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The stone ramparts of Fort Santiago in Intramuros, Manila, grass growing along the old walls
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ManilaTravel Guide

Philippines3 stories

The Philippine capital is chaotic, warm-hearted, and layered with history: a 16th-century walled city, the world's oldest Chinatown, bayfront sunsets, and a food scene finally getting its due.

Is Manila right for you?

When to come

December to February — the dry season's coolest, most comfortable months

Around 34°C by day in April, 30°C in January — recorded at the local weather station.

What it costs

It depends where you stand. There is a cheap version and an expensive one — the guides below say which is which.

What we've planned, and who for

No hour-by-hour route here yet — the guides below cover it by subject instead.

Manila is inWarm in January
When to go
January: around 30 degrees by day, 24 at night, 19 millimetres of rain, dry and hot. We recommend this month.
February: around 31 degrees by day, 24 at night, 22 millimetres of rain, dry and hot. We recommend this month.
March: around 32 degrees by day, 25 at night, 22 millimetres of rain, dry and hot.
April: around 34 degrees by day, 27 at night, 23 millimetres of rain, dry and hot.
May: around 34 degrees by day, 27 at night, 159 millimetres of rain, very wet.
June: around 33 degrees by day, 27 at night, 253 millimetres of rain, very wet.
July: around 32 degrees by day, 26 at night, 432 millimetres of rain, very wet.
August: around 31 degrees by day, 26 at night, 476 millimetres of rain, very wet.
September: around 31 degrees by day, 26 at night, 396 millimetres of rain, very wet.
October: around 31 degrees by day, 26 at night, 221 millimetres of rain, very wet.
November: around 31 degrees by day, 25 at night, 120 millimetres of rain, wet.
December: around 30 degrees by day, 25 at night, 99 millimetres of rain, wet. We recommend this month.
Cold to hot, by dayDry to wetWhen we would go

December to February — the dry season's coolest, most comfortable months

Average daily highs, recorded at Port Area, Manila, 1991-2020 normals.

Where this comes from

PAGASA (via en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manila, Climate section) — Box uses 'rain mm' rather than 'precipitation mm' rows.

Budget level

Mixed

Typical cost profile for visitors

Combine it with
  • Boracay310 km

    a short hop — comfortable overland · both good in January, February, December · a different price level (mid)

Plan itWhere to stay in Manilaad · Booking.comTours and tickets
On the map

Finding Manila

Open in Google Maps Larger map
The stories

Reading Manila

A Filipino platter laid out on a banana leaf: grilled fish, a mound of steamed rice, salted eggs with tomato, grilled aubergine, okra and a dipping bowl of soy and vinegar
01
Food

Cheap Eats in Manila That Punch Well Above Their Price

Silog breakfasts, rice porridge at midnight, skewers off the grill and the world's oldest Chinatown. A dish-led guide to eating brilliantly in Manila for very little money.

Philippines · 2 min
Manila Cathedral's stone facade and green dome in Intramuros mirrored in a puddle on the road after rain
02
Hidden Gems

The Manila Neighborhoods Most Visitors Never Reach

Metro Manila is sixteen cities stitched together, and the districts worth the traffic - Escolta, San Nicolas, Quiapo, Santa Ana, Marikina - are almost never on the itinerary.

Philippines · 13 min
Daytime panorama of Manila with a winding river and the metro skyline on the horizon, Philippines
03
The List

Manila, Ranked: 7 Experiences You Can't Miss

A walled Spanish city, the oldest Chinatown on earth, jeepneys, halo-halo, and the most famous sunset in the Pacific — Manila's essentials, in order.

Philippines · 2 min
In pictures

Manila, framed

A carved stone gate into Intramuros, Manila, glass towers of the modern city rising directly behind it
Photo: German Rivera De La Torre / Unsplash
Intramuros, Manila
Photo: Wander Fleur / Unsplash
Intramuros, Manila
Photo: Simbyahero / Unsplash
Intramuros, Manila
Photo: Wander Fleur / Unsplash
Our picks

What we'd do in Manila

See and do

Eat and drink

Before you go

Practical essentials for Philippines

Money

Philippine peso (PHP)

Language

Filipino and English are both official; English is used in government, business and signage and is widely spoken.

Power

Type A/B/C, 220V 60Hz — US-style plugs but double the US voltage

Getting around

In Metro Manila the LRT, MRT and EDSA Carousel buses take a rechargeable beep card; jeepneys and Grab fill the gaps, and Boracay is reached by domestic flight and ferry.

Tipping

Modest and common — most restaurants add a 10% service charge, and loose change or a small note on top is normal for good service.

Tap water

Metro Manila's mains water is treated, but visitors normally drink bottled or purified water, and outside the capital it should be assumed unsafe.

Driving

Right-hand side; a valid foreign licence is accepted for up to 90 days, so an International Driving Permit is not needed for a short visit.

Emergency

911 (unified national hotline)

Country-level guidance, checked against official sources. Currency, fares and entry rules change — confirm anything time-critical before you travel.

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