The Manila City Guides deal with what every first-time visitor wonders: which Binondo shops are worth the queue, how to see Intramuros and the free national museums before the midday heat, where Poblacion’s best bars hide and which weekend escapes are worth the traffic. Each guide is a short, opinionated list with the reason to go, what to order or look for and one practical tip per place, and it opens in your browser the moment you pay.
About the Manila City Guides
- 140 places
- 6 guides
- 13 languages
- Works offline
- Print or PDF
- Instant access
- Free updates
The six Manila guides
Food guide
23 places
Dumplings and hopia in Binondo, Filipino classics served around the clock, Michelin-starred tasting menus, the weekend markets in Makati and halo-halo for the hot afternoons.
Things to do guide
22 places
Free national museums, the forts and churches of Intramuros, Chinatown and Quiapo, a sunset over the bay and the tourist traps worth avoiding.
Family guide
25 places
Shady parks and a wildlife centre, a science museum and a children’s museum, an aquarium, air-conditioned play halls and restaurants that suit kids.
Nightlife guide
24 places
Speakeasy-style cocktail bars, rooftops at sunset, craft beer taprooms, live music and suppers that run all night.
Day trips guide
23 places
Volcano views from Tagaytay, heritage houses and revolution history, waterfalls and warm springs and dry-season beaches, with the bus or jeepney to take.
Budget guide
23 places
Free museums and parks, dumplings for a few euros, free walks through the old neighbourhoods and the cheapest ways to cross the city.
Why an interactive guide beats a list
Tick places off
Mark each place as done and watch your progress, so you always know what is left.
Your own notes
Write notes on any place and add your own finds. They stay on your phone.
One tap to Maps
Every place opens in Google Maps, and the day route puts your picks in a sensible order.
Open now, near me
Filter by what is open right now or what is closest to you.
Works offline
Open the guide once with a connection and it keeps working without data.
Print it or save as PDF
On a computer, print any guide or save it as a PDF to take with you.
Three places from the guides
Milky Way Cafe
Arnaiz Avenue, Makati
A family business since 1962 that still makes halo-halo with ice shaved on a hand-cranked machine. Stay for the fresh heart-of-palm lumpia and the pancit luglug, two dishes the kitchen has kept unchanged. From the food guide.
Fort Santiago
Intramuros, by the Pasig river
The Spanish fort at the tip of the walled city, where José Rizal spent his final days. Walk along the river wall, step down into the old cells and trace the brass footprints that mark his last route. From the things to do guide.
Corregidor Island
Manila Bay, by ferry
The island fortress at the mouth of the bay that held out in 1942. Gun batteries, the shell of the old hospital and the Malinta Tunnel are all still standing, and a full day with ferry and guided tour covers them well. From the day trips guide.
Plan your days in Manila
Day one: walk Intramuros early, from Fort Santiago to San Agustín Church, have lunch inside the walls, spend the hot hours in the free national museums at Rizal Park and watch the sun go down over the bay. Day two: eat your way through Binondo in the morning, wander down Escolta Street to Quiapo, then take a car to Makati for Poblacion’s wine bars and taprooms. For a rainy or slow day, head to the Mind Museum or the Metropolitan Museum of Manila at BGC, or take the kids to Manila Ocean Park, and keep a Saturday for the Salcedo market.
Questions about the Manila guides
What is inside the Manila City Guides?
Six guides covering 140 places: food, things to do, family, nightlife, day trips and budget. For every place you get the reason to go, the neighbourhood, notes on timing and one practical tip.
When do I get the guides after paying?
Straight away: the links appear on your order page once payment goes through and are also in your order email. They open in any browser on a phone or laptop, with no app or login needed.
Will the guides work offline in Manila?
Yes. Open each guide once while connected and it keeps working without signal, along with your ticks and notes. Opening places in maps needs mobile data.
What languages do the guides come in?
The guides open in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese, Greek, Polish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Arabic. You can switch the language inside the guide at any time.
What do the Manila guides cost?
One guide costs €4.99, two cost €8.99, four cost €15.99 and all six together cost €19.99.
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