City Guide Manila, Philippines

Manila short-visitting

I transferred at Manila for 6 hours before leaving. I went to Manila Bay only but it's disappointed totally. There is many beggars & homeless people. Water is so dirty & smells badly. Don't waste your time to go there. Transportation is chaos & traffic jam everywhere. There is no map & public transportation around airport.

Insider Tip:Take a taxi with meters is opened. Taxi driver is scam. Avoid late flight because of traffic jam, calculate your travel time carefully. Anyway, you should have one Filipino person go with you. Shouldn't go alone without intention.

Manila is smoggy

You have been warned.... It is OK for a night or two or if you desparately need to pick up something from many of the numerous shopping malls. Head to the islands - Palawan awaits....

Insider Tip:Avoid Malate - get a hotel room elsewhere....

Worst city I`ve been to.

Manila is not worth visiting. Nothing to do, nothing to see. A highlight of travelling around Asia is the food, however Manila had no decent street food or restaurants. Dodgy taxi drivers but that is standard for Southeast Asia. The lack of public transport means you will need to catch taxis to get around. I found the people friendly and polite in general, the fact that everybody speaks English makes communication easy. I could write an essay on why Manila Airport is the worst in the world.

Insider Tip:Don`t bother.

Busy but Fun

Manila has a lot to offer those traveling to the country. You can find many museums and historical landmarks, including many from the era of Spanish rule. I recommend Intramuros, where you can take a calesa (horse-drawn carriage) around the centuries-old grounds to really get a taste of what the Spanish left behind. For me, staying in Manila more than a few days can get old, however. Take advantage while here, then travel to some provinces for a more authentic Filipino experience.

Insider Tip:Transport in Manila takes forever. Allow plenty of time for getting around, especially to the airport, no matter where your hostel is located.

Great Time in Manila

It's a great place to see if you want to see Asia without too much hassle. A lot of people speak English, so getting around is easy. Great town.