Makati
Makati is Metro Manila's main business district. Ayala Center has the big Greenbelt and Glorietta malls, Ayala Triangle Gardens is a green park in the middle of the towers, and the Ayala Museum is on Makati Avenue.
- Best for
- First-timers, business travellers, shoppers
- Getting around
- MRT Line 3 Ayala and Buendia stations. Ayala Center is the district's main bus and jeepney terminal, and ride-hailing apps and taxis are easy to find.
- Muslim-friendly
- New Bombay, on Ayala Avenue at Malugay Street, is listed on Zabihah as certified halal, with all food halal.
- Keep in mind
- Road traffic in Metro Manila is very heavy, so allow extra time for any drive.
Hotels in Makati ↗BGC (Bonifacio Global City)
BGC is a planned 240-hectare district in Taguig with a walkable street grid, Bonifacio High Street's shops and walkways, Uptown Mall, and parks with jogging paths.
- Best for
- Families, walkers, modern hotels
- Getting around
- There is no train station in BGC yet. Buses and jeepneys leave from the terminal at Market! Market!, and MRT Line 3 (Guadalupe, Buendia and Ayala stations) is a bus or jeepney ride away.
- Muslim-friendly
- The Blue Mosque is in Maharlika Village, also in Taguig, home to the largest Muslim community in Metro Manila. The Maharlika Cultural Museum, the first Muslim-Filipino museum, opened at the Blue Mosque in 2023.
- Keep in mind
- No direct rail line, so you rely on buses, taxis or ride-hailing.
Hotels in BGC ↗Pasay and the Bay Area (near NAIA)
Manila's airport, NAIA, sits on the border of Pasay and Parañaque. SM Mall of Asia on Manila Bay has an Olympic-sized ice rink, the MOA Eye Ferris wheel and one of the world's biggest IKEA stores.
- Best for
- Short stays, early flights, mall lovers
- Getting around
- Citylink buses stop at Newport City, next to NAIA Terminal 3. The LRT-1 extension (opened 2024) serves the Bay Area, but no station connects directly to the airport; UBE Express shuttles link PITX with NAIA terminals.
- Muslim-friendly
- Grand Westside Hotel in Westside City, Parañaque, has a halal-certified kitchen (Halal International Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Philippines). All Megaworld hotels are recognized by the Department of Tourism as Muslim-friendly, with prayer mats and qibla markers.
- Keep in mind
- Traffic is heavy, and flash floods in the rainy season can block roads.
Hotels in Pasay and the Bay Area ↗Ermita and Malate
Ermita is beside Rizal Park, the National Museum buildings and Manila Ocean Park. Malate is its twin district along Manila Bay.
- Best for
- History and museum lovers
- Getting around
- LRT-1 has three stations in Ermita: Central Terminal, United Nations and Pedro Gil.
- Muslim-friendly
- The Golden Mosque (Masjid Al-Dahab) is at 822 Globo de Oro Street in Quiapo, also in the City of Manila. Quiapo's Muslim quarter has halal restaurants and roadside eateries.
- Keep in mind
- The area has long been known for nightlife, and pickpocketing is common in Manila.
Hotels in Ermita and Malate ↗Price levels ($ to $$$) appear only where an official tourism source rates them. Hotel buttons open Klook or Booking.com. We may earn a commission from Klook bookings, at no extra cost to you.
