What Does Manila Have That Other Metros Don't?
Well, I travel across Asia Pacific for a living, and must have been to Manila at least half a dozen times. So I guess at some point of time this needs to be done. And what needs to be done is to review Manila and its nearby areas. Although I am not a big fan of the place, it does have its bag of chips, and so without pushing this any further, here you have a first-hand experience of traveling to Manila.
First things first. It is a bustling city, and as unclean as cities go - with overflowing sewers, unbelievable traffic snarls, parking nightmares and ugly neighborhoods, basically the works. Add to that the typhoons and rains that bring the city life to a complete halt for at least thrice each season, and you get the picture. There was a time I stayed at Intercontinental in Makati for two weeks, and the only way I could get out of the hotel for all that time was through the underground walkways to the mall across the street, as it was pouring oceans of rainwater from the sky all the time. And the wind - oh boy! Don't get me started with that one.
But you live long enough in any place, and the place starts to grow on you. Especially when people are nice, fun loving and pleasant. This is one thing about the Pinoys. All of them love to sing and most sing well. And almost all of them love to eat good food. One chap I got talking to said he was posted for work in Kuala Lumpur for a year, and the one thing he missed the most was pork meat. Not his family or friends, but food first! ... Consider this latest one - we moved the timing of a very important meetings in the week - just because a local fast food chains had 'unlimited chicken' offer on Fridays, and the guys at office wanted to catch the promotion!
Some "warts and all" to begin with
---------------------------------------------
I could easily write this as a post from the 'What I Hate About' series, as there is just so much of it that I find problematic. So let me just get this out of my system and be done with it:
* There are no direct flights from India, and although it should take just a little over 6 hours from Delhi to Manila, one has to take a connection via KL or Bangkok or Hong Kong just to reach here, wasting almost a whole day and a lot more money.
* The NAIA airport has got to be the world's worst airport in terms of facilities, at least in this part of the world. It is small, crammed, and under renovation for almost all the time that I remember. Even the business class lounge is the size of a mid-sized room, and has at max two things that can be eaten, that too on a good day. For a country with so much business coming in, the first impression is rather sadly representative and somewhat diminishing.
* The roads are almost always busy. Due to the call center business, the office times are now spread across the day and night, and rather than easing office traffic during the normal morning and evening hours, this has resulted in roads getting blocked across all times of the day and also the night. I have been stuck in a traffic spot for over an hour way after midnight once. There are bottlenecks across the city that just seem to have perennial construction projects.
* Because of the island nature of the city, most parts are low lying and flood easily. What is worse is that there is no proper drainage for these, and that gives the entire city a marsh-land kind of smell. Not that you can't live with it, but it is rather pervasive. This is kinda similar to our great and "wonderfully" smelly cities like Mumbai and Chennai, but a bit more.
I could go on, but these are some of the main ones.
So now that the bail is all taken out, let me come back to the nicer things about the place.
The archipelago nation is a growing, bustling democracy in the region, and that's saying a lot. With other countries struggling to make a mark in the global economic equations, and most going through political existential crises, playing dangerously close with the dictatorial and military models, the Philippines has stuck to its almost - religious imitation of being the 'people's republic', modeled loosely on its strongest benefactor, the USA. And yes it is less efficient than say Singapore, but at least it is moving ahead.
The business is booming in most cases. New commercial centers are coming up. Cities like Bonifacio have sprung up overnight, like the castles in Arabian Nights. The reclamation lands of southern part of the city - near the Mall of Asia - now have some of the largest casinos and entertainment centers in the area. And although OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers) still contribute a whole lot to the country's economy, significantly more than China, India or Mexico, the percentage seems to have come down over the years as the local labour conditions and opportunities improve.
Things to do and see
--------------------------
All this has led to a better travel experience for a foreigner, as locals get more acquainted with diverse (read: non-American) groups of aliens, Indians and Chinese included. There are a lot of international brands of restaurants and food chains, and also retail. Clothes are a tad cheaper, but one has to look for good deals and also ensure that you are not palmed off with the 'export rejects'. Shopping in Manila is nice during the times of sale, like the one close to Christmas. I remember there is one shopping complex in Quezon City where you can get good oceanic pearls, and they are quite good.
There aren't too many places to visit or things to do. But a day visit to Intramuros - the 'city within the walls' - is actually quite pleasant. It is the oldest district of Manila, and has enough to keep the history buff in you going for a whole day.
