The Philippine’s local version of “city that never sleeps,” Malate is a district of Manila where you will never run out of activities to keep you from being idle and of things to constantly appeal to your interests. Whether you want to eat, drink, party, shop or even do a staycation, Malate is the place to go.
Malate, Manila is a district where you can experience both the old and the modern Manila. It is bustling in the morning for people who visit the Malate Church or the Manila Zoo. It remains lively in the evening for its variety of popular and hole-in-the-wall bars and restaurants.
If you are visiting Malate coming from abroad or from distant provinces in the Philippines, you can take a flight going to Manila. From there, you will travel by land to reach Malate.
The district is directly accessible from national main roads like the Roxas Boulevard, Taft Avenue and Quirino Avenue. Coming from other areas of Manila or from neighboring cities, you can drive or take a jeepney or a taxi to go there.
The Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) which travels along Taft Avenue is also a way into the district through its stops at Vito Cruz, Quirino and Pedro Gil Stations. Coming from the neighboring provinces like Cavite, there are buses bound to Manila that you can ride.
Exploring Malate is best done by walking if you have the stamina, especially while the sun is still out. Jeepneys and taxis are common modes of transportation within the district, depending on your budget and on your haste to get to your destination.
The Malate Church is a popular landmark in the district as an old Baroque-style church in existence for four centuries already. Right in front of the church is Plaza Rajah Sulayman which is a perfect spot to watch the sunset at Manila Bay.
For almost every Filipino, the Manila Zoological and Botanical Garden, or simply Manila Zoo, is a common go-to place either for school field trips, family outing, or spontaneous leisurely trip to Manila.
Eat your heart out and party all you want in the numerous restaurants and bars saturating the district, particularly in the streets of Maria Orosa, Julio Nakpil, Adriatico and Remedios where you can enjoy al fresco dining, some street dancing, and even live concerts.
Take a tour around the Manila Zoo, especially if you are visiting it with your family and you have some kids with you.
Pamper yourself with an overnight or a few days’ stay, or at least splurge for a meal, in one of the high-end hotels in the district like the Manila Crown Palace Hotel or the Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila.
As a popular tourist spot, Malate offers venues for different cuisines. Enjoy Japanese cuisine at the Tanabe Japanese Restaurant or at Ryuen Yakiniku. Taste the Spanish dishes at Casa Armas or Korean dishes at the Korean Village Restaurant. For native Filipino food mixed with foreign taste, dine and hang out at Café Adriatico or at the Zamboanga Restaurant.
Whatever your plans are for the night, whether to eat, drink, party, or sing, there is a place for you to go to in Malate. Aside from having an extended evening at the restaurants, you can go to The Library for some stand-up comedy while having a drink or two.
There are KTV bars, a lot of them Korean, where you can sing your heart out. You can also walk along Adriatico and find food stalls where you can further satisfy your passion for eating or simply your curiosity for food tastes.
After enjoying the nightlife in Malate, stay at the Adriatico Arms Hotel or at the Orange Nest Hotel where you can rest comfortably and get ready for another day to enjoy the district.
If your plan is to do a staycation but not spend too much, check in at D Circle Hotel where you can enjoy a view of the Manila Bay from its Ministry Rooftop Bar. You can also stay at Las Palmas Hotel or The Executive Plaza Hotel with their own restaurant, bar, laundry service and Wi-Fi Internet access which would be more than enough to keep you from staying inside.
Be mindful when you are taking a taxi to and from Malate. Check that the meter is set to the base fare (Php 30.00) before it runs.
Dress comfortably but to be sure that you will not be denied entry to most bars and restaurants, do not wear slippers or shorts.
Exploring the district is most enjoyably done with friends or family, so make sure to bring one or two along as you plan to and actually go to Malate.
Total Accommodation | 84 Properties |
Popular Hotel | Sheraton Manila Bay, Century Park Hotel |
Popular Landmark | Manila Zoo, Harrison Plaza |