Manila ｜ Adventures In Luzon
Manila is chaos personified. It is unorganized, filthy, hectic, and almost impossible to move around in. These are some of the nicer things I’d read about the city before visiting for the first time, but it didn’t prepare me for how difficult the city can be, and often is.
It’s easy to understand why people dislike, neigh, hate the Philippines. Manila is a poorly run city that can be quite unwelcoming on the surface. It’s a place that one can become immediately frustrated with and souring the reputation of the country. It is not without it’s charms though, and if you can get past the steep learning curve there is a diamond in the rough waiting to be discovered.
Getting To Manila
Most travelers’ introduction to the city, and the Philippines, is by flying into Ninoy Aquino International Airport (located here). This was how I made my introduction to the Philippines, arriving blurry eyed at 3am. To put things kindly, Ninoy Aquino is a two-bit operation. Little can prepare you for how poorly this airport is connected to the city. Dare I say, it might rank the worst in East Asia.
I wasn’t expecting a fancy rail link, like you find in Thailand, China, Taiwan, or Japan, but I had at least assumed there would be some sort of public transportation attached to the airport. If you assumed this as well, you’d be dead wrong. There are no buses or jeepneys that go to the airport. The only transportation is by private vehicle (you will have to arrange something with your hotel) or taxi.
Getting Into The City
As you exit the arrival building, you find a currency exchange booth, a place to buy SIM cards, and the airports official taxi stand. They will all be staffed 24 hours.
Surprisingly, the exchange isn’t too bad here. I wouldn’t recommend changing all your money at this point, but it’s not a bad idea to change enough to get you to your hotel, get food, drinks, etc.
Sadly, the official taxi is set to price gouge mode, so expect to be officially ripped off! Taxi fares are set by the zone you are going to, so you can ask what the cost will be and get a straight answer. The hotel I stayed at was less than 10km away but I was quoted a price of ₱2,500 ($30).
A far better option would be to bite the bullet and buy a SIM card at the airport, which I believe are more expense and there is less variety in plans to choose from. This is by far the lesser of two evils, because with your newly connect device you can use a taxi app like Grab to get a ride for a much lower price. I paid ₱450 ($8) to get to my hotel. Quite a big difference.
Unless you’ve arrived in the middle of the night, prepare to be slammed by Manila’s truly awful traffic. More on that in the next section below.
Arriving By Bus
If you’re coming from somewhere like Angeles City by bus, you will arrive at one of the bus stations that are scattered around the city. When I took a bus from Dau Bus Terminal in AC, I thought I would arrive at one of the stations near the airport. Instead, the bus terminated at the Batann Transit Avenida Terminal here. The lesson here is to be flexible about where you’ll be dropped off to avoid frustration.
Getting Around Manila
Getting around Manila is the very definition of hell. No matter what way you choose to do it, there will be a lot of suffering involved. I’ve read that the Japanese government is assisting financially and with skilled workers to build a proper metro system for the city. This will of course be game changing, but getting there is going to involve a lot of pain.
There are several ways to get around Manila; the limited rail system, jeepney, taxi & motorbikes. There are even horse drawn carriages around the Intramuros area. If you plan to use one, make sure you set the price, time, and where you’ll be going before you set off. As always, buyer beware.
I cover everything else you need to know about the rest of transportation below. Just know that for most of the day traffic moves at a snail’s pace. You can’t believe how bad it is until you’ve actually experienced it.
Manila’s Limited Rail System
Most people don’t talk this, but the city does have an elevated rail system with 2 main lines. It looks really great on paper, but the reality of it is much less faltering. First of all, the system is cumbersome to use. Riders need to go through airport-like security when they enter and leave the stations. Then they need to purchase a ticket, for which you need to know the exact station you’re going to. I saw a number automated ticket machines that sell tickets, but none of them worked. Not a single one would take paper bills or coins. Totally useless, so you have to get on line, usually a long line, and but your ticket from a human. Then you pass through electron gates to the platform.
The icing on the cake is that if you need to change to the other line, there’s only one place you can do it AND you need to exit and system and do the whole thing again, like security checks, buying tickets, etc.
The whole thing is a huge waste of time and it’s no wonder tourists avoid it and locals are not really that excited by it. The one plus side is that it’s cheap, with tickets starting around ₱12.
*I was denied entry on the train once because I was drunk. I wasn’t being aggressive or rude, just walking a little crooked. I bit of an overreaction on their part, I would say.
