There are many different opinions about Manila – some find the capital of the Philippines simply disgusting, others think that Manila is extremely interesting because it combines many opposites. While numerous poor people have to live in the dirty slums, the rich and affluent live a good life – isolated in beautiful neighborhoods to which the poor have no access. Manila is a city with strong contrasts. A city that polarizes.
Manila, the capital of the Philippines Photo: Daniel Chodusov | License: CC BY-ND 2.0 | short
An estimated 1.7 million people live in the City of Manila today. However, if one means the entire metropolitan region with Manila, this number quickly increases to no fewer than 20 million inhabitants. So Manila can undoubtedly be called a “megacity”. And the fact that there is a lot going on in a megacity like Manila surely makes it interesting to every traveler who visits the Philippines.
Map of Manila
Sights and Attractions in Manila
Manila is certainly not the most beautiful city in the world, and certainly not the cleanest. Nevertheless, there are numerous beautiful corners and interesting sights in the capital of the Philippines that should not be missed on a Manila vacation. Intramuros for example.
Intramuros in Manila | Photo: shankar s. | License: CC BY 2.0 | short
Intramuros – Historically, the Most Important District of Manila
Intramuros is the main landmark of Manila, since it is the historically most important district of the Philippines’ capital. The term “Intramuros” originally comes from Spanish or Latin and means translated: “within the walls”. The historic district is therefore completely walled.
Legazpi Founds Intramuros
Intramuros was founded by Miguel López de Legazpi , the famous Spanish conquistador, who landed on Cebu Island at the behest of King Philip II of Spain in 1565 and explored the country of the 7107 islands from there. (It should now be clear why the Philippines is called the Philippines.)
At the end of 1569, Miguel López de Legazpi, who had conquered and Christianized Cebu in 1565, sent his lieutenant Martín de Goiti together with commandant Juan de Salcedo on an expedition to the north of the Philippines. Legazpi himself could not be part of this expedition because he was in poor health.
Under the Martín de Goitis regiment, the Spaniards reached Manila Bay in 1570, where they were warmly received by the Muslims living there. The Spanish troops initially acted as if they were allied with the Muslim chief Rajah Sulayman . When the Spaniards’ true intentions became apparent, the war finally broke out. After numerous bloody battles, the Spanish conquistadors emerged victorious and destroyed the palace of the Muslim chief Rajah Sulayman.
Establishment of the Fuerza de Santiago
When Miguel López de Legazpi found out about the triumph of Martin de Goitis, he too sailed to Manila, where he had the Fuerza de Santiago built in 1571 on the ruins of the palace of Raja Sulayman. He also had the new district completely surrounded by strong walls: Intramuros was born.
Fuerza de Santiago in Intramuros | Photo: Jorge Láscar | License: CC BY 2.0 | short
Church of San Agustín
The Church of San Agustín was also built in 1571. This church is the first in the Philippines to be built entirely of stone in Spanish Baroque architecture. Both Miguel López de Legazpi and Martín de Goiti were buried in this important church.
Church of San Agustin in Intramuros | Photo: Jun Acullador | License: CC BY-ND 2.0 | short
The Fuerza de Santiago and the San Agustín Church, which is on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites together with three other Baroque churches in the Philippines , are among the most important sights of Intramuros today.
Manila Cathedral
Manila Cathedral in Intramuros Photo: Jorge Láscar | License: CC BY 2.0 | short
Also worth seeing is the imposing Cathedral of Manila, which is the official seat of the Archbishop of Manila. The cathedral is also “inside the walls”, not far from the main entrance of the Fuerza de Santiago. The church was rebuilt several times after it was completely destroyed by strong earthquakes or various bombardments.
The current building, which is based on the historical appearance of the church in the 19th century, was completed in 1958. During the cruel siege of Manila by the Japanese in World War II, Manila Cathedral was badly affected by bombardments.
At this point, it should be recalled that the Japanese troops committed numerous atrocities against the population of Manila towards the end of the Second World War. In the so-called Manila massacre in 1945, around 100,000 innocent people were beheaded, stabbed, burned alive or tortured to death. A memorial to the many victims of the massacre was erected in Intramuros in 1995.
Massacre of Manila monument in Intramuros | Photo: Caryl Joan Estrosas | License: CC BY-SA 2.0 | short
Casa Manila
Rizal Monument | Photo: TheCoffee | License: CC BY-SA 3.0
Not far from the Intramuros district is Rizal Park – another beautiful destination in Manila that should not be missed. Rizal Park, which stretches from Taft Avenue to Manila Bay, is Manila’s largest park and has an extremely great historical significance for the still young Filipino nation.
On the one hand, the independence of the Philippines was declared on July 4, 1946 on the large grounds of the park, and on the other hand, the end of the Marcos dictatorship in 1986 was proclaimed. Furthermore, the Philippine national hero José Rizal and many other famous Filipino resistance fighters were executed here by the Spanish colonialists in the 19th century, which once again underlines the historical importance of the park.
