Things to do in Manila: History, Food, and Experiences - Welcome to Zimmin Around the World

Manila, the sprawling capital of the Philippines, is a city where rich history, delicious food, and exciting experiences come together. If you are looking for things to do in Manila. I am sharing my recommendations and experiences after spending four days in Manila.

I’ll cover the best things to do in Manila from exploring Intramuros to eating street food and checking out a museum or two. I took a solo trip to Manila and navigated my way through the city with ease and of course safety is priority, I’ll cover that too!

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Table of Contents

Why Visit Manila

I feel Manila gets a bad rap. Most people who travel to the Philippines, either are here for a layover or avoid it completely. I’ve been to other parts of the Philippines, I visited Cebu and Bohol and loved my time there.

I was always curious about Manila, after all, I never heard great things about the crime, trash, and chaos that everyone warned me about.

But I knew there was more to Manila than the chaos I listed above, I wanted to check it out myself and see if what people said about Manila was actually true.

After spending four days in Manila on a solo trip, I do agree with some of what is said about Manila, but on the other hand, I had such a great time exploring the city and its many attractions.

Manila might not be for everyone. It’s true, it was dirty, there were homeless people sprawled out on the streets, and stray animals everywhere. But there were also amazing museums, interesting historical sites, great day trips, and amazing food.

So why visit Manila?

As long as you use common sense and stick to areas I list in this post, you won’t run into any issues. Instead you’ll learn a lot about the Philippines diverse history and culture, see how people live today, and get a better understanding of the country.

Is Manila Safe?

When I told friends and family that I was traveling to Manila by myself, everyone was worried or flabbergasted that I was even considering it. After all, what do they know about Manila that I don’t? I did my research and felt confident that it wasn’t as dangerous as most make it out to be.

Like any other major city, you have to be aware and vigilant at all times. That is just being a good traveler.

The Philippines is known for petty crimes and scams. I made sure to watch my belongings, not pack anything valuable except my camera, and I knew better then to fall for any scams. Although I wasn’t presented with any during my visit.

There are good and shady places in Manila. Districts like Makati and Bonifacio Global City are generally safe. There are neighborhoods and districts like Tondo or Malate that are known to be dangerous, I obviously did my research and avoided those areas.

There was a lot of security out in the streets and building entrances, so I felt fairly safe knowing that.

Of course, there are things like natural disasters that do occur as well. I got caught in a bad storm where the streets were flooded, I waded through water that was up to my knees, had to throw out my shoes afterwards, bummer!

Overall, as a solo traveler to Manila, I felt perfectly safe. I did my research beforehand, planned well, booked tours, and was always aware of my belongings and surroundings.

Recommended Things to do in Manila

After spending four days in Manila, turns out there is a lot to do and see. If you are like me and like just about everything, then Manila has plenty of options.

Enjoy shopping? Manila has great malls. Into history? Then you’d love Intramuros. Are you a foodie like me? Then join a food tour and try amazing dishes that are from the Manila area.

Here is a list of things to do in Manila that I personally did and recommend.

Explore Intramuros and Fort Santiago

My #1 recommended site and attraction in Manila is visiting Intramuros and Fort Santiago. I stayed n the Ermita area of Manila just to be within walking distance of Intramuros.

Intramuros is a historic walled city that was built in the 1500s by Spanish explorers. Within the walls of Intramuros, you can find San Agustin Church, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Manila Cathedral, and Fort Santiago.

Planning your trip to Intramuros? I have an Intramuros Travel Guide Post where I dive into the history, getting around, what to see while exploring Manila’s historic walled city.

Stroll Around Rizal Park

In my opinion, one of the most beautiful places in Manila is Rizal Park, named after Jose Rizal, a national hero of the Philippines.

Rizal Park is a sprawling urban park that is popular among both locals and tourists.

Locals were out and about whether it was exercising, family gatherings, or simply taking laps around the park. Tourists, like me were going to the gardens and taking pictures of statues.

Within Rizal Park you have the National Museum of Natural History, the National Museum of Anthropology, a Japanese and Chinese Garden, the Dancing Fountain, Martyrdom of Dr. Jose Rizal, Jose Rizal Monument, and so much more.

Visit the National Museum of Anthropology

Are you looking for free things to do in Manila? Both the Museum of Anthropology and Museum of Natural History are free and a must visit.

The Museum of Anthropology showcases an extensive collection of artifacts, tools, and displays that highlight the history and traditions of the Philippines indigenous peoples.

The museum is multiple floors and has exhibits on indigenous cultures, archaeological finds, maritime trade, and arts.

For opening hours and more information, check out the National Museum of Anthropology website.

Check out the Museum of Natural History

Originally, I was just going to do one of the museums in Manila but it’s hard to beat a free entrance price and the Anthropology Museum was so interesting. So I had a few hours to kill and decided to visit the Museum of Natural History, across the park.

