Philippines
Where to stay in Metro Manila
Metro Manila is a city in Philippines, home to about 14,002,000 people.
- Nearest airport
- MNL9 km · Ninoy Aquino International Airport
- Currency
- PHPPhilippine peso
- Time zone
- Asia/Manila
- Language
- English, Filipino, Taglish
About
About Metro Manila
Metropolitan Manila, commonly shortened to Metro Manila and formally the National Capital Region (NCR; Filipino: Pambansang Punong Rehiyon), is the capital region and largest metropolitan area of the Philippines. It encompasses an area of 636.00 km2 (245.56 sq mi) and the region has a population of 14,001,751 as of 2024, making it the second most populous region in the country after Calabarzon.
Locals and foreigners refer to Metro Manila simply as Manila. Administratively speaking, however, "Manila" is the name of one of the cities that composes the Metro Manila and is the capital of the Philippines. Consisting of 16 cities and 1 municipality in 630 km², the metro is the Philippines' seat of government and national capital region, and the center of the country's culture, arts, commerce, industry, and tourism. Metro Manila likewise serves as the pivot point to other exciting, popular destinations in the Philippines such as Boracay, Cebu City, and Davao City.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Metro Manila
See
- San Agustín Church
- Redemptorist Church
- Remedios Church
Do
You can find almost all major festivals in Metro Manila. There are two New Years. The Gregorian New Year every January, is characterized by noise and merrymaking; the crackles and bursts of firecrackers and fireworks complete the Filipino New Year, believing it will scare misfortunes away, but can be dangerous and messy, with the day after characterized by scattered debris, used fireworks barrages and unexploded firecrackers, smoke, trash, and the most dreaded result, injured celebrators, victims of their firecrackers, and fires.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Metro Manila
46 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata; the 40 best known are shown, by the number of Wikipedia editions that cover them. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Admiral Hotel | 2.6 km | |
| Sheraton Manila Bay Marriott International | 2.0 km | |
| 1775 Adriatico Suites | 2.1 km | |
| Adriatico Arms Hotel | 2.0 km | |
| Armada Hotel Manila - Quarantine Hotel | 2.4 km | |
| Casa Micarosa Hotel and Residences - Quarantine Hotel RedDoorz | 2.3 km | |
| Diamond Hotel Philippines | 2.3 km | |
| Eurotel Pedro Gil | 1.9 km | |
| Executive Hotel | 2.1 km | |
| Executive Plaza | 2.0 km | |
| Go Hotels Ermita | 2.1 km | |
| Go Hotels Otis Manila - Quarantine Hotel | 0.6 km | |
| Heroes Hotel Manila | 1.6 km | |
| Hop Inn Hotel Ermita Manila | 2.3 km | |
| Hotel 2016 Manila Boutique Hotel | 2.4 km | |
| Hotel Kimberly Manila | 1.6 km | |
| Hotel Sogo Malate Manila | 2.4 km | |
| Hotel Sogo Quirino Motor Drive Inn | 2.3 km | |
| JMM Grand Suites | 1.9 km | |
| Las Palmas Hotel de Manila | 2.1 km | |
| Leesons Residences | 1.4 km | |
| Leez Inn | 1.1 km | |
| Malate Pensionne | 2.1 km | |
| Manila Manor Hotel | 1.9 km | |
| New Coast Hotel Manila | 2.3 km | |
| Octagon Mansion Hotel | 2.0 km | |
| OYO 107 Orange Nest Hotel OYO Rooms | 1.3 km | |
| OYO 152 Sangco Condotel OYO Rooms | 1.4 km | |
| OYO 731 P3k Suites 1 OYO Rooms | 1.6 km | |
| OYO 733 P3k Suites 2 OYO Rooms | 1.1 km | |
| OYO 772 Remedios Apartment OYO Rooms | 1.5 km | |
| OYO 790 Mango Inn OYO Rooms | 2.0 km | |
| OYO 837 Kysabel Hotel OYO Rooms | 1.9 km | |
| OYO 838 Manila Crown Palace Hotel OYO Rooms | 2.0 km | |
| OYO 840 Orangenest Apartelle OYO Rooms | 1.3 km | |
| Palm Hotel Manila | 2.0 km | |
| Red Planet Manila Mabini - For Quarantine Stays | 2.2 km | |
| RedDoorz @ The Providence Tower RedDoorz | 2.1 km | |
| RedDoorz near Osmena Hway2 - Quarantine Hotel RedDoorz | 1.6 km | |
| RedDoorz near Quirino Station Manila RedDoorz | 1.5 km |
All 46 hotels in Metro Manila, with their history and operators
When to go
The best time to visit Metro Manila
Metro Manila has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. May is the warmest month, with average highs of 32 °C; October is the wettest, with about 357 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Metro Manila: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL), about 8.6 km from the city centre in a straight line; Subic Bay International Airport / Naval Air Station Cubi Point (SFS, 82 km) and Clark International Airport / Clark Air Base (CRK, 82 km) are also within reach.
