Located in the heart of the Philippine capital Manila is the ancient citadel of Intramuros and Fort Santiago. When the Spanish landed in the 16th century, they built a wall around the fortress. Thousands of Filipinos, including national hero José Rizal, were imprisoned and sacrificed here. It is one of the finest examples of a medieval fortress outside of Europe.
Manila Bay is located right in the heart of the city, and is especially beautiful at sunset. Manila residents also gather here in large numbers every afternoon to relax and meet each other.
Visiting a Jeepney factory and riding around the city in one of these iconic vehicles is one of the most exciting things to do in Manila. It might be hot and crowded, but you will get to know what life is like for the locals. Jeepneys are now the most popular form of public transport in the Philippines, and the most expensive ones cost around 600,000 pesos (VND 300 million).
Located in the middle of the new Global City area of the capital Manila, the cemetery and memorial of more than 17,000 American soldiers who died in World War II is an emotional destination. There is no cold, lonely feeling often found in cemeteries, this place has a peaceful setting, covering more than 60 hectares, no different from a green park in the heart of the city. One thing to note when coming here, you must go by taxi or personal vehicle. Jeepneys are not allowed in this area.
Nearly 80% of the Filipino people in general and Manila in particular are Catholic. Therefore, there are many beautiful churches here. In Manila, you can visit churches such as San Agustin, Manila Cathedral, San Sebastian Basilica, Binondo... In the photo is the Basilica de San Martin in Taal town, a suburb of Manila. This is considered the largest Catholic church in Asia.
Manila has huge shopping areas and if you are a shopaholic, a whole week is not enough time, but definitely don't miss Greenbelt, Glorietta, Mall of Asia...
Filipino food is easy to eat, spicy and suitable for most people. Adobo is one of the most typical dishes. The main ingredient of this dish is pork or chicken, marinated in soy sauce, vinegar and garlic, originating from Spain. If you are a bit picky, there are fast food restaurants available, the most famous of which is Jollibee, a Filipino fast food chain that is everywhere on the streets.
Located on the outskirts of Manila, Tagaytay town has a cool climate, fresh air and especially has Taal volcano lake, the smallest and lowest volcano among the active volcanoes in the world. Departing from the capital in the morning, visiting Taal heritage village and stopping on the way for lunch and admiring the volcano lake... then returning at sunset is a reasonable schedule for a full day.
Get up early in the morning, then wander around a bit in the evening, don't use any means of transportation, just walk, you will see that the real life of Manila people is much more interesting than you have heard and imagined. People in the Philippines in general and Manila in particular are very friendly to Vietnam. They will smile brightly and be happy when they know you are Vietnamese.
And another interesting thing is that many money exchange counters in Manila accept Vietnamese Dong, although the exchange rate is not high. Therefore, if you accidentally run out of foreign currency, do not hesitate to use Vietnamese Dong in Manila.
The capital Manila (Metro Manila) of the Philippines has a population of nearly 12 million people, including 17 administrative units, including 16 small cities Caloocan, Malbon, Navotas, Valenzuela, Quezon City, Marikina, Pasig, Taguig, Makati, Manila, Pasay, Mandaluyong, San Juan, Pranaque, Las Pinas, Muntinlupa and an autonomous region.
Manila is about a 3-hour flight from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Cebu Pacific Air has daily direct flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Manila, and from Hanoi there are three flights on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Each year, the airline has one or two super promotions with prices starting at $1/way.
