Forced Landside Transit Manila international airport- Visa?

[aikman]

Apologies to revive an old thread. I found MNL airport to be less than user friendly last time out. I potentially have a long layover but only for the day (thinking of flying into MNL and then flying out later that day from where I came from HKG. Part of a broader flight plan and if I tack on MNL then I save a fair bit even though it seems perverse to fly in and out. Ordinarily would go out into the city but the timing is less than ideal. Thinking about it though. Has anyone any experience with the transit system? Same terminal. In fact same airline. Might be able to use the lounge for a few hours I guess (if its open all day) but wondering if I need to go out through immigration (as coming in international) and back again? Anyone with ideas for a reasonably close tourist thing to do from the airport?

Cathay? Then you'll be in Terminal 3. From inside the terminal walk across the bridge over the highway. There is a shopping centre and a casino at the other end.

 

[TravelingJ]

Cathay? T

Yep. Cathay. Come in early and potentially out on the same day. Anyone ever done that before? I would like to potentially stay a few days but the timing is tight at the other end.

 

[CMA222]

Cathay? Then you'll be in Terminal 3. From inside the terminal walk across the bridge over the highway. There is a shopping centre and a casino at the other end.

@TravelingJ - If you want to go landside you will have to enter and leave the country via Immigration. That will mean you need to do the online Arrival/Departure forms. Visa free for 30 days for Australian passport holders. The casino mall (Resort World) is only five minutes walk after going across the sky bridge from the top floor of Terminal 3, to the Belmont Hotel. Resort World is a typical casino mall with access to the Marriott and Hilton Hotels. There is a good food court on an upper level with a selection of restaurants. Otherwise it is full of up-market shops. Not much else around the area. Cathay lounge is reliably good and has a view of aircraft movements.