There is the fort - Fort Santiago. It is small-ish as forts go, and for those used to the Red Forts of Delhi and Agra, this could look rather like someone's house. It is quite comparable in size to some of the havelies in Shekhawati region. But the fort has a significant place in the history of the Philippines, as it was here that the Philippine national hero Jose Rizal was imprisoned, then put under trial and finally executed. His execution by the Spaniard musketeers at the turn of the 19th century led to a national movement, which eventually led to the country's freedom. The fort now has the house where he was imprisoned turned into a 'shrine' - literally. It has all of his memoralia and it is quite nicely preserved.
Rizal's tale is a poignant and inspiring one - at least the American historians would have us believe, kind of like Tagore and other Indian luminaries who rebelled against the British in India. Born in the Spanish rule into a wealthy family, Rizal studied law and medicine abroad, but on his return formed a civil movement.
During this time he wrote a lot of letters, poems, essays and generally made the Spaniard rulers real nervous. He was then exiled for his activities against the Spanish authorities, then arrested, implicated, imprisoned on the fort, tried and finally executed by a firing squad.
However, his death had a reversal effect of sorts, as it usually does, and kindled the fire in the bellies of is countrymen, who rallied against the alien rule and finally led to the formation of the first Philippine republic.
The fort also has another gory history, where during WW II the Japanese troops imprisoned American and local folks and over 600 of them were killed in the infamous 'Manila Massacre'. The dungeons are still creepy, and the Plaster-of-Paris statues of Japanese soldiers create the eerie 1945 atmosphere rather chillingly.
The other places to see within Intramuros are the Manila Cathedral on the main square - with its Roman architecture and replicas from the churches in Rome, the Governor's house - which is really just a building, and some older Spanish houses that have been preserved for centuries and now conveniently converted to museums and promenades. Some even have nice eateries for a good, yet rather expensive, meal. There are some war memorials, statues and old houses, and it is a nice walk around the area. The city is always experimenting with different traffic schemes, and tries to provide safe walking passages to pedestrian tourists.So if you reach here by a car, it is best to park it near the Fort or somewhere outside (in Extramuros) rather than trying to find a parking spot inside.
The Southern Cities
-------------------------
The metropolitan area of Manila is divided into different 'cities' - these are actually not more than small suburbs, just a few blocks across. But each city has its own mayor, with own laws and traffic rules (or the lack thereof), and even holiday schedules. In some cases, if the weather is bad and raining, and you are wondering if your child is still going to the school, you might have to wait for the mayor of your city to wake up and declare whether or not it is an official holiday for your city in particular.
The southern cities are closer to the airport. This is also the older part of the town, and generally wears a deserted look. The larger city here is the Pasay City, which opens to the Manila harbour down south. The Pasig river that flows through Manila finally carries the city's refuse into the ocean here. Since most of Pasay City is built on reclaimed land, the place looks like a dump, but there are attempts to spruce things up with the new City of Dreams casino and hotel complex. A few hotels here - notable among these is the older Sofitel Philippine Plaza - right on the waterfront, with an excellent pool and a buffet that has got to be on top 5 in breakfast buffets.
There are several official and government buildings here, dotted along the seaside, and older hotels too. To my Mumbai-born eyes, it looks a lot like the Queen's Necklace, only a lot longer. There are horses and Victorias and cotton candies and sea-facing restaurants. The American Embassy occupies a strategic and rather daunting presence on the promenade, which is less busy than it used to be - as most of the weekend family crowd has moved to the new Mall of Asia, a couple of miles away. Some part also resembles areas around India Gate in Delhi, with official buildings, courts, museums and a performing arts theater.
Cross this, and you see the new H2O hotel which hosts a water world, like the one at Singapore, only less clean. The famous Manila Hotel stands on the curve. Beyond this you can see the ships marooned in the harbour and the cranes busy with loading and offloading. To the right is a golf course, and behind that is the Fort Santiago, the district of Intramuros.
The New Manila
---------------------
Among the newer cities, Makati is perhaps the most popular and also crowded one. Makati is what Manila wanted to be, but somewhere missed the bus. There is really nothing to see here, apart from the Greenbelt malls 1 to 5, which are nice as malls go. There a whole lot eateries and watering holes, and the area is abuzz with activities on payday Fridays. If you dare to walk around though at night, you might get hailed by merchants of the 'oldest trade'.
