Manila, the capital of the Philippines, is a sprawling metropolis known as Metro Manila, comprising 16 distinct cities. Among these, Manila City and Makati City often confuse tourists. Manila City is the historic and cultural heart, home to landmarks like Intramuros and Rizal Park. Makati City, on the other hand, is the financial center, known for its skyscrapers, business districts, and nightlife.

Abraham Hostel offers a few tours that you can book during your stay in Makati. The all-in-one Manila City Tour features the Old Town of Manila highlighting its colonial era. There’s also a Makati Pub Crawl Tour that you can join for free – this will take you to the best places to party in this city.

Makati is filled with towering skyscrapers, various malls, and exciting nightlife. The city also features top-rated restaurants that specialize in both Filipino and foreign cuisines. However, great food can not only be discovered in fine dining, fancy cafes, and chain restaurants here. Travelers can get an authentic taste of Filipino food even in the city’s narrow streets, and food stalls that line the busy highway.

Things to Do in Makati

Ayala Museum

Visiting the Ayala Museum is an amazing introduction to the Philippines, because of its vast collection of archaeological artefacts, paintings, wood-carved dioramas, and indigenous Philippine textiles. The art collections displayed come from renowned Filipino artists, who bring Filipino culture and heritage in one place. Ayala Museum will give a glimpse of the country’s past and present.

Greenbelt Mall

The Greenbelt Mall, which tourists and locals call the best mall in Manila, has 5 buildings that offer different amenities, clothing shops, and restaurants. There are many luxury designer goods here, including brands like Off-White, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Prada, Fendi, and Hermes.

This classy mall is not too crowded and is ideal for finding leisure time. There’s even a park (Greenbelt Park) at the heart of this shopping and many dining options. 

Intramuros

Intramuros is a historic walled city in Manila and is one of the oldest fortifications built around Spanish colonial rule in the 1500s. Within the walls of this city are architectural sites like Fort Santiago, Manila Cathedral, San Agustin Church, and a museum, Casa Manila, which all play a huge part in Philippine colonial history.

These Filipino heritages add a spark to urban life, making it a must-visit for travellers. Intramuros is one of the stops along the Manila City Tour.

Tour to Manila City

Abraham’s guided city tour will ensure a smooth trip and a comprehensive guide to the top sites around Manila. This will include biking around the walled streets of Intramuros using the famous bamboo bike, tasting treats in Quiapo Market and Binondo Chinatown, and walking through Quinta Market which also leads to Binondo Chinatown. 

The guide, transportation to all sites, bike rental, entrance fees, and food will be provided, except for the drinks. During this tour, make sure to prepare and bring a valid ID, wear comfortable clothes, and bring water and an umbrella, since the Philippines is undeniably hot and sunny.

Local Cuisine

Lechon

Lechon is a culinary highlight in the Philippines, usually served during birthdays, anniversaries, and other festive occasions. It’s a whole roasted pig, marinated and stuffed with spices, and slow-roasted over an open flame for hours. The best part of Lechon is the skin, and it’s usually served with a thick, tasty sauce made from liver. 

Sinigang

Sinigang, a traditional Filipino soup, is well known for its sour and savoury flavour. This soup is made with either pork, shrimp, or beef, with vegetables like eggplant, okra, radish, string beans, and kangkong leaves. Its broth greatly relies on tamarind, which perfectly balances the taste of savoury meat and fresh vegetables.

Halo-Halo

The popular Filipino dessert, halo-halo, is a delicious combination of flavours and textures. This well-known dish is usually served with a rainbow of toppings, such as ube (purple yam) ice cream, creamy leche flan, sweetened beans, jellies, and fruits like banana and jackfruit.

Every spoonful of halo-halo gives a cool combination of creamy, frosty, and sweet flavours. Halo-Halo is an ideal treat to cool off on a hot day while indulging in its flavorful ingredients.

Makati Nightlife

Población holds the epicentre of Makati’s nightlife. It offers diverse kinds of bars, clubs, restaurants, to cafes that turn into bars at night. The best ones include Polilya, known for its trendy vibe and craft beer, and The Spirits Library, which feels like entering the Harry Potter Library, but with different alcoholic beverages.

Free Makati Pub Crawl

To best experience Makati nightlife, the trip must include exploring the small neighbourhoods and hopping into different bars. You’ll meet friendly locals and tourists from around the world who are also figuring their way into the nightlife.

Our pub crawl will include going into Filipino-inspired bars, where tourists can indulge in “pulutan,” or food that Filipinos traditionally eat while drinking. This pub crawl is the best option for solo backpackers since navigating the city can be quite tricky and challenging.

The best part of a Filipino drinking custom is getting the chance to eat various “pulutans.” Filipino bars, and Filipino families in general, usually serve dishes like adobo (vinegar-braised meat) and pork sisig (chunked-crispy pork with eggs). So, aside from making genuine friends, tourists will have the golden chance to experience this in our Makati Pub Crawl.

The bars in Poblacion, Makati, give out different energies and vibes. They cater to every taste and style, whether tourists love to sip on crafted beers, or rare cocktails, or get a taste of Filipino delicacies. Its food and drink options, affordability, and accessibility, ensure that going around the city will be fun and entertaining. 

Tips and Tricks for Navigating Makati

Plan

The public transportation in the country is unique and exciting. But, it can also be inconvenient because of the travel time and its accessibility during rush hours. It’s best to reserve your experience riding the jeep, tricycle, or pedicab, when travelling to less populated areas of the country or when you have a lot of free time.

Book your rides in advance with Bookaway >>

The best option, especially for first-time visitors, is to install ride-hailing apps. Grab is a popular choice for car rides, providing an easy and reliable way to navigate the city. On the other hand, Angkas, MoveIt and JoyRide are motorbike choices, which give an exciting, and slightly different ride-hailing experience. The latter’s advantage is that you can easily go through the traffic.

Stay safe

Safety is the highest priority when going out at night in an unfamiliar city. Remember to leave your passport or credit cards at your accommodation when partying at night. Carry only a small amount of cash. The people are honestly friendly and hospitable, but we can never expect what will happen.

Know your hotel’s address, so you can instruct the driver where to take you. And also, don’t drink beyond your limits, so you can still find your way back. This will also ensure you’ll make the most of your night while still having control of your senses. All these precautions will prevent any unexpected inconvenience from happening.

Makati not only brings modernity with high-rise buildings and shopping malls but also offers historically significant sites like the Intramuros. Despite being the busiest financial hub, the city offers safe, green spaces where you can relax and slightly distance yourself from the overwhelming crowd. 

Knowing the transportation options and safety tips is essential in planning to visit Makati. Ride-hailing apps will offer convenience while staying within your limits during a night out will ensure an enjoyable trip. Whether you’re in for the historical and cultural significance of the city, the gastronomic options, bar-hopping in the party capital, or discovering the many things to do in Makati, the city will promise excitement and memories that will last a lifetime.