Manila, Maynila, Manille

Metropolitan Manila is composed of various cities with the city of Manila as the seat of government and the capital of the Philippines. The city of Manila boasts of various Spanish heritage. Intramuros are the old walled-city where the Spanish government used to hold office. The cobble-stoned streets, old buildings, antiques and the colonial beauty speak of the heritage of Intramuros. Fort Santiago, located inside the walled-city, is where the national hero, Jose Rizal, was imprisoned before shot at dawn in Bagumbayan, which is now called Luneta Park. Luneta Park is now the picnic spot of families and the venue for debates and various gatherings. The Luneta Grandstand is the site of the 1995 World Youth day where millions of people from all over the globe gathered with Pope John Paul II. Malacanang Palace is located by the river and has been the home of the Presidents of the Republic. Apart from Malacanang, old government offices are also found in Manila like the National Museum, the National Library and the Manila City Hall. The city is now beaming with parks and nightspots along the bay that gives people a magnificent view of the sunset at Manila Bay. Nearby cities like Mandaluyong, Makati, Pasay, Quezon City, Caloocan, San Juan, Pasig, Paranaque and Taguig are still part of the National Capital Region or Metro Manila as everyone calls it. Makati is the commercial business center of the country where most corporate head offices and the stock exchange is located. Once a marshland, Makati is transformed into an urban beauty with its parks within malls and amidst skyscrapers. Quezon City is the uphill part where the House of Representatives reside. This is also home to various TV networks and the well-known University of the Philippines Diliman campus and Ateneo de Manila University. The Araneta Center is found in this city, where the coliseum is popular for major sports and music events. Manila is a great place to enjoy music and various cuisines as Filipinos are music and food lovers. The warmth of the Filipinos alone is enough to bring you back to Manila.

Quick Tips:

Malls like the Ayala Center, SM, Robinsons, and Shangri-la offer discount sales on certain times of the year. Various establishments also offer rewards system to regular members/buyers. Filipinos may be friendly, but always remember not to trust strangers, no matter how decent they look. Better inquire from your hotel personnel or mall customer service counters if you are going to a certain place. Or, for a tour of the city, ask the tourism office for assistance.

Best Way To Get Around:

Good thing there are already light railway transits available in the metropolis. LRT is for the train from Baclaran to Caloocan plying the Taft route. MRT is from Taft to North Ave. plying the EDSA route and the MRT 2 is from Marikina to Manila plying the Aurora Blvd. route. Taxis come in handy but they are notorious. Always make sure their meters are correct. They sometimes overcharge and may take you to a longer route for higher charging. Buses are available in major streets but they keep on loading people even when they are full. Jeepneys are the most convenient and they are available almost in every street. Still, if it's just within a few blocks, better hit the sidestreets and do some walking. The government is now providing areas for bicycles to encourage people to go back to the basics amidst oil price hikes and air pollution problems.

This cozy dining place is unknown to Manileños. It is a house that has been converted to a diner. Its facade is not attractive, but its interior is like a European restaurant filled with books.

Their specialty is the paella. They also serve pasta, cakes, and some chicken viand. The fruit juices and cool desserts are awesome.

Fat Michael's Place is found in a residential area in Makati, near the South Super Highway. The privacy of the place makes it attractive to customers. You better make reservations, because there are limited tables.

Jollibee is the number-one fast-food place on this side of the globe, beating world-leader McDonald's. They serve burgers, spaghetti, fries, and other Filipino food fare.

This is the favorite place of children, especially with its approachable and friendly mascot, Jollibee, which is a large, smiling bee. Most kids love to spend their birthdays in Jollibee.

Jollibee's owner started an ice-cream parlor, which he transformed to a burger joint. It became an instant hit. Today, colorful Jollibee stores are found in every major city or town throughout the country. Because of its success, the owner was named "World Entrepreneur of the Year" by Ernst & Young.

Good thing there are already light railway transits available in the metropolis. LRT is for the train from Baclaran to Caloocan, plying the Taft route. MRT is from Taft to North Avenue, plying the EDSA route, and the MRT 2 is from Marikina to Manila, plying the Aurora Boulevard route. Taxis come in handy but are notorious. Always make sure their meters are correct. They sometimes overcharge and may take you on a longer route for a higher charge. Buses are available in major streets, but they keep on loading people even when they are full. Jeepneys are the most convenient and available almost on every street. Still, if it's just within a few blocks, it's better hit the side streets and do some walking. The government is now providing areas for bicycles to encourage people to go back to the basics amidst oil price hikes and air pollution problems.

For people who just love to sing, Red Box is the place to be. Filipinos love to sing--it's their way of having fun. If you are an amateur in singing, there's no worry--there are private rooms with videoke exclusively for you and other people can't even hear you. Only your friends in your room would. Special service is just the press of a button. Waiters bring food to your room. They serve superb fries, burgers, and nachos, and you can pair them with iced tea, soda, or beer. Red Box is on the third floor of Greenbelt 3. It is convenient to go there. They sometimes offer discounts during happy hours. It is the perfect place for a large group outing.

Malate has always been a crowd-pleaser. Most foreigners are at home walking the streets of Malate, hanging out in the bars and drinking beer. If you are looking for a nightlife, Malate has so many things to offer you. From high-end restaurants to cheap pubs, Malate has it for every visitor who longs to enjoy life when dusk comes. There's Cafe Adriatico, Republic of Malate, Hobbit House, and Cafe Havana, to name a few nightspots you can visit. Similarly, Malate has all kinds of lodgings, from five-star hotels to budget inns. If you want a good laugh, there's the library with its stand-up comedy. Gays and lesbians would also love the place, with different venues for them to come together, like Bed and several other bars on the rainbow avenue.

Malate is a contrast because it is a place for adults and for kids. For family outings, Malate Church is a good place to start. Fronting it is the Rajah Sulayman Park, which has become a favorite area for concerts and other programs. A few blocks away is the Manila Zoo, which houses different kinds of animals that kids would find educational and interesting. There's no worry going back to your hotel when you are in Malate. Jeepneys and taxis frequent this place. You just have to be careful of pickpockets, especially when you have already had a few drinks. If you want it a bit safer, there's Robinson's Manila nearby, which houses Starbucks and other coffee joints.

Before, people came to Roxas Boulevard, especially in the seawall, just to watch the sunset. Now it's not just the sunset that people love to watch. The whole stretch of the seawall from the US Embassy to the Yacht Club has been transformed to a party place, which is popularly called the Baywalk. Various restaurants and coffee shops put up their small stores here, with tables and chairs left in the open area where customers can enjoy the view and sea breeze. During Friday and Saturday nights, stages are built for bands and performers who provide entertainment to visitors. At night, people come here to have a good time drinking beer or taking pictures. They sit by the seawall watching the large ships and Tennessee Walker, a dining cruise, float on Manila Bay. In the mornings, families come here for a jog or walk along the avenue of coconut streets and eating places. Adding glamour to Baywalk are the colorful posts that look like meteors from afar. Driving through Roxas Boulevard, you wouldn't help but stare at the lively scenes that play along the Baywalk.