I know—you’re going to the Philippines, and the first thing that comes to your mind is what to do in Manila. Well, you are in the right place! We recently visited Asia for the first time, and yes, the Philippines was our destination.
Manila was the first stop, and so today, I’m going to share with you some things you can do in Manila. Although it’s a kind of chaotic city and far from the cliché of Asian islands, I’d say Manila is an important stop in the country. After all, there you will learn much about the culture and history of the country.
Where is Manila on the map?
First of all, let’s talk about the map of the Philippines. It looks like a puzzle! There are so many islands that it’s hard to find your way around, but you can see Manila in the northwest of the country, in a bay inside the northernmost island. The city has always had a strategic position and nowadays, the main goods for the port’s activities arrive through Manila. You’ll see that the Port of Manila is very busy because almost 100% of the products have to arrive by boat!
What to do in Manila?
1. Intramuros
Intramuros is the historical heart of Manila, so it would be a good idea to visit this district to begin fathoming how life has been molded and adapted in this city. Just to give you a quick idea about the history of this city, Manila, having been located on a bay, has always held a strategic position for maritime trade. That was until the Spanish conquest, which started in the late 16th century. The Spanish conquered, colonized and catechized the Filipinos, who still have Spanish surnames today, how interesting.
After the Spanish, the Americans decided they wanted to colonize other lands as well and at the end of the 19th century the era of American colonization began. As a result, English became the official language and more modern street names throughout the city were introduced. Finally, after the Americans, the Japanese conquered the Philippines during World War II and the result was a lot of destruction due to the war.
For those who are interested in the subject of World War II, there is an incredible tour just about it, keep reading and I’ll explain! Well, Intramuros is called that because it is located inside a wall that was built during the Spanish conquest and inside the wall there is typical colonial architecture, it is beautiful to see the contrast. There in Intramuros you will be able to see the main historical monuments, among them Fort Santiago, our next recommendation.
2. Fort Santiago
During your visit to Intramuros, take the opportunity to enter Fort Santiago, where you can visit the ruins of the old fortress, the Jozé Rizal Museum and the park of the same name, in honor of the national hero José Rizal . You can see some of the documents he wrote and imagine what his life was like during the end of the Spanish colonization; he was killed by the Spanish for his ideas of independence and anti-colony.
3. Tour with Carlos Celdrán
Unfortunately, I was unable to take this tour. However, I have heard so much about it that I will include it in my recommendations. The guide, Carlos Celdrán, is a well-known figure in Manila as an activist who fights for awareness of HIV and reproductive health in the Philippines. As a conservative country, the use of condoms and contraceptives is still taboo in the Philippines and he tries to raise awareness about the importance of this.
After years of working directly with theater, arts, cinema and culture, he has put together a tour that is both informative and entertaining for tourists, curious people and anyone else who is interested. His tours tell, sometimes mockingly, sometimes patriotically, what happened inside Intramuros and fiercely reports on some sad but important events that occurred in the country.
4. Jeepney Ride
Ah, the Jeepney! It’s not a tourist attraction, although it is the main form of public transportation in Manila. But I assure you, a Jeepney ride around Manila is something at least interesting to experience. It’s an adapted American jeep, inherited from World War II.
People get on the Jeepney at the back and tell the driver where they want to get off, anywhere along the line. You can see your destination on the sides and front of the Jeepney, so go ahead, get some bills and hop on a jeepney, even if it’s just for a few meters! Let me know what you think!
5. Makati City
Makati is another district, it is the island of wealth in Manila. Everything in Makati is very different from Manila, you will see mega buildings, mega stores, mega restaurants. I recommend visiting the Green Belt Malls shopping center, which allows for a pleasant walk between stores and air-conditioned pavilions, parks and open-air restaurants. It is very well maintained and also safe for walking at night. It has playgrounds for children and usually pleases people of all ages.
6. Green Hills
Green Hills is different from Green Belt, mind you! Green Hills is a gallery where you can see, buy and trade local products from the Philippines, including the famous pearls and regional gemstones! It’s like the Dubai gold market, but with precious stones, such as emerald, topaz, sapphire, ruby, aquamarine, diamond and of course, pearls! Depending on the piece you want, it will cost more.
But in general, pearls and aquamarines (my favorites!) are very cheap. I bought some souvenirs, because I was a little tight on cash, but on payday I was going to party there! When you get there, you will see several stalls selling jewelry, but I recommend that you look for a specific place that was recommended by my sister-in-law: Rocha Rocka Jewelry. According to her, everything here is guaranteed to be real and you can negotiate the price.
7. Corregidor Island
This is a full-day tour to visit Corregidor Island, which is 1 hour away from Manila. This island is located right at the entrance to Manila Bay, which means it has a very strategic geographic position in the city and was occupied by the Americans, invaded by the Japanese during World War II and then reclaimed by the Americans again, who freed the islands from Japanese control. In Corregidor, there are guided tours by bus and on foot (which we did) that pass through the military ruins that were left there and tell each stage of World War II.
It is impressive, a tour that surprised me in every way, because there I learned that the Battle of the Pacific was very important during World War II and we usually know much more about the European part of this war than the Asian part. Imagine that in this region, fighting the Japanese was a never-ending battle.
They never surrendered, they never retreated, they were capable of killing each other before having to surrender to the enemy. You will learn these and other things on this tour, which is one of the most popular attractions in Manila, so book in advance.
You need to pay for the ferry to get there (about 1500 PHP per person) and then the tour (if you go on foot it costs 1800 PHP per person and if you go by bus it is 2200 PHP per person). You have to be at the terminal early, at 7:30 in the morning is the boarding time.
8. Memorial Americano
It is located inside the American Embassy in Manila and is basically a memorial that tries to pay tribute by remembering the American and Filipino soldiers who died during World War II here in the Philippines. Seeing something representing their number, who had died in this absurd war, overwhelmed me. The memorial provides more details about the Battle of the Pacific and lists the names of each soldier, each human being who had to sacrifice themselves there.
09. Little Tokio and other snacks
Eating Asian food is a great option for what to do in Manila. There are many good restaurants there and I did a kind of food tour there that was amazing! For those who like Japanese food, there is a place called Little Tokio, a small haven of Japanese restaurants in the middle of the city. It is as famous among Filipinos as it is among Japanese people. It is the favorite spot of the Japanese community in the Philippines!