Streets of Manila

 

The streets of the worlds most densely populated city is quite an experience, and a necessary one for any trip to the Philippines. Behind the seemingly hostile exterior, the traveler can find some of the friendliest people in the world on these streets, which are surprisingly safe, easy and fun to explore!

With the antiquity of colonial history left behind by the Spanish to great restaurants and cheap transportation, Manila is sure to impress for those looking for an off the beaten path experience. Manila is comprised of sixteen sub-cities with the urban population currently clocking in around 20+ million, making this the 5th most populated city in the world.

 

 

Makati

Makati is the financial center of Manila, and perhaps the best landing zone for the newly arrived. Makati is composed of numerous connected malls, home to all the usual players such as Coach, Starbucks and Rolex. As such, it’s also the most expensive part of the Philippines so spend as little time here as possible if you’re on a budget, but don’t miss out on watching a movie ($3.50USD), grabbing an awesome used book in english ($1.50USD), or having coffee and watching the chaos unfold ($1.80USD). Lots of cabs start in Makati, so this is also a great place to pick up transportation to other parts of the city. There’s not much to see here other than the Glorietta, Greenbelt and Landmark malls, so move on from here if you’re looking for history and charm.

 

 

Manila Bay

The bay is a great place to start a walking tour around the city, and is also one of the best places to watch the sunset. The easiest way to get to the right place along the water is to instruct the cab driver to the US Embassy. When facing the embassy, walk to the left for 5 minutes, and you’ll see the concrete sidewalk which spans a couple miles along the water. Along this walk are numerous Spanish monuments, American-built post WWII monuments, and workers rebuilding the sidewalk that’s routinely destroyed by typhoons. Be sure to try the fruit from street carts!

 

Facing the US Embassy and walking to the right for 5 minutes brings you to Rizal Plaza; home to the one of the main tourist attractions in Manila. Spanish monuments, ice cream carts and Philippine tourist memorabilia line both sides of the park. Horse rides also start in Rizal Park, often running in circuits around Chinatown, Intramuros and other parts of the city. These can be a ton of fun, but be sure to negotiate a price somewhere between $5-$10USD beforehand, or the driver could try to bargain you up to $50USD or more. Also close to Rizal Park is Robinson Malate mall, which has some of the best restaurants of all the malls in Manila. Be sure to check out CHA-a vegetarian restaurant with tons of amazing and inexpensive plates ($1.15-$4.50USD), and Chef d’ Angelo’s Pizza, Pasta and Soup buffet ($3.48USD) to reset your Italian palate.

 

Intramuros

The Spanish history runs deep in the Philippines – about 400 years deep – and there’s no better place to see it up close and personal than the historic fortified walls of Intramuros. The walls of the fort are walkable and are high enough to provide clear views of the city skyline. When the fort was built, a moat was constructed, however in the 1920‘s the Americans filled it in to deter mosquitos and malaria, and it was instead replaced by a golf course! It looks completely out of place, but nevertheless provides a nice clean view amidst the usual wall-to-wall construction in Manila. Other then that, there’s some tourist hotels here, a historic cathedral, and a few restaurants to check out. The streets are very walkable and very nice. Also, be aware of your things as pickpocketing has been common around Intramuros.

 

The Central American Connection

Defying all expectations for an Asian country, Manila feels aesthetically very similar to Central America in terms of infrastructure, climate and outward appearances. Within 30 minutes of landing, I was struck by the striking similarities: the streets, cars, trucks, airports, houses, food, pollution, accommodation, public transportation, kids begging for food, Spanish architecture, Spanish monuments, Spanish vocabulary… I think most people having visited or lived in Central America can agree on a few or more of these points and will immediately be at home with the Manila street vibe.

 

Photography in Manila

Photographers should take caution when on the streets with SLR equipment, as it tends to draw attention. Robberies happen, but they’re not common. I like to use my 50mm to keep a lower profile in areas that I’m not sure about, and zoom lenses in areas that are known to be secure such as Makati and other well populated places. All images here were taken with a Canon EOS 5D, Canon 17-40mm L, Canon 50mm 1.8 and a Canon 70-200mm 4.0 IS L.

 

“I believe that confluence elevates a photograph beyond its content so that it expresses a dimension deep within the human psyche – a universal dimension inherent in all of us. I believe this is what constitutes art – regardless of the medium – and essential to any medium are the individuals’ personalities and their ability to communicate with their surroundings.” – Richard D. Zakia