Philippines: Monsoons, Mall Miles & Mangosteens (September 17–29)
Thirteen days, multiple flights, a monsoon, island hopping, an absurd amount of food, and enough mall walking to qualify as a sport. I spent this trip exploring the Philippines with a friend and getting to see the country through the eyes of people who grew up there. Here’s the day-by-day version, plus the rough costs at the end.
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September 17–18: A 13-Hour Flight & the Glorious Empty Middle Seat
September 19: Manila’s Historic Heart, from Rizal Park to Intramuros
September 21: Cake for Breakfast, Pink Sisters & Outlet Finds
September 23: Island Hopping, Fresh Seafood & a Monsoon Exit
September 24: Cebu Buffet, Boarding Chaos & My First Jollibee
September 25: Roadside Mangosteens & Chocolate-Dome Champorado
September 27: Market Strolls, a Makati Shopping Sprint & a Late Massage
September 29: From Bougie Baggage Service to Lie-Flat Luxury
September 17–18: A 13-Hour Flight & the Glorious Empty Middle Seat
I had a Korean Air flight scheduled to depart at 11:50 p.m. I worked, came home and napped, then finished packing and headed to the airport around 9 p.m. Check-in was easy. I killed some time in the lounge, then boarded on time.
I was able to sleep for a bit, and the nearly 13-hour flight was fairly smooth. It was my first experience flying Korean Air, and my only complaint is that they don’t have enough bathrooms in economy. I was lucky enough to have an empty middle seat, which was a blessing and made the trip much better.
September 19: Manila’s Historic Heart, from Rizal Park to Intramuros
I landed in Seoul, South Korea, and headed down a super-long corridor toward transfers. Eventually, I reached an area where I scanned my passport and went through security. The process was easy, and fortunately I got in line before it got long. I made my way up an escalator and found a pretty atrium with live trees and a domed ceiling. I hung out there waiting for my friend, who was supposed to arrive 40 minutes before me but had been delayed while avoiding a volcanic eruption over Russia.
We met up and headed to a Korean Air lounge that my friend could access through her Delta status. It was nice. We found an area to hang out, grabbed some caffeine, and, once the food was put out, ate while she showered. We headed toward our gate and arrived as our boarding sections were called. Another uneventful 3.5-hour flight later, we arrived in Manila. Passport control was quick, and at baggage claim I changed in the bathroom, opting for fewer layers in the hot, humid weather.
Outside, we met some of my friend’s friends, who were waiting in a large van, and started our Manila tour. Our first stop was the Lapu-Lapu statue. Lapu-Lapu ruled Mactan Island near Cebu in the early 1500s and is celebrated for resisting Spanish encroachment. In 1521, he refused to submit to Ferdinand Magellan and his allies. On April 27, Lapu-Lapu’s warriors fought Magellan’s forces in the Battle of Mactan, where Magellan was killed. Today, Lapu-Lapu is honored as an early symbol of Filipino resistance and independence, although relatively little is known about his life beyond accounts of that 1521 encounter.
Next, we went to Rizal Park. We parked across the street, passing the Carabao Statue, an important symbol of rural life, farming, strength and perseverance in the Philippines. On that side of the street are two markers. Kilometer Zero is the official reference point from which road distances from Manila to other places in the Philippines are measured; it sits across from the Independence Flagpole. The “100” Centennial monument commemorates 100 years since the 1898 declaration of Philippine independence and was part of the nationwide centennial commemorations in 1998.
We crossed the street to the Independence Flagpole. The 150-foot flagpole marks the site where the Philippine flag was raised on July 4, 1946, when the United States formally recognized Philippine independence. The present pole is a reconstruction of the original, which was damaged in 1995. Nearby is the Rizal Monument, unveiled in 1913 to honor José Rizal, the writer and national hero executed nearby by Spanish authorities in 1896. His remains are entombed beneath the monument, which is ceremonially guarded by the Philippine Marine Corps.
All of these landmarks are in Rizal Park, also called Luneta, one of Manila’s most historically important public spaces. During Spanish rule, the area was known as Bagumbayan and became an execution ground for Filipino reformers. Its defining event took place on December 30, 1896, when José Rizal was executed here for rebellion, sedition and conspiracy against the Spanish colonial government. His death helped galvanize the Philippine independence movement, and the park was later named in his honor. The grounds were beautifully manicured. We arrived during the guards’ lunch break, though, so we didn’t get to see them near the monument.
We crossed back and headed toward the car, then continued to Barbara’s, which specializes in traditional Filipino dishes, often served buffet-style, including adobo, kare-kare, pancit and local desserts. Lunch and dinner come with a cultural performance. We caught the tail end of one, including audience participation and dancing, and someone in our party joined in. There was a wide array of dishes and desserts. The food was good, and despite the performance being loud, it was a great first meal in the Philippines.
The building’s interior has a Colonial Spanish feel. It was constructed in the 1980s to reflect the architecture of old Intramuros, with dark carved wood doorframes and ceilings, chandeliers, elaborate furniture and arches deliberately designed to evoke the homes of wealthy Filipinos during Spanish rule.