There are several hotels here and I prefer Intercontinental for its location and Mandarin Oriental for its huge breakfast spread. The area is always busy and active, even late in the night, and a lot of eating joints are open late till the wee hours of dawn.
The area near Fort Bonifacio near Makati has got to be the fastest growing area in this part of the world, and has already started to get crowded. There are several residential and commercial complexes here, just like the slightly older areas of town like Eastwood and Ortigas and Quezon City in the northern side.
Quezon City is further ahead and is one of the newer areas. It has a lot of offices, universities and is rather boring. If you have work here, though, do not stay at Makati. Getting to this place from Makati takes 1.5 hours on a good day. On a rainy day, you might just want to take the day off.
Things to eat
-----------------
For a country that enjoys life, music and food, it would be surprising if they had not had their own cuisine. Filipinos are excellent cooks generally and a lot of them work overseas in Malaysia, Singapore etc. as small-time or celebrity chefs. The Filipino dishes are mostly fried and oily, with a lot of Spanish and Portuguese influence. The Adobo - a nice warm pork meat soup - can be treated as the national dish, and I am told that every Filipino household cooks this at least once a week. I have tried this at different places, and it is quite good on any given day.
There is another soup called Sinigang, which is made with vinegar, and the locals swear by it to be 'the' thing to have on a rainy day. But I have had it on a rainy day, and it is rather pungent to my taste. I would rather prefer a Salpicao, made of pork with garlic and olive oil, and prawn Gambas. Both these are mildly spicy. All dishes mostly come with rice. Pinoys eat rice day in and day out. Their day starts with it and ends with it. In fact in one place where they offered unlimited rice with dishes the tagline said - 'real men get extra rice'!
And then there is the Halo Halo, a towering dessert - with semiyan (vermicelli), subja, ice cream, jellies, dry fruits and what not. It is kinds like the Faluda in Mumbai, but bigger. One can always treat oneself with a good Halo Halo at the end of a good meal.
The street food is a bit difficult for a foreigner, as it is made with parts of animals that we don't even know exist, forget about eating them. Feet, knuckles, intestines, livers. The notorious one is Balut - a semi-formed ducking still within the egg, and the description is more revolting than inspiring. Most of these are fried and deep fried, and I have usually stirred clear of them.
Of course, there are several eateries that offer other cuisines. The Japanese Ramen houses and Korean grill places are in fashion these days, and some of them are quite authentic. The Chinese and the Thai ones are good too, but those are rather 'been there, done that' variety. There are a number of fast food chains, with 'Jollibee', a local ripoff of McDonald's leading the pack.
Getting Around
--------------------
The cheapest way to get around Manila is by traveling by Jeepneys - these are old Jeep-like vehicles that are modified to seat about 12-15 people. They are decorated with spray paint graffiti and look rather colorful in parts. Where they are not spray painted they have shiny metal exteriors. The interior has two long benches on the two side of the vehicle, where passengers cram and sit facing eat other.
The Jeepneys usually ply on the main artillery roads and take 10-15 pesos for some really long distances. However it is an experience recommended only the slightly adventurous among you. You get 'up close and personal' with the local crowd, and although most of them are nice, it is an interesting affair. I have usually got stares and smiles, as the locals rarely find foreigners daring the Jeepney rides.
There are buses too, especially running on EDSA and other roads that connect the north to the south. The white radio taxis are usually okay, and run on meter, but they can charge you a premium if the traffic situation is bad. And boy, is the traffic situation bad. Sometimes one is stuck on the road for hours, just to cross one junction.
Outside Manila
--------------------
If you have the time to take a flight and travel within Philippines, you could visit the beaches at Bora Cai (Boracay), which is about an hour's flight away. The beaches are excellent, with white sand and deep blue water. Similar to the Perhentian Islands in Malaysia.
There are several other cities in the Philippines, like Cebu and Baguio and Davao. I have not been there yet, so cannot comment. If you just have a day though, it is better to drive down somewhere nearby. The hills of Tagaytay and its live volcano are a good spot. You can drive down and reach in around an hour and a half from Metro Manila. On the way there are several eating places. If the weather is nice, and if the volcano is not very active (which is the case these days), they allow you take a ferry to go near the mouth of the volcano too.
Overall, barring the initial irritants, this place is fun, relaxed and at the same time modern. I am hoping that there are more chances to visit other places in the country, so that I get a more well-rounded experience of this archipelago nation. Considering the increasing economic ties in this region, I hope that this wish comes true sooner than later.
