Exploring the city of
Manila is like opening a box filled with ukay-ukay
(pre-loved) clothes and other objects. It may take you quite a while of digging
before you start finding things you actually like. Because this city’s gems
aren’t notable at first glance, it takes extra effort in discovering Manila’s
allure. From the city of Manila to the rest of its Metropolitan area, one can
find a myriad of charms hidden at every nook and cranny. By knowing where to
search and expanding your zest for discovery, you can easily enjoy Manila with
all its rich history, culture, art scene, food and friendly people.
To kick-off your
explorations of what’s good in Manila, here are some unique
attractions and activities you can experience.
A stroll around Intramuros
is already a satisfying experience in itself. Just ask members of the rock band
Red Hot Chili Peppers who enjoyed a walk around the walled city when they
visited the country. Exploring it riding a Bambike
- a bicycle made from bamboo material and handcrafted by the skillful
Bambuilders of Gawad Kalinga, will certainly elevate your Intramuros
exploration experience notches higher.
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| Photo credit: Kara Santos of Traveling-Up |
The bambike tour lasts approximately two
and a half hours starting at the Bambike Ecotours HQ in Intramuros and going to
all places of interests inside the walled city such as Fort Santiago, San
Agustin Church, Plaza San Luis, Plaza Roma, Manila Cathedral and more.
Fancy tricking your eyes
as you marvel at the interactive artworks brimming with rich imaginations at Art in
Island Museum in Cubao. Interactional 3D artworks numbering to more than a
hundred shall keep you feasting with fun visuals you can use to create
imaginative Instagrammable images.
Whether
you insert yourself in an underwater realm or pose like a seasoned surfer or be
the subject of a classical painting, the possibilities of letting your creative
juices flow are almost limitless, when interacting with the artworks in this museum.
This is definitely a fun place for the kids and adults alike.
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| Photo credit: Mind Museum |
This world-class Science
museum located in Taguig should be included in everyone's Metro Manila
itinerary. It features five futuristic zones namely: Technology, Universe,
Earth, Life and Atom - where more than 250 engaging exhibits are displayed for visitors
to enjoy a day of interactive learning. Various exhibition themes are also
organized at any given day such as Awesome
Astronomy, Frozen Science Saturdays
and Markerspace just to name a few.
Living up to its mission of providing “an
extraordinary educational experience that inspires the public to understand
nature”, Mind Museum ushers in science and nature into the forefront in the
understanding of our beautiful planet.
Join
the ‘Postal Operation and Heritage Tour’
for some history fix
Organized by a number of
heritage advocate groups, this tour takes participants on a FREE guided
sight-see exploring the historic Manila Central Post Office. The tour also
includes a lecture on the iconic building’s history and architecture and a hands-on experience sorting snail mails and stamp collection. The Royal Postage Heritage Guided Tour usually create Facebook
events for schedules of their upcoming tours.
Eat
your way through a Binondo Food Crawl
As old Manileños would say
"you will know Manila only if you
have walked the streets of Binondo". Otherwise known as the "oldest Chinatown in the world",
Binondo boast of a wealthy history and culture hidden among its many street and
alleyways. Along with the fascinating ethos are an almost endless array of
culinary stops where one can feast on Tsinoy
cuisines.
A food crawl around Binondo covering the places of Ongpin Street,
Carvajal Alley Market, Basilica de San Lorenzo Ruiz, Plaza Calderon dela Barca,
shall satisfy every bit of your being a foodie.
Quiapo
Muslim Immersion Tour
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| Photo credit: Karla Around the World |
Meaningful Travels
PH,
a small travel company organizing community immersion trips is now offering
Quiapo Muslim Immersion Tour. This tour lasts the whole day and it involves immersing
with the Muslim neighborhood in Quiapo, where guests can learn more about their
culture, history and religion. The activity also include a meeting with community
elders and leaders who gives a short lecture about interesting subjects such as
the Shari'ah Law. It ends with a visit to the Madrasa - an Arabic word for school, inside the Golden Mosque, to
meet the kids studying the Quran.
