila is surrounded by waters on all sides, giving it hot and wet weather. Hence, it is best advised to visit the quaint city during their dry season. Manila's dry months start from January and last up to April. The rest of the year is pretty hot and humid. The flipside of the dry months is that it comes with the summer sun. This basically means you'll have to deal with hot and dry weather when you visit Manila. However, it is still a better bargain than the wet months. March and April see the peak summer with temperatures ranging from 23 degree Celsius to 35 degree Celsius. The weather is perfect for hitting the beach and cooling down. That is always an option that many tourists opt for. Besides, one can always indulge in renting out bicycles and riding in the streets of Manila, exploring new crevices of the lovely city. Due to the months being peak season, the city is often crowded with tourists resulting in high hotel prices. During these months, the hotel rates in Manila spike up to an exorbitant amount. It becomes quite unfavourable for budget tourists to make their bookings for hotels and flights to Manila as there is already a lot of demand for the city.

One can simply opt to make prior hotel and flight bookings to Manila. Although tourists tend to visit the city all-round the year, the safest ones are from January to April. From June to November, Manila is pretty much hot and humid with monsoon taking over. The weather gets rather unpleasant to indulge in tourist activities. This is one of the major concerns which makes tourists opt for the peak season. Monsoon is pretty bad as during this time, the streets get flooded, and the torrential rains destroy quite a lot of the habitat. Since Manila also attracts cyclones and other such calamities, it is best to avoid the wet season. It is essential to check the weather and all the reports before you make your flight and hotel bookings in Manila. Sure, the bad weather and lack of tourism does bring down the hotel prices in Manila. But it definitely wouldn't be worth it as you wouldn't be able to enjoy the city's spirits and tourist attractions. The best thing to do would be to make prior bookings of flight and hotels in Manila for the dry season.

Places to visit in Manila

As a country with some of the largest urban gardens and parks, you can start your tourist rendezvous in Manila by visiting some of them. Rizal Park is a popular garden in the city which was earlier called Bagumbayan, attracts a lot of tourists every year. The garden was built during the Spanish Colonial Period and has been a structure of historical significance. The park is beautiful and comes with lush green grasses and alluring sights. Next from here, you can visit some of the monuments in the city. You can check out Fort Santiago, a citadel created by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, a known Spanish navigator and governor. The defense fortress is recognised for its historical relevance of serving as a prison during World War II. San Agustin Church is another beautiful Roman Catholic structure which is acknowledged by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Aside from the usual, you can always make room for visits at the Minor Basilica and Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Manila Zoo and Casa Manila, to name a few highlights.

Things to do in Manila

There are many things that you can do in Manila, starting from the Manila Baywalk. The promenade overlooks the Manila Bay and offers a pristine view of the waterbody. You can actually take up carriage rides by the promenade. In the evenings, there are also some performances by locals and live band performances. Not to mention how the area has lovely cafes which serve multi-cuisines. Visiting the Manila Ocean Park should be on your list of things to do in Manila. It is an oceanarium and is owned by the China Oceanis Philippines Inc. The institute is located in proximity to Rizal Park. The place is beautiful as you get to walk through the oceanarium and view some exquisite and rare marine life. To learn more about the history and cultural heritage of the country, you should visit the National Museum of the Philippines. It falls under the government authority and is maintained by the officials. The architecture and exhibits preserved by the Philippines government in the museum will pique your interest. You can also indulge in some fine dining and relish the lavish cuisine.

Food and restaurants in Manila

The cosmopolitan city brings flavours from around the world in their cuisine. You will not miss any international cuisine as the Filipino food in itself has been derived from inspiration from aboriginal, North American, Chinese, Indonesian and Spanish cuisine. Most of the dishes in Manila would seem familiar, be it the flavours or the style of cooking. Manila's eclectic spread of food establishments is perfectly balanced with upscale restaurants and budget food joints. Wherever you go, you will be met with exquisite and memorable food. You can start with a buffet spread at Spiral Restaurant. It features some of the finest gourmet dishes with food inspired by 21 diverse countries. There's a Japanese station as well as a French station with fun cooking scenes. The place is high-priced so best to fill up your pockets before visiting the place. Another luxurious fine dining experience that you can check out is at Café Ilang-Ilang. This food establishment also has a buffet setting with cuisines such as Italian, Asian, Filipino, Japanese, Chinese and Western.

