The first time I heard a foreigner say something like that was in 1997 in Tokyo. A friend of a friend, she was an American teaching English in Japan and had stayed in Manila en route to Boracay. I had never heard anyone describe my city in that way so I was shocked to hear it, but the look in her eyes and the tone in her voice told me she wasn’t kidding. Whatever happened, Manila scared the living Jesus out of her.
Fast forward to this year and I overhear another traveler declare my city to be one of the scariest. We were in Sagada in January and a group of caucasian tourists were sitting at the table next to ours. One of them said: “I’ve been traveling around Asia for weeks now and Manila is one of the scariest cities I’ve been to so far.” Practically the same statement 20 years later but just as surprising to me.
Being from Manila, I never really thought of my city as scary until I put myself in their shoes. Where exactly were they staying? How were they getting around? Were they riding around in taxis? Those same taxis we locals often hear about on social media? Because of all the stories I hear, I personally don’t feel comfortable telling my loved ones to ride a taxi. I know that might be unfair to the honest taxi drivers out there, but many locals seem to feel that way these days hence the popularity of commuter apps like Uber and GrabTaxi.
When I think of Manila from that perspective, then I begin to understand.
Manila is far from perfect. In fact, there’s a lot wrong with it. It’s polluted, traffic is atrocious, and petty crimes seem to happen on the regular. But as often as I find myself disliking it, one thing never changes. I love this city. Which is why I was inspired to write this guide, to get tourists to hopefully see Manila the way we locals do.
Sure, Manila can be scary. But it doesn’t have to be.
Being from Manila, I never really thought of my city as scary until I put myself in their shoes. Where exactly were they staying? How were they getting around? Were they riding around in taxis? Those same taxis we locals often hear about on social media? Because of all the stories I hear, I personally don’t feel comfortable telling my loved ones to ride a taxi. I know that might be unfair to the honest taxi drivers out there, but many locals seem to feel that way these days hence the popularity of commuter apps like Uber and GrabTaxi.
When I think of Manila from that perspective, then I begin to understand.
Manila is far from perfect. In fact, there’s a lot wrong with it. It’s polluted, traffic is atrocious, and petty crimes seem to happen on the regular. But as often as I find myself disliking it, one thing never changes. I love this city. Which is why I was inspired to write this guide, to get tourists to hopefully see Manila the way we locals do.
Sure, Manila can be scary. But it doesn’t have to be.
WHEN TO GO
More often than not, Manila is a stopover for travelers moving on to other parts of the country so there isn’t really a “best time” to visit. Just know that there are two seasons — dry and rainy. Dry season is from December-May while rainy season is from June-November. March-May is the hottest and most humid time of the year with temperatures frequently exceeding 90°F. July-September are the wettest months while December-February are the coolest, making it the most ideal time to visit. This holds true for most of the Philippines.
More often than not, Manila is a stopover for travelers moving on to other parts of the country so there isn’t really a “best time” to visit. Just know that there are two seasons — dry and rainy. Dry season is from December-May while rainy season is from June-November. March-May is the hottest and most humid time of the year with temperatures frequently exceeding 90°F. July-September are the wettest months while December-February are the coolest, making it the most ideal time to visit. This holds true for most of the Philippines.
HOW TO GET THERE
The majority of international flights will be arriving at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1. Terminal 2 services Philippine Air Lines only, while the few airlines not served by Terminal 1 will land at Terminal 3.
Regardless of where you land, the best ways to get to your hotel from the airport are by GrabCar, metered or coupon taxi. For your safety and peace of mind, DO NOT get into a car unless it’s one of these options.
GrabCar
GrabCar (same company as GrabTaxi) just announced that beginning 14 March 2016, Grab booths will be placed at designated areas at all NAIA terminals. Though known as an app-based service, you can book a ride even if you don’t have a smartphone or wifi connectivity. How convenient indeed! Grab booths will be set up at these locations:
Terminal 1: Main arrival curbside
Terminal 2: Inner arrival curbside between Bays 7 and 8
Terminal 3: Secondary arrival curbside between Bays 5 and 6
Terminal 4: Curbside
We’re yet to try it but this would be my first choice of transport from the airport.
GrabCar (same company as GrabTaxi) just announced that beginning 14 March 2016, Grab booths will be placed at designated areas at all NAIA terminals. Though known as an app-based service, you can book a ride even if you don’t have a smartphone or wifi connectivity. How convenient indeed! Grab booths will be set up at these locations:
Terminal 1: Main arrival curbside
Terminal 2: Inner arrival curbside between Bays 7 and 8
Terminal 3: Secondary arrival curbside between Bays 5 and 6
Terminal 4: Curbside
We’re yet to try it but this would be my first choice of transport from the airport.
Metered Taxi
Soon as you exit the terminal, look for the metered taxi queue. All metered taxis are YELLOW. Tell the dispatcher at the counter where you’re going. He’ll give you a dispatch slip with information about your destination and the plate number of the taxi you’ll be riding. Once you get in, be sure that the driver flags down his meter. If he doesn’t, remind him to do so. If he refuses and tries to negotiate a fixed fare, get off and fall in line again. This is a metered taxi so any driver that tries to negotiate a fixed price with you is a scammer.
The flag down rate for a metered taxi is PHP 70 and PHP 4 for every 300 meters. The ride from the airport to downtown Makati should run you anywhere between PHP 200-300. Many drivers are honest but there have been reports of unscrupulous drivers rigging their meters, so keep an eye on it and make sure that it isn’t advancing too quickly.
It’s a good idea to bring smaller bills with you in case the driver doesn’t have change. Be sure to request PHP 100 bills when you exchange currency at the airport. The Philippines is a “tipping” country, so you can give the driver around a 10% tip if you like.