Rizal Monument and Lapu Lapu Monument
The current park, the central axis of which is the Rizal Monument and the large Lapu Lapu Monument, was built in 1903 according to the plans of the American urban planner Daniel Burnham. The inauguration took place on December 30, 1913 – exactly 17 years after the execution of José Rizal.
Other Destinations in Rizal Park
On the grounds of Rizal Park, visitors can visit a variety of beautiful facilities and monuments. In addition to the Rizal Monument and the Lapu Lapu Monument already mentioned, the Kilometer Zero Obelisk, the Orchidarium with the Butterfly Farm, the Japanese Garden, the Chinese Garden, the Manila Ocean Park or the Manila Planetarium are worth a visit.
The Rizal Park is also within easy reach of many important facilities such as the National Museum, the Museum of the Filipino People or the National Library of the Philippines. If you are on holiday in Manila, you should not miss a visit to Rizal Park!
Malacañang Palace
An absolute highlight in Manila is of course the Malacañang Palace, the official seat of the Philippine President. The palace is located in the old “San Miguel” district, right on the Pasig River. In 1750 the building was built by Don Luís Rocha as a summer house. The Spanish government bought it 75 years later to make it available to the Spanish governor-general in the Philippines as a summer residence.
The beautiful Malacañang Palace in Manila | Photo: Judgefloro | License: CC BY-SA 3.0
After the Governor’s Palace (Palacio del Gobernador) in Intramuros was destroyed by an earthquake on June 3, 1863, the Malacañang Palace was named the official seat of the Governor General. The Americans who came to the Philippines in 1898 to incorporate it as a colony also used the beautiful Spanish colonial building as a residence for the American governor.
Since 1863 the Malacañang Palace has been the seat of 18 Spanish governor generals, 14 American governors and all Philippine presidents since 1946. It has been rebuilt, renovated and restored several times. Especially Imelda Marcos, the wife of the dictator Ferdinand Marcos, made major changes to the palace in 1978 and 1979.
Contrary to what many Manila travelers suspect, it is possible to see the Malacañang Palace from the inside. It is also allowed to take pictures of the imposing rooms of the palace. If you want to experience a first-class guided tour of the Malacañang Palace , go to the page https://malacanang.gov.ph/reservations/ and follow the instructions there to reserve a tour. Of course, we at Kapwa Travel have already organized this tour for some of our customers, which is why interested parties can of course contact us directly to reserve a guided tour at the Malacañang Palace.
Chinese Cemetery
A somewhat unusual but extremely interesting excursion destination is the Chinese Cemetery in Manila’s Santa Cruz district north of the Pasig River. This cemetery was created in the first half of the 19th century for all non-Catholic Chinese or Filipinos with a Chinese background living in the Philippines who were not allowed to be buried in Catholic cemeteries during the Spanish colonial period.
Chinese Cemetery in Manila | Photo: Stefan Krasowski | License: CC BY 2.0 | short
Today, the Chinese Cemetery is over 50 hectares and impresses with a variety of unusual mausoleums, tombs and memorials. It resembles a ghost town, especially since the Chinese Cemetery is remarkably quiet, even though it is in the middle of the megacity Manila. Friends of extraordinary “walking tours” are certainly not in the wrong place here.
Manila North Cemetery
But not only the Chinese Cemetery is extremely impressive, but also the Manila North Cemetery, which is also located in the Santa Cruz district. While one of the cemeteries is dead still, life flourishes in Manila North Cemetery. Whole families actually live in numerous mausoleums, who prefer the stable “houses” in North Cemetery to the lousy dwellings in the slums of Manila.
If you take a walk here, you will not only be able to see the impressive funerals of Filipino presidents, actors and celebrities, but also the normal everyday life of Filipino families who have settled there. You can also take more time for a longer walk: the Manila North Cemetery is 54 hectares in size.
Excursion Destinations Near Manila
Of course, there are not only many beautiful sights and excursion destinations in Manila itself, but also near the Philippines’ capital . The most famous destinations here are certainly Tagaytay, Talisay and Corregidor Island. However, there are other places that are well worth a visit!
Corregidor Island
Corregidor Island is around 50 kilometers west of Manila and is approximately 9 square kilometers in size. The shape of the island is quite amusing because it is very reminiscent of a tadpole. Corregidor Island was first developed by the Spanish colonialists and later by the American military into a strategically important fortress. If you wanted to take Manila by sea, you had to take Corregidor Island first.
Heavy artillery gun on Corregidor Island | Photo: Roberto Verzo | License: CC BY 2.0
War Victim in World War II
During World War II, Japanese troops conquered Corregidor Island. US forces recaptured the island on February 15, 1945 and continued for 12 days. Around 5,000 Japanese and 900 American soldiers were killed in this battle for Corregidor Island.
