There is A LOT to say about Manila. The most dense city in the world by population, Manila is home to the worst traffic we have ever experienced in our lives. Manila is also home to a variety of other things – history from the Spanish occupation, the oldest Chinatown in the world outside of China, and a unique food scene that you won’t find anywhere else in the world.
Before you head out to “The Provence” and experience true bliss amongst the beautiful Filipino islands (Siargao perhaps?!), make sure you take a day or two to explore “The Pearl of the Orient” – referred to many as this because of its strategic location as a major center of trade and commerce in Southeast Asia.
Things to Book for Manila ⬇️
- Intramuros & Fort Santiago Tour – Most Popular Tour in Manila
- Filipino Street Food Tour
- Hotel in Bonifacio Global City – we recommend the Shangri-La
- Travel Insurance for The Philippines
One Day in Manila – Top 10 Things to Do
Manila is definitely not our favorite city in the world, but if you’re visiting the Philippines for the first time you should probably check out the city. Manila has a very unique cultural history to it. The city is HOT, dirty, and crowded … so get ready for an experience.
➡️ Read: 2 Weeks in the Philippines Itinerary 🇵🇭
1 – Head to Intramuros
The walled city dates back to the Spanish occupation when Intramuros was the colony’s center. The walls were built to protect it from foreign invasion. The cobbled streets and Spanish houses make you feel as if you’re in Europe. There are plenty of museums, churches, and parks here. This area is very safe and modern. In Intramuros you can see Fort Santiago (the premier defense fortress of the Spanish government), the Manila Cathedral, San Agustin Church (UNESCO World Heritage Site), and Casa Manila.
👉 Book a tour of Intramuros here!
2 – Visit “BGC” – Bonifacio Global City
When you visit BGC you’ll feel like you’re in Hong Kong or Singapore. This is a very modern neighborhood in Manila with skyscrapers and shopping malls. We spent a few days here before a few weeks in “the provence” and we honestly didn’t even feel like we were in the Philippines. The contrast between BGC and everywhere else in Philippines is absolutely staggering.
If you’re looking for a luxury stay in BGC, look no further than the Shangri-La at The Fort. This place is absolute luxury, and is by far the nicest hotel we have ever stayed in anywhere in the world.
🏨 Book your stay at the Shangri-La HERE!
3 – Take a food tour around Binondo – the world’s oldest Chinatown
You will find affordable restaurants at pretty much every corner here. Then get some dim sum, roast duck, as well as Filipino-Chinese dishes like lumpiang Shanghai (egg rolls), mami (noodle soup), and hopia (bean-filled pastry).
👉 Check the food tours in Manila here!
4 – Watch the Manila Bay sunset
Take a walk along the Baywalk on Roxas Boulevard. Then have some drinks at a Sunset Bar along the way.
SEE 👉 The Best Things to Do in Coron
5 – Explore Rizal Park
Jose Rizal is a Filipino hero and fought for Filipino independence through his literary works. You can even visit the spot where Rizal was executed by firing squad. This park is just a short walk from Intramuros. It is one of Asia’s largest urban parks. You will see a lot of locals here relaxing on the weekends.
As far as parks are concerned, this is pretty much the only decent one that we found in the whole country. Most of the places we visited didn’t really have any “public parks” to visit, per se.
➡️ Read: The Best Things to Do in Bohol, Philippines 🇵🇭
6 – Try Some Filipino comfort food
I’m gonna be honest, Filipino food is some of my least favorite in the world. Most of it is highly processed and loaded with fake sugars. However, if you’re into this kind of thing, trying some Filipino comfort food when you’re in Manila could be a good idea.
Filipino food is not as easily found around the world like Thai, Japanese, and Korean are. There are restaurants in BGC like Locavore and Manam that serve local favorites that you should try while in Manila.
Puto, Bibangka, Lumpia, Adobo, Filipino Spaghetti, Suman, Halo-Halo, …
💡 Also, checkout our Top 11 Philippines Travel Tips!
7 – Go on a bar crawl around Poblacion in Makati
Whenever I meet a rich Filipino in the US, I always ask if they are from Makati.
Why? Makati is the wealthiest part of Manila, and Poblacion is a trendy, hip neighborhood within Makati. So you’ll find everything here such as local craft beer, rooftop bars, Soji, etc.
🏨 Book your stay in Manila here!
8 – Bargain shopping at Greenhills Shopping Center
Find deals on fashion for your trip to the Philippines before you head out to the islands! But prepare to do a lot of bargaining.
9 – Try some street food
Trying the local street food is a right of passage when visiting a new country. You should probably try isaw, which is grilled chicken or pork intestines. The best place to try some street food is probably Quezon City, and within Quezon City you need to head to Mang Larry’s Isawan. This has been around since the 80’s and is no doubt a go-to for many locals.
Some other Filipino street food that you must try includes fish balls, squid balls, kwek kwek (hard-boiled quail eggs covered in deep-fried batter), green mangoes with bagoong (shrimp paste), and much more.
👉 Book your Intramuros tour here!
10 – Experience a Boodle Fight
A “Boodle Fight” is based on the Filipino military practice of sharing meals together without any plates or utensils while standing up. The food is prepared on a long table lined with a banana leaf, and everyone just digs in with their hands.
There will no doubt be rice, fruits, veggies and some sort of meat or fish. There are tons of restaurants where you can get a “Boodle Fight” at, but the most famous is probably Boodle Fight Manila in Quezon City.
➡️ Read: The Ultimate Guide to El Nido 🇵🇭
Sample Itinerary for Manila
If you’re visiting Manila for the first time, the easiest thing to do would be to spend a full day in the city to recuperate after your long flight, before heading out to the islands. Here is what we would recommend.
Morning ☀️ – Intramuros Tour, Manila Bay, Rizal Park
Afternoon 😴– Relax at your hotel room – Manila is HOT
Night 🌙 – BCG for dinner, walk around to check out the shops
Where to Stay in Manila
If you’re just flying in then heading right out to the islands, stay by the airport. The traffic is horrible in Manila, and it’s not worth it to brave the crowded streets of the city if you’re just going to be leaving the next day.
If you’re spending a few days here, we would recommend BGC, Makati, or somewhere near the center to be close to the historical sites.
☀️ If you’re looking for a luxury stay in BGC, you can’t beat Shangri-La The Fort!
Where to Go After Manila?
Checkout our detailed Philippines Travel Itineraries below.
We recommend heading to Coron, then heading to down the strip of Palawan to El Nido and Puerto Princesa. Then to Siargao.
Or, you could head to Siargao first, then do Palawan.
Siargao, Coron, and El Nido are all must-see places for any tourist coming to the Philippines.
If you’re looking for the most authentically Filipino place that still offers impressive sites for tourists, we would recommend the island of Bohol, which is about a 2 hour ferry from Cebu. After Bohol, make sure you checkout the tiny, peaceful island of Siquijor, which is only a 2 hour ferry from Bohol!
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Summary – 10 Best Things to Do in Manila
Most people who visit the Philippines are surely not visiting to explore Manila. They fly into Manila, then get the hell out of there as quickly as possible. After spending a few days in Manila ourselves, we recommend you do the same.
The Philippines has so much to explore, and you aren’t going to want to waste your time in the concrete, over-crowded jungle of Manila!
💡 Checkout our Top 11 Philippines Travel Tips!
Thanks for reading!
