Gate of Fort Santiago, Intramuros Eric Beltran For more information please metro scan the QR-code below manila Follow us for more information on Philippine CLARK INTL. AIRPORT • tourism destinations NINOY AQUINO INTL. AIRPORT •• MANILA @PhilippinesinUK @Philippines_UK @Philippines_UK #itsmorefuninthephilippines #bepartofthefun metro all you need #morefunforever to know Download our CEBU CITY • Visit Philippines app from Metro Manila is one of Asia’s premier regions your mobile app store manila composed of 16 cities and 1 municipality, with major central business districts in the capital Manila, Makati, Quezon City, Parañaque, Pasay, Muntinlupa and Taguig City with its Bonifacio Global City dubbed the Metro’s lifestyle hub. where to stay GETTING To Makati: The centrally located fi nancial district AND AROUND but also a cultural and entertainment hub, home to Raffl es and Fairmont hotels but catering to a Metro Manila, the Capital Region of the variety of budgets. Philippines, can be reached through major airlines with direct fl ights from London’s Ortigas: Manila’s second Central Business Heathrow Airport in 13hrs. Within the District, with two of the city’s biggest malls and Climate Philippines, Manila is linked to provincial centres mainly upscale hotels . by several domestic carriers; Palawan or Cebu Tropical Manila is hot and humid year-round, with from Manila are both about 70mins by air, for Malate and Ermita: Handy Manila Bay daytime temperatures averaging 19-39°C. The coolest instance, while Siargao is about 2hrs 30mins. districts just south of Intramuros, with popular months are January to February and the hottest are Department of Tourism attractions, lively nightlife scenes and plenty of March to May. The dry season lasts from late November Embassy of the Philippines 2nd Floor, 10 Suffolk Street Taxis from the airport to Makati or Malate take options for budget travellers. to early March; the wet season the rest of the year London SW1Y 4HG about 20mins and cost about £4 using a yellow features short intense spells of rainfall. United Kingdom airport metered taxi. Alternatively, there’s the Pasay: The closest area to the airport, home Airport Loop shuttle from Terminal 3 to Pasay to SM Mall of Asia, Baywalk, a vast array of Regional Offi ce Tel: +44 (0)20 7321 0668 Department of Tourism, National Capital Region (NCR) Regional Offi ce, and Baclaran. It starts as early as 5am and runs dining and nightlife and a wide choice of 2nd Flr, The New DOT Bldg., 351 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave. Makati City, [email protected] until 11pm. Fare one-way is about £0.30. accommodation for all budgets. Tel: +63 2 459-5200, [email protected] www.itsmorefuninthephilippines.co.uk Makati Central Business District Manila Bay sunsets are legendary Metro Manila is the country’s economic, Welcome to political and cultural capital. And it’s chaotic METRO Manila in the best way possible. From the colourful, Why It's More roaring jeepneys to the dancing traffi c Fun in Manila Blending charming Spanish colonial enforcers, to the karaoke machines blasting architecture, world-class museums and 80s ballads in the streets, everywhere you go From bamboo-bike tours to artisan shopping, galleries and the world’s oldest Chinatown is teeming with life. and from contemporary art venues to casinos, with some of the biggest and best shopping the Philippine capital is a world in itself, with malls on Earth, the vibrant bay side Filipino There’s never a dull moment, especially when something to appeal to all ages and tastes capital Manila is also a foodie paradise that you spend it with the fun-loving Manileños. when it comes to things to see and do. Greenbelt, Makati was much revered by celebrity chef, author and travel documentarian Anthony Bourdain. “A combination of artistic renaissance and economic boom has given the capital of the Cult ure It may be the smallest region in the Philippines Philippines a new lease of life, with plenty to CasaCasa Manila, Manila, Intramurous Intramurous but you’ll never run out of fun things to see, do and taste.” and Food discover in the 16 unique cities and one – The Telegraph municipality