You can also opt for dining with a great view of the Sky Deck View Bar. The aerial view of Manila from the rooftop restaurant is beautiful. For a quaint but authentic Filipino food, head to The Aristocrat. Barbara's Heritage Restaurant is another such place which serves Filipino food as well as a spectacular vibe. Some more establishments that would put a smile on your face are Ilustrado Restaurant, Harbor View Restaurant, Movie Stars Cafe, Bistro Remedios and My Kitchen by Chef Chris. Your food expedition in Manila would be quite an experience as there are far too many places to pick from.

How to reach Manila

Flight connectivity to Manila from India is extremely good. There are many flights that fly to Manila from India. Most of the South Asian countries have impeccable flight connectivity with Indian cities. Even Manila sees regular flights flying from Indian cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, to name a few. The most popular route to Manila chosen by travellers is from Singapore and Hong Kong. The flight connectivity to Manila from these international cities is immaculate. Airlines such as Thai Airways, Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Dragon Air, Philippine Airlines, Korean Air and Asiana Airlines are some of the prominent names that have flights reserved for Manila. There are no direct flights that fly to Manila from India. There are mostly connecting flights and layovers that take place in international cities such as Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong. International routes connecting Manila from cities such as Hong Kong, Singapore and even Bangkok are more favoured. The number of flights in service are more, plus the duration is also less time-consuming.

It takes about eight hours and fifteen minutes to reach Manila from India. However, the only way you will get to reach so early would be if you pick the fastest flights with exorbitant ticket costs. The popular flights to Manila have tickets at the price range of INR 20,000 to 27,000. The difference in duration of flights is also barely of an hour or two, making these options more affordable. There are cheap flight tickets to Manila, and if you book in advance, you might be able to get some benefits of discounts too. There are countless deals that take place online, and you can easily avail some flight deals to Manila by snooping around the web. In fact, there are combo deals of flights and accommodation too that is recommended. You can get a cheap flight and hotel bookings in Manila, as long as you make prior reservations and find good deals online. The peak season might see a tremendous change in the flight ticket cost to Manila as well as the hotel prices. During the wet seasons, the hotel prices in Manila drop to an all-time low, making budget travelling possible.

  About Dubai

The Las Vegas of the Middle East, Dubai, is the place to go if you are looking for a lavish vacation. The city promises a lavish vacation and is worth every penny spent. The spectacular skylines, the larger-than-life attractions, beaches, and the food in Dubai will only leave you awestruck. Not to mention, Dubai is also a very popular destination for people to go shopping. Be it electronic products, high-end fashion accessories, gold jewellery or the spices, and it is a shopping paradise for everyone. The Dubai Mall is one of the most popular tourist spots in the city and is quite close to the Burj Khalifa, too. It is a well-planned city, and despite embracing modernity, the city has managed to retain its old charm. You can book a hotel in Dubai that is closer to all the tourist spots or something lavish that is a little farther away.

Best Time to Visit Dubai

Dubai experiences very extreme weather. It's difficult to step out when it's hot, and you will want to put on 2-3 layers of clothes when it is cold. November through March is the best time to visit the city since it is winter. The temperature ranges from 13 to 23 degree Celsius. This is peak tourist season, and you must book your hotel in Dubai in advance if you are taking off to the city during this time. It can get a tad bit difficult to get cheap flight tickets to Dubai, too, during this time. The cost does fall considerably by March-end and April. Since November to March is the high season, you will find a lot of tourist spots quite crowded. The nightlife scene in Dubai is also very happening, and the New Year celebrations in the city are grand. This is also when you will find a lot of crowd at Jumeirah beach. Not to mention, you'll reach right in time for the Dubai International Film Festival and the Dubai Shopping Festival.

