Atmosphere of Manila is What Attracts Tourists

The most celebrated sunset in Asia fills Manila Bay with an orange glow which shimmers before the spectator’s eyes, bringing another unsteady day to a close and heralding the start of another glittering, flickering night. The sunset is a natural phenomenon but ironically has the hallmark of Man. For the shimmering sky and the misty light are in no small part due to the pollution which chokes Manila’s air. Some people hate Manila, others cannot get enough of it. The city is a constant assault on the senses, a 24-hour kaleidoscope of colour and character. Like New York or Jakarta, Cairo or Bombay, you either love it or hate it. But you can’t ignore it.

Manila is a sprawling city of ten million daytime inhabitants, eight million residents. The capital is so vast that Filipinos call it a region (Metro Manila actually includes four cities and 13 municipalities) and almost half the population is poor, one-third are squatters, two-fifths live in substandard housing, and half have no direct access to running water. Those are depressing statistics but the vibrant, alluring atmosphere of Manila is what attracts tourists. The city never sleeps. It’s always moving, always edgy. It shimmers like those sunsets which paint the sky orange and red.

Manila is a very Asian city, and that’s surprising considering the Filipinos continuing fascination with American culture. There are big highways and big cars, drive-ins and pizza parlours and out at Makati (the business district) there are office blocks and hotels which could easily be in downtown LA. But even there the noise and hustle, the emotion and colour testify that Manila is definitely South-East Asia. No amount of aircon can cook down that tropical fervour.

Many tourists come to Manila for the nightlife. If Manila’s pace is frenetic during the day, at night the pulse really steps up. Much of the action is in the so-called “tourist belt” around Ermita, two parallel streets where the main attractions are pubs, clubs and restaurants. If the girlie bars don’t interest you, simply walking through Ermita will. It’s an unmissable part of Manila. Manila is famed for its live music scene, in fact, many of the top cabaret stars in Singapore and Hongkong are Filipino acts, and there are trendy discos and chic cafes, gambling casinos and enough good restaurants to keep any gourmet contented.