Stopover: Insider’s Manila
Don’t just change planes there – spend some time in this city, at once gritty and gorgeous
Manila is like halohalo, a local concoction of condensed milk and shaved ice topped with sweet beans and purple ice cream. The combination of flavours doesn’t appear to make sense at first, but, somehow, it works. Here’s a taste of Manila – a destination in its own right and not just a stopover.
WHERE TO DRINK
A Malate institution, the Oarhouse (oarhousepub.com) has served up some of Manila’s best pub grub since 1977. Fish and chips and schnitzel with fried onions are just some of the tasty dishes on offer. The bar is often packed with artists, journalists, academics and regulars who the waiters know by name.
WHERE TO EAT
Set inside a maze of converted shipping containers, the Shipyard (578 General Malvar St, Malate) features murals, upcycled wooden tables, metal chairs and Tivoli lights. Doner kebabs, tacos and fried chicken feature. Or try street food, such as isaw (chicken intestines) or kwek-kwek (battered quail eggs).
WHERE TO STAY
The Henry (thehenryhotel.com) is the hippest hotel in Manila. On a busy street in Pasay City, it’s mid-20th-century wooden homes converted into a boutique hotel, evoking old-world Manila glamour with vintage tiles, clawfoot bathtubs and Spanish-style windows. Next door is a shop, and above, an art gallery.
WHAT TO DO
The Pinto Art Museum is an oasis of art and ecology overlooking the toxic mess that is Metro Manila. Established in 2010 by art collector and neurologist Dr Joven Cuanang, the museum also has a library, wellness academy, garden and bistro. Marvel at the native and contemporary Filipino art and while the afternoon away on one of the poster beds in the garden.
WHERE TO SHOP
Escolta Street was Manila’s most fashionable business address until residents and businesses moved to glitzy Makati in the 1990s. But lately, the city’s former ‘Queen of Streets’ has been experiencing a renaissance. At the centre of it all is The First United Building, home of artist-run galleries The Hub: Make Lab and 98B COLLABoratory. Shop for shirts at Ponderosa Hall, sip on coconut and coffee blends at The Den or get a haircut at Folk barber shop. End the day with dinner and drinks at Fred’s Revolucion.