Jakki Phillips suggests a weekend itinerary that reveals a more cultural side to the oft-overlooked Philippine capital.
It’s only two hours away from Hong Kong, the weather is hot and the people are warm and welcoming. Epicureans can graze at the Saturday food market and sample delicious organic chocolate, sip locally grown coffee or taste endless artisanal breads, cheeses and cakes. Those into arts and crafts can snap up absolute bargains at a tranquil, leafy artist community selling beautiful furniture, homeware and ceramics. Fashionistas can bag themselves a great value outfit from one of the country’s hot new designers while those who fancy some pampering can experience a traditional massage with coconut oil and warm banana leaves and pay about half the price of Singapore spas. You probably think we’re talking about Bangkok? No—this is Manila, a city rapidly becoming a weekend hotspot for cultural and food-loving Hongkongers. If you thought it was just a sprawling metropolis with little to see or do—then think again. Follow our suggested weekend itinerary and discover the new face of cultural Manila.
Friday
Evening: The Peninsula Hopper
Begin your weekend in Manila with a culinary journey that leads you through four of The Peninsula’s restaurants, eating a different course in each one. Called “The Peninsula Hopper,” it starts with appetizers in Spices Pavilion then continues with the first main course in Mi Piace, the second main course in Old Manila and dessert in Escolta. It’s available for a minimum of two people and costs P4,750. For details of The Peninsula see Where to Stay.
Saturday
9am-11am: If These Walls Could Speak Walking Tour
Walking tours come in all shapes and sizes and can vary from a dull trudge behind a robotic guide regurgitating a monotonous lecture to “If These Walls Could Speak”—without doubt the best tour we’ve ever been on. Calling himself “the man who is trying to change the way you look at Manila,” our guide Carlos Celdran delivers a crash course in the city’s turbulent history in a surprisingly frank and cheeky two-hour tour. Dressed in traditional Filipino clothes and blasting music from a portable tape player, he leads us from Manila Cathedral around the walled city of Intramurous, Manila’s oldest and most atmospheric district. Along the way there is a rather bumpy ride in a horse-drawn carriage, a hearty rendition of the Filipino national anthem and some rather intimate his-and-hers toilets! The tour gallops along at a fun pace, with fast facts and silly quizzes but also some moments of sad reflection. With the skill of one of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s finest, Carlos brings alive the tragedy of the past with powerful, and sometimes shocking, stories of WWII death and destruction. As Carlos so rightly says, “You can’t change Manila, but you can change the way you see Manila.” After this tour, Manila will never seem the same again.
Tour times and dates vary so check Carlos’s website before you book your trip. Costs P900. Visit celdrantours.blogspot.com/2008/11/tour-dates-tour-rates.html
Noon-2pm: Salcedo Village Market
This charming and bustling market is packed with colorful stalls selling everything from heavenly organic cakes and locally grown coffee to cheeses, breads, oils, dips and chewy sweets made from water buffalo milk. It’s an ideal place for grazing with hundreds of freshly made dishes on offer from around the region. It’s also fantastic for food shopping. Top local buys include pesto made with super nutritious mallunggay leaves, blocks of organic chocolate and smooth and aromatic balako coffee. The market is well organized, impressively hygienic and everyone is polite, friendly and eager to chat about their homemade products. Most stalls offer free tasters and prices are very reasonable. Pack your suitcase lightly so you can take loads of Filipino treats back home with you. The market is open every Saturday from 7am until 2pm. Salcedo Market, parking lot of Torsedillas, Salcedo and Luisto Sts., Salcedo Village, Makati City.
Late afternoon: Manila Design Trip
If you love interior design then you’ll fall head over heels in love with the galleries in Harrison Street. It’s a quiet and secluded leafy compound where 1940s-style houses open their doors to the public to exhibit and sell beautiful arts, crafts, furniture, ceramics and sculptures. And most importantly—they are amazingly cheap! With frangipani trees casting shade over the street, this tranquil community is a rare find in Manila. Start at Avellana Art Gallery, which specializes in eye-catching Filipino art, then head over the road to a-11, which sells limited edition furniture and homeware. Your final stop should be the atelier of well-known fashion designer Jesus “Joji” Lloren. These galleries 
are open to the public (Mon-Sat, 10am-7pm) but we advise calling ahead to check times. The Peninsula offers an exclusive trip for guests which includes a delicious Filipino lunch or a dinner buffet in one of the serene gallery spaces. The Manila Design Trip includes transport to and from the hotel and costs P25,000. Book it via the concierge.
Avellana Art Gallery, 2680 FB Harrison St., Pasay City, (632) 833-8357.
a 11, 2680 FB Harrison St., Pasay City, (632) 832-9972.
Jesus “Joji” Lloren, House B-20, 2680 FB Harrison St., Pasay City, (632) 401-1194.
