Manila: A chaotic capital, yet delightful.

I was invited by a friend to Manila for a week and to my surprise I really enjoyed it. Some people warned me about this country indicating that it was the ugliest city in the Philippines, even suggesting that I visit the much nicer beach areas such as Cebu and Palawan.  If you know me, I will let nothing stand in the way of visiting a new city. I brushed those comments off and headed out for a week of adventure. For the record, I tend to find beauty in every place I travel to and I could not wait to start taking pictures upon arrival. I must say the heat, non-stop traffic and the crowded streets had my head spinning on day one.

On day two, I became sick after eating at nice restaurant. Let me just warn you before traveling to any city, especially in south east Asia make sure you check with the Department of State’s travel website on which vaccines to take. I took the suggested, Hepatitis A, B and the Typhoid vaccine and my doctor packed me some antibiotics. Even though we ate a upscale restaurants, I still was not able to avoid getting a 24 hour stomach virus. I drank bottled water , but nothing can prepare you for the way that food is cooked or handled and possible contamination is rampant so be on guard. I was honestly scared to eat for three days, and the rest of the trip I ate only a vegan /organic cafes. Luckily I was able to get some local medicine at a pharmacy nearby to treat the nausea and I was good to go.

Up next was the Bay of Manila. It is considered one of the country’s best spots to catch the sunset. Seeing the sun seemingly descend down over the bay’s horizon without any foreground distraction is definitely a breathtaking experience for anyone. Both foreigners and locals agree that Manila Bay’s sunset is one of the best in the world. If you’d like to catch a perfect sea and sunset view, head over to the decks and lounges of nearby soaring hotels or go for a leisure stroll along Manila’s boardwalk before dawn. Don't forget to ride the ferris wheel!

I really enjoyed the area of Makati, which is about a 30 min ride (depending on traffic) by taxi from metro Manila where we were staying. Makati is Manila’s central business district area with lots of shops and trendy cafes, and such a perfect instagrammable scene. It is also considered the and economic hub where the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) is located and the preferred address of large multinational corporations. Nearby , you will find the Aayala museum in which I spent the afternoon looking at the history and culture of the Filipino people. Next to the museum, you will also find the Greenbelt mall and I am not a huge fan of malls, but I am missing this mall to this day!  Such fantastic foliage and ponds all around you with delicious eateries and shops galore and great for walking.

After being in the city for a couple of days we took a day trip to the lush Villa Escudero Plantation. A self-contained working coconut plantation, It was founded in the 1880s by Don Placido Escudero and his wife Dona Claudia Marasigan. Originally planted to sugarcane, the crop was converted to coconut by their son Don Arsenio Escudero in the early 1900s. A pioneering agro-industrialist, he built the country’s first working hydroelectric plant to supply his desiccated coconut factory and Villa Escudero, where he and his wife Dona Rosario Adap built in 1929.

This plantation is located 2 hours outside the city and is a must if you are ever in the Philippines. After being welcomed to the plantation with a drink, you are taken in a carriage by buffalo to an amazing lunch under a waterfall. Next, you can try bamboo rafting on still waters of the river. You can also explore the surroundings and see many resident bird species along the way. For me, I decided to take a dip in the pool and relax!  Entry, lush surroundings, bamboo rafting, lunch buffet, welcome drink and pool was $ 27 USD per person. The cost of the transportation was separate and will cost around $ 78 for two people.

All in all, Manila for the most part was hectic! The congested road snarl with traffic but it still keeps the city alive. There is so much sightseeing do, and I didn’t even get the chance to check out some of the other historic sites like Fort Bonifacio. I do not recommend this city for a solo female traveler though. If you can, try to go with friends or with a partner it makes it much easier to navigate and more fun.

Little things like crossing the street was mind-boggling yet I was so mesmerized by the buzz of it all. By going with the flow of the people , I really felt the soul of Manila. In the end Manila is one of Asia’s most underrated cities, but it was by far the coolest. So go and seek. Manila has wonders aplenty!