Manila, Philippines

A few words about Manila

The beautiful capital of Philippines is found on the spectacular eastern shores of the Manila Bay, having a population of 1,600,000 inhabitants. Just 800 miles away from Asia, Manila is a place that you will absolutely and irremediably fall in love with, as it is located in a tropical savanna climate which makes the weather a wonderful one and the natural surroundings extremely picturesque!

What to visit in Manila

Manila is without any doubts, a wonderful paradise for any tourist. There are hundreds of things to do in Manila, monuments to visit and places to see, so you should prepare yourself with a lot of energy and good mood, because you can’t leave Manila without seeing all of them!

You should start you Manila tour with a walk along the famous Baywalk, a linear park from where you can let yourself in the hands of the legendary Manila sunsets, which are absolutely breathtaking! The Bonifacio Shrine is next on the list, built in honor of Andres Bonifacio, the man who fought for the freedom of Philippines in the war against the Spanish forces.

The Coconut Palace is a residence built for the visit of Pope John Paul II by first lady Imelda Marcos, a spectacular building that stands along the waterfront, waiting to receive its visitors. The Intramuros represents, without any doubts, one of the most important tourist attractions in Manila; they represent the remnants of the old Spanish settlement that was built in Manila and tourists can still see the Manila Cathedral, the ruins and the museums behind the walls!

The Manila Shrine, the San Luiz Plaza and the Santo Tomas University follow on your list of tourist attractions in Manila, as you have to see them all in order to understand and to really feel the unique architectural style of the city! The Manila Central Post Office is one of Manila’s buildings which are representative for the neoclassical style, while the Manila Metropolitan Theatre is an exquisite example of Art Deco. There are a few museums that also deserve your attention, especially if you interested in the interaction with the history, the art and the traditions of the city, such as Ayala Museum, San Agustin Museum, the Pambata Museum and the Museum of Filipino Political History.

The Sunken Gardens represent one of the most impressive and fascinating family owned attractions in Manila. Exposing different types of soil, the Sunken Garden represent the perfect place in which you enjoy various types of plants, starting with the desert cacti and finishing with the tropical palm trees! Follow the path that winds around the gardens, taking you deep into the world of tropical birds, alligators, flamingos, fruit trees, flowers and Royal Palms!

Nature and Wildlife in Manila

Manila is famous for the tribute it brings to nature, as its inhabitants respect it and try to keep it as far as possible from what modernization means! All tourists in Manila should find a few hours in which to enjoy the quiet, the greenness and the fresh air offered by Manila’s parks!

For example, you are not allowed to miss the beautiful Rizal Park, widely known as Luneta, a park which is absolutely for morning jogging, as well as for tai chi enthusiasts, for people who want to enjoy a classical music concert in the open air museum and the beauties offered by the planetarium!

Another green location, Paco Park is a very famous venue for weddings and a place where a lot of people love to attend the open air concerts! Manila Ocean Park was opened in 2008 and it represents a top attraction for any wildlife lover, while Manila Zoo is a place where you will want to take your kids, as they have the chance to see animal species that will attract their attention!

How to travel in Manila

Manila is crossed by three train lines: the Orange Line, the Purple Line and the Yellow Line which are very accessible for tourists, as they are fast and quite cheap! The Orange Line costs 10 Filipino pesos (base fare) and the price can raise with 5 Filipino pesos, depending on the distance. If you choose the Yellow Line, you should know that it costs 12 Filipino pesos for 4 stations, while the Purple Line is 12 Filipino pesos for only three stations!

If you prefer the bus, then you should know that there are several routes that surround the provinces in Manila, so it will be easy to get from one tourist attraction to another one!

Recommended journeys

Manila is surrounded by overwhelming natural beauties, so you have to see them in order to really believe that paradise can fall on earth! Those who adore practicing trekking, Mount Batulao is a very popular trekking destination, with a cool weather and spectacular views on top, so it is a perfect destination for a relaxing day hike! Taal is the heritage town that hosts Spanish period homes, all of them built from the 19^th century export crops such as sugar and coffee!

Mount Pinatubo represents another important hiking destination, as this is also the place where you can admire the volcanic lake near Manila! The hiking is worth the effort, as the views upon the Crater Lake will be breathtaking!

A culinary vacation

No vacation in Manila is complete without the traditional culinary experience! The street food which is peddled by the ambulant vendors is absolutely fantastic, but it might also be a true adventure, especially for the ones who are not quite nonconformist personalities!

Chicaron is one of the popular traditional dishes and it is represented by fried pork rinds which are usually accompanied by a beer! The Philippine barbecue is represented by big pieces of marinated pork charcoal grilled (I am sure that you will love them). If you want to taste one of the popular sweets, then you have to order a Banana Cue (bananas fried in oil and covered with caramelized brown sugar). For those who don’t want to try the street food, the traditional restaurants will surely wait for you, serving delicious dishes!

Average price per night in Manila is 46.39 USD