EXPLORING MANILA, THE PHILIPPINES' CAPITAL CITY!

Have you always wanted to visit Luneta Park in Manila? Come visit Manila, the Philippines' capital city!

Greetings to all my fellow hivers! This was my first trip visiting Manila, the Philippines' capital city! And now I'm about to tell you about my adventures in the Capital City! But first, I'd want to tell you a little about Manila's history.

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The Philippines' capital, Manila, is a crowded populated bayside city on the island of Luzon that blends Spanish colonial architecture with modern skyscrapers and more. Manila, dubbed the "Pearl of the Orient," is the country's capital. There are museums, parks, theaters, retail complexes, and even celebrities to see and do in this lively ancient city.

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THE ADVENTURE Day 1

We traveled to Manila with my siblings from Cebu City and spent three days exploring the Luzon region. Traveling by plane that lands immediately in Manila City is the quickest option.

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RIZAL PARK/ LUNETA PARK

So we headed to Jose Rizal National Monument or Luneta Park on our first day. This is a historically significant palace in the Philippines. Every Filipino should go there at least once. Since this is my first visit, I am already blown away by the scenery. Very historic location that did not fail to emphasize the Philippines' history, which is the essence of a historical park. Because there are few people wandering around, you can really enjoy the place, but I expect there to be more people on weekends.

Rizal Park is a historic urban park in Ermita, Manila, Philippines, popularly known as Luneta Park or just Luneta. It is regarded as one of Asia's largest urban parks. The monument is well-guarded, and it's wonderful to have a post guard stationed nearby. The park is clean and well-kept, and there are stores outside the park where you may purchase refreshments. If you have a flexible budget, you can engage an approved photographer in the neighborhood who is quite polite and will take excellent pictures of you.

Rizal Park, is an iconic park with a rich history, as it is the site of the execution of the country's National Hero, Dr. Jose Rizal. During the Spanish occupation of the Philippines, the park was known as Bagumbayan. Please remember to stay off the grass and take care not to harm any statues. I hope you will come and support our local historic places, merchants, and small businesses. If you're concerned about whether or not there is a restroom, you may just ask the guard or other tourists.

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CINEMALAYA

So, following Rizal Park, we headed to Cinemalaya, which is a film festival held yearly in the Philippines during the month of August at the Cultural Center of the Philippines Complex and several theatres. Its goal is to promote and nurture Filipino indie cinema.

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MAKATI CITY

Finally, we visited Makati City, sometimes known as Little Thailand. Makati is the country's financial hub and is located in the Philippines' Metro Manila region. The Makati Central Business District is noted for its skyscrapers and shopping malls, as well as a pubs and disco bars.

If you happen to run into a celebrity in a bar, consider yourself lucky, but we only met Susan Africa while we were there.

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MOA

So, after getting wasted from drinking, we went to the MOA (Mall of Asia) to hunt for a place to stay the night.

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And that’s all for day 1. Well I would say, it’s safe to say that not everyone will enjoy a trip to Manila. It may be difficult to convince you if you prefer beaches and jungle to a sprawling metropolis. However, if you want to learn about Philippine culture, history, and cuisine, Manila is the place to go.

See yah in my next blog in Day 2.

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