Tours in Manila and Its Surroundings
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General Information
Manila, the largest city in the Philippines, is almost always the starting point for a trip to the Asian island nation.
Manila, is a metropolis where deep-rooted history meets ultra-modern city life. Sitting right on Manila Bay, it serves as the cultural, economic, and transportation heart of the archipelago.
Its international airport is considered one of the worst, but it pleasantly surprised us. Within 45 minutes of landing, we were at the Sheraton Manila Hotel, located near the airport in an area filled with many luxury hotels adjacent to one another, with shopping centers in between. The Sheraton shares a large and beautiful swimming pool with the adjacent Hilton.
Recommended 5-Star Hotels in Manila
Hotel near the airport:
♦ Sheraton Hotel Sheraton Manila Hotel at Newport World Resorts
Located adjacent to Manila Airport. The hotel features three restaurants, a pool, a spa, a fitness center, and free parking.
Hotels in the Makati Business District:
♦ Hotel Fairmont Makati
Located in the heart of the Makati Business District. The hotel features a pool, a spa, two restaurants, a fitness center, free internet, and free parking.
♦ Hotel Makati Shangri-La, Manila
Located in Ayala Center in the Makati Business District. Features an outdoor pool, 4 restaurants, a fitness center, a spa, and free parking.
Hotels in the Bonifacio District
The hotel features two outdoor swimming pools, 8 restaurants, a fitness center, a spa, and free parking.
♦ Grand Hyatt Hotel Grand Hyatt Manila
The hotel features an outdoor swimming pool, 7 restaurants, a fitness center, a spa, a bar, and parking.
Tours in Manila and Its Surroundings
Recommended tours in Manila (from Viator):
Tour of the Old City in Manila
Since we landed early in the morning, we took advantage of our arrival day for a guided tour of central Manila in two areas: Intramuros, Manila, the Old City area within the walls where there are many buildings,
many of which were destroyed in World War II, a visitor center, an ancient dungeon, city gates, a church, and also an impressive old house turned into a museum called CASA Manila.
In addition, we visited Manila's Chinatown, called Binondo Chinatown, Binondo, Manila.
Thanks to our excellent private guide JB, we learned a lot about the history of the Philippines: the many years of Spanish rule, becoming an American colony, the Japanese occupation during World War II, and the independence they gained thanks to the Americans at the end of the war. We learned about its revered leaders, the tough wars, and how the different rulers influenced the culture, language, and customs. Throughout the Old City, inside the walls, riding bikes made of bamboo is very popular.
In Chinatown, we ate at a successful new dim sum restaurant named "Grand Buddha", strolled along its main street, and naturally visited two old churches as well (Filipinos are Catholics who love churches).
San Agustin Church
Manila is a busy and congested city with new buildings alongside dilapidated hovels. Modern high-rise neighborhoods sit next to run-down structures that haven't been renovated in years, and fancy shopping malls sit alongside messy markets.
Guided Day Trip to Tagaytay City
A popular day trip from Manila is to Tagaytay City, located less than a two-hour drive south of Manila. The city is situated on a mountain overlooking a lake formed inside a volcanic crater.
The place is popular thanks to the weather, which is relatively cool compared to hot Manila. Inside the lake at the foot of the city are islands that are remnants of the volcano, one of which is still active. Its last eruption was in January 2020. There are countless viewpoints over the lake and its islands; a great one is from a small, open-air, ornate shopping center with gardens, shops, cafes, and restaurants called Twin Lakes Tagaytay, famous for a wedding held in its gardens right at the time of the last eruption.
Another popular spot is a Starbucks branch located on the mountain slope with a viewing terrace where it's recommended to have coffee alongside the pastry Tagaytay is most famous for, called "Buko Pie", made of coconut.
The city is also known for its pineapples and meat. All along the road are pineapple or meat stalls, as well as Philippine restaurants overlooking an impressive view of the lake. At one of them, named Diners, we ate lunch at a table overlooking the beautiful scenery.
Nearby is a huge park called "Picnictown" where residents of Manila and the surrounding areas come in droves to relax, especially on weekends. The park has numerous picnic tables, a zip line, a Ferris wheel, horseback riding, and lots of shops and stalls, and it also overlooks the lake.
At the most beautiful viewpoint, called People’s Park in the Sky, we arrived during sudden rain and thick fog, so we couldn't see the beautiful panoramic view it offers over Manila and all the way to the lake with the islands.
You reach the viewpoint via a ride in a "Jeepney", a kind of giant tuk-tuk for 20 people that serves as one of Manila's leading modes of transportation. For our short ride to the peak and back, we got a private Jeepney just for us (at a ridiculous cost).
Shopping and Food in Manila
Manila is a paradise for lovers of shopping and food of all kinds. It features luxurious shopping malls with all international brands and restaurants—from Gucci to H&M, and from the American Texas Roadhouse to the Michelin-starred Taiwanese Din Tai Fung.
Two adjacent shopping centers are located in a prestigious area named "Ayala Center": one partly open-air with lush green parks between its sections called "Greenbelt", and one huge, covered, and air-conditioned called Glorietta.
In another area of the city, there are budget shopping centers that look like huge mazes (somewhat reminiscent of Bangkok's MBK)—they sell everything, including many knockoffs. Two adjacent ones are 168 Shopping Mall and next to it 999 Shopping Mall. Next to them is a market selling similar goods as well as food.
In another area of the city near downtown, there is a giant market open 24/7 every day of the week with wonderful fruits and vegetables arranged like soldiers, alongside clothes, bags, accessories, etc.
A night food market that has become especially popular in recent years stretches along a street named "Ugbo". It features a variety of seafood alongside shawarma stalls, fruit juices, and even "banana roti", the beloved Thai crepe, but made with rainbow-colored dough.
