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Voykit pocket guide · Philippines
Manila
Maynila
Manila is a two-transfers-a-day city: do Intramuros before 10:30, Rizal Park and Binondo as a second half-day, and Makati as a third; stay inside air conditioning from 11:00 to 15:00 and never plan a road transfer in rush hour.
Manila's sights are close on a map and slow on the road. The trips that go wrong are the ones that fight three things at once: midday heat on open squares, a 10 km transfer at 17:00, and a flight booked for the wrong terminal. Four clusters cover a first visit; the airport is 30 minutes to 2 hours away, so a late landing decides which bed is safe.
- Country
- Philippines
- Local name
- Maynila
- Best months
- Jan · Feb · Mar · Dec
- Time zone
- Asia/Manila
- Stay
- 2 days: Intramuros morning + Rizal Park; Binondo evening
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- PHP
- Money
- Cash for jeepneys, markets, street counters and small eateries; cards in hotels, malls and many restaurants; ride-hailing apps take cards in-app. Carry ₱20, ₱50 and ₱100 notes: vendors struggle to change ₱1,000.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₱1,200–2,500 excl. bed · Mid ₱2,500–6,000 excl. bed · High ₱6,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Install an eSIM before you fly, or buy a Globe, Smart or DITO SIM at NAIA arrivals or a mall (passport needed; registration required, check).
- Emergency
- Emergency (police, fire, ambulance) 911 · Tourist hotline (check) 1342
- Plugs
- 220 V, 60 Hz; sockets take type A and B plugs (US-style flat pins), some take type C. Bring an adaptor.
- Tipping
- Not fixed. Round up for drivers; leave 10% in restaurants if no service charge is on the bill; small tips (₱20–50) for porters.
- Water
- Do not drink tap water; use bottled or filtered water. Ice in restaurants is factory-made and generally fine.
- Toilets
- Malls, cafés, hotels and museums; carry tissue and small change for pay toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee (café latte in a chain) | ₱120–200 |
| Street meal (silog or pancit plate) | ₱80–200 |
| Sit-down restaurant meal | ₱400–1,000 |
| Beer: bottle at a store / bar | ₱50–70 / ₱90–150 |
| 5 km (3.1 mi) ride-hail: car3.1 mi (5 km) ride-hail: car | ₱150–300 |
| LRT or MRT ride | ₱15–35 |
| Jeepney ride | ₱14–25 |
| Bottle of water (store) | ₱20–35 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL)
- MNL to Ermita or Makati: one ride-hail car or the metered airport taxi, 30–100 minutes depending on traffic — the risk is not the fare but the hour: after 16:30 the road is slow.MNL to Ermita or Makati: one ride-hail car or the metered airport taxi, 30–100 minutes depending on traffic — the risk is not the fare but the hour: after 4:30 PM the road is slow.
By rail and road
| Station | Serves | To the centre |
|---|---|---|
| NAIA Terminals 1–4 (Ninoy Aquino International Airport) | International and domestic flights | Car 30–90 min, ₱350–700 |
| Buendia LRT-1 / EDSA (Baclaran to Roosevelt (LRT-1)) | North-south city line | Cheap; crowded at peak |
| Southern bus terminals (Cubao, Buendia, Pasay) (Bus to Tagaytay, Batangas, Baguio) | Provincial buses | Car or ride-hail |
| CCP Complex pier (Ferry to Corregidor) | Day tours to Corregidor | Car 20–30 min from Ermita |
Typical fares
- NAIA → Ermita/Malate, app car
- ₱350–700, 30–90 min
- NAIA → Makati, app car
- ₱300–600, 30–90 min
- Ermita → Intramuros, app car
- ₱100–200, 15–25 min
- Jeepney or LRT hop
- ₱14–35
Show 8 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Eat, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk inside a cluster in the morning, ride-hail between clusters. Cars are the default for visitors; the LRT is cheap but crowded; jeepneys are for the adventurous with small change and a map.
| How | Fare | Use for |
|---|---|---|
| Walking | Free | Inside Intramuros, Rizal Park and Makati |
| Ride-hail car (Grab) | ₱150–300 across the centre | Between clusters, at night, with bags |
| Ride-hail motorbike | ₱60–150 | Solo, short hops |
| Taxi (metered) | Meter | Airport ranks and hotels |
| LRT-1 / LRT-2 / MRT-3 | ₱15–35 | Old-city hops on LRT-1; MRT-3 along EDSA |
| Jeepney | ₱14–25 | Short local hops |
| Tricycle and pedicab | Agree first | Short hops inside districts |
| Kalesa (horse carriage) | Agree first | Intramuros tour |
Fares are estimates; check before you ride.
