Manila was never on our radar. Even after over 26 years of travelling together, Bec and I had never seriously thought about going. It just never came up.
It just happened when we were planning a trip to China to visit our daughter. Flying back from Qingdao, Manila sits almost in a direct line on the way to Melbourne. Five days suddenly became possible. In reality it was three full days of exploring with a slower arrival and departure day on either end, which is pretty much how we travel these days.
We like to take advantage of our trips and always include a second and third country. Manila sits nearly in a direct line when flying to Melbourne from Qingdao.
We had never been to the Philippines and most people go to the islands when visiting the Philippines but we only had a spare 5 days, in reality only 3 full days in Manila. If you’re planning a full 3 days in Manila, this blog will show you exactly how we spent our time, what worked, what didn’t, and what we’d do differently.
The trip to Manila got off to a bumpy start. A storm in Hong Kong delayed our flight out of China, causing us to miss our connection to Manila. It was, to put it nicely… a bit of a shit show. We ended up losing over half a day and landed 12 hours later than expected.
How to Spend 5 Days in Manila (If That’s All You Have)
If you only have 3 days in Manila, just follow Days 2 to 4 of this itinerary.
Arrival Point: Ninoy Aquino International Airport
Visa Requirements: Visa-free entry for 30 days. You need to fill in an E-Travel Declaration within 72 hours of arrival.
Ninoy Aquino International Airport has a bad reputation for being old, crowded and slow to travel through. If you watch TikTok and read reviews it sounded like a nightmare. However, we experienced none of that.
Whether that was good luck or just people looking for views, we will never know. We landed, were cleared through customs, had bags within 25 minutes, found our hotel transfer driver and were at our hotel within an hour.
Where did we stay in Manila: Hotel 1898 Colonia, Makati Manila.
Hotel 1898 Colonia was a really good hotel that Bec and I enjoyed very much. It pretty much ticked all the boxes for us. The room was a good size, the air conditioning worked well, breakfast was included, it has 2 bars and a swimming pool. It was one of the best value hotels for midlife couples spending 3 days in Manila.
Day 1 in Manila: We Took It Slow, Found Happy Hour and Ate at Jollibee
2.00PM to 5.00PM
We started off our first afternoon by walking around the area we were staying in. We walked along P Burgos Street, Kalayaan Avenue and Makati Avenue. We like to get a feel of the areas where we stay so we know where the local store or supermarket is, what the options for dinner are, what the public transport options are and where to find happy hour.
These days, we don’t race out of the blocks as quick as we used to anymore. As an Australian travel couple in our late 40s and early 50s, we’ve learned that slowing down is the way to go.
Watch our YouTube video from Manila
What I am about to say next, I am actually a little embarrassed about. The first place we stopped to eat in Manila was Jollibee, the home grown Filipino version of McDonald’s and KFC rolled into one. They have some crazy value meal combinations. I had one that included a burger and spaghetti Bolognese.
Just quietly, we went back to Jollibee a few times over the next few days for ice cream sundaes. Bec rated them and I mean really rated them highly.
5:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Cafe Cubano on P Burgos St became our go-to place for drinks while staying in Makati. They had an all-day happy hour running from 10am to 7pm. How wild is that! There is nothing better than buy 1 get 1 free happy hour and Cafe Cubano was talking our language with Margarita, Cuba Libre and Mojitos falling into that category and 40% off San Miguel and Redhorse beer.
Needless to say, we sampled all three cocktails while there. Cafe Cubano is more than just a place for a drink. It’s a place to people watch with its big outdoor street front deck. Let me explain a bit more. P Burgos Street in Makati is sort of like a redlight, nightclub, bar and restaurant area where you see some seriously entertaining stuff happening. It is people watching at its best.
Be prepared to be offered Viagra, fake Rolexes and even services by the ladies walking the street.
7.00 PM to 8.00 PM
It was time to get some dinner, so we headed out along P Burgos until we found a Shawarma Restaurant called Al Tarboosh Arabic Resto on the corner of P Burgos St and Makati Avenue. This type of Arabic food seems pretty popular around here with a number of these type restaurants. They also had outdoor seating, so we grabbed a seat and tried the San Miguel beer.
I must say, wow it was really good, not too sweet, sort of perfect for those wanting a beer that does not have a strong beer flavour. We ordered a mixed grill type plate that had some kababs, salad and fries, the sort of food that tastes great after having a few drinks.
It’s like comfort food, you know what you’re going to get, you don’t have to put too much thought into it after a long day.