Peace,
- Shreekant
- First written on 18 July 2015
First things first. It is a bustling city, and as unclean as cities go - with overflowing sewers, unbelievable traffic snarls, parking nightmares and ugly neighborhoods, basically the works. Add to that the typhoons and rains that bring the city life to a complete halt for at least thrice each season, and you get the picture. There was a time I stayed at Intercontinental in Makati for two weeks, and the only way I could get out of the hotel for all that time was through the underground walkways to the mall across the street, as it was pouring oceans of rainwater from the sky all the time. And the wind - oh boy! Don't get me started with that one.
But you live long enough in any place, and the place starts to grow on you. Especially when people are nice, fun loving and pleasant. This is one thing about the Pinoys. All of them love to sing and most sing well. And almost all of them love to eat good food. One chap I got talking to said he was posted for work in Kuala Lumpur for a year, and the one thing he missed the most was pork meat. Not his family or friends, but food first! ... Consider this latest one - we moved the timing of a very important meetings in the week - just because a local fast food chains had 'unlimited chicken' offer on Fridays, and the guys at office wanted to catch the promotion!
Some "warts and all" to begin with
---------------------------------------------
I could easily write this as a post from the 'What I Hate About' series, as there is just so much of it that I find problematic. So let me just get this out of my system and be done with it:
* There are no direct flights from India, and although it should take just a little over 6 hours from Delhi to Manila, one has to take a connection via KL or Bangkok or Hong Kong just to reach here, wasting almost a whole day and a lot more money.
* The NAIA airport has got to be the world's worst airport in terms of facilities, at least in this part of the world. It is small, crammed, and under renovation for almost all the time that I remember. Even the business class lounge is the size of a mid-sized room, and has at max two things that can be eaten, that too on a good day. For a country with so much business coming in, the first impression is rather sadly representative and somewhat diminishing.
* The roads are almost always busy. Due to the call center business, the office times are now spread across the day and night, and rather than easing office traffic during the normal morning and evening hours, this has resulted in roads getting blocked across all times of the day and also the night. I have been stuck in a traffic spot for over an hour way after midnight once. There are bottlenecks across the city that just seem to have perennial construction projects.
* Because of the island nature of the city, most parts are low lying and flood easily. What is worse is that there is no proper drainage for these, and that gives the entire city a marsh-land kind of smell. Not that you can't live with it, but it is rather pervasive. This is kinda similar to our great and "wonderfully" smelly cities like Mumbai and Chennai, but a bit more.
I could go on, but these are some of the main ones.
So now that the bail is all taken out, let me come back to the nicer things about the place.
The archipelago nation is a growing, bustling democracy in the region, and that's saying a lot. With other countries struggling to make a mark in the global economic equations, and most going through political existential crises, playing dangerously close with the dictatorial and military models, the Philippines has stuck to its almost - religious imitation of being the 'people's republic', modeled loosely on its strongest benefactor, the USA. And yes it is less efficient than say Singapore, but at least it is moving ahead.
The business is booming in most cases. New commercial centers are coming up. Cities like Bonifacio have sprung up overnight, like the castles in Arabian Nights. The reclamation lands of southern part of the city - near the Mall of Asia - now have some of the largest casinos and entertainment centers in the area. And although OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers) still contribute a whole lot to the country's economy, significantly more than China, India or Mexico, the percentage seems to have come down over the years as the local labour conditions and opportunities improve.
Things to do and see
--------------------------
All this has led to a better travel experience for a foreigner, as locals get more acquainted with diverse (read: non-American) groups of aliens, Indians and Chinese included. There are a lot of international brands of restaurants and food chains, and also retail. Clothes are a tad cheaper, but one has to look for good deals and also ensure that you are not palmed off with the 'export rejects'. Shopping in Manila is nice during the times of sale, like the one close to Christmas. I remember there is one shopping complex in Quezon City where you can get good oceanic pearls, and they are quite good.
There aren't too many places to visit or things to do. But a day visit to Intramuros - the 'city within the walls' - is actually quite pleasant. It is the oldest district of Manila, and has enough to keep the history buff in you going for a whole day.