of Metro Manila, also known as Manila packs a lot of culture into a small the National Capital Region (NCR). space – many of its major sites are in the walled Intramuros, including the Spanish-era Fort Santiago with its shrine-museum to José Rizal, Manila Cathedral, UNESCO-listed San Agustin Church (the Philippines’ oldest), Casa Manila museum of Spanish colonial furniture and art, and Rizal Bagumbayan Light and Sound Museum of colonial and modern history. Manila Cathedral Other venues in which to learn about Filipino history and culture and art are the Bahay Tsinoy museum of Chinese history, Ayala Museum of Filipino history and artifacts, National Museum of Top Events Flower festival Anthropology, Malacañang Palace presidential & Festivals Jeepneys by the City Hall of Manila museum, and National Museum of Fine Arts, Top 10 while for kids there’s the Exploreum science • Black Nazarene Procession, 9 Jan & Good Activities museum, Museo Pambata children’s museum Friday – the carrying of the life-sized image and the National Museum of Natural History. of a dark-skinned Jesus Christ, housed in the • Tour the Walled City of • Take a Pasig River tour or • Explore quirky architecture city’s Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene. Intramuros (the colonial Manila Bay cruise for a ranging from the Coconut walled city) by horse-drawn different view of Old Manila Palace (by prior booking Intramuros Golf Club • Bamboo Organ Festival, late February – A densely populated city melding many global musicians paying homage to Las carriage or eco-friendly and Makati. only) to the Art Deco First different cultures and infl uences, Manila Piñas’ iconic organ. bamboo bicycle or practice • Roam Rizal Park (‘Luneta’) United Building. is unsurprisingly lively all-year-round, with • Fringe Manila, February and March – a 2-3 your swing at the Intramuros with its open-air chess, • Discover Cubao Expo, an religious processions, live music, theatre, week event showcasing local artists and Golf Club monument to national hero alternative village with Famous Filipino dessert Halo-Halo famous drag shows or plenty of speakeasies performers in the city’s galleries and theatres. • Sample the city’s famous José Rizal and National boutiques, bars and cheap and videoke/karaoke bars. • Aliwan Fiesta, April and May – dance parades street food at venues Museum of Natural History eats. Let off steam at the and fl oat competitions in Pasay City. including Shipyard in Malate, Philippines.’ Upside Down Museum Traditional and new-wave Filipino, Spanish and • Philippine Independence Day, 12 June – discover the authentic • Soak up contemporary of Illusions, Art In Island Chinese fare lead the eclectic dining scene in celebrations and a parade in Rizal Park to hole-in-the-wall restaurants Filipino art and th Philippine museum and the casinos. Manila, but locals are also mad about Japanese mark independence from Spain. of Binondo-Chinatown, or Gold Exhibit at the • Take a day-trip to Corregidor food, American diner classics and global food in • Fête de la Musique, mid-June – celebration go on a food and pub crawl Metropolitan Museum of Island; Tagaytay Ridge, general – meaning everyone will fi nd something of music organised by the Alliance Française, of the trendy Poblacion Manila, and at 1335 Mabini People’s Park in the Sky to please and new fl avours to experience, all with two main stages and 30+ themed stages neighbourhood in Makati. Art Gallery located in Makati. and Taal Volcano; or Mount of it stunningly great value. Don’t miss seafood hosting reggae, blues, punk and more. Another foodie hotspot is the • Shop ’till you drop, whether Pinatubo crater lake. made to your taste at a dampa such as Pasay, • Philippine Travel Mart, September – annual Malate Church Mercato Centrale in BGC, at the vast bayfront SM Mall • Stroll the waterfront Baywalk where you buy ingredients to be cooked at an event showcasing Philippines destinations Taguig. of Asia or discover the Venice for its sunset views over on-site restaurant. • Christmas celebrations, from 1 September Grand Canal Mall. Manila Bay and open-air cafés and food stalls. Venice Grand Canal Mall, Taguig City.