Jeepney
Jeepneys are the transportation of choice for Filipinos. The exhaust spewing, opened air mini-buses are everywhere around the city. Like the light rail system, they are cheap, with rides costing a flat ₱12. They do have a few major problems; because they are so long, they have difficulty navigating the streets. They end up stuck in the terrible traffic throughout the city as well as being one of the major factors that causes the horrendous traffic.
There is also the issue of navigating the correct route you want to travel. Most likely you will need to change at least once, even possibly several times, make it confusing, time consuming, and more expensive than you first thought. However they are a great option if you’re on a major road and just want to travel a few kilometers in one direction.
Tricycle
There are lots of tricycles around Manila. I noticed mostly in Intramuros, around the national museums, Chinatown, and way out in the poorer residential areas. Drivers would often approach me to see if I wanted a ride, and that’s never a good sign. Tricycles don’t have a meter, so you will need to negotiate a price before you go. Personally, I avoided using tricycles as I wasn’t familiar enough with how much I should be paying. My advice is to only use them as a last resort.
Taxi Cabs & Moto Taxis
This is no way to escape the terrible traffic in Manila, but at the very least you can ride in comfort and air conditioning. This is, by far, the best way to get around in the city. There is almost an unlimited supply of taxi cabs roaming around, however tourists should be careful to avoid all the usual pitfalls of taxi scams.
To help avoid this issues, you can use the taxi app Grab (Google Play / Apple). Depending on where you are, you might need to wait for a driver to pick you up, but I’ve never had to wait longer than 10 minutes.
There’s a Filipino app called Joyride (Google Play / Apple) with I liked better than Grab, as it has the advantage of getting a motorbike taxi, which is cheaper and way faster at navigating through the thick traffic. Zipping in and out of oncoming traffic It is a bit more dangerous than being in a taxi, but travel is a dangerous game. The only catch with Joyride is you need a Filipino number to activate your profile on the app. So, you will need to have your SIM card in order and make sure you have more than a data plan when you buy your card.
Pasig River Ferry
Manila does actually have a ferry system which I only recently learned about. In true Filipino fashion, information about the ferry is scarce, with a lot of out-dated and conflicting information on the web. Sadly, this is a huge missed opportunity for locals, tourists, and the city as a whole. Under proper management, this could be an excellent way to travel from Makati to Intramuros or the Malacañang Palace without hitting any traffic. The main issue is that the schedule is a huge handicap. Simply put, there aren’t enough boat that run on the river to make this a good option. If you miss the boat you’re trying to take, you will have to wait an hour for the next one.
It’s also not entirely clear which side of the river each ferry station is on. I honestly couldn’t tell when look at Google maps. It was only when I walked there in person that I realized I was on the wrong side of the river. I made an honest attempt to use the ferry, but there were too many factors playing against me.
The Pasig River Ferry operates Monday to Saturday, from 6:30pm to 5:30pm. Fairs range from ₱15 to ₱95, but since 2019 the services are free of charge. That is likely to change in 2024.
Sightseeing In & Around Manila
The main area most tourists make an effort to see in Manila is the old section of the city, Intramuros. This area can be covered in a single day, including the museums.
The shame is, the other areas of Manila are interesting in their own ways, but few devote to seeing them because there are no major sights to see and get anywhere in the city is a hassle. As mentioned before, and will be mentioned again, there are more rewarding places to go in the Philippines, so it’s not worth spending your time in Manila unless you have to.
In short, you can cover everything in worth seeing in Manila in a day or two.
➣Baluarte de San Diego
Baluarte de San Diego, built by the Spanish in the 1500s, leveled by an earthquake, and buried. The circular remains of the tower makes for …
➣Cathedral of Manila
The Cathedral of Manila is one of the best looking church in Manila, but should you devote time to seeing this place of worship? Located in…
➣Chinatown
The world’s oldest Chinatown is right in the heart of Manila. Is it worth heading there if you looking for something interesting to do?