There is the fort - Fort Santiago. It is small-ish as forts go, and for those used to the Red Forts of Delhi and Agra, this could look rather like someone's house. It is quite comparable in size to some of the havelies in Shekhawati region. But the fort has a significant place in the history of the Philippines, as it was here that the Philippine national hero Jose Rizal was imprisoned, then put under trial and finally executed. His execution by the Spaniard musketeers at the turn of the 19th century led to a national movement, which eventually led to the country's freedom. The fort now has the house where he was imprisoned turned into a 'shrine' - literally. It has all of his memoralia and it is quite nicely preserved.
 |
| The Fort Santiago |
During this time he wrote a lot of letters, poems, essays and generally made the Spaniard rulers real nervous. He was then exiled for his activities against the Spanish authorities, then arrested, implicated, imprisoned on the fort, tried and finally executed by a firing squad.
However, his death had a reversal effect of sorts, as it usually does, and kindled the fire in the bellies of is countrymen, who rallied against the alien rule and finally led to the formation of the first Philippine republic.
The fort also has another gory history, where during WW II the Japanese troops imprisoned American and local folks and over 600 of them were killed in the infamous 'Manila Massacre'. The dungeons are still creepy, and the Plaster-of-Paris statues of Japanese soldiers create the eerie 1945 atmosphere rather chillingly.
The other places to see within Intramuros are the Manila Cathedral on the main square - with its Roman architecture and replicas from the churches in Rome, the Governor's house - which is really just a building, and some older Spanish houses that have been preserved for centuries and now conveniently converted to museums and promenades. Some even have nice eateries for a good, yet rather expensive, meal. There are some war memorials, statues and old houses, and it is a nice walk around the area. The city is always experimenting with different traffic schemes, and tries to provide safe walking passages to pedestrian tourists.So if you reach here by a car, it is best to park it near the Fort or somewhere outside (in Extramuros) rather than trying to find a parking spot inside.
 |
| Rizal's footsteps from his last walk to execution |
 |
| Manila Cathedral |
The Southern Cities
-------------------------
The metropolitan area of Manila is divided into different 'cities' - these are actually not more than small suburbs, just a few blocks across. But each city has its own mayor, with own laws and traffic rules (or the lack thereof), and even holiday schedules. In some cases, if the weather is bad and raining, and you are wondering if your child is still going to the school, you might have to wait for the mayor of your city to wake up and declare whether or not it is an official holiday for your city in particular.
The southern cities are closer to the airport. This is also the older part of the town, and generally wears a deserted look. The larger city here is the Pasay City, which opens to the Manila harbour down south. The Pasig river that flows through Manila finally carries the city's refuse into the ocean here. Since most of Pasay City is built on reclaimed land, the place looks like a dump, but there are attempts to spruce things up with the new City of Dreams casino and hotel complex. A few hotels here - notable among these is the older Sofitel Philippine Plaza - right on the waterfront, with an excellent pool and a buffet that has got to be on top 5 in breakfast buffets.
 |
| Mouse heaven - room full of cheese at Sofitel breakfast |
 |
| The lawns of Sofitel Plaza overlooking the harbour |
There are several official and government buildings here, dotted along the seaside, and older hotels too. To my Mumbai-born eyes, it looks a lot like the Queen's Necklace, only a lot longer. There are horses and Victorias and cotton candies and sea-facing restaurants. The American Embassy occupies a strategic and rather daunting presence on the promenade, which is less busy than it used to be - as most of the weekend family crowd has moved to the new Mall of Asia, a couple of miles away. Some part also resembles areas around India Gate in Delhi, with official buildings, courts, museums and a performing arts theater.
Cross this, and you see the new H2O hotel which hosts a water world, like the one at Singapore, only less clean. The famous Manila Hotel stands on the curve. Beyond this you can see the ships marooned in the harbour and the cranes busy with loading and offloading. To the right is a golf course, and behind that is the Fort Santiago, the district of Intramuros.
The New Manila
---------------------
Among the newer cities, Makati is perhaps the most popular and also crowded one. Makati is what Manila wanted to be, but somewhere missed the bus. There is really nothing to see here, apart from the Greenbelt malls 1 to 5, which are nice as malls go. There a whole lot eateries and watering holes, and the area is abuzz with activities on payday Fridays. If you dare to walk around though at night, you might get hailed by merchants of the 'oldest trade'.
There are several hotels here and I prefer Intercontinental for its location and Mandarin Oriental for its huge breakfast spread. The area is always busy and active, even late in the night, and a lot of eating joints are open late till the wee hours of dawn.