Then we headed to Fort Santiago, where we met our guide for a tour of Intramuros—meaning “within the walls.” Manila’s historic walled district was established by the Spanish in 1571 as the colonial government and religious center of the Philippines. Its walls, forts, churches and plazas reflect more than 300 years of Spanish rule. Much of the district was destroyed during World War II, and many landmarks were later restored or reconstructed.
We hopped on a horse-drawn carriage and headed toward Plaza de Roma and Manila Cathedral. The monument in the center of the plaza honors King Charles IV of Spain, who supported the introduction of the smallpox vaccine to the Philippines in the early 1800s. Manila Cathedral is the principal Roman Catholic cathedral of the Philippines, originally established in 1581. The building has been destroyed and rebuilt multiple times because of earthquakes, fires and war. The present cathedral was completed in 1958 after the previous one was destroyed during the 1945 Battle of Manila. It’s one of the most prestigious places to get married, with a very long wait. We arrived during a wedding, while a separate couple were taking wedding photos outside.
Our next stop was Plazuela de Santa Isabel, a small memorial plaza in Intramuros dedicated to civilian victims of the 1945 Battle of Manila. Its centerpiece, the Memorare Manila 1945 monument, commemorates the more than 100,000 civilians estimated to have died during the month-long battle. In February and March 1945, American and Filipino forces fought to liberate Manila from Japanese occupation. Much of Intramuros was devastated, while Japanese troops massacred civilians across the city. The memorial depicts a grieving mother holding a dead child, surrounded by other victims, honoring people caught in one of World War II’s most destructive urban battles. There’s also a time capsule behind the monument that is set to open in 2045.
We tried to visit the Turismo Museum, but it was closed for an event. Instead, we went to Casa Manila, a museum in Intramuros recreating the home of a wealthy Filipino family during the Spanish colonial era, particularly the late 1800s. Built in the 1980s as a historical reconstruction, it contains period furniture, elaborate woodwork, bedrooms, dining rooms and household objects showing how Manila’s affluent ilustrado class lived. The design was modeled largely on an 1850s house that once stood in Manila’s Binondo district. Fun details to look for inside include the double-seated toilet, enormous kitchen, ornate four-poster beds and furniture designed for Manila’s tropical heat. Entry was 75 pesos. The house had the same brown, ornate woodworking and period pieces throughout.
Right around the corner is San Agustín Church, the oldest surviving stone church in the Philippines, completed in 1607 by the Augustinians. It’s especially remarkable because it survived the destruction of Intramuros during the 1945 Battle of Manila, when most surrounding buildings were devastated. Its ornate interior features trompe-l’œil paintings, carved wooden details and centuries-old religious art. It’s part of the UNESCO-listed Baroque Churches of the Philippines and contains tombs of prominent historical figures, including Miguel López de Legazpi, founder of Spanish Manila. We again caught the tail end of a wedding as the bride and groom exited the church.
As we headed back toward Fort Santiago, we passed several other buildings, including Binondo, Lyceum University, an old prison and more. The carriage driver did a nice job of pointing them all out.
Back at Fort Santiago, we paid 75 pesos to enter. The Spanish began building the fort in 1571 to defend Manila and the Pasig River. José Rizal was imprisoned here in 1896 before his execution, and during World War II the Japanese military used the fort as a prison and torture site. Inside are the Rizal Shrine, reconstructed military barracks, Baluartillo de San Francisco Javier, the Rajah Sulayman Theater, the iconic Fort Santiago gate, and plazas and defensive walls overlooking the river.
The most haunting area is the dungeons, including underground chambers used to imprison and torture people during World War II. After the 1945 Battle of Manila, the bodies of approximately 600 prisoners were reportedly found in one dungeon. Some chambers could flood with water from the nearby Pasig River at high tide, adding to the grim history of the site. When you come out of the dungeon, you reach a nice viewpoint of the Pasig River, where you can see William A. Jones Bridge. We hit this area at sunset, just as the night market was starting.
After that, we drove through Chinatown, one of the biggest in Asia. It was lively, with restaurants, stores and food stalls lining the streets. I’m told it has a bit of a social media following and is known for its gold trade, although those stores were closed at night. We headed to the Airbnb near a mall and ordered food. I passed out around 10 p.m.; the girls stayed up chatting until the wee hours of the morning.
September 20: A Family Feast, a Sky-High Palace & Taal
I woke my happy ass up at 6 a.m., lay in bed hoping to fall back asleep, then begrudgingly got up at 6:30 to ingest caffeine. I packed and got ready. Our driver was scheduled for 9:30 a.m., so I had some relaxing to do. We hit the road slightly behind schedule.
Along the route we stopped at a Hypermarket, basically a supermarket, where I stocked up on snacks, bread, caffeine and candy. Then we headed to Batangas to visit my friend’s family, who had prepared a feast of delicious food. We stayed for a few hours before heading to Tagaytay.
Our major stop was People’s Park in the Sky. It began as the Palace in the Sky, commissioned by Imelda Marcos in 1981 for a planned visit by U.S. President Ronald Reagan. The visit was canceled, and the palace was never finished. After the 1986 People Power Revolution, the abandoned complex was converted into a public park. Much of the unfinished concrete structure you see today is the original palace.
