It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that for the first-time visitor, Manila is an assault on each and every one of your five senses. Gritty, grimy and supremely chaotic, your initial few hours in this 600-square-kilometre megalopolis are akin to a sucker punch to the solar plexus! Vertiginous glass-fronted skyscrapers sit cheek-by-jowl alongside the city’s legendary slums and shantytowns. Fume-belching retrofitted American Jeeps called “jeepneys” dominate the traffic-saturated streets. And a general sense of bedlam is the omnipresent leitmotif all over the city.

But yet, there is a beguiling side to all this apparent madness in the dynamic capital of the Philippine archipelago that shows itself to you most wondrously. Strangers smile at you on the street. A fruit vendor affectionately slips in an extra fuzzy-haired rambutan to make your purchase a baker’s dozen. And yes, it also helps when the city is packed with a cornucopia of things to do and see. Experiences that you simply must indulge in before bidding Manila adios…

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A tryst with Intramuros 

Literally meaning “within the walls”, Intramuros in the very heart of the city houses Manila’s greatest cache of colonial Spanish-style edifices and public spaces. Chief among these is Fort Santiago, which is located at the mouth of the calm Pasig River. Fronted by a lily moat, the stone fort as it stands today replaced the old wooden one in 1590 and contains the well-appointed Rizal Shrine and museum. This was the place where the national hero of the Philippines, José Rizal, was kept for two months before his execution, and today one can even see the original copy of his famous last poem, prophetically called Mi Ultimo Adios, or “my final goodbye”.

Get some green respite

Still on the Rizal trail, make sure to pencil into your Manila itinerary a visit to the 60-hectare Rizal Park a little south of the Intramuros precinct. Considered the city’s main lung, the park houses everything from well-appointed Japanese and Chinese gardens to the site where Rizal’s execution was carried out. If you happen to be in Rizal Park on a Sunday, you can see scores of youngsters practising their martial arts. And don’t forget to look out for demonstrations of the very Filipino style of stick fighting called arnis that you will also find being practised here.

Let confusion take over! 

Affording the visitor one of the greatest examples of the neo-baroque style of trompe-l’oeil painting in the Far East, the ceiling of the church of San Agustin on General Luna Street is a must-see, with its 3D effects confusing the senses. Pop in next door to Casa Manila, a restored three-storey colonial mansion that’s a museum today, housing colonial-style antiques and furniture. Once an Augustinian monastery, the religious museum nearby is also a great place to get an ecclesiastical insight into the history of the Philippines.

Eighth time’s the charm

Speaking of grand churches, finished in 1571, the Manila Cathedral on the Plaza de Roma is legendary for being one that has been reconstructed a record eight times! After suffering a fire, earthquakes and war, the imposing monument last went through a restoration a few years ago, following which Pope Francis gave a mass here in 2015. Look out for the high vaults in the nave, the reflective marble floor, and the stained-glass windows designed by the 20th-century Filipino artist Galo Ocampo.

Stuff yourself silly

One of the greatest pleasures Manila affords the hedonist is the edible kind. From the ubiquitous street delights like the sizzling mixed meat sisig and the divine sinangag garlic fried rice studded with sweet longanisa pork sausage to the more formal dining scene at places like Ilustrado in Intramuros that serve Spanish-Filipino fusion dishes like lechon pork roast and Filipino-style paella, you’re never too far from a scrumptious meal in Manila. Cool off with a tall, iced glass of halo halo (literally meaning “mix-mix”), which is a refreshing concoction constructed with sugared bananas and jackfruit, stewed red beans, jelly, milk flan, and coconut milk. All this is then topped off with candied, tender coconut strips and a dollop of ube or purple yam ice cream!

Gaining indigenous insight 

Housed in the former stock exchange building in the commercial district of Makati, the Ayala Museum is full of exhibits that reflect indigenous Filipino art, ethnology and archaeology in interesting ways. The six main permanent exhibitions give the visitor glimpses into a vast number of subjects, ranging from traditional Filipino maritime vessels and embroidered silk worn by the Filipino elite in the 19th century to great works of art from the 19th and 20th centuries by artists like Fernando Zóbel and Juan Luna.

Go graveyard-hopping

Just like their former Spanish colonialists, the Filipinos have a very unique and interesting relationship with the concept of death. Far from being feared, death is embraced as a very obvious inevitability here. So, why not marvel at the grandeur of the Chinese Cemetery (chandeliered crypts et al.) north of Santa Cruz? Or perhaps hop in next door to the famous Manila North Cemetery to see how the living actually live alongside the dead, building makeshift houses over the gravestones. Opt for a guided tour or go at it by yourself; we’re ‘dead’ sure you won’t be disappointed!

Step into Imelda Marcos’ shoes

Confused? Well, one of the most interesting things to do when in Manila is to sign up for a walking tour called ‘Livin’ La Vida Imelda’ hosted by tour guide and stand-up comedian Carlos Celdran. This three-hour tour that starts at the Cultural Center of the Philippines and ends at the Philippine International Convention Center is all about the Philippines in the 1970’s and analyses one of the most colourful eras in Philippine history as seen through the life and ambitions of the shoe-obsessed former First Lady of the country, Imelda Romualdez Marcos.

Sing to your own tune

No matter where you travel in the world, you’ll find some of the greatest amateur singers in the Philippines. To say that they are obsessed with live singing and, in particular, karaoke, would be putting it way too mildly! So, why not join in with them and belt out a few ditties—however out of tune you may be—at one of the many gazillion karaoke bars that dot the city? For a true-blue ‘local’ experience, head down to Adriatico Street in the Malate neighbourhood of the city and get set to channel your inner Celine Dion, who is revered as a ‘singing deity’ all over the Philippines.

Walk the Baywalk talk 

Once the scene of the Battle of Manila Bay that took place between the United States Navy and Spain in 1898—ending in victory for the Americans and ending the 300-plus-year rule of the Spanish Empire—we cannot think of a better way to end your tryst with Manila than by spending the evening at Baywalk, watching the sun melt into the horizon. The 2 km waterside promenade is where you will find families congregating en masse, watching street performers do their thing, and just generally having a good time by the sea.

The writer is an independent contributor