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| Manila Travel Guide |
| by Aida (Author), Nic (Mapper) |
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| Price: USD 2.95 |
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| Language: English |
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Edition:
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Pages:
18 (1 Maps) |
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| Other guidebooks on Philippines: |
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Cebu Travel Guide |
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| What's inside? |
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Make Manila more than just a transit point. Discover its well-kept secrets. Be charmed by its 3 Cs - culture, cuisine and chaos. a4trip's Manila travel guide provides extensive information that can assist you from the time you plan your trip to the time you leave for your trip back home. It consists of details and tips on when and how to get to Manila, what to & not to bring, accommodations, dining, shopping, nightlife, sightseeing, even scam alerts. A handy companion in exploring Manila's nook and cranny, it comes with maps and suggested day trips including Intramuros walking tour and Chinatown calesa tour. And while locals are fluent English speakers, learning basic Pilipino phrases from the language guide would endear you more to the Filipinos.
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| Help save the Philippine Eagle! |
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| Fund collecting in progress... |
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| The Philippine Eagle, one of the world's largest and most powerful birds of prey, is listed by the IUCN Red List as a critically endangered species. Endemic to the Philippines, it can be found on four major islands: eastern Luzon, Samar, Leyte and Mindanao. They are threatened primarily by deforestation, pollution, pesticides and poaching. Dubbed the 'monkey-eating eagle', these birds were once believed to feed only on monkeys. However, we know now that they also eat other small mammals, reptiles and birds. There have even been reports of these eagles snatching away small pigs and dogs! |
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This article gives a detailed and precise idea about Manila from a local author.
What I liked very much about it, is the honesty. The problems of a big city are clearly named and it still sounds inviting. Now, that I know how many people live on a square kilometre in Manila, it won't come as a shock to me, when I make it to the place one day. The inviting part to me is about the sunset in the Bay area. The whole scenery sounds very beautiful, even though it is placed in a capital.
All the general information given in the text is helpful to me. I didn't know about the 21 days rule concerning the visa and passport. This information might become useful, when I plan a trip. Apart from that, it is important to know, what to put in the suitcase. Gosh, I would have never packed flip-flops for a stay abroad.
It is helpful to me to get a quick overview over the festive days in the city, like they are listed here. This way it is easier to make plans for a trip. E. g. if I want to see something traditional, I can set my holiday for the time given. Or I can avoid a crowded city, if I want to.
To me, it helps a lot to have all the necessary/recommended vaccinations on one page. So I just have to look at my certificates of vaccination and I know clearly: go or no. There are many attractive sights mentioned in the article. After reading the paragraphs, I would really appreciate to have a look at some of the sights.
The most helpful and important part for me is of course the part about cultural understanding. I like to read about all the special habits in another country. Especially for me, as a German, it is valuable to know, the word "po" as a form of address to an elderly person is not an insult. It's the German word for the body part you sit on, so I'd be embarrassed to hear it when said to an older person :o)
All together, I enjoyed reading the article very much. In fact, I felt like it was written to me, personally. When planning my next holidays I definitely have to consider Manila and the Philippines!
In case you want to go anyway, I recommend reading it from the very beginning to the last paragraph.
Jessica |
| by Jessica Mertens, . Posted 09 Apr 2009 |
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| What's an a4trip guidebook? |
| An a4trip guidebook is a travel guide that'll provide you with the information you'll need to plan your trip and to find your way around. Our guidebooks are downloadable in PDF format, and are designed to be so compact, you can take it with you everywhere you go. |
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| How can I pay for a guidebook? |
| We accept credit cards like Visa, MasterCard, American Express (USA only) and Discover (USA only) via PayPal. Your transaction will appear as 'PAYPAL*A4TRIP' on your credit card statement. |
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| Help! Why can't I download the guidebook? |
| Don't worry, just get in touch with us and we'll deliver the guidebook right to your inbox. |
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| Just how often do you update your guidebooks? |
| We try to update our guidebooks at least once a month. |
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| Have more questions about a4trip? |
| Just Contact Us, we'd love to hear from you. |
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| An Introduction to Manila |
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| by Aida, a4friend |
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MANILA is the capital city of the Philippines. Landlocked by 7 cities, it is located at the mouth of Pasig River, a 25 km long river that connects Laguna de Bay to Manila Bay and divides the city into north and south banks. Maynila as it is referred to in the native language literally means "there is nilad". Nilad is a star-shaped flowering shrub that used to grow abundantly in Pasig River and Manila Bay.
Currently included in the list of the world's global cities, Manila is one of Asia's densely populated, bustling and hustling cities. It is a melting pot of people from varied ethnic groups and races bringing with them their own culture, fashion, cuisine, and religion. Manila's landscape is a blend of Chinese, Spanish, American, Japanese, and Malay influences, particularly evident in each of the 16 districts comprising the city. Each district has its own character reminiscent of a period in the city's rich and tumultuous history.
Binondo is a living legacy of the early years of trade with the Chinese and until now is the top-of-mind source of textile and clothes where haggling and bargaining are the secrets to a successful shopping spree. A walking tour of Intramuros, with its forts and walls refurbished, transports and reconnects the present generation to the city's grim past. The twin districts of Malate and Ermita which were once Manila's red light district are now teeming with accommodation options from a backpacker's hostel to a businessman's deluxe or a jet-set's boutique hotel. At dusk, the place becomes the swingiest entertainment locale with Western-styled bars, al fresco dining, and live band performances.
Beyond shopping and sightseeing, a visit to Manila is also a gastronomic trip. There is a wide variety of food choices to satisfy one's palate - street hawkers, fast food joints, international flavours including Asian, American, European, even African, and the local pride which is a fusion of Oriental, Malay and Spanish cuisines. Culinary tours are conducted with visit to obscure kitchens, cooking demonstrations, and food tasting as part of the itinerary.
At the end of the day, there is no better place to be than at the Baywalk and a front seat to the famed sunset of Manila Bay. The golden sun's reflection on the water provides a soothing effect worth more than a day at the spa. For nightcap, have a leisurely walk at Rizal Park, one of the city's open parks dedicated to the country's national hero whose exact execution site is a few feet away from where his monument now stands. Close by is the "kilometre zero" marker where all distance measurements in the whole archipelago start.
From Rizal Park, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) is approximately 7 kms. to the south. NAIA is the country's premier airport and gateway to Manila with more than 27 international airlines serving this route. Tourists from more than 146 countries with diplomatic ties with the Philippines are given 21 days visa-free stay in the country. However, holders of Hong Kong and Macau- issued passports can only stay in the country visa-free for 7 days. For longer or extended stay, it is advisable to secure visa prior to travelling to the Philippines.
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