The site also includes Picnic Grove. Admission is 75 pesos per person, with another 75 pesos for parking. Inside, there’s a sky deck overlooking Taal Volcano and Taal Lake. Taal is one of the Philippines’ most active volcanoes and has had dozens of recorded eruptions since the 1500s. Its unusual nested geography has Volcano Island sitting inside Taal Lake, which itself occupies a huge ancient volcanic caldera. The picturesque crater you see from Tagaytay is only part of a much larger volcanic system. A major eruption in 1754 dramatically reshaped the area, and the most recent major eruptive episode began in 2020, forcing widespread evacuations.
There’s also a hill with picnic tables and a bunch of stalls selling various things. Most vendors sell similar items, so I’d browse first—even side-by-side vendors can have different prices. We were unlucky because the park had no power that day, leaving many vendor booths dark inside. The bathroom on the way out was romantic, with a cellphone flashlight setting the mood.
We wanted to ride the Sky Eye at Sky Ranch, but it was dark by 6 p.m. and we had run out of daylight. The main appeal was seeing Taal Volcano from above. We stopped in Tagaytay City, which was lined with fruit stands, to pick up some fruit to eat. They had mangosteens (hello, Costa Rica, where I first discovered these), and we also got some pineapple that they sliced for us.
The girls had been up until 5 a.m. and got very little sleep, so we stopped at Mushroom Burger. It opened in 1978 to promote locally grown mushrooms as an alternative food source. Its signature burger uses a patty made with a blend of mushrooms and meat rather than being purely vegetarian.
Then we headed to Hotel Casiana & Events Center. The hotel was very nice, and I enjoyed having my own room. It was less active today, but Taal was still a pretty impressive sight.
September 21: Cake for Breakfast, Pink Sisters & Outlet Finds
We woke up leisurely and headed to breakfast at Charito by Bag of Beans, a nice restaurant and coffee shop with a gorgeous view of Taal Lake and Taal Volcano. I had snacked in the room, and their cake looked so good that I decided on a slice of salted caramel chocolate cake and a caramel latte for breakfast.
From there, we went to the Pink Sisters’ Convent and Chapel. It was established in Tagaytay following the 1990 Luzon earthquake, when seven Pink Sisters evacuated from their damaged Baguio convent. The chapel was consecrated in 1992 and is known for the sisters’ distinctive pink habits and their tradition of continuous Eucharistic prayer. There’s an outdoor garden with the 14 Stations of the Cross, and the whole place is very peaceful.
Right by the convent, we stopped at Amira’s Buko Tart Haus. A Tagaytay favorite, it began as a home bakery in 1989. Amira’s became famous for turning classic Filipino buko pie into its signature individual young-coconut tarts, now a popular Tagaytay pasalubong. The girls picked up tarts, and I grabbed a few interesting snacks to bring home.
Next was Acienda Designer Outlet Mall, created as the Philippines’ first international-style outlet mall. Its European-inspired architecture, plazas, giant windmill and landmark replicas make it as much a quirky roadside attraction as a shopping stop on the route between Tagaytay and Manila. It has tiny landmarks like the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Eiffel Tower. The highlight was probably a Hoka outlet, where prices were crazy good. Unfortunately, finding a size 9 shoe was the problem. Still, I picked up two pairs of sneakers—one for me and one for my boyfriend—and a recovery slide for $175 USD.
We headed toward Manila, making one final stop at Cecilia’s Buko Pie, Tarts and Pasalubong so the girls could get some pies, then high-tailed it to stay ahead of traffic. We stopped at Power Plant Mall. The girls got their nails done while I shopped. It had a mix of lower-end and higher-end stores, but Uniqlo was where I spent the most time. I also bought a new scent from Scentsmith Perfumery, a vanilla caramel scent. The staff were nice and guided me toward my preferred scent category.
Across the way was the cutest little gift shop, Common Room, full of cute handmade gift-type items. It was fun seeing all the unique things inside. After walking the entire mall twice, I settled into Mary Grace for Belgian hot chocolate and mushroom pâté while I waited for the others to finish their nails.
We then headed to our Airbnb and had a masseuse come give us massages. It was a great way to spend the night. We also had to pack up and get ready for our flight to Cebu the next day.
September 22: Cebu’s Old Forts, Lechon & a Monsoon at Sirao
We woke up at 2:45 a.m. and were picked up around 3:45 to head to the airport. We dropped our bags, went through security and had breakfast at the food court. We also booked our tour for the morning: a private three-island-hopping tour with hotel pickup. It was 3,450 pesos per person, or roughly $55 USD. With the private tour, you can select a start time, so we chose 8 a.m.
The flight was with Cebu Pacific and was smooth, but the boarding process left much to be desired. We had zones, but they didn’t matter because we were hauled off in buses. We had the first-row exit seats, so everything had to go overhead. The roller bags had to go further back, but my backpack fit just overhead. It was a bit chaotic. The flight was about an hour, and collecting our bags was easy.
We found a driver to take us to Seda Ayala Center Cebu. We couldn’t officially check in yet, but we were able to leave our bags with the front desk. One of the girls called our airport driver and arranged a Cebu tour. While we waited for him to come back, we walked to the 7-Eleven by the hotel to pick up caffeine and water.
