How to spend 24 hours in Manila, Philippines

As the capital center of the Philippines, Manila is a mix of urban development and historical nostalgia. It is one of the busiest and most diverse cities in the world, and there is always something new to do in its sprawling metropolis. 

From historical museums and Spanish colonial architecture to an exciting nightlife, Manila has everything that every traveler is looking for. If you only have 24 hours to explore Manila, what would you do? Below are some activities for you to make the most out of your short trip in Manila.

Experience Pinoy breakfast

The best way to truly immerse yourself in a country’s culture is to try their food. Skip your usual bacon and eggs in the morning and have some of our Filipino breakfast instead.

You should try “tapsilog,” which is a combination of tapa (cured beef), sinangag (fried rice), and itlog (egg), then partner this with Kapeng Barako, a strong variation of coffee from Batangas and Cavite. This meal is served almost everywhere, may it be in the hotel that you are staying in, restaurants, or at a nearby carinderia (small eatery).

Explore Intramuros

No first-time traveler would dare miss the remnants of the Spanish colonial era in Manila, which can be found in the walled city of the Philippine capital, Intramuros. This historic area is the heart of the old Manila that houses Fort Santiago, which was witness to numerous lives lost during the Spanish occupation.

The country’s national hero, Dr. José Rizal, spent his last days and wrote his famous literary work, Mi ultimo adios, in Fort Santiago. Within the area, there are old churches such as the Manila Cathedral and San Agustin Church, colonial houses, and defense structures being preserved by the government today.

Take a ride in a Jeepney 

Photo JustinJamesWright

There are few things as iconically Filipino as the Jeepney. These brightly coloured and dramatically decorated jeeps are a popular form of public transportation in Manila. The Jeepney has face-to-face seating and an opening at the back to let passengers on and off. They grumble vibrantly from stop to stop along their pre-determined route, and you pay for whatever length of the route you take. It’s the cheapest way to get around Manila and certainly the most entertaining.

Chicken Adobo for lunch

Time to replenish your stomach after a morning of exploration in Manila! If you are looking for Filipino food to add to your historical tour, you can eat at Barbara’s Heritage Restaurant right in front of San Agustin Church. It is the perfect place to go if you want to try Filipino dishes.

Visit the National Museum

Within walking distance from Intramuros is a chance to immerse yourself further in Filipino culture and history as you visit the National Museum. This museum, which houses the country’s famous works of art and preserves historical artifacts, has two great divisions including The National Museum of Fine Arts and the National Museum of Anthropology.

Be amazed by the innate talent and creativity of both young and old artists in the country at the National Museum of Fine Arts. But you will also appreciate the Philippines more as you navigate through the historical and contemporary galleries of the National Museum of Anthropology. You will spend a good two hours going through the halls of the buildings.

Take a sunset stroll on the bay walk

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Running alongside Manila Bay is the BayWalk. This paved walkway extends for several kilometres along the waterfront. It is a hub for locals to stroll and cycle, as well as food and trinket vendors to gather.

City nightlife

Manila is also known to have great nightlife. Filipinos know how to party, so before leaving Manila, make sure to grab a few drinks. Some recommended places for your dose of Manila nightlife are Palace Pool Club, Revel, and Valkyrie in Bonifacio Global City.

See more: Things to know before visiting Manila

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How to spend 3 days in Osaka, Japan

If you’ve got 3 days to tour the second largest city in Japan, what should you see first? You’ll likely arrive in the city at either Osaka Station or Shin-Osaka Station, especially if you are enjoying the ease and affordability of the Japan Rail Pass. Choose a hotel in a central location, with easy access to a train station – for example, one of the hotels in or around Osaka Station City. Once you are comfortably settled into your home away from home, your adventure is ready to begin.

Day 1: Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan

Fifteen tanks occupy eight floors, some stretching across multiple floors. As you descend, you will spiral around the large central tank, which is home to a full-grown whale shark – an impressive animal the size of a city bus.

The aquarium opens at 10 a.m., so you can sleep in a little (if you want) and still get a relatively early start. Admission is ¥2,300. Most visitors spend at least 3 hours in the aquarium.

How to get there: From Osaka Station, take the Osaka Loop Line to Bentencho Station. Then, take the Chuo line to Osakako Station. The Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan is about a 10-minute walk from the station.

Day 1: Dotonbori Area

Before heading back to your hotel for the night, you may wish to stop by Osaka’s famous entertainment district, the Dotonbori, where travellers can experience the local nightlife with restaurants, amusement facilities and shopping centers open 24 hours.

Here’s where you will be able to walk by the promenades on both sides of the Dotonbori-gawa Canal and see its amazing advertisements and neon signs, including the famous Glico Man. Last but not least, the Hozen-ji Temple on the first street to the south offers a gate out of the modern world and into the past of Osaka.

How to get there: From Osakako Station, take the Chuo Line to Kujo Station. Then, take the Hanshin-Namba Line to Namba Station. The Dotonbori is about a 5-minute walk from the station.

Day 2: Osaka Castle

Osaka Castle is one of the most striking castle structures in Japan. The enormous white edifice is a 1930s reconstruction of a historic castle from 1583. The building houses a modern museum, an elevator for ease of access, and the Nishinomaru Garden. It is one of the most popular cherry blossom viewing spots in the city.

