August 18, 2012
Day 0. Day at the Airport
We met at NAIA Terminal 3 around 6:00 in the evening, though our flight is scheduled at 10:00pm. This is to make more time in checking in, paying necessary fees and avoid horrible traffic (and more knick-knacks if you're running late). While on the taxi, news about the plane crash involving DILG Sec. Jesse Robredo circulated, however, I find myself thinking if I left important documents at home. By 6, I was at the airport and I asked my buddy to have us web checked-in since she was the first one at the meeting place (I wasn't able to do this at home since Cebu Pacific told me that they have a system failure on web check in facility). She was able to check us in and all we need to do is pay fees and get our tickets.
AT NAIA TERMINAL 3.
1. Pay International Departure Tax at the Airport Lobby before checking in. Php 1620.00 should be paid and you must present your passports and itinerary receipts at Counter 1. Proceed to counter 2 for payment and processing.
2. Check in at your airline. For those who used the web check in facility, you have your separate (and shorter) lane at your airline counters. Present your International Departure Tax receipts, including your booking reference number and passports to the counter and they will give you your tickets. Check in your baggage and proceed to step 3.
3. Pay terminal fees. A Php 550.00 terminal fee is collected before you proceed to the Immigration Counter. Present your tickets and go to Immigration Counter.
4. Immigration counter. Fill out the Immigration Departure Card that can be found on one of the tables before falling in line. Present your tickets and passports to the Immigration officer and make sure you answer his/her questions without stammering. He/She will have your passports stamped and you're good to go.
5. Final security check. Make sure you remove your shoes, belts and electronic materials on your body and have them on the xray machine.
(Story: Since its our first time to leave the country, the Immigration officer asked us about our trip. It seemed that HCMC is not a common destination to your first immigration stamp, so we were escorted to another Immigration Officer for further questioning. They asked for our IDs and our work. I don't know kung panti-trip nya lang ito, tinakot kami since it was our first time to go out of the country and we already answered his first questions while on the counter. With a nod from the last officer when I presented my ID (he didn’t check my companions’ IDs) and he told me that the first Immigration officer worked with San Miguel Corp before (I am working in one of SMC’s subsidiaries), we got back on his counter and he stamped our passports. WHEW! Talk about first time.)
ARRIVING AT VIETNAM AIRPORT
August 19, 00:20H. With the many stories of how Cebu Pacific handles its flights, astonishingly, it was a good flight, from take off to touchdown. Upon arriving at the Vietnam Airport, we lined up for the Immigration and with no questions asked, he stamped our passports. Mas mababait pa sila sa Pinoy Immigration officers! L To find the immigration counters, just follow the swarm of people. ASEAN member countries do not need to fill out an arrival card and visa and can directly proceed to Immigration counter. For those who need entry visa, they need to go to the counter at their left before proceeding to the Immigration line.
Check if the Immigration officer stamped your passports. For ASEAN member countries, we are given 20 days-Visa free stay in Vietnam if you arrive via air.
We got our first stamp! We then proceeded to baggage claim and have some dollars changed at the airport. I believe this is the safest money changer as we got 1 USD = 20,000 VND conversion. We became instant millionaires!
Since Vietnam uses both VND and USD, we only exchanged a small amount, solely for convenience store purchases, entrance fees and street food. (Money changer is on your right before exiting the airport).
ON ROUTE TO SEVENTY HOTEL
We asked our hotel to pick us up at the airport and when we got outside, we saw my name from our taxi driver. It took us about 30 minutes before arriving at the hotel, located at the backpacking district of Ho Chi Minh City.
Since it was late, we checked in, filled out information cards, “deposited” our passports and proceeded to our room. Since it was a red eye flight and nabitin kami sa tulog, we decided to get some sleep before planning our day.
To be continued...