Both museums are located in beautiful neoclassic buildings, the entrance to the museum is free, and there is a bag check.

Like the Museum of Anthropology, the Museum of Natural History is multiple floors showcasing the Philippines rich biodiversity from marine life to the tropical rainforests.

One of the highlights, for me at least was the taxidermied body of Lolong, a giant Indo-Pacific Crocodile. Lolong was 6.17 meters long (20 ft 3 inches) and weighed 1,075 kilograms (2,370 lbs.).

Lolong was captured in a marsh because he was becoming a problem and was brought to a nature park in Bunawan to live out his days.

The crocodile died while in captivity of pneumonia and cardiac arrest. What they don’t tell you is he died because the local town had no idea how to care for him. He died of infection and stress. It was all about money and tourism. RIP Lolong.

Make your way to Chinatown

I visited Manila’s Chinatown twice. I walked here after visiting Intramuros, and my food tour ended up here.

Chinatown is located in the Binondo district of Manila and it is the oldest Chinatown in the world. Chinatown in Manila is kind of run down but it’s fun to walk around and sample food.

Try dumplings, grilled squid, and anything you can find in Manila’s Chinatown.

Join a Food Tour

Joining a food tour is one of the best ways to experience food culture where ever you are. I always like to set up a food tour the first day of my trip. It kind of boosts my confidence when ordering and I get to try a lot of new food I might not know about.

Manila can seem overwhelming, so I recommend booking a food tour in Manila.

I booked this, Manila Street Food and Night Market Tour and really enjoyed it. We started at Tutuban Center and worked our way down to Chinatown.

Along the way we tried various dishes like Isaw, kwek-kwek, grilled squid, and of course balut.

You can check out the food tour here, see if it is right for you.

Try Balut

If you are feeling adventurous and want to try an authentic and local street food snack, then try Balut. In Manila, especially at the night markets, you can find vendors selling balut.

Everyone has heard of balut and knows what it is but most people are terrified of eating it. It’s a fertilized duck egg with a partially developed embryo.

I’ll be the first to admit, it doesn’t look great and I hesitated eating it a few times. To this date, I’ve tried balut three times and I actually don’t mind the texture and flavor. It tastes like a boiled egg with a little more texture to it.

I feel if you are visiting Manila or the Philippines in general, then eating balut or at least trying it is something you have to do. So try it and please let me know what your experience is like.

Manila has Great Malls: Go to Robinsons Place

I am not much of a mall-goer or shopper in general. But there have been some malls in Asia that have blown me away and I actually do enjoy. Robinsons Place in Manila being one of them.

For starters, Manila gets hot and humid, so finding a large mall to escape the heat and cool off in the air conditioning is a must. Next, I find food courts at some of these malls to be fantastic with a huge variety of local and chain restaurants.

If you are into shopping the malls in Manila have hundreds of name brand stores and local shops.

Robinsons Place was a huge mall in the Ermita area. Robinsons Mall is huge, you could spend an entire day here. It’s multiple levels and goes in every direction.

Walk the Esplanade

Right outside Intramuros along the Pasig River is an Esplanade that is great for walking, checking out the city lights at night, or taking photos.

The Esplanade is a perfect place to come to and relax and escape some of the noise and chaos that comes with Manila.

At night, you might see vendors selling street food, fun activities going on here, or even small festivals.

When I visited Manila, this was a popular place for couples to hang out, take photos, and enjoy time together. Unfortunately, I was by myself, but I enjoyed the people watching.

Take a Day Trip

One of my most recommended things to do in Manila is to get out of Manila and take a day trip, especially if staying in Manila for multiple days.

There is so much to explore just outside the city. Just go to Viator type in Manila and see the list of things to do.

I ended up taking this Taal Volcano Tour and it was nice to get out and see a different side of Luzon outside the big city.

The Taal Volcano Tour included a few stops at markets along the way, and stopped at a few places in Tagaytay. We then took a Bangka (traditional boat) in Taal Lake and got close to Taal Volcano.

Conclusion

From the historic charm of Intramuros to trying balut during a street food tour, Manila is a city with a lot to offer and deserves more attention. I took a solo trip to Manila not knowing what to expect and I was pleasantly surprised by so many things, like the cleanliness of Rizal Park, the gigantic malls, and of course Intramuros.

With so many people shocked that I took a trip to Manila as a solo traveler, I can now say that I recommend anyone visit Manila and use my top things to do list as an itinerary for Manila. Just remember to be cautious, observant, and stay safe!

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Plan Your Trip: 🗺️✈️ 🇵🇭

Booking Accommodations ⛺️🛖

For booking recommendations on the best deals and locations, check out Agoda or Booking.com

Activities and Tours 🏖️🚁

Find fun activities and things to do through Tripadvisor. If you are looking for tours and day trips, Viator and Get Your Guide have a lot of great options.

In need of a car rental? 🚗🚘

I recommend checking with Rental Cars.