➣Fort Santiago
Fort Santiago, on the north tip of Intramuros, is probably the most prominent sight inside the walled city. While there are some impressive…
➣Intramuros
Intramuros, the famous walled city, is Manila’s main historical sight. Big, sprawling, and free, but is it worth the time to go and …
➣Museo de Intramuros
Museo de Intramuros is easy to pass by unless you’re on the lookout for it. On offer is a huge collection of religious artifacts, however …
➣Museo ng Makati
Museo ng Makati is pleasant little museum that showcases that culture and history of the Makati area. It’s nothing earth-shattering, but …
➣National Museum of Fine Arts
Is the National Museum of Fine Arts a worthy afternoon activity or a worthless time-wasting place to go? Surprisingly, it’s a …
➣National Museum of Anthropology
The National Museum of Anthropology is located just across the street from the Museum of Fine Arts, but is it worth checking out? Actually …
➣National Planetarium
Sadly, permanently closed, though there are plans in the works to build a new one. As of 2023, I don’t see any information on when that plans to happen.
➣Rizal Park
Rizal Park, just south of Intramuros, is one of those sights added on to an itinerary after seeing something else in the area, like the …
➣Saints Peter and Paul Parish Church
Saints Peter and Paul Parish Church is a hidden gem in Makati. On the north end of P. Burgos Street, beyond the gogo bars & ladyboys, sits…
➣San Agustin Church
The San Agustin Church in Manila is located in the Intramuros area, just south of the Cathedral of Manila. Is it worthy of your time or …?
Eating, Drinking, Sleeping, Etc.
Manila, and the Philippines in general, has a bad rap. Some of it deservedly, some of it very unfairly. How does Manila score when it comes to the most important things; food and sleep?
Food
Manila has a great variety of foods to choose from, including a surprisingly robust cafe scene which was really surprising to me. No matter your budget, you will find something good to eat.
A word of warning; many eateries in the Philippines have a tendency to disappear. Either because they have gone bankrupt or just simply moved to a new location. The latter seems to be a national pastime. Even when searching for the most up to date information on Google, Facebook, the internet in general, I will still lead to places that longer existed. One night I went to 5 different locations by motorbike looking for specific artisan ice cream vendors and all of them had moved. None had updated their information on their business in Google nor on their own Facebook pages. So, get ready for disappointment and always have a back up dining plan ready.
➣Arquiza Street Pares & Mami
Arquiza Street Pares & Mami; typical Filipino street food or something more? Hidden on side street south of Rizal Park, this unassuming …
➣Commune
Commune, the best café in the Philippines right in Manila? It might sound sound a bit hyperbolic, but Commune has the most outstanding …
➣Habitual Coffee
Habitual Coffee is another coffee shop located in the Makati area. Is it worth the effort to get out there or should you head to another …
➣Onlypans Taqueria
Onlypans Taqueria is a back-ally authentic Mexican restaurant hidden in Makati, Manila. Is this place worth seeking out? Honestly, if …
➣Pares Mami House
Pares Mami House is the original Filipino greasy spoon, but are they worth seeking out to try their famous beef stew, fried rice, and siomai?
➣Refinery
Refinery, in Makati, is another cafe that pops up on a lot of best of cafe lists in the area. Is it worth the effort to get to or should …
➣Salcedo Saturday Market
The Salcedo Weekend Market is an opened air market that occurs every Saturday in Makati. If you’re expecting a cheap place to sample lots …
➣Wildflour Café + Bakery Salcedo
Wildflour Café + Bakery Salcedo, located in Makati, is part of a chain with this branch focused on coffee and baked goods. Should you make…
Drinking
There’s no shortage of places to drink and party in Manila. The city is home to more than one red light district, and nighttime entertainment is what this city is particularly known for.
➣Banter & Jive
Banter & Jive is a hidden gem in Makati and might possible be the best bar in Manila, This is a bar for spirit aficionado, for the patroon …
P. Burgos Street in Manila is packed with restaurants, bars, clubs, and excitement. Widely known as Manila’s red light district, it’s …
Manila’s sleaziest meat market, L.A. Cafe, jam-packed with loose women looking to turn a trick. Does it live up to all the hype of …
➣The Spirits Library
The Spirits Library in Makati is the place you’ll want to go to hit the books on cocktails. With a host of unique cocktails & rare bottles …
➣Z Hostel
Z Hostel (the bar, not the hostel) in Makati is a mixed bag. It had a lot of things we didn’t like, but there was one amazing thing that …
Sleep
Manila has no shortage of places to stay, but you should really consider what you want from the city before booking a place to stay. If your main focus is getting in and out of the city as quickly as possible, choosing a hotel near the airport would be a wise move. However, if you want to focus on the sights to see, than staying in the municipality of Manila, where Intramuros and the historic sights are located, is a better idea. If you’re looking for vibrate night life, than perhaps staying in Makati would be more your speed.