April to October is summer in Dubai, and it is not the best time to visit the city. The temperature is above 37 degree Celsius, and the heat is simply unbearable. Though you may get a good flight deal to Dubai during this time, it won't be a wise choice since you won't be able to enjoy anything. May and July is Ramadan month, which only leads to a quieter nightlife and lesser hustle-bustle in the city. The scorching heat will make you cancel your plans to venture out and go sightseeing. Even heading to the beach won't help. However, if you are planning a trip to Dubai during this season, make sure you put on sunblock at all times and drink lots of water. The evenings and nights might seem a little pleasant compared to the day, but it is best to avoid travelling to Dubai during the summer. While there is scarce rainfall during summer, the city does not witness a monsoon season. It's only winter and summer here.

Places to Visit in Dubai

The Dubai Mall is one of the most popular places to visit in the city. Not only is it huge, but you can get a lot of high-end fashion brands here. The mall also has a fancy fountain in it which is a popular spot in the mall to take pictures. But make sure Dubai Mall is last on your itinerary because you will definitely want to swipe your credit card a lot at the mall here. The Burj Khalifa is an architectural marvel and one of the most popular places in Dubai that you cannot miss. The view from the 124th floor of the Burj Khalifa is unbelievably spectacular. You will have to pay around 125 to 400 AED to get up there, but it is completely worth every penny spent. The Jumeirah beach is yet another popular tourist destination in Dubai. You can book a hotel in Dubai close to Jumeirah Beach and know that you will be well taken care of by the staff. You will absolutely love the sunset view from the beach. The Burj Al Arab is the fourth tallest hotel in the world and is also one of the most expensive 7-star hotels that have the Skyview Bar on the 27ht floor. The exotic hotel offers you the best view of the Palm Jumeirah. Dubai Creek is one romantic destination that you cannot miss at all, though it is open for families and friends as well. You will find a lot of restaurants that have outdoor seating right next to the creek, so you get the best view of the water. You can also go boating here at a minimal price.

Dubai Aquarium at Dubai Mall is a famous place to visit for families and friends. It is exquisite, and you can even go cage snorkelling and shark diving here. Of course, you will have to pay a nominal fee to get in, but it is totally worth it. If Dubai Mall is on your itinerary, make sure you go during the Dubai Shopping Festival. Global Village is a popular tourist attraction in Dubai that is basically a compilation of all countries and cultures of the world. You can shop here, eat here and catch a few entertaining performances here. It happens from November to March every year. Next on your itinerary must be the Dubai Marina. It is an exotic place to visit and has gained popularity for being one of the biggest human-made marinas in the world. It also has a lot of activities in store, so you don't just drop in for some sightseeing and food. You can also head to Ski Dubai or better, book an accommodation at the resort to enjoy the indoor resort that is dedicated to snow. You can also visit the Snow Park here.

Things to do in Dubai

You can hire a car to go sightseeing around the city or just take the metro to get around the city. The metro is a far affordable way to commute within the city. You can have dinner at one of the restaurants at the Dubai Creek. Post dinner, you can just walk around the area and be marvelled at the clean, beautiful streets. The Burj Khalifa is highly recommended, and the view from up top calls for great pictures and a few more followers on social media. It has also proven to be a popular spot where romantic proposals have taken place. You can visit the local markets to buy spices, which is a speciality in Dubai. The city is known for its lavish and exotic nightlife. You can party till wee hours and be assured that you will have a lot of fun. You must also try the Desert Safari, a popular activity taken up by tourists here. Shopping is one of the main highlights of Dubai, and it would be a shame to not visit the Dubai Mall during the shopping festival that happens around January.

Food and Restaurants in Dubai

Dubai is a paradise for food lovers, and the various cuisines will only leave you wanting for more. In case you want to try the speciality of the Middle East instead of settling for Indian or Chinese cuisine, there are quite a few restaurants that you must try. A few popular Middle Eastern cuisines include the Manousheh, Iranian Sangak, Baba Ganoush, Tabbouleh, Chelo Kebab, Fattoush, Falafel, Taboon break, Madrouba and so on. The Local Bites Cafe in Jumeirah is popular for serving Luqaimat, hot dumplings that have a doughnut-like texture. You can head to Ruya to try Turkish cocktails like the Anatolian Fizz. Cafe Bateel is popular for its signature Qahwa and a complimentary Arabic coffee. Aseelah at Radisson Blu is known for serving the best Margoogat, a tomato-based stew rich with special spices.

