Region

Metro Manila

Sleep in one place (Ermita/Malate for the old city, Makati for business hotels), go out early, come back by 14:00, and fly to the islands within two nights.Sleep in one place (Ermita/Malate for the old city, Makati for business hotels), go out early, come back by 2:00 PM, and fly to the islands within two nights.

Open Manila Plan a trip

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Key facts · Philippines

Best months: Dec–Mar
Visa: Depends on your passport
Currency: Peso (PHP, ₱)
Language: Filipino and English
Plugs: A · B · C · 220 V
Time zone: UTC+8 all year

Month by month here

Rules in force · 5Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore…

Southeast Asia ↗Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Brunei and Myanmar; never carry a bag or parcel for anyone.
Southeast Asia ↗Carry a passport valid for at least six months from entry with two blank pages; airlines refuse boarding on less.
Philippines ↗Complete the free eTravel registration on the official government site within 72 hours before arrival; ignore lookalike sites that charge.
Philippines ↗Typhoon season runs roughly June to November: flights and boats are cancelled at short notice; buy flexible tickets and keep a spare day.
Philippines ↗Carry pesos in small notes; many stalls, jeepneys and taxis are cash-only.

Metro Manila is sixteen cities that merge. Traffic is the constraint: two transfers a day is the ceiling. The old city (Intramuros, Rizal Park, Binondo) is close together; Makati is 30–60 minutes from it. Pick the bed by the day you want to protect.

Where to sleep

3 places in this region

Sleep base

ManilaTrip line
Ermita/Malate for the old city; Makati for hotels with 24h desks and malls.
Best Dec–Mar
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Manila →

Day trip

Tagaytay and TaalCity guide
Volcano views 60–90 km (37–56 mi) south; 2 h each way.Volcano views 37–56 mi (60–90 km) south; 2 h each way.
Best Dec–May
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Tagaytay and Taal →
Corregidor IslandGuide: planned
Ferry day trip from the bay.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.

Plan the nights

How to split the nights, day-trips and what to do with your bags

Open Plan the nightsClose Plan the nights3 partsNights · Day-trips · Bags

Night sequences

2 nights: Manila 2, then fly on
3 nights: Manila 3 (old city, Binondo, Makati)

Manila plus Tagaytay plus Corregidor in three days is mostly time in cars.

Day-trips door to door

To	From	Door-to-door p50	Last return	Note
Tagaytay and Taal	Manila	120 min	unknown	Traffic on the expressway; leave before 07:00 and return before 16:00.Traffic on the expressway; leave before 7:00 AM and return before 4:00 PM.
Corregidor Island	Manila	90 min	unknown	Ferry schedules and weather decide the last return; check the operator.

Bags between cities

There is no luggage forwarding culture: keep the big bag at the hotel and take a day pack.

When to go

Months and weather

Open When to goClose When to go1 partSeasons

Seasons at a glance

From each city's month table

Pick a month to see where to go.

Only good-now countries

Show all 12 months, country by countryHide the 12-month table

Country	JJan	FFeb	MMar	AApr	MMay	JJun	JJul	AAug	SSep	OOct	NNov	DDec
Manila	go	go	go	ok	ok	×	×	×	×	ok	ok	go
Tagaytay and Taal	go	go	go	go	go	ok	×	×	ok	ok	ok	go
Philippines (country-wide)	go	go	go	ok	ok	ok	ok	×	ok	ok	ok	go

Go: the good monthsFair: workable, mixedPoor: heat, rain or hazeAvoid: storms, floods, closuresno data yet

Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.

Eat and move on

Regional food and where to go next

Open Eat and move onClose Eat and move on1 partGo next

Go next

Other regions of the country

Visayas (Cebu, Bohol)

planned

4–6 nights

Beaches and diving by short domestic flight

Palawan

planned

4–5 nights

El Nido and Coron by flight

Metro Manila: what we know, and what is coming

2 of 3 places open

On this page

3 places with their role: where to sleep, what to do as a day trip
How to split 2 or 3 nights
2 day trips with door-to-door time
Seasons month by month, from the cities’ own tables
What to do with the big bag between beds

Coming as the guide grows

Climate strip by zone, with the storm and haze months
Get in: airports and stations with door-to-door times
Regional passes and cards, with a buy / skip verdict
Regional food: what, where and when it works
A page for Corregidor Island — Ferry day trip from the bay.

Meanwhile

Planning aids

Built from this guide's own data

Open Planning aidsClose Planning aids3 partsIn numbers · Trips here · Local time

Region in numbers

Where to sleep: 1 base
Day trips: 2, 1 h 30 to 2 h
Nights suggested: 2–3 nights

Trips that stop here

From the Philippines guide

Manila only, 3 nights
3 nights here
manila
Manila and Palawan
7 days · 1 night here
Manila → El Nido
Palawan north
10 days · 2 nights here
Manila → El Nido → Coron → Manila
Visayas and Palawan
14 days · 1 night here
Manila → Cebu (Moalboal) → Bohol → El Nido → Coron

All Philippines trips →

Local time

What time it is there now, compared with the clock on your device.

Manila
…
Checking your clock…Asia/Manila

Open Manila Up to Philippines

Ask about Metro Manila

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