The area near Fort Bonifacio near Makati has got to be the fastest growing area in this part of the world, and has already started to get crowded. There are several residential and commercial complexes here, just like the slightly older areas of town like Eastwood and Ortigas and Quezon City in the northern side.
Quezon City is further ahead and is one of the newer areas. It has a lot of offices, universities and is rather boring. If you have work here, though, do not stay at Makati. Getting to this place from Makati takes 1.5 hours on a good day. On a rainy day, you might just want to take the day off.
Things to eat
-----------------
For a country that enjoys life, music and food, it would be surprising if they had not had their own cuisine. Filipinos are excellent cooks generally and a lot of them work overseas in Malaysia, Singapore etc. as small-time or celebrity chefs. The Filipino dishes are mostly fried and oily, with a lot of Spanish and Portuguese influence. The Adobo - a nice warm pork meat soup - can be treated as the national dish, and I am told that every Filipino household cooks this at least once a week. I have tried this at different places, and it is quite good on any given day.
There is another soup called Sinigang, which is made with vinegar, and the locals swear by it to be 'the' thing to have on a rainy day. But I have had it on a rainy day, and it is rather pungent to my taste. I would rather prefer a Salpicao, made of pork with garlic and olive oil, and prawn Gambas. Both these are mildly spicy. All dishes mostly come with rice. Pinoys eat rice day in and day out. Their day starts with it and ends with it. In fact in one place where they offered unlimited rice with dishes the tagline said - 'real men get extra rice'!
And then there is the Halo Halo, a towering dessert - with semiyan (vermicelli), subja, ice cream, jellies, dry fruits and what not. It is kinds like the Faluda in Mumbai, but bigger. One can always treat oneself with a good Halo Halo at the end of a good meal.
 |
| Halo Halo - nice way to end a meal and say Hello to food coma |
 |
| Salpicao - my personal favorite |
The street food is a bit difficult for a foreigner, as it is made with parts of animals that we don't even know exist, forget about eating them. Feet, knuckles, intestines, livers. The notorious one is Balut - a semi-formed ducking still within the egg, and the description is more revolting than inspiring. Most of these are fried and deep fried, and I have usually stirred clear of them.
Of course, there are several eateries that offer other cuisines. The Japanese Ramen houses and Korean grill places are in fashion these days, and some of them are quite authentic. The Chinese and the Thai ones are good too, but those are rather 'been there, done that' variety. There are a number of fast food chains, with 'Jollibee', a local ripoff of McDonald's leading the pack.
Getting Around
--------------------
The cheapest way to get around Manila is by traveling by Jeepneys - these are old Jeep-like vehicles that are modified to seat about 12-15 people. They are decorated with spray paint graffiti and look rather colorful in parts. Where they are not spray painted they have shiny metal exteriors. The interior has two long benches on the two side of the vehicle, where passengers cram and sit facing eat other.
The Jeepneys usually ply on the main artillery roads and take 10-15 pesos for some really long distances. However it is an experience recommended only the slightly adventurous among you. You get 'up close and personal' with the local crowd, and although most of them are nice, it is an interesting affair. I have usually got stares and smiles, as the locals rarely find foreigners daring the Jeepney rides.
There are buses too, especially running on EDSA and other roads that connect the north to the south. The white radio taxis are usually okay, and run on meter, but they can charge you a premium if the traffic situation is bad. And boy, is the traffic situation bad. Sometimes one is stuck on the road for hours, just to cross one junction.
Outside Manila
--------------------
If you have the time to take a flight and travel within Philippines, you could visit the beaches at Bora Cai (Boracay), which is about an hour's flight away. The beaches are excellent, with white sand and deep blue water. Similar to the Perhentian Islands in Malaysia.
There are several other cities in the Philippines, like Cebu and Baguio and Davao. I have not been there yet, so cannot comment. If you just have a day though, it is better to drive down somewhere nearby. The hills of Tagaytay and its live volcano are a good spot. You can drive down and reach in around an hour and a half from Metro Manila. On the way there are several eating places. If the weather is nice, and if the volcano is not very active (which is the case these days), they allow you take a ferry to go near the mouth of the volcano too.
Overall, barring the initial irritants, this place is fun, relaxed and at the same time modern. I am hoping that there are more chances to visit other places in the country, so that I get a more well-rounded experience of this archipelago nation. Considering the increasing economic ties in this region, I hope that this wish comes true sooner than later.
Peace,
- Shreekant
- First written on 18 July 2015
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