Evening: Dinner at Travel Café
This hip Manila hangout is not only a mellow café and modern Filipino restaurant, but also a travel shop where you can book a trip to one of the stunning islands and a shop selling everything from CDs of local music to stoneware pottery. The food is excellent—expect modern interpretations of well-loved local dishes such as adobo (chicken marinated in soy sauce vinaigrette stuffed with liver), Batangas beef ribs, or braised oxtail served with banana heart. End your meal with the Philippine’s most famous and extravagant dessert, halo halo. Expect a rainbow-colored tower of different flavored ice creams, shaved ices, sweet preserved beans, coconut and fruit. One portion feeds at least four.
Travel Café Philippines, Greenbelt 5, L/2, Ayala Center, Makati City, Manila,www.travelcafephilippines.com.
Until Late: Café Havana
Leave the Travel Café and follow the rhythms of salsa outside the shopping mall and you’ll find Café Havana where you can dance the night away to the sounds of a live Latino band.
Café Havana, Greenbelt 3, Level 1, Estrella St., Ayala Center, Makati City, (632) 757-4370.
Sunday
Early Morning: Filipino Massage
Start your day with a traditional Filipino hilot massage which uses heated banana leaves and warm virgin coconut oil to sooth tired muscles and ease built-up tension. P2,750 for 90 minutes, The Peninsula Spa.
Late morning: Greenbelt Shopping Mall
Whether you want to bag a bargain from an up-and-coming Filipino designer or sip a cool glass of mango juice in an alfresco café, Greenbelt shopping mall is the place for you. There’s plenty of outdoor dining and drinking areas shaded by towering trees decorated by pretty lanterns and twinkling fairy lights. If you’re a shopaholic, you could easily spend a day here as prices are often cheaper than in Hong Kong and you’ll find all the high-end brands from Jimmy Choo to Marc Jacobs. For a great-value piece by one of Manila’s hot young designers, check out Joyce Makitalo, who creates bold and chunky semi-precious stone jewelry set in brass and dipped in 24k gold, and fashion designer Kate Torralba whose current “Paperdoll” collection is sexy, cheeky and irresistibly colorful.
Kate Torralba, 2/F, Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center, Makati City,
www.facebook.com/KTdesigns.
Joyce Makitalo for Firma, Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center Makati City,
www.joycemakitalo.com.
Afternoon: Gold of Ancestors Exhibition at the Ayala Museum
There are few existing records of the pre-colonial history and culture of the Philippines, so it’s no wonder this exhibition of gold, dating back to the 10th century, has whipped people into such an excited frenzy. It features 1,059 precious objects, all of which give a fascinating insight into the mysterious past of the Philippines. Among these priceless items is a collection of eerie-looking death masks, some massive earrings which were worn around the entire ear, rather than dangling from the lobe (pictured below), and a golden sash weighing a rather exhausting 3.9kg. Also on display are necklaces, anklets, ornaments and ritual containers. Begin with the video screening (scheduled every 10 minutes). It’s worth exploring the whole museum (which can be done in about two hours) in particular the exhibition of 17th and 18th Philippine costumes and the work of Filipino abstract artist Fernando Zobel.
Ayala Museum, Makati Avenue, corner of De la Rosa St., Greenbelt Park, 1224 Makati City, www.ayalmuseum.org.
Evening: Departure
Sadly it’s time to wave good-bye to Manila and fly back to Hong Kong with a suitcase packed with tasty organic goodies from the food market, bargain designer gear from the Philippine fashion elite, and beautiful homeware from Harrison Road. No doubt, like our tour guide Carlos, you’ll want to spread the word about Manila and help change people’s perception of this all too often misunderstood city.
Where to Stay
Manila is a heavily congested city so it’s important to stay centrally so you can walk around, or get short taxi rides, and avoid losing precious hours sitting in hideous traffic jams. Not only is The Peninsula Manila an elegant and luxurious hotel but it’s also in the heart of the lifestyle and entertainment district. For example, Salcedo Village Market, the Greenbelt shopping complex and the Ayala Museum are only a 10-minute walk away. It also offers a great range of exclusive excursions including the previously mentioned Manila Design Trip, “If These Walls Could Speak” walking tour, and lunch or dinner at the 1920s art deco Legarda-Montinola mansion. When you’re not exploring Manila you can relax in their outdoor heated pool, indulge in some pampering in the spa, sip a cocktail in the magnificent lobby or dine in their famous restaurants. The Peninsula Manila, corner of Ayala and Makati Avenue, 1226 Makati City, Manila, (632) 887-2888, www.peninsula.com
Getting Around
Stay centrally and walk or grab a taxi—they’re cheap but slow due to heavy congestion. Fix a price or make sure the meter is on before you start your journey.
Getting There
Philippine Airlines operates four flights daily from Singapore to Manila. The journey is just under four hours. Return flights start from $198. For more information visit: www.philippineairlines.com.
Currency
SG $1 = 32.66 Philippine Pesos