How to reach Dubai (Transportation)

Dubai International Airport is not very far from the main city. The flight connectivity to Dubai from India is excellent. There are quite a lot of direct flights to Dubai, too, and it only takes 3 to 4 hours to land in Dubai. It is one of the busiest airports in the world for passengers and quite efficient, too. AirArabia, AirIndiaExpress, EmiratesAirline, FlyDubai are some of the airlines that frequently fly to Dubai. The Dubai airport is quite huge, and the Duty-Free stores inside the airport are a treat to all your shopping needs. Getting a taxi from the airport to reach your hotel is not very difficult. Make sure you book your tickets way in advance if you want a good deal on flights to Dubai. The metro is also quite close to the airport, and you can choose to take a metro or a bus instead of a taxi if you don't have a lot of baggage. Connecting flights to Dubai stop at Mangalore, Delhi, Ahmedabad and a couple of other cities. A lot of flights also land in Sharjah instead of Dubai, depending on which airline you choose.

  About Dubai Airport

Dubai International Airport serves as the primary airport located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The airport is touted to be one of the world's busiest airport concerning international passenger traffic. Dubai International Airport is the fifth busiest airport in the entire world in terms of passenger traffic. It follows Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Beijing Capital International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport and Tokyo Haneda Airport. Dubai Airport also boasts of being the busiest when it comes to operations of Airbus A380 and Boeing 777. The airport is known for its massive capacity. It managed to handle a capacity of 88 million passengers in 2017 as well as 2.65 million tonnes of cargo as well as a registered aircraft movement of 409,493. Much recently, the management also installed a solar system for energy to enhance the functioning of the airport. Dubai International Airport's mission is to reduce the energy consumption to 30 per cent by 2030. Located in the Al Garhoud district, the airport is sprawled across 7,200 acres of land. The airport's Terminal 3 is also known to be the second massive building in the world with respect to floor space.

The airport also caters to the Emirates Airlines with an entire terminal dedicated to its operations. The terminal has three concourses and is shared with flydubai. Emirates hub is recognized as the largest airline hub in the Middle East. The airlines takes care of about 51 per cent of the overall passenger traffic as well as 42 per cent of aircraft movements of the airport. Dubai International Airport has a collective capacity to handle 90 million passengers on a yearly basis. The airport has undergone various upgradations in the years. It is currently aiming to enable a 37 per cent economic contribution from Dubai's aviation sector to further enhance the city's overall GDP.

About Airport Terminals

Dubai International Airport is said to be one of the busiest airports in the world. In fact, the infrastructure is also known to be one of the largest in the world. Dubai International Airport has three terminals, numbered as Terminal 1, 2 and 3. Terminal 3 caters completely to the Emirates airline. Terminal 1 and 3 have been perfectly connected to the common transit area. There is also an airside area reserved for passengers to walk through the two terminals without the necessity of undergoing immigration processes. A shuttle service is also present between the terminals for passengers. The terminal 1 was built originally to accommodate 18 million passengers in a year. However, it was expanded to handle more passenger action. The terminal currently has 28 remote gates, and the airport has undergone quite a few developments too. A fourth terminal is also in works, and the plans to expand Terminal 3 to accommodate more than 90 million a year in the terminal is being aimed. Terminal 3 is partly underground and is exclusively reserved for Emirates airlines. The terminal is also capable of handling the massive Airbus A380. Currently, though, it shares the terminal with Qantas.

About Airport Authority

Dubai Airport is owned by the Government of Dubai and is operated by Dubai Airports Company. It is basically the airport authority handles all the management of the Dubai International Airport but also has shares in the business. They handle Al Maktoum International Airport along with Dubai International Airport. The company came into existence in 2008 with duties to take care of all management activities of the Dubai International Airport, Al Maktoum International Airport and Dubai Cargo Village. Under their administrative power, Dubai Airport has seen a lot of improvement in terms of safety and efficiency of flight and cargo operations. A modular data centre that facilitates accumulating data availability has also been installed at the Dubai International Airport. The airport alone plays a strong role in contributing to the economy of the city of Dubai. The airport authority has further expanded Terminal 3 to make it the second-largest building in the world with respect to floor space. It has been recognized as the largest airport terminal, too, worldwide.

