Manila Tours &
Things to Do
Discover the best Manila tours and things to do in the vibrant capital of the Philippines: walk the historic walls of Intramuros and Fort Santiago, gaze over the smoking crater of Taal Volcano from Tagaytay, chase the rapids to Pagsanjan Falls, sail to the WWII island fortress of Corregidor, feast through the world’s oldest Chinatown in Binondo, and watch a colourful cultural show. Compare top-rated experiences and plan the perfect trip.
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Explore Manila by interest
Whatever brings you to Manila — world-class museums, the river, or a long lunch — start with the experiences travellers love most.
Intramuros
Walled old city.
ExploreTaal Volcano
Tagaytay views.
ExplorePagsanjan Falls
River adventure.
ExploreCorregidor
WWII island.
ExploreFood & Chinatown
Binondo flavours.
ExploreCity sightseeing
Highlights & bay.
ExploreCulture & shows
Dance & dinner.
ExploreCity highlights
History & volcanoes.
ExploreTop attractions in Manila
The landmarks that define the city — and the tickets and tours that get you in, often skipping the line.
Intramuros
Walled city.
Taal Volcano
Volcano in a lake.
Fort Santiago
Rizal shrine.
Corregidor
WWII island.
Rizal Park
Historic park.
Binondo
Oldest Chinatown.
Manila Bay
Famous sunset.
Street Food
Filipino flavours.
2 hr awayTaal Volcano
Volcano & lake.
2–3 hr awayPagsanjan Falls
River rapids.
Manila Bay awayCorregidor
WWII island.
City awayIntramuros
Walled city.
City awayBinondo
Chinatown food.
City awayManila Bay
Sunset views.
Know before you go
Short, straight answers to the questions every Manila visitor asks before booking.
Dry season (Dec–Feb)
Cooler and dry — the best time to visit.
Hot season (Mar–May)
Very hot and humid before the rains.
Wet season (Jun–Oct)
Warm with heavy monsoon downpours.
Shoulder (Nov)
Warm and greener as the rains ease.
For touring
The dry season suits walking and day trips.
Best overall
December to February is ideal.
One day
Intramuros, a city tour and a food tour.
Two days
Add Taal Volcano and Tagaytay.
Three days
Add Pagsanjan Falls or Corregidor.
For history
Intramuros and Corregidor island.
For nature
Taal Volcano and Pagsanjan Falls.
For food
Binondo Chinatown food tours.
Tours & transfers
Tours include pickup and beat the traffic.
By car
Hire a car with driver for day trips.
By train
The LRT and MRT lines cross the city.
On foot
Intramuros and Binondo are best explored on foot.
Where to stay
Stay in Makati or near Intramuros.
Philippine peso
The Philippines uses the peso; carry some cash.
Intramuros
Take a bamboo-bike tour of the walled city.
Taal Volcano
Go early for the clearest Tagaytay views.
Pagsanjan
Wear clothes you don’t mind getting wet.
Corregidor
Book the ferry day tour in advance.
Binondo
Join a food tour of the historic Chinatown.
Beat the heat
Start early and stay hydrated in the humidity.
Volcano day trips
Popular Taal tours sell out — book ahead.
Pagsanjan trips
Falls tours fill up — reserve early.
Corregidor ferries
Island tours have limited ferries — book ahead.
Intramuros tours
Bamboo-bike tours fill up — reserve early.
Food tours
Small food tours fill up — book ahead.
Dry season
December to February is busiest — book ahead.
Intramuros tour
Around €25–50 for an Intramuros tour.
Taal day trip
About €55–95 for a Taal Volcano day trip.
Pagsanjan trip
Roughly €65–110 for a Pagsanjan Falls trip.
Corregidor tour
Around €60–100 for a Corregidor island tour.
Food tour
About €30–55 for a Binondo food tour.
How to save
Join group day trips to save over private tours.
Manila through the seasons
What's best, how busy it gets, and one booking tip for each time of year.
- Best for
- Touring.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Ideal.
- Best for
- Beaches.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Very hot.
- Best for
- Fewer crowds.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Rainy.
- Best for
- Green & mild.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Pleasant.