How to get there: From Osaka Station, take the JR Loop Line to Osakajokoen Station. The castle is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and admission is ¥600. Admission to the garden is ¥200.

Day 2: Shitennoji Temple

After a walk around the castle, consider a visit to Osaka’s numerous shrines and temples. Nearest the station are the Isshin-ji, a classic twelfth-century Buddhist temple, and Shitennoji, a Buddhist temple dating to the year 593 A.D.

A further walk will take you to the Sumiyoshi Taisha Grand Shrine is one of the oldest in Japan, built in the third century. You can view four main halls, as well as the picturesque Sorihashi Bridge.

How to get there: From Osakajokoen Station, take the Osaka Loop Line to Tennoji Station. The Shrines and temples are within walking distance of the station.

Day 3: Universal Studios Japan

After the educational nature of castles and temples, the young and young at heart may desire to delve into the fictional world of Universal Studios Japan.

This amusement park, the second largest in Japan, features eight theatrically themed sections – the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Universal Wonderland, Amity Village, Waterworld, Jurassic Park, San Francisco, New York, and Hollywood. If any in your travel group isn’t into rollercoaster thrills, they may enjoy the Universal Citywalk Osaka, a movie-themed shopping mall located just outside the park.

Universal Studios Japan is typically open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Admissions range in price from ¥5,100 to ¥7,600.

How to get there: From Osaka Station, take the JR Sakurajima Line, also called the JR Yumesaki Line, to Universal City Station. The park is less than a five-minute walk from the station.

Day 3: HEP Five Ferris Wheel

If you have always wanted to ride a massive red Ferris wheel on the top of a skyscraper in Japan – this is the place for you.

Apart from an adventurous experience, Hep Five is a 10-story high shopping mall and entertainment center. You will find restaurants, European and Japanese fashion stores, including game centers (7th floor) where many of the local visitors love to gather and play.

To top it all after a long and tiring walk, go to the last floor and take a ride on the big red Ferris wheel – a romantic experience, preferred by many couples after sundown.

See more: The best places to enjoy Osaka foods

Source: Internet

Taste the unique cuisine in Ha Giang, Vietnam

Photo DulichVietnam

Traveling to Ha Giang will offer visitors many exciting experiences because Ha Giang owns not only majestic natural landscapes, endless winding roads but also the beauty of flowers, the hospitality of local people and a lot of culinary specialties.

Thang Co

Referred to as the must-try food in Ha Giang, Thang Co, carrying an unforgettable flavor will be an interesting experience for your Vietnam package tour. It is believed that Thang Co is derived from China, and later it was spread towards the mountainous areas of northern Vietnam.

Looking at the pot of the food, you probably find it difficult to recognize ingredients used to cook it, but simply, there are just pork (beef or horsemeat is an alternative), its organs, some herbs, and seeds. It is very stimulating sit around the pot and savor a hot bowl of thang co while talking to the locals about their culture.

Tam Giac Mach Cake

The cake is made from Tam Giac Mach grains dried and ground into flour. Many people have not ever thought about the use of this grain kind, but the cake from it is actually amazing to try. You will see the cake is shaped in rounds and grilled on the light fire. Its smell will attract anyone around. It is quite cheap to savor one when you are traveling to Ha Giang; it just costs about VND 10,000.

Reu Nuong

As a unique dish of Tay ethnic people in Ha Giang Province, reu nuong has its own taste. For a delicious grilled moss, Tay ethnic people often choose the youngest moss patches, skillfully separate the slime on the outside then mix them with some spices as salt, season, eryngo leaves, etc. All are wrapped in leaves then grilled. This dish is good for health, so it is loved by many people.

Banh Cuon Trung

As a type of rice wrapper rolls, but rice wrapper rolls with egg in Ha Giang is not eaten with sauce as usual. Instead, rice flour paste pouring in the stove is added to egg, and then using the paste layer to wrap the egg. After preparation, eaters will use it with a bow of bouillon added lean pork paste. This dish can be eaten when hot or cold, but the delicious taste is always kept thanks to the fat taste of egg and the bold flavor of bouillon.

Com Lam

Com Lam is a special gift of Ha Giang, and also a food that tourists often choose to buy. Like other types of rice across the country, this one is cooked with bamboo and neohouzeaua on rose fire. It is both delicious and flexible and hard to break. So many people here often bring it to work on the farm.

It is not too difficult to cook, or expensive. People use delicious sticky rice soaked, washed and sprinkle with a little salt. After the preliminary processing, they put glutinous rice into bamboo tubes and bamboo then pour water just right, cover it and burn it on charcoal. When burning, the cook must rotate it to radiate heat around the bamboo. If you split bamboo pipes, you can enjoy the wonderful rice balls inside.

Thang Den

Do not hesitate to try a bowl of thang den when you make a Vietnam package tour to Ha Giang. It will surely give you a great experience. It is easy to realize some ingredients inside the food as it includes balls made from sticky rice flour and ground peas as the filling and is boiled in water. This is a sweet soup, so you will see some related items, such as coconut milk, peanuts, and sesame. To those who love sweet soups in Vietnam, trying thang den is definitely a must.

See more: What to do in Ha Giang, Vietnam

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