We were hungry, so the first stop was food. The driver recommended Pusô Village, essentially a food hall with individual stalls serving a variety of food, including lechon and seafood. That’s exactly what we ordered: lechon, shrimp, mussels, clams, crab, tuna belly, tuna jaw and more. It was rather cheap, and we kind of got what we paid for because the seafood wasn’t overly fresh. Maybe some of the other stalls had better food, but that wasn’t our experience. It was a good starting point because it could only go up from there.
Next was Magellan’s Cross, which marks the arrival of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in Cebu in 1521. According to tradition, Magellan’s expedition planted a wooden cross here after Rajah Humabon, Queen Juana and hundreds of Cebuanos were baptized as Christians. The cross visible today is encased in protective wood, and the pavilion’s painted ceiling depicts the historic event.
Right next to it is the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu, founded in 1565, making it the oldest Roman Catholic church in the Philippines. It houses the revered Santo Niño de Cebu, a small image of the Child Jesus given by Ferdinand Magellan to Queen Juana of Cebu in 1521. The present stone church dates largely to the 18th century, replacing earlier structures destroyed by fire.
Then we set off for Fort San Pedro, established by Spanish forces under Miguel López de Legazpi in 1565, initially as a wooden defensive fort and later rebuilt in stone. The small triangular fortress protected Cebu’s early Spanish settlement and served variously as a military garrison, prison and defensive stronghold. It’s considered the oldest Spanish fort in the Philippines.
We took the rather long drive up the mountain to Sirao Garden in the mountainous Busay area, a colorful flower garden often nicknamed “Little Amsterdam.” It became popular for its fields of celosia and other bright flowers, mountain views and whimsical photo installations, including giant hands, windmills and viewing platforms.
The place is whimsical and fun, but we arrived about 4.5 minutes before a monsoon downpour that lasted literally 30 minutes. We didn’t have raincoats or umbrellas because all our luggage was back at the hotel, so I ran around in the rain checking things out. Admission was 100 pesos per person. Out of desperation, we rented an umbrella for 50 pesos. One of us needed the restroom, which had two prices depending on whether you had to go number one or number two. After she came back, I borrowed the umbrella to get more photos and then we left. There were no fun photo ops, mostly because the rain would let up for only a few minutes before pouring down again. It was still a pretty fun little place.
From there, we headed to the hotel while it was still raining. After checking in and settling our bags, we opted for an early dinner at House of Lechon. We got lechon, cheesy scallops, lemon-garlic shrimp, pancit, two soups and bibingka. It was way too much food, but also delicious. The early dinner was an even better idea when we saw the ridiculously long line waiting as we left.
I had high hopes of visiting the mall next to the hotel, but after dinner at 6 p.m., the 2:40 a.m. wake-up caught up with me. We all returned to the hotel, got ready for island hopping, and I indulged in a piece of hotel cake that was subpar compared with my breakfast cake the day before. Despite the rain, it was still a fun day.
September 23: Island Hopping, Fresh Seafood & a Monsoon Exit
We had our pre-arranged tour with pickup at 8 a.m. I woke up at 4 a.m. because I had gone to sleep at 8 p.m. the night before. My throat was sore. Noooo. I knew I hadn’t drunk enough water the day before, so I spent the next hour drinking a liter of water. Then I napped for an hour and woke up around 6. I ordered room service, which was huge: eggs, bacon, hash browns, pancakes, toast, fresh fruit and tea.
Our driver, Alex, got caught in traffic because of an accident and was about 40 minutes late. He was also our tour guide and was very apologetic and nice. It took about 45 minutes to reach Cordova Port, where our boat was located. We registered with the coast guard and loaded up. We had to walk along a little plank to get to the boat, but it was shaded and spacious. We requested a seafood lunch for an additional 1,500 pesos per person.
We headed toward Gilutungan Island, a small coral island near Mactan, Cebu, traditionally supported by fishing and seaweed farming. After years of overfishing damaged its reefs, a marine sanctuary was established in 1991. Protection helped the reef recover, and today it’s a popular snorkeling and diving spot known for colorful coral and abundant fish. We never set foot on the island, but many people boarded our boat selling various things: drinks, fruit, souvenirs and fresh live seafood. We could get off the boat and snorkel nearby. There were some small fish and starfish in the area. The water was just cool enough to be refreshing without being cold.
We got back on the boat and went to Nalusuan Island, a tiny man-made island in the Olango Reef area near Cebu. Originally little more than a sandbar, it was gradually developed into a small resort island. The surrounding Nalusuan Marine Sanctuary protects its coral reefs and marine life, making it one of the area’s best-known snorkeling and diving spots.
We got off the boat while our captain parked elsewhere. We toured the island, which has lots of photo ops our guide set up for us. There’s a good bathroom you can use, and an area off the dock for snorkeling. It’s a bit more crowded, but there are so many fish—small, big, colorful, starfish, everything. They’re used to humans and come right up to you. Our guide took us snorkeling while holding a life-saving ring and feeding the fish as we watched. There was a fee for this, but it was included in our tour. We spent a good amount of time quite literally “swimming with the fishes,” but obviously walked away from it.
