Manila Travel Tips

Daytime Pursuits:

It is almost impossible to run out of things to see and do in Metro Manila. Magnificent churches of impressive architectural proportions with their interiors chock-full of relics testify to the centuries-old religious tradition of the Filipinos. Parks and shaded plazas deliver rest to weary feet; markers and monuments provide insights into significant events and people in local history. Museums and art galleries acquaint visitors with the country's rich cultural, historical and artistic heritage.
The visitor may also want to spend time watching a movie, as a great number of Filipinos do. There are more than 246 movie houses in Metro Manila alone, making the Philippines the film capital of Asia. Majority of these movie houses show American films.

In Manila, visit Malacanang Palace , official residence of the Philippine heads of state; stroll through Rizal Park , Paco Park or Intramuros the old walled city or head for Quiapo and Chinatown for a dash of local color. For more outdoor fun and entertainment, there are sunset cruises around Manila Bay and open-air cultural events held Friday evenings at Paco Park, Saturday evenings at Puerta Real in Intramuros and Sunday afternoons at Rizal Park. Explore the museums of the Cultural Center of the Philippines located along Roxas Boulevard.

In Makati, spend time at the Ayala Museum for a look at the historical dioramas depicting significant events in Philippine history. The museum also has excellent models of Southeast Asian watercraft as well as archaeological artifacts.

Farther north in Quezon City are the Quezon Memorial Circle and the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center. On these tree-shaded open spaces, get a whiff of fresh air, go biking or roller-skating, or just soak in the peace and quiet.

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Sports:

Metro Manila's 11 golfing greens are some of the best places to tee off in Asia. Aside from inexpensive fees and club amenities, there are the bonuses of fresh-air, balmy sunshine and friendly, English-speaking caddies who offer solicited advice. Rates vary from course to course.

"Country clubs" popular with the local business and yuppie set—are located within the city and provide facilities for recreation and relaxation such as swimming pools, health spas, gyms, bowling lanes, billiard halls, tennis and basketball courts, restaurants and cocktail lounges. Some of these clubs accept members and nonmembers alike, while others accept nonmembers who come as guests of club members.

For spectator sports with a dash of local color, nothing beats the horse-races at the Sta. Ana Tracks and at the San Lazaro Hippodrome.

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Dining:

Metro Manila tempts gourmets with a cosmopolitan range of cuisine. Filipino specialty restaurants abound, enticing visitors with a wide range of island flavors from the different regional kitchens of the country. Bistros, patisseries, steak houses, diners, seafood grilles and noodle houses vie for patronage along busy restaurant rows in Ermita, Malate and Roxas Boulevard (Manila), on Makati Avenue, Jupiter Street, Pasong Tamo and Pasay Road (Makati), and on Timog, West and Quezon Avenues ( Quezon City ).

Head for Ongpin Street in Chinatown! where Chinese Filipinos go for a taste of true mainland delicacies. Eat your way through the restaurant rows of Malate and Roxas Boulevard as you savor the sea breezes and watch a spectacular sunset. Farther down Roxas Boulevard towards the Cavite coastline, take your pick of fresh seafood cooked to your specifications in the many restaurants lining the road.

A peek into the basements of Metro Manila's shopping malls will reveal steaming fastfood counters serving everything from pasta, salads and sizzling steaks to kimchi, sushi and lechon (roast pig).

And then there are the sidewalk eateries which serve hearty portions of favorite native fare, as well as itinerant vendors who sell local delicacies such as banana-cue and camote-cue (fried, sugared plantain bananas or sweet potatoes skewered on a barbecue stick), fried fishballs, boiled corn and the ever-popular local delicacy, balut (boiled duck's egg with the unhatched embryo intact).

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Evening Entertainment:

As the sun goes down, the lights go up in Metro Manila's nightspots. First-class hotels and restaurants attract diners with performances by local pop artists, folk dance troupes, string quartets and jazz bands. Theater and repertory acts, classical concerts and ballet performances cater to the well dressed set who frequent the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the Manila Metropolitan Theater, the Repertory Theater at Shangri-La Plaza and other theaters throughout the city.

For endless evenings of dancing, music and people-watching, head for the bright lights along Makati Avenue and Pasay Road in Makati, along Quezon Boulevard, Timog and West Avenues in Quezon City, Greenhills in San Juan, and Roxas Boulevard and Malate in Manila. Trendy discos with their flashing lights and pulsating music are the delight of the dance crowd. Cozy jazz bars and music lounges offer wine and mood music along with quiet ambiance and good conversation. Karaoke bars and nightclubs entice with drinks, dancing and opportunities to let one's hair down and sing-along with the music.

There are two casinos for those who wish to try their luck at cards, roulette or the slot machines. Along the sunset strip of Ermita, chug a mug of chilled local beer with platters of pulutan (finger foods) and a liberal dash of pulchritude.

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Shopping:

It is extremely easy for the happy shopper to get lost in Metro Manila's treasure trove of malls, flea markets, bargain centers and antique shops. On your way to the city from the airport, stop at the handicrafts shops strategically located along the road.

The mega shopping trend has invaded the country's commercial centers. Huge structures beckon from busy intersections along EDSA such as Ayala in Makati, Cubao in Quezon City, Ortigas in San Juan, and Crossing in Mandaluyong. These shopping complexes—some covering more than 10 hectares area—have gathered, all under one roof, trendy signature antiques, shoe stores, houseware and appliance centers, shops and furniture , optical and jewelry shops, and drugstores, gourmet restaurants and fastfood galleries. Flock to these malls malls any day of the week for dining and movie-watching.

Flea market stalls crowd the congested streets of Quiapo Divisoria and Baclaran where bargain-hunters jostle and haggle for the best buy in fabric, ready-to-wear clothing, shoes and slippers, houseware and home decor items and fresh produce. Loves of and handicrafts rummage around antique shops on streets of Malate Manila and San Juan for relics, old santos (images of saints), altarpieces, vases, ceramics, baskets, earthenware and brassware.

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Convention Facilities:

Metro Manila is well-equip modern facilities and services for international convent Philippine International Convention Center Complex on Roxas Boulevard is the premier convention center in the country. It has a large convention hall which can accommodate up to 4,000 people, as well as meeting groups of 100 to 1,000. Most deluxe hotels within the facilities for smaller groups. Out-of-town resort hotel are alternative convention sites. The Philippine Convention Visitors Corporation (PCVC) has a Conventions and Travel Unit which provides comprehensive information, technical assistance and guidance to convention planners and incentive tide travel organizers.

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