10 Fun Things to Do in Binondo, Escolta, and Malate

(SPOT.ph) There’s a certain charm to Manila that’s magnetizing—its rich history, the mishmash of timeworn buildings and newly-built structures, the vast selection of eats in every budget imaginable, expansive shopping districts selling everything and anything under the sun, and more. In this Manila guide, we list down all the cliche-but-quintessential and new, buzzworthy activities you can do in the hipper districts of downtown Manila, specifically Binondo, Ermita, and Malate.

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Here are fun things to do in downtown Manila:

Shop local, one-of-a-kind artsy items at HUB: Make Lab

Hub: Make Lab's building look like any other ordinary structure along Escolta Street, but past its entrance, the place is buzzing with artistic energy. The space is often used for special weekend events that proudly celebrate the local art scene. In previous months, they've held interesting events such as Typography Talks where different artists talk about typography; Second Chances, which is a vintage community flea market; and '90s Kabaklaan, a vintage magazine exhibition.

Hub: Make Lab is at First United Building, 413 Escolta Street, Binondo, Manila. For more information, check out HUB: Make Lab's Facebook page.

Make the Manila moment last forever at Ligaya Studios

Speaking of Hub: Make Lab, you can also hop on the self-shoot studio hype when you're tired from all the shopping. Ligaya Studios is one of the many self-shoot studios in Metro Manila and one of the few in Manila—specifically at the very hip, very cool Hub: Make Lab in Escolta, Binondo.

Ligaya Studio’s packages are Tuwa (P200) which has unlimited photos for 10 minutes; Masaya (P499) which extends the time limit to 20 minutes and has unlimited background changes; and Ligaya (P999) which has the same specifications as Masaya but allows up to a maximum of five people.

Ligaya Studios is at Hub: Make Lab, 413 Escolta Street, Binondo, Manila. For more information, visit Ligaya Studios’ Facebook page.

Get work done at FIRST Coworking Community

Also located within the First United Building is FIRST Coworking Community, a gorgeous co-working space with an equally gorgeous view of Manila's skyline. If you're looking for a place to work outside the confinement of your home, this co-working space is a great place to tick things off of your list. 

FIRST Coworking Community offers different work setups at different prices. But if you're going solo, these are the rates you have to know: P70/hour, P250/four hours, and P400/eight hours. This includes free Wi-Fi and unlimited coffee, tea, and water. Plus, 10 pages of printing and use of a locker.

FIRST Coworking Community is at First United Building, Escolta Street, Binondo, Manila. For more information, visit FIRST Coworking Community's Facebook page.

Join an informative tour of Binondo's Chinoy community

Since Manila has a rich history, many tour agencies have started offering all kinds of packages to educate both locals and foreigners. One of those is WanderManila, which offers a Chinoy Heritage Tour that explores Binondo, San Nicolas, and Escolta, tracing the deep history of the Chinese-Filipino (or Chinoy) community through heritage, culture, and food.

For more information, check out WanderManila's website.

Of course, a Binondo food trip!

Is it really a Binondo excursion if you don't eat in at least one of the many hole-in-the-walls? For quintessential Binondo hits, you can never go wrong with Dong Bei for their dumplings, Sincerity Café and Restaurant for its famous fried chicken, New Po Heng Lumpia House's fresh lumpia, Ying Ying Tea House Restaurant that's known for their dim sum, and Wai Ying who's known for their roasted duck. 

The choices are endless. And there's no need to worry about your wallet too much either since most dishes are quite affordable. The only real problem you'll encounter is finding enough space in your stomach for all the food, so we suggest traveling by foot from one eatery to another.

Take a stroll along the Intramuros-Binondo "Friendship" Bridge

One of the newer developments in Binondo is the Intramuros-Binondo "Friendship" Bridge, a 680-meter, two-way tied-arch bridge linking the neighborhoods of Binondo and Intramuros, and spans the Pasig River. There's a designated lane for those who want to stroll, jog, or simply cross from one district to the other, and there are even designated bike lanes for those who bring their wheels with them to explore the city.

The Binondo-Intramuros Friendship Bridge is located nearest Riverside Drive, Intramuros and Mlle. dela Industria, Binondo.

Visit the three national museums in Ermita

There's no shame in admitting that you haven't been to one or all of the national museums in Ermita, namely the National Museum of Fine Arts which is home to famous paintings such as the Spoliarium and La Barca de Aqueronte; the National Museum of Natural History which has 12 permanent galleries showcasing the biological and geological diversity of the country; and National Museum of Anthropology where you can see the ethnographic and terrestrial and underwater archaeological collections.

The National Museum of Fine Arts is at Padre Burgos Ave, Ermita, Manila; the National Museum of Natural History is at Teodoro F. Valencia Cir, Ermita, Manila; and the National Museum of Anthropology is at P. Burgos Drive Rizal Park, Teodoro F. Valencia Cir, Ermita, Manila. For more information, follow their official pages on Facebook.

Bring the kiddos to Museo Pambata

For those who have kiddos tagging along with them to Manila, best to drop by Museo Pambata: The country's first interactive children's museum. There are eight themed rooms at this museum, including rooms named 'My body work' to 'Old Manila' and 'Market Place.' On top of these, the kids can also see up close a rare collection of dolls, kits, and antiques.

Museo Pambata is at Roxas Boulevard, corner South Drive, Ermita, Manila. The museum is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesdays to Saturdays (closed lunch time), and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets cost P250/person. For more information, check out Museo Pambata's Facebook page.

Spend some alone time or have a date at The Library Café

Tucked inside the heritage building Ramon Magsaysay Center is The Library Cafe. Owned by Silang's Gourmet Farms, this coffee shop-meets-library is located inside a trove of historical collections and recordings, just note that you can't eat or drink near the archives. But if you're a creature of habit, they do have an al fresco set up. This café uses special coffee beans for their brews, and you can pair your cup of joe with the café's pizzas, sandwiches, pasta, and other dishes.

The Library Cafe by Gourmet Farms is at GF, Ramon Magsaysay Building, Roxas Blvd, Malate, Manila. For more information, check out The Library Cafe by Gourmet Farms's Facebook page.

Sunset drinks at The Admiral Hotel's Coconut Grove

Long, long ago, Malate was known for its vibrant nightlife. Although it isn't the same case now, you can still have a great wind-down session in this part of Manila—specifically at the chic The Admiral Hotel's Coconut Grove. You can have happy hour cocktails with a view of Manila Bay's spectacular gradient sunset, then you can follow this up with a dinner session at the equally-chic MGallery (also located inside The Admiral Hotel).

The Admiral Hotel is at 2138 Roxas Boulevard, Malate, Manila. For more information, visit Admiral Hotel Manila's website.

Also read
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