Our boat came back to pick us up, and we feasted on all the fresh seafood: crab, shrimp, mussels, clams, fish, chicken, pork and more. It was sooo delicious. Then we stopped at Caohagan Island, a small inhabited island in the Olango Island Group near Cebu. Traditionally a fishing community, it’s known today for its fresh seafood market, clear shallow waters and handmade crafts, especially colorful quilts created by local residents. It’s a popular island-hopping stop where visitors can eat freshly prepared seafood right by the water.
We spent a little too much time finishing lunch and had to evacuate because of the low tide. We walked through the island to a white-sand beach, which I didn’t find overly white or overly impressive. The restrooms cost 10 pesos, but they were BAASSIICC—think squatter hole. They charged 5 pesos for handwashing but didn’t have soap, so we sent one of our crew to get soap from a vendor.
Then we headed back to the boat. Because of the low tide, we had to walk 450 meters through shallow water. I had the wrong shoes—Hoka recovery slides—and they kept twisting, causing me to trip. The guide had to do an ’80s prom walk with me. We loaded onto the boat and headed back to Cordova Port.
Along the way, we had some sort of engine issue that delayed us a little. As we got closer to shore, a monsoon-like storm struck, complete with lightning. I got soaked. Luckily, we could go inside and change into clean, dry clothes. Thank goodness for my Sea to Summit dry bag. Our boatmen held an umbrella over us to get to the van, and eventually we drove out of the storm.
Our guide agreed to stop at Taboan Public Market so the girls could buy a metric ton of dried fish. The place smelled god-awful, and there were a lot of people harassing you for money outside the stalls. I walked through the market, but after being asked and threatened for money (I shit you not, a pre-teen told me I couldn’t buy anything unless I paid him), I decided to wait in the nearby van. That stopped most of them.
Once back at the hotel, we ran our stuff up to the room and headed to the mall next door. I found a pharmacy and bought some things for my throat, since my ears were now feeling full and difficult to “pop.” I’d also been snorkeling. Then we had dinner at Gerry’s: lumpia, pig ear, soup, eggplant omelet, squid and more. The soup was mine, and it was actually very good. The lumpia helped me understand why everyone at work brings it to a potluck, although this was much, much better.
While we waited for the food, I went to Leona’s Cakes and Pastries and got a rocky road cake slice and a carrot square for later. Both were delicious. Then we went to the first floor and picked up a few things for the night at the grocery store. Most malls in the Philippines have pharmacies and grocery stores, which is nice when you want to do it all in one place. We walked back to the hotel and retired for the night.
September 24: Cebu Buffet, Boarding Chaos & My First Jollibee
I woke up feeling a little better, but still not good. I lounged until around 7:30 a.m., when I met up with my friend for the hotel buffet breakfast. It was wild for a hotel buffet: Filipino full-breakfast items, Indian food and American/European-style food—eggs, bacon, sausage, rice, noodles, fish, beer, bread pudding, pastries, pancakes, juice, muesli, cereal and more. We took our time and enjoyed it all. I got to try a few Filipino dishes without fully committing.
We returned to the room and headed to shop at the mall next door. I found my first-ever Pop Mart and bought a Harry Potter blind box for me and one for my niece. I shopped at Uniqlo and Pull&Bear, and we walked a good portion of the mall.
We were able to get a later checkout at 1 p.m., so we brought our stuff down then. We had already arranged for the driver from our first day to take us to the airport around 2 p.m. He arrived a little early, and we headed over. Checking bags and getting through security were quick. Then we had Potato Corner chicken nuggets with fries. Potato Corner is basically fried food covered in flavored powder, and it’s actually very good.
Cebu Pacific is infuriating: there’s no order to the boarding process. Since we had the first row, we had to put our bags overhead, which meant we needed to board early. We were Zone 1, which absolutely didn’t matter. Anyway, we forced our way on fairly soon after the priority and handicapped passengers and did get overhead space semi-close by.
After landing, my friend’s driver picked us up and dropped us at the Airbnb. We went out on a tricycle, a motorcycle with a covered sidecar attached for passengers—essentially the Philippines’ version of a tiny motorized taxi. They’re pretty cheap, about 16 pesos per kilometer. One person in the group already knew our driver.
We headed to Jollibee, the Philippines’ most iconic homegrown fast-food chain. Founded in the 1970s, it became famous for Filipino-style comfort food, especially Chickenjoy fried chicken, sweet-style Jolly Spaghetti and Yumburgers. Its cheerful bee mascot is a Filipino pop-culture icon, and the chain has expanded internationally while remaining hugely popular at home. I tried the spaghetti and cheeseburger. Both were actually pretty good. I’m a fan.
We also stopped at 7-Eleven to replenish my water and Monster supply, then headed to the Airbnb to eat and go to sleep.
September 25: Roadside Mangosteens & Chocolate-Dome Champorado
We had a 9:45 a.m. start and headed toward Taytay, Rizal, on the eastern edge of Metro Manila, where the dense city begins giving way to the lush, hilly foothills leading toward the Sierra Madre. Known as the “Garments Capital of the Philippines,” it mixes busy urban neighborhoods with surprisingly green, elevated scenery. The views were beautiful.