Corregidor Island: Day Trip to Historic Island
On a day trip to the historic island of Corregidor Island, those interested can admire military installations, guns and an old Spanish lighthouse. It is also interesting to visit the tunnel system that the Japanese used during their occupation on Corregidor Island. If you want to visit the island with our help, please contact us!
Tagaytay
Another nice trip is a day tour to Tagaytay. Tagatay is a city in Luzon south of Manila, which can be reached in about 2 hours by car or van. Tagaytay is located near Taal Lake and Taal Volcano and offers its visitors numerous beautiful viewing platforms. The most famous is The People’s Park in the Sky . If it is not foggy, you can see Taal Lake and Taal Volcano around 1,000 meters above sea level.
Talisay and Taal Volcano
If you are ever in Tagaytay, it is worth considering not only looking at the beautiful Taal Volcano in Taal Lake from a viewing platform, but actually climbing it. The best way to do this is to go to Talisay and from there take the boat to the main crater of the Taal Volcano. The crater itself then has to be climbed a few meters: either on foot or on the back of a horse.
The main crater of the Taal Volcano | Photo: Kai Lehmann | License: CC BY 2.0
Subic
Another interesting excursion destination, especially for those who are interested in (war) history, is the US Naval Base Subic Bay. This base is the former bastion of the Americans in the Pacific and was the largest US base for naval forces outside the United States until its decommissioning in 1992.
Hidden Valley Springs
A tour for nature lovers is the trip to the Hidden Valley Springs, which are located south of Manila and can be reached in about 1.5 hours. Here visitors can discover beautiful orchids, ancient trees, hidden waterfalls and wonderful flora and fauna.
Pagsanjan Falls | Photo: Stefan Krasowski | License: CC BY 2.0
Other beautiful destinations for nature lovers include the Pagsanjan Falls in the Town of Pagsanjan (about 2 hours from Manila), the historic Villa Escudero Resort and the enchanting Mount Pinatubo (a good three hours from Manila).
Mount Pinatubo | Photo: eric molina | CC BY 2.0
Nightlife in Manila: Bars, Clubs and Restaurants
In addition to the numerous sights, Manila holidaymakers can of course also visit a variety of good bars, clubs and restaurants. There are many locations for evening or nightly entertainment in Malate or in the financial district of Makati City. The Fort Entertainment Center in Taguig City also offers many good options for going out.
Manila at night | Photo: Benson Kua | License: CC BY-SA 2.0 | short
The Library Comedy Bar
For example, if you want to experience an amusing evening with fun cultural entertainment and typical Filipino humor in Manila, you should visit the Comedy Bar The Library . This bar has been on Adriatico Street in Malate since 1986 and is very popular because fun evenings are almost inevitable.
Live Music and EDM (Electronic Dance Music)
Fans of good live music can visit Strumm’s, for example , where good bands regularly provide musical entertainment. If you prefer to listen to EDM (Electronic Dance Music) instead of live music and prefer it big instead of small, you should go to the huge Valkyrie Nightclub to celebrate. This club is the largest club in the Philippines and has space for around 2,500 party people.
Restaurants in Manila
One of the most popular restaurants in Manila is the Spiral Restaurant at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila Hotel. The buffet in this exclusive restaurant is excellent and convinces with a huge selection of international dishes.
The Italian restaurant My Kitchen by Chef Chris, which is located in the Oasis Paco Park Hotel, is also recommended.
If you want to eat Chinese rather than Italian in Manila, you should pay a visit to the President Grand Palace Restaurant in Chinatown.
The same goes for the many bars, clubs and restaurants in Manila as for the sights: enumerating them all would go beyond the scope of this article. If you need more information about the sights or nightlife in Manila , you should get more information on sites like Tripadvisor.
Makati, Manila Skyline at Night (this is also used as Blog cover photo) | Photo: r.nagy| License: Shutterstock| ID 516718855
Manila’s Hotels and Accommodations
Hotels, apartments and accommodation are of course also available in abundance in a megacity like Manila: from extremely exclusive hotels to historic suites to affordable budget inns, everything is available in Manila.
As a specialized tour operator for the Philippines, we like to work with the Bayleaf Hotel, the historic Manila Hotel at Rizal Park and the Henry Hotel near the airport, as we believe that these hotels have a very special charm. Upon customer request, we are happy to reserve rooms or suites in the Shangri-la , Marriott Hotel or other recommended hotels in Manila.
Discover and Enjoy Manila
As you can see: a vacation or stay in Manila can be something very interesting and exciting. In addition to the many beautiful sights and interesting excursion destinations, there are also a variety of good party and nightlife locations.
In this video Manila is shown from different perspectives, so that you get many good impressions of the metropolis. If you want to discover the capital of the Philippines, please feel free to contact us. In addition to sightseeing tours, we also organize transfers to other destinations as part of our private tours.
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