Makati, Manila

24 hours in Makati, Manila

Tips:

• Be warned that traffic in Manila is horrendous, especially on Friday evenings so if travelling during this time expect long-queues and grid-locked traffic.
• Makati is located about 30 min drive (at non-peak time) from Manila Ninoy Aquino airport, so it’s a good base to overnight before catching a flight to the islands.
• GRAB is a good app-based service for travelling around and pre-booking a taxi, you can chose a metered taxi option or fixed price.
• Rush hour in Makati is between 6-8am and 4-8pm.
• The Philippines has one of the slowest internet speeds in the world, so whilst Wifi is available at most high-end hotels, it can be slow and unreliable.

Fly in and out: Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL)

Most people think of Manila as a ‘stopover’ city to stay, and if you’re on a massive time constraint you’re probably thinking to overlook this city and venture straight to the islands. When we first started to plan our 2 week holiday we thought the same, but after doing some research we decided to stop over for one night in Manila at the start and end of our trip to give ourselves a break from the travelling and complete our mission to explore every little corner of the world…after all Manila is the capital of the Philippines!

Makati is Metro Manila’s business and commercial district, it’s a good destination if you’re looking for a modern, cosmopolitan vibe. In my opinion, the Poblacion area is the best place to stay in Makati because it’s conveniently located near the commercial business district and there’s plenty of shops, restaurants, bars and convenience stores.

City Garden Grand hotel

We wanted to start the holiday with a bit of luxury, so we checked into the 4 star City Garden Grand hotel, which didn’t disappoint. The breakfast buffet is worth paying for with eggs made to order and freshly whipped pancakes. The hotel has a rooftop pool and bar (and live music most weekends).  It’s central location makes it ideal for business or leisure travelers to Manila. Considering it’s a 4-star hotel in Makati, rates are reasonable.

One of the hotels perks is the amazing views of the city skyline from it’s 26th floor, which at night comes alive with its glistening lights. The drinks were reasonably priced, especially at happy hour, and it’s a nice feeling to be floors above the grid-locked traffic.

Places to eat:

We decided to venture out in Poblacion (the old town area of Makati) on the hunt for a lively place to eat. We already knew that Filipino food isn’t the best, so we wasn’t too precious about wanting to try local cuisine. We’d heard that the hottest street tacos hang-out place in Makati is called El Chupacabra (address: 5782 Felipe St. Poblacion, Makati), where you can dine in an indoor street food vibe amongst the hip local Filipinos.

We had to wait under half an hour for a table, but the service was quick, and it’s popularity is because the food is all authentically made. Think sizzling bbq…

For locals, this is the perfect place to eat before a night out, the atmosphere is electric and fills you with a fun, feel-good vibe. Felipe Street is a bit of a less glamorous part of Makati so it gives a good experience of the bustling Asian street food scene. It was nice to dine amongst lively Filipino locals who were all (as well) enjoying their Friday evening.

Greenbelt Mall

With only a half day left to spend ‘sight-seeing’ in Makati, I recommend visiting one of Makati’s many shopping malls. The ‘Makati experience’ is all about enjoying the best brands and luxuries of the city.  It’s a great place to people-watch and in places like the Greenbelt Mall, you can witness the middle class and upperclass people of Manila running errands. Home from home, you’ll find lots of familiar brands….

Even if you’re not big on shopping there’s a host of green patches, koi ponds, tortoises basking in the heat and lawn areas to spread out on a summer day. There’s an impressive amount of restaurants and lots of coffee shops with free Wifi.

There’s no hiding it, Makati is definitely both chaotic and congested. It’s a tale of two cities with shopping malls next to the slum areas, a place where poverty and luxury coexist. This makes it both a dense and lively place to explore, and worth visiting even if you only have one day.

There’s something both exciting and slightly thrilling about walking the streets of Makati. There’s development happening everywhere, which reflects a positive future for the city, and it feels alive with it’s beeping horns, busy traffic, and colourful jeepneys.

Travel: Take a domestic flight from Manila (Ninoy Aquino Terminal 4) to Cebu Mactan Int Airport.

Next stop: Moalboal, Cebu