8.00 PM to 9.00 PM
We headed back to Hotel 1898 Colonia as it had been a long day that started in Hong Kong at 4am. As luck would have it, happy hour was going at the hotel, at the rooftop pool area. We headed up for one last cocktail. We had to finish the night with a Mojito, one of Bec’s favourites. I was bitterly disappointed that they did not have any blue girly cocktails on the menu, which I love.
Day 2 in Manila: Philippines History and One Very Long Grab Ride
I started the day with a latte in the lobby of the hotel before waking Bec up for one of her favourite parts of the day, hotel breakfast. One thing my wife always asks for is breakfast included at the hotels we stay. I try and be a good husband most times and book hotels with this included.
8:00 am to 2:00 pm
Breakfast at 1898 Colonia Hotel was pretty good for an affordable mid-priced hotel for couples our age. It was a buffet with warm foods, cereals, toasts and pastries on offer. You could even sit in a colonial style tram car that they had in the middle of the room. It was quite quirky.
After breakfast, we ordered a Grab to take us to Intramuros, the old Spanish part of the city dating back to the 1570s. We were particularly keen to visit Fort Santiago, a citadel built by the Spanish to protect the city in 1570.
But first things first, we stopped at Beanleaf Cafe just near the entrance to the fort for coffee. It was going to be a day of walking so coffee was definitely on the menu before we started. Because Manila is always warm we had iced coffee. Good flavour, strong enough and a good price.
Beanleaf was air-conditioned and the staff were friendly. It was a funky cafe with two levels, a chandelier hanging from the roof, fake grass painting and street lamps on the walls.
We fuelled up on coffee and then headed to Fort Santiago. Entry was 75 pesos each or around $1.50 AUD. Fort Santiago was quite large, but let’s break it down. First, it is really just a walled area with some green spaces. Besides the walls, there is really not much left of the original fort.
There are enough information boards to give you a rundown on what happened here. Some of the highlights were the Fort Santiago Gate, the bridge that crosses the moat, the white cross and dungeons.
One thing I will say is that there is plenty of shade and trees which can be nice on a hot day in Manila. Worth seeing for the history, but if you skipped it, you probably wouldn’t feel like you missed too much.
From Fort Santiago, we wandered Intramuros, visited churches, markets and monuments. The first stop was Plaza Roma where there was a small market happening. Just be aware you will get approached by sellers wanting you to do a tour with a horse and carriage and on bikes.
Anytime Bec sees a market we have to stop. It literally kills me at times. Also located at the end of Plaza Roma is the Manila Cathedral. We wandered in for a look. The Philippines is the largest Catholic country in Asia. While Bec and I do not practise religion we do appreciate the beauty that old churches bring.
We decided to walk through the neighbourhood stopping at Plazuela de Santa Isabel, a square with a monument to over 100,000 innocent victims who were killed by the Japanese during the Second World War. Monuments like this bring into sharp reality the horrors of war.
As we continued to stroll and look at the colourful heritage buildings, we came across The Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation and Cincture. Another big Catholic church in the area. We didn’t go in, we just captured a few pictures and moved on towards the exit.
After we exited the neighbourhood, we headed up the road to visit the National Museum of Natural History. I will say straight up that the forecourt inside the building is stunning and is probably the highlight of the museum.
There is a structure that connects the floor to roof designed to look like a strand of DNA. It felt like it wouldn’t be out of place in a 5-star hotel lobby. The museum itself was so-so. Some really good exhibits and some that were, well, a little amateurish and basic in design.
It seemed most people were interested in Lolong, the Guinness World Record holder for largest crocodile ever held in captivity measuring 6.17 meters and weighing over a ton. Still, all in all, a good way to learn about the flora and fauna of the Philippines.
2:00 PM to 6:00 PM
After exiting the museum, we headed back to our hotel. One thing we will say straight up is that traffic in Manila is best described as horrendous. Be prepared for a Grab to take at least an hour to get you 4 to 5 kilometres across the city.
After getting back at around 3pm and dropping off some bags in our room, it was time to find a local laundry to get some clothes washed. We found Let’s Talk Dirty and no, we were not engaging in foreplay. It was a laundry just 200 meters from our hotel. They charged $1.20 per kilo with a 3 kilo minimum. If only we could get someone to do our laundry in Australia for that price.
By now, it was nearing 5 PM, which meant happy hour was starting at the pool bar at the hotel. We thought we better get a few Mojitos under our belt. I wished I had gotten a chance to swim in the pool during our trip. It always looked pretty inviting in the warm Manila weather.
6:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Time for dinner. P Burgos Street has a famous American diner called the Filling Station. It’s all bright and neon with signs, cars and memorabilia. It was loud and in your face, selling burgers, fries and milkshakes.
