5 Of The Best Things To See And Do In Manila As A First-Timer

There’s a lot to feast your eyes on in Manila—and if you’re planning your first trip there you might be struggling to narrow down exactly what to do and see during your trip.

Once you’ve got a meal at Jollibee in—trust us, it’s necessary!—these are some of the best museums and cultural attractions that’ll help you feel like you’ve gotten a grasp on modern culture and the history that makes up Manila:

National Museum of Fine Arts

The National Museum of Fine Arts of the Philippines takes visitors through ethnographic, anthropological, archaeological and visual arts collections. It’s a must-visit for art and culture enthusiasts alike and quickly shows the effect of the Mexican, Spanish, and American influence on Philippine identity, and how it still shows up to this day.

The Mind Museum

The Mind Museum is a science museum nestled into the Taguig neighborhood. It touts a 1.2-hectare lot in the J. Y. Campos Park and includes a large variety of science and natural history exhibits, including over 250 interactive exhibits that take visitors through astronomy, wildlife conservation, fine art, and a fully intact t-rex skeleton.

Quinta Market and Fishport

Also known as Quiapo Market, but officially called the Quinta Market since 2017, this local market on Carlos Palanca Street in Quiapo, is where to go to see the true beating heart of the city. Here you’ll find everything from traditional street food to old-world architecture—and it’s one of the best places in the city to pick up Philippine souvenirs, which are otherwise surprisingly hard to come by.

Walled City of Intramuros

Walking the streets of Manila, you’ll notice how new the city feels… but as soon as you enter the walled city of Intramuros, you’ll be transported back to the old-world Spanish era. Throughout the cobblestone streets, you’ll find landmarks like Fort Santiago, a shrine to national hero José Rizal, the Manila Cathedral, the San Agustin Church museum and more.

Venice Grand Canal Mall

The shopping mall culture in the Philippines is huge—it’s where families and friends go to hang out, shop, eat, and just waste away the day people watching, so it only makes sense that the shopping malls in town are out of this world. Inspired by the Venice canals, or perhaps by the Las Vegas interpretation of it, Venice Grand Canal Mall is exactly what it sounds like—a mall built on two sides of an artificial canal that snakes around the shops. The indoor-outdoor shopping experience is equally kitschy and charming. We recommend stopping in between shops for a cocktail on the water, where you can watch patrons hop in and out of full-size gondolas that float up and down the mall.