In Manila, be street smart and you should do fine. I was born here, and when I’m on the street I only trust security guards for directions. They are the ones in white polo uniform tucked inside blue pants. They have guns and are outside almost any private establishment. For some reason, they are also always asked for directions.
BEST PLACES TO VISIT IN MANILA AND NEARBY CITIES
HISTORY:
For a slice of history, you can visit the walls of Intramuros and Fort Santiago. I recommend contacting this Carlos Celdran guy for a tour around Manila because if you go to Intramuros without a guide, it will just be another street with old houses and horse carriages for you.
Fort Santiago is a place where Jose Rizal, the coolest Filipino who lived (google him), was imprisoned during the Spanish occupation.
I also like going to Binondo, Manila’s chinatown, to pig out. I love authentic Chinese food.
MUSEUM AND ART:
I think the best museum I have been to is the Ayala Museum, you can reach this place by taking the MRT (name of train station) and getting off at Ayala Station. The museum is part of a mall called Greenbelt. They have gold collections, Filipino art, history section, the works. Entrance fee cost P250 and it’s worth it.
There is also a place called Cubao Expo in Cubao, Quezon City. It looks a bit scary from the outside because it looks like an abandoned mall, but if you go in, you can see a strip of art galleries, antique stores, art stores, and some unique restaurants with art designs. There is also a bar there that offers free film showings named Mogwai, you can click here for film schedules. This is where artists hang out.
NIGHTOUT:
For a nightout, I go to Tomas Morato in Quezon City (a network of streets with bars and restaurants), Eastwood in Libis, and Metrowalk in Ortigas. When I’m in Tomas Morato, I eat in Kalye Juan (great Filipino Food) and Nomnomnom (cheap vegetarian restaurant).
When I’m in Eastwood, I eat in Something Fishy. Every 10pm onwards they have this incredibly cheap (just more then P100) eat-all-you can breakfast buffet. It’s crazy and thinking about it makes me hungry.
PARK:
I honestly think if you are in Manila, you want to be here because of the history and probably the food, but you didn’t go here to be in a park. The Philippines have really rich forests, virgin beaches and any park is just nothing compared to that.
But you might want to check out La Mesa Ecopark. This is probably the nearest protected forest to Manila. You can go biking here (it’s for kids though), go on a zipline, ride a horse or paddle a boat. If you like to people watch, this is the best place to see how Filipino families bond. It’s only open till 6pm.
SHOPPING:
Divisoria is a place within Manila where Filipinos go to buy the cheapest goods. I assure you that if you go here, the cheapness of everything will drive you nuts. During Christmas month, Divisoria becomes so jam-packed with people shopping that you don’t need to walk anymore because the flow of the crowd will just take you where you need to go. You will literally be squeezed.
But on normal months, this place is a haven for shopping. Clothings and accessories cost P50 up to P300 max. And you can ask for a discount on everything. There is also a night market here. But here’s the catch-- since a lot of people shop, a lot of pickpockets make a living too. When we go here, we make sure we don’t have any valuables with us and that we are dressed very simply (slippers, shorts, really old shirt) so the pickpockets will think we have no money.
I recommend that you only go to Divisoria with a local.
TRANSPORTATION:
You can ride a passenger bus, jeepney, and train if you are on low budget. If you’re taking a cab, make sure you insist to use METER. Just get out of the cab fast or don't get in if the driver insists on a fixed price instead of using meter. I usually give a tip of P20 if I like the driver (which I usually do). At night, the safest cabs you should ride are labeled MGE, R&E and E&E. They are manila’s most reliable taxi company.
I think going to all these places can fit in two days if you are competitive. :)
If you have any q's, you may send me a message through ym. My id is pinay.traveler or you may email me at pinay.traveler@yahoo.com.
