Brenda’s short travel guide to Manila.
For the accompanying travel story please visit Manila, The Peninsula and Ali – The Greatest
Getting to Manila:
Manila was our second stop in the Philippines. After spending a month in Boracay, we came back to Manila to spend a good number of weeks here. From NYC we took Cathay Pacific Airways which was a great ride. All three of us were quite happy with our seats, the entertainment and the meals they provided. Bailey especially liked to unlimited cup o’ noodles. We used up our miles to get an airfare from NYC to Manila but I’ve seen fares from NYC direct to Manila range between $900 to $1300. I would sign up for their newsletter for sales.
Where to Stay:
The Peninsula Hotel is our choice, hands-down. The Peninsula Group is at the top of the luxury hotels category however, in Manila, it is quite an affordable hotel to stay so take advantage of it. The rooms start at 8,000 PhP, which is $170.99 at the time I wrote this. Usually the rooms also come with breakfast, which I highly recommend you do. It is the best breakfast you can have around Makati and is a nice start to the day.
The hotel is located in Makati which is convenient to all of Manila. There were many restaurants, markets and malls within walking distance.
Transportation around Manila:
Andrew and I together are very blessed with many relatives and friends living in Manila so we were driven around most of the time. On the rare occasion that we needed a car, we used Uber cars. They are fast, convenient and very affordable.
Eats in Manila:
The lobby at The Peninsula:
Is where we had our first meal in Manila and where we had our first Kare Kare. It was such a special dinner. The lobby is open 24 hours and ready to serve you anytime.
Cafe Juanita:
There are several locations but Andrew went to the one in Pasig City.
Address: 19 West Capitol Drive, Kapitolyo, Pasig City, 1603 Metro Manila, Philippines
Fely J’s:
Is walking distance from the Peninsula. We ordered the Kare Kare, Bistek, Liempo, Pinakbhet and the fantastic crab with garlic rice.
2nd Level, Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center, Makati
Phone: 728-8878 or 728-8858
Business hours:
Monday – Sunday / 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Evie says
September 3, 2015 at 10:52 amI am sure a question in the minds of most, how are you financing your travels? It seems to me that you are not a “budget traveler” with a $171 a night hotel and probably just as expensive Boracay stay. I am planning on doing a lot of traveling, but with a tight budget and it’s always interesting to hear about the different ways travelers finance their journeys.
Brenda says
September 4, 2015 at 12:05 amHi Evie,
Thank you for your comment.
Andrew and I have worked in luxury fashion retail in NYC for almost 20 years, so we’re financing our travels with a combination of our earnings through the blog and savings. Although we are not “budget travelers” nor are we “luxury travelers” at $171 a night, for a hotel like the Peninsula, in which the NYC equivalent is at $1,345 a night, we think it’s worth the splurge.
As for our Boracay stay, we stayed at Blue Bayou Bungalows, which is not at all a luxury hotel. They have rooms for as low as $17 a night but our experience was equally as pleasant there as in the Peninsula. Please read our Boracay posts and you can read that most of what we did was actually good for the budget, like street food etc. Now, in Manila, we’re fortunate and blessed to have a large family on both sides who we’ve been staying with, which means free!
We like to mix it up. If you plan on going to Boracay, I highly recommend Blue Bayou Bungalows, it was one of the best stays we’ve had. Here’s the post for your convenience http://DishOurTown.com/a-few-of-my-favorite-things-boracay
I wish you the best in your travels and please do not hesitate to ask us any questions.
Best,
Brenda