Manila is the almost obligatory gateway when one decides to travel to the Philippines. The city does not have a very good reputation. Many travellers don't even take the time to visit Manila before flying to the paradise islands like Siargao, Bohol, Negros or Palawan with El Nido and Coron. We want to make our own opinion about the city and share it in this new travel blog post by staying 2 days in the capital of the Philippines before starting a1 month travel itineraryin the Philippines(read our guide)
And yes, Manila is not all traffic jams!
Outline of this travel blog post on Manila
Visiting Manila for the first time: Practical guide with tips and video
1. Visit Manila and the Philippines in videos
Before telling you about our visit to Manila and giving you all our tips on where to stay and what to see in the capital of the Philippines, follow us in this video shot in vlogging mode.
Let's go! We'll take you around Manila as if you were in our backpacks.
And to complete the picture, here's 1 minute of inspiring video about our trip to the Philippines. Hold on to your hats, we've got some dreamy images on the programme
Before you rush to buy a plane ticket to visit Manila and the Philippines, take the time to read our blog posts on this heavenly destination. You'll find plenty of tips on how to make the most of your next trip to paradise.
2. Visiting Manila: Our practical advice
Here is a map of Manila where we have listed the few visits we made in 2 days. We admit that we didn't try to make a complete guide of the city but rather to share some good tips that could be very useful to visit Manila and to help you to get used to this capital of South-East Asia often neglected by travellers.
2.1. How to get around Manila?
There are two types of taxi in Manila, yellow and white.
From the international airport, hop into a yellow taxi if you are staying near the centre of Manila.
Why? Because yellow taxis are the official taxis. They are therefore the safest. But as is often the case in Asia, you will probably have to insist that the driver starts his meter, always with a smile of course.
As for the fare: count 70 pesos when you take it at the airport + 4 pesos every 300 metres.
To reach the unusual hotel mentioned below, you'll need to pay about 250 pesos for a 20-minute ride. If you go directly to the hotel, you will be asked to pay 800 pesos. The same price is charged to get to downtown Manila.
There are also white taxis, the "more local" taxis. We recommend them for short trips, for example between Manila National Airport and our second hotel, which was 5 minutes away, or between the same hotel and the Mall of Asia. Less expensive than the yellow taxis, you really have to insist and even more insist to get the driver to start his meter again or agree on a price (ok if you already have a notion of the price) at the beginning of the trip. The white taxis were, at least for us, a good compromise, especially when we wanted to take a taxi on the fly.
In any case, you have to be careful in a taxi, but no more so than elsewhere. To reassure us, we always use the free " maps.me " application which allows us to stay geolocated and to follow the taxi's route even in aeroplane mode. This is very practical and reassuring because you always know where you are.
Another possibility: Private transfer from the airport from/to downtown Manila (40,51€)
2.2. Security in Manila and the language barrier
How many times have we heard "Be careful in Manila, it's dangerous"?
Manila has a bad reputation like Rio de Janeiro. But all big cities are dangerous because there is no such thing as zero risk. So of course, we didn't go and get lost in the sensitive areas. So by respecting a few obvious safety precautions that are ultimately valid everywhere in the world, we limit the risks.
Note that visiting Manila is not recommended at night, especially in the so-called sensitive areas. And, as with every trip, it is better to avoid exposing your jewellery and watches.
One last piece of advice, obvious but always good to remember: never leave your belongings out of sight.
In the Philippines, you will always be greeted with a "hello sir" or "hello madam" and a huge smile.
The Filipinos we met on our way were friendly, respectful and nice people. You always feel welcome in the Philippines.
As far as language is concerned, if you speak a minimum of English, you will have no language barrier. English is considered a national language in the Philippines, so everyone speaks English. This makes the trip much easier! So if you have any problems, don't hesitate to ask the locals for help.
If you are afraid to travel in the Philippines because you don't speak English, you should know that you will meet a lot of French people during your trip. This is a good way to meet, exchange and share with fellow countrymen. You will find your own good plans to visit Manila and the Philippines.
3. Where to sleep in Manila?
At the beginning of our trip to the Philippines, we slept in an unusual address close to the Intramuros district of Manila. A nice experience very well located to visit Manila that we will tell you about.
