I'm flying to Hong Kong next week and then working my way west to catch a return flight out of BKK over a month later. I've never been to the Philippines and saw some cheap fares from HKG and MFM to MNL, which, combined with my existing plans to visit Indonesia, has me considering a quick stop in Manila for a night or two.

Is there a hop-on, hop-off tour that anyone can recommend, if Manila has such a thing? I'm not the world's greatest tourist and I understand there's not a ton to see in Manila, at least by Asia-tourist standards, but I like to see the highlights, when possible.

If it matters, I'll probably be staying at one or both of the Hyatts, so I'd be starting in that general area. Thanks.

I hate to damp on Manila, but you got it right when you said there is not much to see there. In addition, the traffic is truly horrific. On the other hand, there are lovely beaches and resorts in Philippines. But if you only have one or two days, I would look elsewhere. Have you been to Hanoi? That would make a lovely stay-over.

Thanks. I'm actually going to Hanoi after Indonesia.

For such a big city, it's interesting how Manila doesn't have much to see. I might still stop for a night, stay at the Hyatt by the airport, and pay a visit to the American Cemetery, etc. (I also just checked Klook again and found a Manila City Tour, which I didn't see the last time I checked.)

There's a massive development walking distance from Terminal 3 called Resorts World Manila. There are a few casinos, a bunch of hotels and restaurants, golfing, etc. You could easily just spend a day or two there. However, you wouldn't really be getting an "authentic" Manila experience. Unfortunately, getting into the city from the airport is a royal PITA. There are no direct transit links, and traffic is absolutely horrible. Last year, it took me 2 hours to get from Terminal 3 to my AirBnB in town. Like the other poster said, I would recommend looking somewhere else. However, if you do want to try and go, there are a few things you can spend a day doing: Intramuros, eat some Filipino food (sisig, halo halo, and Adobo), ride in a jeepney, or visit the Museum of the Filipino People.

[deleted - wrong thread]

There is a lot to see. A lot of traffic. I recently went and people who I met said that they always expect people to be late for meet ups because of traffic ... even if you leave hours early!! One day is really not enough with this traffic.

Seriously though, there are some interesting historic places like intramuros and a few churches. But really what makes me sad is how it was a lot of Manila was destroyed during the second world war. If you have time, a tour of intramurous by Carlos Celdran (a mix of historian-comedian) is worth going on. However, if you are an American, be prepared for some uncomfortable listening.

Thanks. With the traffic, any guess as to how long that location is from the Grand Hyatt?

That's a tough one but google maps says 40 minutes. I was staying at the Penn when I went on the tour and the taxi took me less than 30mins, but that was at the weekend

The Grand Hyatt is in Bonifacio Global City (also known as "BGC" or "The Fort") and you could easily spend a pleasant day or two in its malls and "lifestyle" developments. Uptown Mall is about 2 minutes walk from the hotel, and Bonifacio High Street less than 10 minutes. You could even walk to the American Cemetery in about 20 minutes (I think you need a passport or ID to enter) and to the Venice Mall in a further 10 minutes. BGC is almost totally insulated from any grinding poverty or the typical "gritty" or "authentic" Manila that people go on about. If you want to experience that then I would choose a hotel nearer Intramuros, which is well worth a visit. It won't be fun travelling to Intramuros from BGC on a weekday, although it would be much easier on a weekend or holiday. You could even take the MRT and LRT if it's not rush hour. From the airport to BGC shouldn't take too long by taxi or Grab, by the way.

One further thought: if the Pasig River ferry is operating, it's possible to travel to Intramuros from Guadeloupe (not far from the Grand Hyatt) by water.

Sunday is the best day for travelling around Manila. What usually takes 1-2 hours to go 5km can often be done in less than 20 minutes....depending on what is happening that weekend. Lots of malls/hotels will already have their Xmas decorations up so traffic can be especially bad on Friday evenings. If me, I would stay in one of the hotels adjacent to the airport to minimize the time stuck in a jam when leaving.

Thanks to all for the feedback. Could anyone estimate the worst-case time from the Grand Hyatt and the Hyatt Regency, City of Dreams to the airport on a weekday? Trying to plan ahead. Manila traffic sounds horrific. Thanks.

It does depend on the time of day but the Grand Hyatt is much further. I would probably factor in a 1h 30min journey.

For the City of Dreams, I would probably say less than 30mins. Roads are typically wider around there.

Wow, 90 minutes for maybe 8 miles. That�s crazy.

Interestingly, Google Maps says walking is 3 miles shorter than driving. (I�m not considering walking, obviously.) Is that just a glitch or are the roads around there really strange?

CEB fares can also be cheap although not as much of a steal as MNL. Would suggest going to Bohol (decent ferry ride from CEB) instead.