The Manila Melting Pot

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Author: Wan Anwar Da-oh

The Manila Melting Pot

Like many cities in developing nations, Manila is not without its pollution and traffic, nor the conspicuous divide between rich and poor. Nevertheless, this bustling Philippines capital, situated on the west coast of the island of Luzon, is a remarkable melting pot of Asian and Latin cultures, thick with history and flavor.

When in Manila, sightseeing is protocol. Many history lessons have been learnt while visiting the oldest part of the city, Intramuros (Latin for "within the walls"), which was founded by the Spanish in 1571 and houses numerous historic buildings and churches. Rizal Park, named after anti-colonialist Dr. José Rizal, features a skating rink, chess plaza, beautiful ornamental gardens and free concerts on Sundays. Other places worth visiting are the Malacañang Palace, The National Museum of the Philippines, Binondo (Manila's Chinatown) and the Chinese Cemetery, where some of the rich are buried with air conditioners, chandeliers and flushing toilets.

Many hotels, ranging from 5-stars to the more affordable options are located on Roxas Boulevard which overlooks Manila Bay or in the popular districts of Ermita and Malate. As with dining choices, the high end brings us to Lolo Dad's Café, a popular restaurant for gourmet Filipino cuisine and Ilustrado (at the heart of Intramuros), which serves Filipino and Spanish dishes.

For the more adventurous foodie, a great selection of street foods such as isaw (grilled chicken and pork innards), banana cue, kamote cue (deep fried banana and sweet potato with caramelized brown sugar), kwek kwek (hard boiled quail, chicken or duck eggs covered in orange batter, then fried and seasoned) and halo-halo (shaved ice with condensed milk, preserved fruit, sweet beans and a scoop of ice cream) can be found throughout the city. After satisfying your appetite, head to Malate for late night salsa dancing or to the clubs and bars in Makati - V Bar and Fat Willy's for instance.

The best way to get a feel for true Manila shopping is to go to a 'tiangge', a market with stalls, where everything can be bargained. Market! Market!, St. Francis Square, Greenhills Shopping Center and Tiendesitas are examples of such. But if this isn't your cup of tea, there are malls such as the SM Mall of Asia, the second largest in Asia and third largest in the world, SM City Manila and Ayala Center.

Popular nearby excursions are Corregidor, a rock island that was once used as a checkpoint for vessels entering Manila Bay during the Spanish and American occupations and Tagaytay City, where the Taal Volcano (volcano which sits on an island in a lake) is located.

Modes of public transportation within the city include the colorful Jeepneys (from jeeps used by the American Armed Force units), buses, taxis and FXs (minivans). However, to dodge traffic, the MRT (Metro Rail Transit System) and LRT (Light Rail Transit) are available and fast.

Three international airports are of service to travelers coming by air - Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the main international gateway of the Philippines, Diosdado Macapagal International Airport which caters to mostly low-budget airlines and Mactan-Cebu International Airport. And speaking of the weather, Manila is mainly hot and humid all year round, cooler from November to February, hottest in May and rainy between June and October. Please visit http://www.agoda.com.my

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