Day 0. Day at the Airport
We met at NAIA Terminal 3 around 6:00 in the evening, though our flight is scheduled at 10:00pm. This is to make more time in checking in, paying necessary fees and avoid horrible traffic (and more knick-knacks if you're running late). While on the taxi, news about the plane crash involving DILG Sec. Jesse Robredo circulated, however, I find myself thinking if I left important documents at home. By 6, I was at the airport and I asked my buddy to have us web checked-in since she was the first one at the meeting place (I wasn't able to do this at home since Cebu Pacific told me that they have a system failure on web check in facility). She was able to check us in and all we need to do is pay fees and get our tickets.
AT NAIA TERMINAL 3.
1. Pay International Departure Tax at the Airport Lobby before checking in. Php 1620.00 should be paid and you must present your passports and itinerary receipts at Counter 1. Proceed to counter 2 for payment and processing.
2. Check in at your airline. For those who used the web check in facility, you have your separate (and shorter) lane at your airline counters. Present your International Departure Tax receipts, including your booking reference number and passports to the counter and they will give you your tickets. Check in your baggage and proceed to step 3.
3. Pay terminal fees. A Php 550.00 terminal fee is collected before you proceed to the Immigration Counter. Present your tickets and go to Immigration Counter.
4. Immigration counter. Fill out the Immigration Departure Card that can be found on one of the tables before falling in line. Present your tickets and passports to the Immigration officer and make sure you answer his/her questions without stammering. He/She will have your passports stamped and you're good to go.
5. Final security check. Make sure you remove your shoes, belts and electronic materials on your body and have them on the xray machine.
(Story: Since its our first time to leave the country, the Immigration officer asked us about our trip. It seemed that HCMC is not a common destination to your first immigration stamp, so we were escorted to another Immigration Officer for further questioning. They asked for our IDs and our work. I don't know kung panti-trip nya lang ito, tinakot kami since it was our first time to go out of the country and we already answered his first questions while on the counter. With a nod from the last officer when I presented my ID (he didn’t check my companions’ IDs) and he told me that the first Immigration officer worked with San Miguel Corp before (I am working in one of SMC’s subsidiaries), we got back on his counter and he stamped our passports. WHEW! Talk about first time.)
ARRIVING AT VIETNAM AIRPORT
August 19, 00:20H. With the many stories of how Cebu Pacific handles its flights, astonishingly, it was a good flight, from take off to touchdown. Upon arriving at the Vietnam Airport, we lined up for the Immigration and with no questions asked, he stamped our passports. Mas mababait pa sila sa Pinoy Immigration officers! L To find the immigration counters, just follow the swarm of people. ASEAN member countries do not need to fill out an arrival card and visa and can directly proceed to Immigration counter. For those who need entry visa, they need to go to the counter at their left before proceeding to the Immigration line.
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| Landing Visa, located at the left corner in the arrival lobby. |
 |
| Immigration (girl is not an immigration officer, I think) |
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| All Passports lane. Vietnamese have their separate lane at the airport arrival. |
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| Immigration check. |
Check if the Immigration officer stamped your passports. For ASEAN member countries, we are given 20 days-Visa free stay in Vietnam if you arrive via air.
We got our first stamp! We then proceeded to baggage claim and have some dollars changed at the airport. I believe this is the safest money changer as we got 1 USD = 20,000 VND conversion. We became instant millionaires!
 |
| My friend's SHARK PACK as we exit the baggage claim to money changers. |
Since Vietnam uses both VND and USD, we only exchanged a small amount, solely for convenience store purchases, entrance fees and street food. (Money changer is on your right before exiting the airport).
ON ROUTE TO SEVENTY HOTEL
We asked our hotel to pick us up at the airport and when we got outside, we saw my name from our taxi driver. It took us about 30 minutes before arriving at the hotel, located at the backpacking district of Ho Chi Minh City.
Since it was late, we checked in, filled out information cards, “deposited” our passports and proceeded to our room. Since it was a red eye flight and nabitin kami sa tulog, we decided to get some sleep before planning our day.
To be continued...