We stopped at a roadside market, where prices were better than in Tagaytay. It was funny because our driver had figured out that I like mangosteens and announced that they had some before the group decided to pull over.
We stopped at Dean & DeLuca, which sits amid a gorgeous landscape view. I got spicy crab pasta and a salted caramel protein latte, not realizing it was served over ice. I then got a hot salted caramel latte, and we gave the other drink to the driver. Some drivers here are employed by families and paid monthly, so he wasn’t a stranger; he was a personal driver who worked for one of the girls.
While we were eating, we got a call that one of the girls’ husbands had been involved in a go-kart accident. He was having back and ankle pain. It put a slight damper on the day because we were worried about him, but we were two hours in one direction from Manila and he was two hours in another direction. They arranged for someone to pick him up after he was done at the track.
Then we headed to The Bistro by LeBlanc for the triple-chocolate champorado, a decadent twist on traditional Filipino champorado, a sweet chocolate rice porridge. This version uses multiple forms of chocolate, typically cacao/tablea, cocoa and chocolate pieces or sauce, making it much richer and fudgier than the classic dish. It’s often finished with milk or condensed milk and served warm. This one came with a chocolate dome that melted as hot milk was poured over it.
We headed back so my friend could take her husband to the hospital. I stayed in for the night since we had an early day, while my other friend went out for a quick reunion with some friends. One of my friends had surprised me with a signature chocolate cake from Big Al’s Cookie Jar. I had that for dinner, and it was as decadent as promised.
September 26: A Kapampangan Feast & a Fresh Start in Makati
We had an early planned start at 8 a.m. to head to Pampanga. However, because of the late ER visit for one person in our party, we got a little bit of a late start. We drove through some rice fields, which were unfortunately flooded.
We stopped at Alviz Farm Kapampangan Culinary and Heritage Tour, a heritage farm and dining experience in Santa Rita, Pampanga, centered on preserving traditional Kapampangan food and culture. Set around a traditional country home, rice fields and fishponds, the experience features family heirloom recipes prepared using traditional methods, sometimes alongside demonstrations of local cooking and farming traditions. The Alviz family originally used the property as a private retreat before opening it to visitors by reservation. Even Martha Stewart visited in 2019 and was served the family’s heirloom dishes.
The owner met us, and we had a huge feast with several appetizers, entrées and desserts. Most dishes were delicious; some weren’t my cup of tea, but the farm was beautiful. There was also a live singing performance, and the vibe was very welcoming. The food was served buffet-style, and at the end we were encouraged to take home leftovers and given plastic containers. The price is 2,500–3,000 pesos per person.
We had planned to stay overnight in Pampanga, but because of the injury to one of the girls’ husbands, we headed back. I decided to book my own room in the Makati area so I’d have convenient shopping and wouldn’t make the others feel like they had to entertain me. I found Jinjiang Inn Makati, two blocks from Greenbelt Mall. The room wasn’t fancy, but it was clean. It also had the best water pressure and hottest water of the trip. They had food available 24/7 and a really good mini-split A/C. I was quite happy with my find, and it was only $130 for two nights.
I dropped my bags and walked the two blocks to Greenbelt Mall. It has five separate mall sections divided by beautiful outdoor gardens. The stores are all bougie and not my style, but they connect to Landmark, a large department store, then Glorietta, a more typical mall with both high-end and everyday brands, and then SM Makati, another large department store. You never have to exit to the street, only walk through indoor connections.
I got tired fairly quickly and only bought a few things from the grocery stores in Glorietta (Rustans) and Landmark. I came back to the room, skipped dinner and ate a few snacks from the grocery stores. I spent the rest of the night coming up with a plan for tomorrow, then went to bed early.
September 27: Market Strolls, a Makati Shopping Sprint & a Late Massage
I woke up at 5 a.m. and stayed awake for a while, wondering why I was up when most of the activities I had planned didn’t open until 10 or 11. I slept another hour, showered, then walked eight minutes to Legazpi Sunday Market. It was in a park, with mostly vendors selling food and drinks. Most food was ready to eat; some stalls were more like a farmers market, selling raw products. There were maybe 40 booths and very few handicrafts. It was also very busy.
I walked around, then headed back to the hotel. Before you judge me, I didn’t get anything. My stomach was a bit off that day, and I already had Imodium onboard, so there would be no funny business with a flight fast approaching.
Back at the hotel, I stood in front of my A/C because my shirt had sweat marks. Love colors; don’t love them when it’s hot and humid. Then I went downstairs and had the hotel hail me a taxi to SM Makati. It’s a massive mini-mall entirely owned by SM Department Store: five floors of one store, plus an indoor mall area with more stores associated with SM. I spent about two hours wandering around, bought a few items, and then headed to Glorietta for more shopping.
I was lame and ate at Olive Garden, mostly out of curiosity about how it compared. It had table service, and I really wanted to rest for a little bit. I had broken my purse on the fated monsoon-boat day and managed to rig it to work, but it kept unzipping. I found a replacement and switched it out while waiting for my food.