The place was packed and very popular for date night considering the amount of couples in there. We had burgers which were pretty good, but be prepared to pay prices that you would see in western countries. The food was good and it was a unique experience for sure.
We would recommend it for anyone in Makati just for its point of difference and decor. After that, we headed out down P Burgos to Makati Avenue with a Sunday ice cream at Jollibee in our sights.
Day 3 in Manila: Markets, Malls and Getting Lost in Chinatown
6:00 AM to 2:00 PM
As usual, I woke up early and headed out of the room to let Bec sleep. I headed downstairs and had a coffee out on the deck. After that, I went back to the room to wake Bec and we had breakfast at 8am. This morning we headed to Market! Market! a shopping centre in Taguig, Metro Manila.
One thing Manila is known for is its shopping centres. We had watched a YouTube video that showed a market outside this shopping centre, so we thought we could combine both in one trip. To be honest it was a bit of a waste of time.
The market out the front was small with only a few aisles of clothing and the shopping centre was just a shopping centre. We spent an hour or so here before getting a Grab to Chinatown.
Manila’s Chinatown was around 14 kilometres away, and this is where we experienced the full congestion of Manila’s traffic. The trip took us 1 hour and 35 minutes to cross the city. It was that long that I actually nodded off in the back seat for a 20 minute power nap along the way.
After arriving at Chinatown, it was now lunch time. We had come here specifically to eat at Chuan Kee Chinese Restaurant, the oldest and most famous, well famous on social media anyway. The line up to get in stretched around the corner and we waited 35 minutes before getting seated. Chuan Kee was famous for its fried chicken and it did not disappoint. The whole Chinatown area is a foodie hotspot.
The chicken was crunchy and tender, not too oily, just really good. We also ordered up some beef noodles and some shumai. I love shumai and you can usually find them at the breakfast buffet at a lot of hotels in Asia.
After lunch, we took a walk around Chinatown. It really is a lively neighbourhood with a mix of tourists and locals. Shops selling groceries, souvenirs, Chinese lanterns, you name it, you will find it in Manila’s Chinatown. We wandered a little far from the main area and ended up getting lost. There was a mini crisis for a few minutes until I whipped out Google Maps and got us back on track.
2:00 PM to 10:00 PM
We ordered a Grab back to our hotel in Makati, which also took us around 45 minutes. Long day spent in cars criss-crossing Manila. Back at the hotel, we spent some time in our room just to escape the heat as it was a really hot day in Manila.
About 4pm we wandered down to Cafe Cubano to grab a few drinks and do some people watching before happy hour expired. The end of happy hour came and went and we found ourselves enjoying the music, the atmosphere and the people watching, so 4pm turned into 8pm pretty quickly.
Now we had no plans for dinner so we wandered around the neighbourhood until we settled on Khiang Thai street food restaurant.
My default Thai dish is Pad Thai which was pretty good, while Bec had an old favourite of hers, chicken and cashew nuts. It was a small restaurant, but it was pretty full and I can see why. The food was a good price and good quality. Finally, we went back to the hotel for sleep time.
Day 4 in Manila: Local Markets, The Greenbelt and Preparing to go Home
6:00 AM to 11:00 AM
This morning, I thought I would head out down the street to find a coffee. What a mistake that was! I didn’t get 100 meters away before I was continually approached by the working girls of the area every few meters. Without Bec by my side, I must have looked like a likely target at that time of the morning.
I quickly backtracked to the hotel for my coffee. After waking Bec up and having breakfast, we ordered a Grab and headed to Quinta market. The market is really just an area of small narrow streets around The Quiapo Church. We wandered and looked, took in the sights and smells of this local Manila market.
In the end, all we bought was a bag to take home some extra stuff we had picked up in China a few days previous. We went into The Quiapo Church, which is somewhat famous for being the home of the Black Nazarene, a 16th-century image of Jesus Christ.
11.00am to 2.00pm
We booked our Grab and headed to the Makati Greenbelt. Clean, green, modern and easy. If you want a break from the chaos of Manila, this is where you go. The Makati Greenbelt is an amazing area in the middle of Manila. Think big green open space, really big, with 4 interconnecting shopping centres, museums and parkland. It really feels like an escape. Like you’re not really in the middle of a big city.
We wandered, we looked and we ate at one of the food courts. After that, just on the edge of the Greenbelt is a small park called Terra Park 28th Street. It’s more of a family area with some restaurants lining the side, play equipment and a quirky little library that was repurposed from a security booth which encourages visitors to take a book and share a book.
2:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Caught a Grab, but in reality it was only about 1km from our hotel. If we had known that, we would have walked. Back at the hotel, it was time for a drink, so we sat out on the deck at Tíabuela, which is the cafe come restaurant come bar in the lobby area of the hotel.
We ordered just some soft drinks this time. Yes, shock horror, we don’t just drink alcohol. We ordered a traditional Philippine snack called a Taho. It’s warm tofu, topped with sago pearls and a brown sugar syrup called arnibal.
It was not for our taste buds but we always like to try the local food when possible. After sitting down relaxing for a few hours and resting our feet after a big day of walking, it was now time for a drink.
5.00pm to 9.00pm
We headed back to Cafe Cubano. Yes, we are creatures of habit at times for happy hours. Our last night in Manila was spent again watching the happenings along P Burgos street. We even ordered dinner there and had some chicken quesadillas.
We headed back to the hotel quite early as we had to start packing up the room for our flight back to Australia the next day. But we couldn’t leave without one last cocktail at the rooftop bar.
Day 5: Check Out and Heading Home
Had our hotel breakfast and finished packing our bags, which is always the worst part for any travel couple. It can be like a jigsaw at times with shuffling things in suitcases and backpacks. We had ordered an airport transfer through Booking.com who arrived on time and had us at the airport for our Cebu Pacific flight to Melbourne on time.
Is Manila Worth Visiting for 3 Days? Honest Answer
Let’s be honest, Manila isn’t a must-visit destination. We wouldn’t be rushing out to book flights just to come here. It’s not as polished as Singapore, and it’s not as appealing as Bangkok. But it is an interesting city, especially if you get the chance to visit as a stopover like we did.
There aren’t a huge number of standout must-see attractions. That said, there are definitely enough things to do to make 3 days in Manila worthwhile.
What we did love was Makati. For us, it’s one of the best areas to stay in Manila for tourists, especially for midlife travel couples. It’s easy to navigate, has great food options, and plenty going on without feeling overwhelming. It’s also one of the main nightlife areas in Manila, but still works for those of us who prefer a drink and people-watching over a late night out.
Before arriving, we’d heard Manila described as one of the most dangerous cities in Asia. So, did we find Manila safe? Honestly, it felt no different to any other big city. At no point did we feel unsafe. Like anywhere, you just need to be aware of your surroundings and keep an eye on your belongings.
Manila isn’t perfect, far from it. Traffic is terrible, getting around can take time, and public transport options are a bit limited. Prices also aren’t as cheap as you might expect compared to other parts of Asia.
But here’s the thing. If you don’t expect Manila to be perfect, you might actually enjoy it more. We tend to like cities like this, busy, a little rough around the edges, and caught somewhere between old-world charm and modern development.
We’ve been giving straight-up travel advice for midlife couples for over 26 years. Take a look at the story behind Street Eats & Window Seats. And for everything else about the Philippines, head to our Philippines travel guide.
Is Manila worth visiting?
It depends on your expectations. Manila isn’t a must-visit destination in the way Bangkok or Singapore are. There aren’t a huge number of standout attractions. But if you go with realistic expectations, especially as a stopover or add-on to a bigger trip, there’s enough to keep you busy for three days and the food and nightlife scene in Makati is genuinely good fun.
How many days do you need in Manila?
Three full days is enough to cover the main sights including Intramuros and Fort Santiago, the National Museum of Natural History, Chinatown and the Makati Greenbelt area. If you only have two days, focus on Intramuros and Chinatown. Five days including arrival and departure days is a comfortable itinerary without feeling rushed.
Is Manila safe for tourists?
We found Manila no more threatening than any other large Asian city. At no point did we feel unsafe. Like anywhere, common sense applies. Be aware of your surroundings, keep an eye on your belongings and avoid flashing valuables. Makati in particular is a well-developed, easy-to-navigate area that works well as a base for tourists.
What is the best area to stay in Manila?
For midlife couples and tourists in general, Makati is the best area to stay in Manila. It has great accommodation options and food and drink to suit any budget. It’s also one of Manila’s main nightlife and dining precincts without being overwhelming.
How bad is the traffic in Manila?
Bad. Genuinely bad. Budget a lot more time than you think for any Grab ride across the city. What looks like a five kilometre trip on the map can take over an hour in peak traffic. We had a Grab ride from the museum district back to Makati that took close to ninety minutes. Factor this into your daily plans and you won’t be caught out.
Do you need a visa to visit the Philippines?
Australian passport holders can enter the Philippines visa-free for up to 30 days. You will need to complete an E-Travel Declaration within 72 hours of arrival. Always check the current entry requirements for your nationality before travelling as these can change.