Getting in
Metro Manila is served by two airports: Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), and Clark International Airport. Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) (MNL), 8 km south of Manila in Pasay and Parañaque, is the main airport serving Metro Manila. The airport is divided into three terminals. Terminal 1, long regarded as one of the worst airport terminals in the world, has been renovated. The newer Terminals 2 and 3 are regarded as being far nicer with more amenities to boot.
Getting around
Public transportation is the best way to get around Metro Manila, however the quality and frequency tends to be poor compared to the rest of Southeast Asia. Google Maps or Sakay.ph are handy for route options, but Google Maps does not have schedules for jeepneys. Driving is not for the faint of heart. Beep is a prepaid smart card used to pay for the LRT, MRT, and some buses. The cards can also be used to pay at Lawson and Uncle John's convenience stores, Binalot restaurants and Robinsons MovieWorld cinemas.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
MNL · Ninoy Aquino International Airport
SFS · Subic Bay International Airport / Naval Air Station Cubi Point
CRK · Clark International Airport / Clark Air Base
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Metro Manila
Eat
A tourist or visitor may be amused or perplexed to see Filipinos eating most of the time. Apart from the three major meals of the day, there are snacks in the morning and in the afternoon called merienda which are an integral part of a typical Pinoy's everyday life.
Drink
The epicenter of Metro Manila's famous nightlife is the Greenbelt in Makati where some of the city's best restaurants, cafes, bars and karaoke joints cluster around a park in the middle of the main business district. The Fort, Serendra and Bonifacio High Street are three different clusters that offers high-end restaurants, bars and shops in the nearby city of Taguig. Bohemian Malate and the adjoining Baywalk contain a variety of venues serving a combination of food, comedy, alcohol and live music in Manila. Other nightlife clusters in the Metro are Eastwood, Araneta Center, and Timog all in Quezon City.
Stay safe
Metro Manila has its share of common problems for first-time travellers: opportunistic robbers and pickpockets, corrupt cops and bureaucracy, run-down residential areas and shanty towns, and chaotic traffic. If you are first time travelling into the region (or not used to chaotic conditions in other places), keep your guard up at all times. The metro has its numerous rough areas where you are unlikely to visit. Violent crime is quite evident in some parts of the metro, but this usually happens among locals, and tourists should not worry a lot, since there are many police and frequent police patrol cars within Metro Manila, especially tourist areas.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Metro Manila: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Metro Manila?
Metro Manila has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. May is the warmest month, with average highs of 32 °C; October is the wettest, with about 357 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Metro Manila?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL), about 8.6 km from the city centre in a straight line; Subic Bay International Airport / Naval Air Station Cubi Point (SFS, 82 km) and Clark International Airport / Clark Air Base (CRK, 82 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Metro Manila?
Philippine peso (PHP).
Nearby
Destinations near Metro Manila
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.