After resting a bit, I finished Glorietta and headed back toward the hotel through Landmark and Greenbelt. I changed my shirt quickly and pounded some caffeine because I was now on a time constraint: it was 4:45 p.m., and I had to hit two stores up the street, 7-Eleven for caffeine for the morning, and the Ayala Museum—all before 7 p.m.
I walked five minutes from the hotel to Balikbayan Handicrafts, a long-running Philippine souvenir and handicraft shop specializing in locally made Filipino products. It’s known for carved wood décor, woven goods, capiz-shell pieces, traditional crafts, jewelry and gifts, making it a good one-stop shop for distinctly Filipino souvenirs. As an added bonus, most of the store was 50% off. I bought a couple of items.
Then I headed to the Tesoros flagship showroom, one of the Philippines’ best-known showcases for traditional Filipino craftsmanship. Founded in 1945, Tesoros brings together crafts from across the country, including piña textiles, Barong Tagalog, embroidery, woodwork, shell crafts, woven goods, jewelry and souvenirs. The flagship has been on Arnaiz Avenue since 1993 and continues the company’s original mission of supporting Filipino artisans and preserving traditional crafts. I wandered around and saw lots of interesting things but didn’t buy anything. They have very beautiful items, though, and it’s 100% worth a stop. They have other locations too.
I hit 7-Eleven, then headed toward Greenbelt and the Ayala Museum. Admission was 850 pesos for foreigners. It wasn’t too busy, and I had many rooms all to myself. The museum focuses on Philippine history, art and culture in Makati. It’s especially known for 60 handcrafted dioramas depicting major events in Philippine history, archaeological artifacts and pre-colonial gold objects, including spectacular jewelry and ceremonial pieces. I spent about an hour wandering, then headed back to my hotel.
I ordered a club sandwich and arranged for a massage in my room. It didn’t start until 9:30, and I fell asleep. It ended, and I woke up in a daze. When I finally looked at the clock, it was 11:30 p.m. The massage was 1,000 pesos plus tip. It was a good ending to the day.
September 28: Mall of Asia All Day & a Delayed Check-In
I had a leisurely morning and checked out around 10:30 a.m. I headed to my final hotel, the Conrad, which my friend had arranged. I was able to leave my bags with the concierge and head to the mall. There’s an entrance from the Conrad to S Maison, a small two-story mall consisting mostly of restaurants. Then you take a skywalk into the Mall of Asia.
Mall of Asia has four levels, with the second and third levels much bigger. It opened in 2006 and is one of the Philippines’ best-known malls, with hundreds of shops and restaurants, an IMAX cinema, ice-skating rink, MOA Arena, seaside promenade and amusement rides. Its waterfront location also makes it a popular place for Manila Bay sunsets.
I spent quite a few hours walking around. I bought a new suitcase to fit all my stuff for the trip home and checked out almost every inch of the indoor mall. It has a mix of lower-end and high-end stores. I saw the skating rink and went over to the sky zone. I walked around outside and saw the Chinese calendar sculptures. It was hot, so I spent minimal time outside and just looked at the art and views.
The mall had a lot of interesting things: museums, arcades and a dessert-making place. There’s an SM Department Store across an outdoor corridor. The outdoor area has a lot of other cafés and restaurants. It also has the biggest Hypermart grocery store I’d seen so far. Outside, another area has a Ferris wheel and a couple of other rides.
For lunch, I went to Krazy Garlic, which was just meh. I ordered the mushroom soup, which was excellent, then the chicken Kiev, which wasn’t so great. For dinner, I ate at Italianni’s and had seafood cioppino and stuffed mushrooms. It was the reverse of lunch: the mushrooms were just meh, but the pasta was fantastic.
I was supposed to meet my friend between 2 and 3 p.m. to check in to the hotel. Her friend’s husband ended up needing the hospital, though, and she was delayed until around 7–7:30 p.m. I finished dinner around 6:30 and hung out in the lobby for a while.
My friend was delayed until about 8 p.m. Once they arrived, I was able to check in. I had to wait for her because she gets a special rate there. I spent the rest of the night packing all my stuff and saying goodbye to my friend. After packing, I relaxed and went to bed.
September 29: From Bougie Baggage Service to Lie-Flat Luxury
I woke up fairly leisurely because my flight was around 12:20 p.m. I relaxed in the room, showered, finished packing the last-minute stuff, and ordered room service at 8:45 a.m. I took my stuff down to the lobby, but, being a bougie hotel, they freaked out about me managing my own luggage. They took it for me and waited while I checked out. Then the guy with my bags took me to the first floor and ordered me a Grab (the Philippines’ version of Uber) to the airport.
The drive took about 10 minutes, and people were there to help with my bags when I arrived. Because I was having a lot of sinus issues, especially with my ears acting up, I had made a decision a few days earlier to cancel my return flight. I couldn’t upgrade it, so I rebooked through Delta into Prestige Class. I flew home in business class with a lie-flat seat.
Because I was flying business class, check-in was very quick. Security was very short—not because of a perk, just because the line was short—and passport control was quick too. Prestige Class gave me access to a lounge at Manila airport. It was small, but it gave me a more comfortable seat while I waited for my flight.
