There are so many nightlife activities in Manila that it may be a bit overwhelming to first time visitors to the capital city of Philippines.
Manila is one the most entertaining cities in all of South East Asia, but the place does have some frustrations that come with. The higher prices, and less than desirable attitudes of some the businesses and bar girls can make some guys prefer to visit other places in the Philippines.
In this article I wanted to give you full overview of the nightlife in Manila. You will get a clear understanding of the most popular tourist locations, the types of bars and nightclubs to expect, and much more.
Table of Contents
Intro to Manila
Having the best nightlife in all of the country, Manila is the best spot to be if you want to experience a wide variety of things to do at night, which for most guys includes checking out the fun girly bars and other entertainment designed for the single male travelers.
The Philippines has become more “travel friendly” the past few years. So more and more guys are making Manila a stop on their holiday, even it is just for a few nights.
What was stopping them before? Higher prices, Traffic, and Safety.
While it is true that Manila is a very fun city, just expect to spend a bit more money, be stuck in traffic longer, and be alert with regards to your safety.
On the positive side, the nightlife areas of Manila are now safer than years gone by, but you may not feel 100% safe at all times, especially in certain “dodgy” locations.
But keep in mind that it is also about perspective. Some travelers feel fine, while others may feel uncomfortable. It depends on how much travel experience you have. If you have some Southeast Asia travel experience under your belt, than you may fit right in here in Manila.
Even though Manila has some of the frustrating things about it, I still highly recommend the place. In my humble opinion, the good things outweigh the bad things. It is still one of the most fun cities in the region, and is reasonably more affordable when you compare it to other expensive cities like Bangkok, Tokyo, or Hong Kong.
Manila has some great:
- go go bars (girly bars)
- nightclubs
- rooftop bars
- KTV’s
- massage shops
Makati
This is the main financial district of the city. Makati city is mostly famous for its naughty nightlife area of P Burgos Street, which is a neon filled street full of girly bars, hotels, restaurants, nightclubs, etc.
P. Burgos Street is where you will find some the best looking Filipina bar girls in all of Philippines. Not only do they come working here because of the higher demand of tourism, but the bars in this area usually only hire the best looking and youngest women.
A few recommended go go bars are:
- Plan B
- High Heels
- Bottoms
Makati also has a few great nightclubs:
- Royal – is one of the most popular, with good crowds, especially on weekends. It is also one of the best places to meet Filipinas, including the freelancers and bar girls who get off their shift from the girly bars.
- Valkyrie – A huge and modern venue. Good crowds, with very attractive girls here.
Keep in mind that Makati is home to Greenbelt 3, which is huge and popular shopping complex. It also has some bars and restaurants that you can enjoy at night. Cafe Havana is a great place to have a few drinks or cocktails, it is located at the Greenbelt terraces. As the evening progresses you will also find many Filipinas here, many of them freelancers who come looking for single male foreigners for some company.
Malate
This area of Manila is very popular among the Korean and Japanese crowds who want to experience the Manila nightlife. The reason is because they seem to be the top clients of the popular KTV bars, which are Karaoke style hostess bars.
The KTV bars also have some very attractive Filipinas working as waitresses and hostesses. Here is how these bars operate: you usually pay from 400 – 600 Pesos per 1 or 2 hours of unlimited drinks. A lady drink will cost around 300 Pesos, and purchasing a girl one will make her come and spend time with you at your table.
Not a bad concept, and can be entertaining. The KTV’s are also a great way to network with girls, get some phone numbers/contacts. Most of these types of bars are located on Andriatico Street with more bars in the surrounding area and side streets.
The best nightclub in Malate is Exklusive. The best time to go is on the weekends. On weekdays it can be hit or miss, and the crowd can be less than inspiring. In any case, if you enjoy clubbing and are in the Malate area then definitely check it out.
The rest of Malate is mostly restaurants and some massage shops worth checking out. Just keep in mind that the main nightlife activities in this area of Manila are the KTV bars as was mentioned above.
Ermita
This part of Manila was once a dedicated red light district, and although the authorities have done a major clean up of the place, the vibe and seediness still exists to this day.
A handful of bars are worth checking out, with the most popular being the famous LA Cafe. This bar is almost like an institution in Manila. It is a sports bar at heart, with a live band stage on the upper level.
The place is almost packed every single night, with a large crowd consisting mostly of Filipinas looking to meet some nice single male foreigners for some company.
EDSA Entertainment Complex
This is a huge complex consisting of only girly bars. The EDSA complex is only worth checking out if you only want that go go bar experience. The surrounding area does not have much else in terms of nightlife activities. But the bars are entertaining enough, and have some very attractive dancers, so I must include this place in this Manila nightlife guide.
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