U Hotels Makati, located just outside of the P. Burgos Street area, was a great find. It’s chic, modern, and best of all it’s …
Kingsford Hotel, west of the airport, is a great choice for anyone coming to Manila on a super short stay. Guest need to be careful about …
Miscellaneous Stuff
Amazingly, you are never far from a shopping mall in Manila. It almost feels like there’s mall every block, and in some neighborhoods, that’s true. No bones about it, Filipinos loves to shop.
Personally, I find shopping malls tacky and lacking in anything original or worthwhile. However, they do make for a good place to retreat into from the strong sun and have a cool drink. I think the street markets in China, Vietnam, and Thailand are more worthy of a shopping trip, but if you love malls, you’ll be in heaven in Manila.
Lets Talk Dirty Laundry sounds far more salacious than it really is. If you’re staying in Manila, is this full-service laundromat a good deal?
Like shopping? Throw a rock in Manila, you’ll hit a mall. Seriously! But, is it worth your time to explore the endless malls in Manila?
How Long To Stay in Manila
You can cover the main sights in the city with just one or two day, depending on how much time you like to spend in museums. Because the city is such a pain in the butt to travel around, it’s no wonder why more visitors opt to spend as little time as possible in the city and head off to places that showcase the county’s natural beauties.
Taking all that into account, once you learn the ropes of the city, it can be a rewarding place to bum around in. There are lots of little hidden gems scared across the city for curios adventures to discover. If you have limited time in country, no one would hate you for moving on as fast as possible to somewhere more enjoyable.
Scams, Dangers, & Annoyances
Manila is a sprawling city, with some very safe areas and other places where security might be more marginalized. Manila, and the Philippines in general, has a bad reputation, fraught with poverty and violence. I was warned daily by locals to be very careful where I went and to whom I spoke with. It is good advice and one should always keep their wits about them and remain vigilant. It’s also never a good idea to become too inebriated where you lose control of what you’re doing.
I will stress that I never felt in danger in Manila, even when walking alone at night. Local people on the street would indeed approach me, but they were always friendly with me. I was often invited to go to drink or eat with them, and they always refused to allow me to pay. I saw a lot of poverty and homeless people, but not a single person asked me for money.
Life in Makati
There is lots of on-street solicitation by sex workers in Makati. Most asking if you would like a “massage.” The ladyboys walking the streets are some of the more annoying people you will have to deal with, as they tend to follow you for a bit and won’t leave you alone.
There is also a bevy of unsavory individuals harassing passerbys with offers of Viagra and Cialis pills. If nothing else, they are extremely annoying. It’s best not to answer them or even look at them. Just plow ahead at full steam.
Bar none, I saw lots of heated arguments between an African and local Filipino in Makati multiple times a night. These would often happen because of some disagreement in the bar with a working girl and the bouncers throwing them out. Sometimes these arguments would devolve into actual fist fights. I saw people brawling in the streets at least once a night. These happenings will always draw a large crowd and often times spill out onto the roads, block traffic, and just cause general pandemonium. They were always entertaining, but it’s important to keep your distance and remain uninvolved.
Not Just Makati
On the annoyance side of things, there is a lot of street trash in Manila. It’s really sad to see local people that don’t care about their city or environment. I hope that there will better education, more access to trashcans, and better enforcement of littering in the future.
There is one major scam all travelers should be aware of:
➣The BIGGEST Scam in the Philippines
The BIGGEST Scam in the Philippines is something most travelers can run into at any bar in the country. It’s easy to avoid if …
There is also one major danger you’ll find throughout the country:
➣Broken Pedestrian Infrastructure
In many developing countries pedestrian infrastructure is sorely lacking. So, what’s the best way to stay safe and …
If you plan on just the bus, you should check out:
➣Fake Bus Staff
Fake bus staff scamming tourists at a bus station can be a serious issue in many counties. Let’s see how this scam works and how it can …
➣Buses in the Philippines; Tips & Tricks
Buses in the Philippines aren’t the most glamours way to get around, so you need to follow these tips to make your trip as comfortable as …
Need more information about the Philippines?
Read our full write up on Angeles City HERE.
Check out our full write up on Cebu HERE.
Peruse our tips on Palawan HERE. (Coming soon)
Look at our full write up on Laoag HERE.
View our full write up on Vigan HERE.
