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Digging into the contemporary culinary scene of The Philippines and the hybrid cultures that fuel it is a rewardingly rich experience.

10 of the Most Extravagant Hotel Lobbies in the World

A city within a city, Makati is Manila’s poshest shopping, business, and nightlife district. At the Makati Shangri-La, guests have amazing access to—and respite from—all of the above, including the malls that have made the neighborhood a retail pilgrimage site. After settling in, walk over to Glorietta, where you’ll find everything from high-end beauty boutiques to a family-run pawn shop and multiple Starbucks for good measure. Some of Manila’s best restaurants are also located in Makati, but the Shangri-La’s own Shang Palace is so beautiful and beloved, you won’t want to miss the experience if you have even the slightest interest in Cantonese food. As for the aforementioned breathing space on the guest floors, it starts with the waterfall you’ll pass en route to your room and ends with the custom-appointed bed in your plush, spacious surroundings. Go for one of the Deluxe Suites and you’ll also enjoy panoramic views of the bustle you’ve just left behind.

Makati houses most of the big hotels like Makati Shangri-la, The Peninsula, Mandarin Hotel, New World Renaissance Hotel. It is the largest and most central business district where most major companies and banks are situated. It’s a relatively safe place to stay too, especially for visitors to the country. If you stay in the Makati hotels, you will also be quite near the big shopping malls, so it’s very easy access to restaurants, night life and of course, shopping. While Makati is a nice and comfortable area to stay in, your visit to Manila won’t be complete unless you go out and explore the other cities and municipalities which are quite near each other within the Metropolitan Manila. The city of Manila for example offers a lot of our historical attractions and museums. San Juan, you’ll find our famous bazaar shopping. Pasay, you’ll find the largest mall and a place along the bay to see the sunset. And Taguig, you’ll find a newly developed commercial area called The Fort for restaurants, nightlife, and shopping too. This used to be an old military base. Enjoy your stay :-)

Overview

Whether you’re an urban explorer or more of a beach bum, there’s a hotel in the Philippines for your type of trip. While business travelers tend to stay near Manila, many will fly through the hub to hit the famous beaches of the Philippine islands, where there are five-star resorts and plenty of sunshine. Here’s where to find everything from a historic hotel with views of Manila Bay and a luxury property near Makati’s best shopping to a private island resort surrounded by coral reefs.

Makati’s Salcedo Village is abuzz with the energy of Manila’s creative circle. The coffee at Commune, undoubtedly, fuels this buzz. The community-minded café is a hub of activity at all times: Mornings see neighbors schlepping in for their sleepy breakfast fix, lunch hour is packed with multi-taskers having a meeting while tucking into the local Filipino menu. By mid-afternoon, the space fills with freelancers typing away, rewarding themselves with custom cupcakes while in the background, fashionistas pose for selfies with Commune’s popular 3D latte art. The post-dinner crowd saunters in for a second caffeinated wind paired with warm, homemade apple pie and conversation. The vibe here is casual and friendly. But most importantly, the coffee is potent. Commune salutes its community by using locally sourced and roasted coffee beans. Meanwhile, their drinks are served up in beautifully handcrafted pottery mugs. (I wanted to smuggle one home. In every color!) When in Manila, get to know Salcedo Village, starting at Commune. Because when you’re here, though you may just be a visitor, you’ll feel right at home.

If you’re craving for Italian food in Manila, and love those little quaint places, you should visit this place. It’s not in your usual tourist areas, it’s located in Cubao Expo in Cubao, Quezon City, about 20 km from Makati. The Cubao area is more known to the locals as it houses a large wet market, as well as to the sports and live concert enthusiasts who attend events at the popular Araneta Coliseum. In the past, kids loved this area too as there used to be a large indoor carnival. Recently, the commercial area has been rehabilitated, and now also includes a large upscale mall and hypermarket. The owner of Bellini’s is an Italian married to a Filipina and both of them are heavily involved in their restaurant business since 1999. Their food is great as they are all freshly made and uses quality ingredients. Try the beef carpaccio, the pizza is excellent too and I also love their pasta. I also love the decor, they put together some Italian icons on the walls and ceilings and even has a mini Tower of Pisa inside the restaurant :-) After your meal, you can also explore Cubao Expo, which includes small stores selling arts and other quirky stuff. It also has a weekend flea market. If you prefer more upscale shopping, you can go the nearby Gateway Mall.

Almost a decade after WWII, the United States asked the Philippines for a piece of land in Metro Manila and assembled the largest war dead cemetery and memorial for American troops (including unknown soldiers and those still classified as missing in action) outside of the United States. Over seventeen thousand white marble headstones fan out from a central memorial and small chapel. The grass is said to have been grafted from that covering Arlington National Cemetery. Sobering but serenely beautiful, the cemetery is on the edge of Makati, Manila’s main financial district, and would be worth a quick visit if you find yourself here on business without a lot of time for sightseeing. Entry is free and the cemetery is open from 9am to 5pm daily.

Visiting the Philippines without trying “Halo Halo” won’t be complete. Everytime I have friends or relatives from abroad come visit, I would bring them out to have Halo Halo. Halo Halo came from the Tagalog word for “mix” which is what it is. Halo Halo is a favorite dessert among Filipinos and is made up of a many ingredients such as beans (kidney beans, garbanzos, red beans), fruits (plantain bananas, jackfruit) and coconut based jelly-like desserts (sugar palm or kaong, nata de coco made from coconut juice). Then lots of shaved ice and milk are placed over it. And finally, topped with a small slice of leche flan (the local version of cream custard) and ube yam (purple yam). Some versions also top it with some gelatin, cheese and pinipig (crispy rice). Oh, and a special one comes with a scoop of ice cream on top. My favorite flavor would be Ube :-) But wait, we’re not yet done yet! The proper way to eat it is to MIX it up first so that each spoonful gives you an explosion of taste of each and every ingredient :-) The best ones are from the public markets, but you can also get these at the most luxurious hotel restaurants. My recommendation: go to something in between :-) Icebergs (a local ice cream and snack bar chain), Chow King (a local food chain), and Razon’s (a local family owned establishment) all offer great halo halo at great prices too. There are a lot of branches, and are either stand-alone restaurants or stalls located in the mall food courts.

Halo-halo is a popular everyday dessert whose name is a Tagalog word meaning “mix.” It’s composed of many ingredients, including various beans, fruits, and jelly-like coconut-based sweets. These toppings are put over a big bowl of shaved ice with milk; finally, the mixture is topped with a slice of leche flan (cream custard) and ube (purple yam). Some versions also incorporate gelatin, cheese, or pinipig (crispy rice), though nothing beats adding a scoop of ube ice cream on top. The proper way to eat halo-halo is to stir it up first so that each spoonful includes many ingredients and gives you a taste and texture explosion. Halo-halo is available everywhere, from public markets and local food chains to ice cream bars and the most luxurious hotel restaurants. But serious connoisseurs go for the classic one at the Milky Way Café. The eatery has been serving halo-halo for more than 40 years, and their iteration boasts 20 premium house-made ingredients and ice that is finely shaved using a hand crank.