- Passes
- No pass. Ride-hailing fares are shown upfront; the LRT-1 is cheap but crowded at rush hour.
- Late at night
- LRT and MRT stop in the evening (check the operator for the day); ride-hailing runs all night, with surge in rain and rush hours.
See and do
01Fort Santiago at openingFuerte de Santiago
The city's best-preserved fort, with the Rizal Shrine; cool and quiet before 09:30.The city's best-preserved fort, with the Rizal Shrine; cool and quiet before 9:30 AM.
Hours: best 08:00–10:00 · Price: ₱75–100 (check) · Time: 1–1.5 hHours: best 8:00 AM–10:00 AM · Price: ₱75–100 (check) · Time: 1–1.5 h · 14.5959, 120.9660
02San Agustin Church and museumSimbahan ng San Agustin
The oldest stone church in the country and a UNESCO site; shaded and cool.
Hours: best 09:30–11:00 · Price: Church free; museum about ₱200 (check) · Time: 45 minHours: best 9:30 AM–11:00 AM · Price: Church free; museum about ₱200 (check) · Time: 45 min · 14.5891, 120.9749
03Rizal Park and the monumentRizal Park (Luneta)
The national monument, Kilometer Zero and the honour guards; cool at dawn.
Hours: best 06:30–08:30 · Price: Free · Time: 30–60 minHours: best 6:30 AM–8:30 AM · Price: Free · Time: 30–60 min · 14.5831, 120.9794
04National Museum of Fine ArtsPambansang Museo ng Sining
The Spoliarium and Philippine painting in a cool neoclassical building.
Hours: best 10:00–12:00 · Price: Free or low (check) · Time: 1–1.5 hHours: best 10:00 AM–12:00 PM · Price: Free or low (check) · Time: 1–1.5 h · 14.5867, 120.9819
05Binondo food walk and dumplings
The oldest Chinatown and the best place to eat on foot.
Hours: best 10:30–13:00 · Price: ₱300–800 · Time: 2–3 hHours: best 10:30 AM–1:00 PM · Price: ₱300–800 · Time: 2–3 h
06Manila CathedralKatedral ng Maynila
A quiet stop on Plaza de Roma with a tall stone interior.
Hours: best Weekday morning · Price: Free · Time: 15–20 min · 14.5911, 120.9731
07Ayala Museum
Dioramas of Philippine history and pre-colonial gold; air-conditioned.
Hours: best 11:00–15:00 · Price: ₱650–800 (check) · Time: 1.5 hHours: best 11:00 AM–3:00 PM · Price: ₱650–800 (check) · Time: 1.5 h · 14.5527, 121.0240
08Ayala Triangle Gardens
A calm park in the business district.
Hours: best 07:00–09:00 or dusk · Price: Free · Time: 30 minHours: best 7:00 AM–9:00 AM or dusk · Price: Free · Time: 30 min · 14.5570, 121.0230
09Café AdriaticoCafé Adriatico
A seated lunch or coffee in Malate.
Hours: best Lunch · Price: ₱500–1,200 · Time: 1 h
10Manila Bay sunset
The classic evening: a walk on Roxas Boulevard.
Hours: best 17:00–18:15 · Price: Free · Time: 1 hHours: best 5:00 PM–6:15 PM · Price: Free · Time: 1 h
Hours and prices are desk estimates (checked 2026-09); anything marked (check) is not confirmed. Coordinates open in any map app.
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Tagaytay and Taal | Car or bus, about 2–3 h each way | Full day; leave 07:00Full day; leave 7:00 AM |
| Corregidor Island | Ferry about 1 h from CCP Complex | Full day |
| Taal Heritage Town | Car or bus, about 3 h each way | Full day |
| Pampanga | Bus or car, about 2–3 h | Full day |
| Puerto Galera | Bus and ferry, 4–5 h | Overnight |
Eat
| Where | What · area | Price | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binondo noodle and siopao counters | Pancit or lugaw · Binondo | ₱80–200 | Budget |
| Eng Bee Tin (hopia, tikoy and Chinese sweets) | Hopia and tikoy · Binondo | ₱100–300 | Budget |
| Dong Bei Dumplings | Boiled dumplings and noodles · Binondo | ₱300–600 | Mid-range |
| Café Adriatico (Malate) | Adobo or sinigang · Malate | ₱500–1,200 | Mid-range |
| Barbara's Heritage Restaurant (Intramuros) | Kare-kare and sinigang set · Intramuros | ₱700–1,500 | Higher |
Per person, one dish or one meal, 2026 estimate. Addresses change: check the day before.