Coupon Taxi
Soon as you exit the terminal, look for the coupon taxi queue. All coupon taxis are WHITE. Tell the dispatcher at the counter where you’re going. He’ll give you a dispatch slip with information about your destination, as well as the plate number of the taxi you’ll be riding and the fixed fare amount. Coupon taxis are more expensive than metered taxis so the fare from the airport to Makati should run you anywhere between PHP 330-440 depending on where your hotel is.
Like the metered taxi, it’s a good idea to bring smaller bills with you in case the driver doesn’t have change. Since this is a fixed rate, you aren’t expected to leave a tip.
HOW LONG TO STAY
As mentioned above, Manila is a stopover destination for most travelers so there’s no need to stay too long. Three days should be plenty. That’ll give you enough time to do everything in this guide.
As mentioned above, Manila is a stopover destination for most travelers so there’s no need to stay too long. Three days should be plenty. That’ll give you enough time to do everything in this guide.
HOW MUCH MONEY TO BRING
Assuming you’re traveling with another person, then a budget of around PHP 2,500-3,000 a day per person should be plenty. This takes into account accommodations, 2 daily meals (apart from free hotel breakfast), pocket wifi rental, and commuter app transportation. Feel free to add to this depending on which of the suggested tours you want to do and how much you want to shop.
If you plan on taking public transportation and not spending as much on food, then you can do it for even less. Ren and I are middle of the road travelers who enjoy good food and drink, so the recommended budget is a good baseline for travelers like us. Adjust accordingly based on your own travel habits.
WHERE TO EXCHANGE CURRENCY
The best place to exchange currency in Manila is at money changers. Their rates are generally 10-20% better than banks. The rate at the airport is terrible so be sure to change no more than USD 100 there. That’ll get you to your hotel and give you enough pesos to spend on your first day until you can find a money changer.
There are plenty of money changers in Manila, including malls, so you can ask your hotel where the nearest (and best) one is. Be wary of anyone who approaches you on the street offering a great exchange rate. These are scams so AVOID THEM AT ALL COSTS. Exchange your currency only at licensed money changers and be sure to count your pesos before leaving the counter.
WHERE TO STAY: Z Hostel
A hip, centrally located hostel in the heart of Makati, Z Hostel is perfect for backpackers and group travelers. It’s clean and well-designed with mostly dorm style accommodations, though they do have a floor with private rooms for couples as well. It’s near many restaurants, bars, convenience stores, and shopping malls. Over the weekends, it has a small roofdeck that turns into a lively bar with DJs and live music. You can make a reservation through booking.com.
Private Room Rate: PHP 2,700 per night with breakfast for two / Dorm Room Rate: Starts at PHP 990 per person a night with breakfast (as of Aug 2015)
HOW TO GET AROUND
Commuter Apps
Hands down the best way to get around Manila. It isn’t the cheapest, but it’s the safest and most convenient. There are a few to choose from – GrabTaxi, Uber, and Easy Taxi. For the purpose of this blog, we’ll go with GrabTaxi though the other two are just as good.
To use GrabTaxi, you’ll need to download their app onto your smartphone. Downloading and using the app will require a constant internet connection which is why I’m suggesting you rent a pocket wifi device for the duration of your stay. Available for PHP 450 a day, you can find more information about pocket wifi rentals in the TRAVEL TIPS section of this post. For your convenience, I’ve listed the GrabTaxi location and approximate fare for each of the recommended destinations in this guide.
If you’re considering using anything other than commuter apps, don’t. As much as I would love to heap praises on our public transportation system, I can’t at this time. Here’s why:
Regular Taxis
Don’t get into a regular taxi. Their reputation is pretty bad, even among locals. Many are rundown and smelly, and we often hear about taxis being used to commit scams and thefts (or worse). With that said, I’m not saying all taxi drivers are evil. Many are good, honest people. But to be absolutely safe as a foreigner traveling in Manila, then it’s best that you stay away from regular taxis for now.
If you’re unconvinced, read the PNP’s (Philippine National Police) advisory on the Do’s and Don’ts of riding a taxi in Manila. Is this something you really want to worry about while on holiday?
Public Buses
Forget buses. Not only are many of them rundown, bus drivers are the worst. They drive like fucking maniacs. A kiwi friend of mine who lived in Manila for a year told me that he was never sure he’d get out of a bus alive. I’m sure he was exaggerating but you get my point. Stories about passengers being pickpocketed or held up at gunpoint aren’t unheard of either.
Jeepneys (?)
Jeepneys are better than buses though they do have their share of incidents, mostly involving pickpockets and snatchers. When riding one, keep your valuables safe, try not to wear exposed jewelry, and don’t use your mobile phone. Because jeepney vehicles are open and exposed, we sometimes hear stories of people’s phones and jewelry getting snatched.
With that said, jeepneys are an iconic part of Philippine culture so feel free to ride them provided you follow my advice above. It’s a memorable experience and the cheapest way to get around as well. I’ve never personally used it, but there’s a mobile app from sakay.ph that can help you navigate Manila’s often confusing public transportation system. Just be sure to memorize or print out your route beforehand so you don’t have to pull out your mobile phone mid-ride.
MRT
As much as I would love to endorse the MRT (subway system) as a safe means of transportation for foreigners, I can’t. At least not until they make improvements.
The most common complaints include how scorchingly hot train stations are and how crowded trains get during rush hour (not enough trains!), so much so that it becomes a haven for snatchers and pickpockets. In fact, one of my mother-in-law’s nurses was almost victimized the other day by a young boy (possibly a drug addict) trying to snatch her bag.