For the last night of our trip, 1 month later, we found a newly opened hotel located 5 minutes away from the Manila airport. The ideal establishment if you find yourself like us spending only one night in Manila between 2 planes.
3.1 Where to sleep in downtown Manila? An original concept
We slept 2 nights in theH2o hotel (and booking link to compare), a hotel with an original concept which proposes rooms with a tropical fish aquarium wall, or a jellyfish aquarium wall or rooms with a view on the Manila bay.
We choose the room with the tropical fish aquarium, a foretaste of our future trips to the sea. The room is very functional and quite large despite the lack of separation (door) between the night space and the bathroom. A plus for the bathroom with a walk-in shower and a bathtub where you can escape by watching the fishes doing their show in the wall aquarium.
The Wi-Fi included in the room rate works very well throughout the hotel.
The H2o hotel is original in the design of its rooms but also in its location. The hotel is in fact in the heart of an amusement park dedicated to the fauna and flora of the Philippines and in particular to the aquatic universe. We'll tell you more about it below. Moreover, the hotel is very well located to visit Manila.
The breakfast is not the best of all times but there is everything from sweet to savoury. The lunch buffet is not very good. However, in the evening, we advise you togo and dine on the terrace, facing the sea, at the hotel's restaurant, the White Moon bar. You can enjoy calamari and pork prepared on the barbecue in a lounge atmosphere.
The Blue Lagoon and the Strawberry Mojito are refreshing cocktails. These dishes and drinks cost between 2 and 4 euros. Really cheap! A good deal.
3.2 Where to sleep in Manila for a night's stopover? Our good plan
Located 10 minutes from the national airport and 10 minutes from Terminal 1 of Manila International Airport by taxi, the new Go Hotels is definitely the hotel we recommend if you are on a layover in Manila and are looking for a hotel close to the airport. The white taxi ride to Go Hotels from any airport terminal is about 100 pesos.
The best place to stay during your stopover in Manila.
The building was recently repainted in yellow and is not spectacular from the outside. However, as soon as you arrive at the reception, you feel good. You are welcomed with a smile. Everything is clean, new and modern. There is even a 24-hour restaurant at the reception. Very convenient! Otherwise, you should know that there is also a 7-Eleven shop located just opposite the hotel. It's always handy to do a little shopping or grab a bite to eat.
As for security, there is a security service within the hotel.
The room is of average size and well arranged. Special mention for the very large safe, very practical for storing all your personal belongings.
We are staying in room 824. We recommend it because it is located on the 8th floor at the end of the corridor and does not overlook the street. It is a very quiet room to rest. Excellent 150×200 bedding.
The private bathroom is located on either side of the entrance to the room. On the left, the shower area. On the right, the sink and the toilet.
Wifi is included in the room rate and works very well throughout the hotel.
Double room rate: 50 euros/night including tax. Good value for money.
4. Visiting Manila in 2 days: Ideas and tips for visits
In only 2 days, we obviously didn't have time to explore all the areas of Manila. We concentrated on the old historic Intra-Muros district and the area around Independence Square, which is close to the H2o Hotel.
Guided tour of Manila in 4 hours between past and present (43,21€)
Visit Manila in 2 days. What to see?
The Intramuros district, its churches, Fort Santiago and its sights.
Rizal Park with its fountains, lawns, Chinese and Japanese gardens. You can't miss the statue of Saint Lorenzo Ruiz.
The Manila Ocean Park amusement park.
The Mall SM of Asia.
But let's go into a little more detail about these visits to Manila.
4.1. Visiting Manila and the Intramuros area
Exploring the old city centre, called Intramuros, feels likeexploring a Spanish orItalianvillage. For the first time for us in Southeast Asia, temples and mosques give way to churches. Thecolonial architecture reinforces the strange feeling of being at the confluence of several influences. We are far from the chaotic and noisy Manila we were told about. Probably the only area of Manila that is quiet like this.
Intramuros is the oldest part of Manila. It is a city within the city, bounded by a defensive wall built by the Spanish in the late 16th century. Heavily damaged during the Second World War, the district was restored in 1951. Restoration continues to this day.
