Manila
A classic Tsinoy (Chinese Filipino) bakery marked by an awesome 1950s-style neon sign on Escolta St. Thin-crust hopia – dense sweet cakes filled with mung beans or ube (purple yam) – is the name of the game. Plenty of savoury surprises await too, plus crisp air-con.
Two additional branches in Chinatown.
0.49 MILES
Guarding the entrance to the Pasig River is Intramuros' premier tourist attraction: Fort Santiago. Within the fort grounds is an oasis of lovely manicured…
0.55 MILES
The San Agustin Church was the only building left intact after the destruction of Intramuros in WWII. Built between 1587 and 1606, it is the oldest church…
9 MILES
This fantastic museum in Antipolo, in the hills just east of Metro Manila, showcases some of the Philippines' best contemporary artists. There are six…
2.7 MILES
As in life, so it is in death for Manila’s wealthy Chinese citizens, who are buried with every modern convenience in the huge Chinese Cemetery. It's far…
4.29 MILES
This gleaming museum features four floors of superbly curated exhibits on Filipino culture, art and history. At the heart of the collection is a brilliant…
National Museum of Anthropology
0.83 MILES
Within a resplendent neoclassical building, this superb museum houses a vast and varied collection, including the skullcap of the Philippines’ earliest…
6.19 MILES
A poignant and peaceful spot, this sprawling war cemetery on a grassy, beautifully manicured plot is the resting place of 17,206 soldiers killed in battle…
2.36 MILES
The 'Met' is a world-class gallery tracing the evolution of Filipino art from the early 20th century to the present. Virtually all great Filipino painters…
1. Filipino-Chinese Friendship Arch
0.06 MILES
Ornate arch marking the entrance to Chinatown when coming over the Jones Bridge. Do not confuse it with the gargantuan new (2015) Chinatown Arch, which is…
0.07 MILES
In the historic, beaux-arts Calvo Building (1938), this little museum houses a treasure trove of pre-WWII photographs and memorabilia. Of particular…
0.2 MILES
Intramuros defensive embankment in a strategic location on the Pasig River, built in 1593.
0.2 MILES
This north entrance to Intramuros was the last gate built by the Spanish, in 1863.
5. First United Community Museum
0.2 MILES
Opened in 2015, this modest museum is dedicated to Sy Lian Teng (1904–2004), a self-made Chinese tycoon whose family still owns the First United Building…
0.21 MILES
Not only is this one of Manila's finest pieces of surviving pre-WWII art deco, but it's also the centrepiece of the Escolta St revival. Inside are…
0.28 MILES
At the northern end of Paredes St stands the attractive granite-stone bell tower of Binondo Church, an unusual octagonal structure dating back to 1596…
0.3 MILES
This stunning piece of art deco opened as the city’s premier opera theatre under the Americans in 1931. Today it’s in a state of utter disrepair, but…