Sleep
| Band | Price a night | Where | What |
|---|---|---|---|
| budget | ₱500–1,000 dorm bed · ₱1,500–2,500 double | Ermita, Malate, Makati backpacker hostels | Hostels, small hotels |
| mid | ₱2,500–6,000 | Ermita, Malate, Makati | Business hotels |
| high | ₱7,000–20,000+ | Makati, Bay City, BGC | International hotels, bay-view towers |
Per room per night in pesos, 2026 estimate; Christmas and holidays add 20–60%.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Kumustakoo-moo-STAH |
| Thank you | Salamatsah-LAH-maht |
| How much is this? | Magkano ito?mag-KAH-no EE-toh |
| Not spicy, please | Hindi maanghanghin-DEE mah-ahng-HANG |
| Delicious! | Masarap!mah-sah-RAP |
| Stop here, please | Para poPAH-rah poh |
| Help! | Tulong!TOO-long |
| Yes / No (polite) | Opo / Hindi poOH-poh / hin-DEE poh |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Churches: Shoulders and knees covered; no photos during Mass; quiet in the pews.
- Politeness: Use "po" and "opo" with older people and officials; a smile and a soft voice go far.
- Queues: Orderly at LRT and malls; loose at jeepney stops and street counters.
- Tipping: Not fixed: round up for drivers; 10% in restaurants if no service charge is added.
- Shoes: Off in some homes; look for shoes at the door.
- Hospitality: You may be offered food: accept a small amount as a courtesy.
- Public behaviour: Do not shout or lose your temper; keep arguments quiet and calm.
- Photos: Ask before photographing people, especially children.
Red lines
- Churches: shoulders and knees covered; no photos during Mass.
- Do not accept unsolicited tour offers or 'free' rides near tourist sites.
- Do not photograph police, military posts or people in distress.
Scams and watch-outs
- Kalesa and tour offers near Intramuros that quote a price and then change it: agree the price, the route and the time before you sit.
- Taxis that refuse the meter: use Grab or insist on the meter, and note the plate.
- Friendly strangers who offer to show you around, then ask for money or lead you to a bar: decline politely.
- Drink spiking in bars: keep your drink in sight and go out with friends.
- Short-changing at street stalls and money changers: count your change and use a mall counter.
One and two days
1 day
A stopover or a day before flying on. Skip: Binondo and Makati: too far for one day.
- 07:307:30 AMFort Santiago
- 09:309:30 AMSan Agustin Church
- 10:3010:30 AMManila Cathedral
- 12:0012:00 PMLunch in Intramuros
- 14:002:00 PMNational Museum of Fine Arts
- 17:305:30 PMBay sunset, then a car to dinner
2 days
The usual short stay. Skip: Quiapo and Divisoria markets; Tagaytay.
Day 1 — Intramuros and Rizal Park
- 07:307:30 AMFort Santiago
- 09:309:30 AMSan Agustin Church
- 12:0012:00 PMLunch
- 14:002:00 PMNational Museum
- 17:005:00 PMRizal Monument at dusk
Day 2 — Binondo and Makati
- 09:009:00 AMBinondo food walk
- 12:0012:00 PMLunch in Binondo
- 15:003:00 PMAyala Museum
- 17:305:30 PMAyala Triangle Gardens
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Philippines Department of Tourism (official): philippines.travel/
- Intramuros Administration: intramuros.gov.ph/
- Wikivoyage — Manila: en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Manila
- Wikitravel — Manila: wikitravel.org/en/Manila
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
ManilaMaynila
Pakidala po ako sa address na ito
Please take me to this address
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
Take me to
- Fuerte de SantiagoFort Santiago
- Simbahan ng San AgustinSan Agustin Church and museum
- Rizal Park (Luneta)Rizal Monument (Luneta) and Rizal Park
- Pambansang Museo ng SiningNational Museum of Fine Arts
- Katedral ng MaynilaManila Cathedral
- Café AdriaticoCafé Adriatico (Malate)
Most embassies are in Ermita, Pasay and Makati (US: Roxas Boulevard).
Show the address in English with the barangay and city; ride-hailing apps handle it. Bring cash in small notes.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/manila). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.