Top airlines flying from Dubai International Airport

Dubai International Airport accommodates a slew of international and domestic airlines. As one of the most important airports in the world, the connectivity of Dubai is excellent with other cities and countries. Not to mention how they also have Emirates, which is one of the biggest and most important airlines available. Along with it, the airport also helps operate some Indian airlines as the demand from some of the Indian cities is quite high. Dubai International Airport has Indian airlines such as Air India, Air India Express, GoAir, IndiGo, SpiceJet and Vistara, that operate from the city. These airports have direct connections with Indian cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kozhikode, Mangalore, Ahmedabad, Bangalore and more.

Along with some Indian airlines, the Dubai International Airport extensively caters to a plethora of international airport. A majority of the airlines that operate from Dubai Airport cater to various Middle Eastern, African and Central Asian cities. The most prominent airlines that operate from Dubai International Airport include African Express Airways, Air Astana, Air Canada, Air China, Air France, Azerbaijan Airlines, Azur Air, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, China Eastern Airlines, Druk Air, EgyptAir, Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, Finnair, flydubai, Flynas, Gulf Air, Iran Air, Kenya Airways, Lufthansa, Kuwait Airways, Nepal Airlines, Oman Air, Pegasus Airlines, Norwegian Air Shuttle, Saudia, Sichuan Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Srilankan Airlines, Swiss International Air Lines, Turkish Airlines, Ural Airlines and Thai Airways. The airport also caters to reserving terminals for cargo flights. Carriers such as Emirates SkyCargo, Iran Air Cargo, Silk Way Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, FedEx Express, Spice Xpress and UPS Airlines operate from the Dubai Airport.

Facilities at the Dubai International Airport

WiFi - One of the major upgrades of the Dubai International Airport is the installation of a high-speed WiFi system across all terminals. You will need to follow some instructions available at the airport's website.

Currency exchange - You can find many exchange services across the terminals. The foreign exchange bureaus have good deals to help get good exchange rates as well as some more perks where you can reserve the rate and collect the amount later.

Baby care rooms - There are reserved rooms for baby care across all the terminals. You can attend to the child's needs with privacy at the rooms. In fact, you should visit the information desk or ask for help from one of the staff to guide you to the room.

Baggage - The airport has baggage storage facilities in the premise, and you can make use of the same. These services are open at Terminals 1 and 3. You can peruse through the airport's maps that would take you to the storage space.

Prayer rooms - There are Muslim prayer rooms available everywhere at the airport. Signs have been put up that direct you to the rooms.

Smoking lounges - The airport prohibits smoking in public and has reserved smoking lounges for the same. They are comfortable and have been located at various spots in the airport.

Showers - You can refresh yourself with some shower at Terminal 3. The facility is for free, so you can easily avail it.

Medical services - There are medical services and pharmacies available 24/7. You can visit the information desk to ask for help, or you can ask any of the airport staff to direct you to the medical centre. There are buggy ambulances also available at the Dubai International Airport.

Special assistance - The airport provides special assistance for passengers with mobility issues and special needs. For this, you will have to inform the airlines in advance.

How to reach Dubai International Airport

Dubai Metro

There are direct rail links from the Dubai Metro and the Dubai International Airport. A dedicated Red Line is connected directly to Terminal 3 and 1 of the airport. These services are run from 6 AM to 11 PM. The stations are accessible from the arrivals sections of both the terminals. Meanwhile, a Green Line has also been stationed close to the Airport Free Zone. The Terminal 2 and the Green Line is accessed conveniently. Currently, the airport authority is working on the Purple and Blue Lines to construct lines that would further connect the terminals better.

Bus

There are RTA-run Dubai Buses too that directly connect to the main city from the Dubai Airport. You can reach the Dubai International Airport by taking the inter-terminal shuttle bus service. These links operate on a frequent basis and are perfect for passengers who wish to transfer between terminals. A complimentary coach service is also available to reach the Dubai International Airport and is provided by Emirates.

Taxi and rental services

Government-owned and operated Dubai Taxi Agency can be availed to reach the Dubai International Airport. They have 24/7 services which can be found at the arrival terminal. There are counters and booths at the arrivals where you can book your ride to reach the main city of Dubai from the Dubai International Airport.