I boarded and was pampered the rest of the way home. In South Korea, I had access to the Korean Air lounge again, so I spent quite a bit of time there. I discovered a wellness area with lay-flat massage tables that were amazing. Unfortunately, I found them with only about 15 minutes left in the lounge, but I enjoyed those 15 minutes.
I walked to my gate and boarded my roughly 12-hour flight home. The food was very impressive. Dinner was a five-course meal, and I had filet mignon. This probably ruined flying for me. After dinner, I turned my seat into a bed and slept for about six hours. The rest of the flight was smooth. I arrived in Vegas, made it through passport control and immigration, met my boyfriend around 4:30 p.m., and we went home.
Trip Summary
From September 17–29, I took a Philippines trip that moved between Manila, Batangas and Tagaytay, Cebu, Taytay/Rizal, Pampanga and back to Manila. The itinerary mixed a history-heavy day in Intramuros, Taal views, Cebu’s old forts and three island stops, a huge Kapampangan feast, miles of mall wandering and plenty of roadside snacks. Traveling with people who grew up there made it feel personal; the monsoons, traffic, packed malls and constant food stops kept it very real.
Dates: September 17–29, 2026 (13 calendar days, including travel days)
Route: Manila → Batangas/Tagaytay → Cebu → Manila/Makati → Taytay/Rizal and Pampanga → Manila
Highlights: Intramuros and Fort Santiago, Taal Lake and Volcano views, private Cebu island hopping, Alviz Farm, and Makati/Mall of Asia explorations
Final Thoughts: What I Loved, What Wore Me Out & What It Cost
All in all, the trip was really fun. I felt very welcomed by all of my friend’s friends. In some ways, having an immersive experience was even better because I got to hear from people who actually grew up there and learn about their experiences. In other ways, I felt like kind of a pain in the ass because my friend usually goes home and relaxes a lot more than she did on this trip.
The Philippines is a beautiful country, and you can have a very pampered vacation without breaking the bank. The one thing that was a little upsetting was the extreme poverty. Some people live a very good life, while other people make very, very, very little, and you can see that just by interacting and walking around.
I obviously had a lot of experience with the malls, and to me it was still wild because malls in the United States are basically dead, but in the Philippines they are very much alive and busy, especially at meal times. Part of why I got so exhausted at Greenbelt in the evening was that Glorietta was so busy I got overstimulated. One thing about the malls: they aren’t designed very well for flow. There’s no organized way to walk around without backtracking or missing stores because of the layout.
My other big observation is that people in the Philippines like to eat—and they’re eating all the time. We’d have a meal, get in the car for a road trip, stop for fruit at the roadside, someone would pull out snacks for the car, and then we’d have another meal when we got somewhere. It was different from what I’m used to, but I really enjoyed it. I got to try a lot of things I normally wouldn’t because I tried everything the group ordered. A lot of it wasn’t for me, but I’m glad I tried it.
I didn’t get to see everything I wanted to on this trip because a lot of the places I’m interested in are in the north, and this trip mostly focused on the south. I do see myself going back at some point in the future, and I look forward to it.
Tips for This Trip
Plan around Manila traffic. Build in extra time for drives, especially when you have a flight, tour pickup or dinner reservation to make.
Expect heat, humidity and sudden rain. I got caught in a downpour at Sirao Garden and another storm on the boat ride back. Bring a light rain layer or compact umbrella, plus a dry bag for island days.
Wear secure footwear for island hopping. Low tide at Caohagan meant a roughly 450-meter walk through shallow water. My loose recovery slides kept twisting, so water shoes or sandals that stay put would have been a much better call.
Keep some small peso bills handy. Several stops had modest entry, parking or restroom fees, and vendors were scattered around the islands and markets.
Choose your island-tour start time. Our private three-island tour let us select an 8 a.m. start. It cost 3,450 pesos per person, with a fresh seafood lunch available for an additional 1,500 pesos per person.
Give malls more time than you think. The connected malls around Makati and Mall of Asia are huge, busy and not always intuitive to navigate. Pharmacies and grocery stores are often inside, which makes errands convenient, but the crowds can be a lot—especially around meal times.
Leave room for the extra food stops. A meal might be followed by roadside fruit, car snacks and another meal later. It was one of my favorite parts of traveling with people who knew the area.
A Very Loose Cost Breakdown
Exchange rate during the trip: about 64 pesos to 1 U.S. dollar.
Airbnb in a residential neighborhood: about $25 USD per night.
Nicer hotels: about $100 USD per night.
Moderately nice hotels: around $60 USD per night.
Airbnb is probably an easier way to go if you’re trying to keep it cheap.
A fairly common meal: about 500 pesos; nicer restaurants: around 1,500 pesos.
Many of our private tours, which took six to eight hours, were about 3,000 pesos total, split between us.
Snacks and candy: from 15 pesos up to about 150 pesos.
Monster: 185 pesos.
Water from grocery stores: 13–45 pesos. Gas stations and convenience stores were obviously a little more expensive.
Malls had everything from local Filipino chain stores to American chain stores to high-end designers. In some cases, American-branded things or stores found in America seemed to have higher-quality items because the standards are higher there, so shopping was kind of interesting.