The best way to visit the Intramuros district of Manila is to get lost on foot. You can spend a few hours there because the district is on a human scale. You can enter the district by walking along the golf course and then along General Luna Street towards the fort.
Historical tour of Manila by bamboo bike (€14.23)
One of the highlights of the tour was when we found ourselves in front of the only monument to have been spared by the bombings of the Second World War: St Augustine's Church built in 1586. Just before it, on the right, you can get lost in a small maze of pedestrian passages that give you the impression of being in a village in southern Italy. Keep your eyes peeled for a few hidden restaurants.
At the intersection of General Luna and Andres Soriano Jr. streets, on the right, don't miss the green square and its fountain, but also and above all the statue of King Charles IV and the facade of the Manila cathedral.
Then, continuing along General Luna Street to the end of the historic old town, we arrive at the entrance to Fort Santiago and its gardens (entrance fee: 75 pesos/person)
Fort Santiago is a citadel built by the Spanish when the Philippines was still one of their colonies. Since then, many Spaniards and Filipinos have been imprisoned here. The Filipino hero José Rizal was imprisoned and executed in 1896 in the fort's prison. In fact, you can't miss his footsteps engraved in bronze during your visit to the fort. These steps symbolise his final journey to death. You can also visit a shrine dedicated to the national hero.
Fort Santiago, a historical visit between the interior and exterior that is certainly not wow but is a must when you have decided to visit Manila. The site is open every day between 8am and 6pm.
Visiting Fort Santiago is also a way to enjoy the peace and quiet of Manila itself.
4.2. Visit Manila and Rizal Park
Rizal Park is a huge green area also called Luneta by the locals who like to relax here. Locals come here to picnic with friends and family on the large expanse of grass while young adults and teenagers from Manila improvise a game of rugby. The little ones prefer to play round ball or kite. The park, which is open to all and fully integrated into the city of Manila, has a relaxed atmosphere.
At its centre, Rizal Park has a large musical pool where you can watch a "dancing fountain" show.
Rizal Park is also home to a Chinese garden (free if you visit Manila like us during Chinese New Year), a Japanese garden and museums.
The park can be reached on foot from the Intramuros district but also from the H2o Hotel because, heading towards the sea, Rizal Park leads to the Manila Ocean Park and its hotel.
4.3. Original visit to Manila: Manila Ocean Park
The Manila Ocean Park is the first oceanarium in the Philippines. It is an ideal theme park to visit with friends or family, and features much of the archipelago's wildlife. The park focuses on marine life, presenting a wide variety of creatures while developing an educational approach to the protection and preservation of the ecosystem. In addition to being a leisure park, the site has an educational role.
To visit the site, you must first choose your formula and attractions. From stingrays to sea lion shows to penguins, there is no such thing as a dull moment here. Don't miss the 25-metre long underwater tunnel with sharks and a multitude of tropical fish varieties.
If you're more into land animals, reptiles and other birds are also on show.
You either love or hate this kind of theme park. In any case, when you have some time to visit Manila, it is worth the visit. And it's also the way to meet a lot of Filipinos and to exchange with them.
4.4. Visit modern Manila : The Mall of Asia
A few minutes by taxi from the airport, we recommend you to go to the second biggest shopping mall in the Philippines: The Mall of Asia. It's the perfect place to immerse yourself in one of Manila's modern districts while enjoying the air conditioning. You can have lunch and do some shopping. Don't expect to see shops like at MBK in Bangkok for example. Here, all prices are displayed and all major international clothing brands are present, but local brands are also present.
The Mall SM of Asia (or Mall of Asia) is a great place to do some shopping before leaving the Philippines.
In conclusion,
We spent 1 month in the Philippines last February. During the preparation of this trip, we obviously asked ourselves for a long time the question of the relevance of a stay in Manila. Should we go directly to the islands or discover the capital of the Philippines first? We didn't regret our choice to explore the city because, after a 16 hours flight to get there, we were happy to rest before taking another plane to go to the islands.
This is where you can find our Philippines travel itinerary.
The next step is to go to the favorite island of surfers in the Philippines,Siargao Island.