12 Hours in Manila: Planning a Layover in the Philippines’ Capital
By Daniella from Sampler Platter Travel – this guide to Manila contains affiliate links to trusted partners!
Only have 12 hours in Manila, the Philippines?
This is enough time to get out of the airport, explore the city, and see what the capital of the Philippines has to offer.
Planning a long layover can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. Last year, my close friend and I had the pleasure of traveling to tons of destinations in the Philippines, including one day in Manila.
Most of the attractions in the Philippines are not in the metro Manila area, so we knew not to spend too much time in the city. However, most travelers will transit through Manila at some point, and it’s more fun to explore the city than hang out in the airport!
Manila is a very large and overwhelming city, but if you go to the right areas, you will find a charming atmosphere with green parks, history, and gorgeous old buildings.
In this guide, we will outline the logistics of getting from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to the city, what worked for us and what didn’t, and most importantly, what to prioritize once you are in the center area.
While you could certainly spend a lot of time in Manila as it is one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world, Sampler Platter Travel is dedicated to fast itineraries helping you prioritize things to do if you only have a short amount of time. We want to inspire you to travel even if you only have a short 12 hour layover. Busy travelers, this one is for you.
Happy sampling!
Top Full-Day and Half-Day Tours of Manila
Luggage Check Logistics
The easiest way to travel is to leave your suitcases at the airport so that you can enjoy exploring Manila without excess bags. Dragging suitcases around might turn a couple of heads, and it’s best to avoid the extra attention.
Terminal 3 has a good luggage facility called Luggage and More which starts at a 4-hour price of 250 pesos and a daily rate of 350 pesos for 24 hours. It is a secure facility where you can rest assured that your bag will be in safe hands, and you can return to it 12 hours later.
How to Get to Downtown Manila from Ninoy Aquino International Airport
- Yellow Taxi – The first way to get to the city center of Manila is to take a yellow taxi that is available straight out of the main exit doors. The yellow taxis are the official registered taxis of the airport and start at a slightly higher price than the white taxis.
However, because the yellow taxis are official, they are a bit safer, and you won’t run into any issues with fares.
The taxi journey into the city can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour depending on the traffic, and you might find yourself sitting in a lot of vehicle congestion.
- White Taxi – Compared to the yellow taxis, the white taxis are slightly cheaper. Yet, they are unregulated and many drivers will either turn off their meters or give you a different price once you reach your final destination.
Therefore, you might run into some issues, especially if the driver doesn’t hold up their end of the bargain. It is not worth the headache to take a white taxi. Spend a few extra pesos for the yellow.
- Bus – This is a great option for budget travelers. The buses are a little bit confusing as different lines take you to various locations within central Manila. The easiest way to figure out the bus schedule is to go to the terminal and ask the attendants which bus is going to leave the soonest.
While this is not a foolproof way to plan your trip, it will ensure that you get on a bus that is departing promptly. Since all of the endpoints are relatively close in distance, it doesn’t matter what line you take to reach the actual city center.
Pro Tip: Ask for the bus heading towards Robinsons Place, a centrally-located mall.
Because of the congestion, expect the bus ride to easily take over 1 hour, most of the time being spent sitting in traffic outside the airport.
On your return to the airport, we highly recommend grabbing a taxi because it can be incredibly difficult to track down these buses in central Manila.
The Filipino version of Uber, Grab, also works great and is well-regulated.
- Jeepney – If you want to be very adventurous, you can take a jeepney from the airport into the city center. Do keep in mind that for non-Filipinos, this might be an incredibly stressful experience, especially with luggage in tow.
Jeepneys are long vans where you pay a couple of pesos and hop right in the open back. You’ll be crammed in with a lot of people, but if you want the authentic experience of traveling around Manila like a local, this is your method of transportation. We highly suggest that you don’t do this if you have your bags, as you’ll find them thrown onto the roof.
Safety Considerations for Female and Solo Travelers
Manila is an incredibly large and overwhelming city. With that comes an extra air of caution. It is important to note that Filipino locals are incredibly friendly, so a lot of people on the street will come up and talk to you.
If you do not appear Filipino, you will inherently attract a certain amount of attention, especially for female and solo travelers. Even if it is not usually malicious, you might be overwhelmed by the number of people who approach you.
We had a group of young children come up to us because they wanted us to take a photo of them to hold in our memories! This was one of many, many occasions where people wanted to have a chat.
It may come as a surprise that you can say ‘no’ and people will take it at face value. I know that some of us (especially big-city US girls) have been taught not to engage with people trying to sell us something on the street.
However, in the Philippines, respect is encouraged, so if someone wants to give you a tricycle ride, it is best to say ‘No, thank you’, and they will go on their merry way.
For the best safety results, we recommend not staying out past dark as the streets of Manila get a bit seedy once the sun sets. Remember to stick to the well-known tourist areas of Intramuros, Binondo, and Makati (more on that below). If things ever get too overwhelming, step into the nearest storefront or restaurant to call a taxi.
Massive tip: When walking from Intramuros to Binondo (both of which are very charming areas), try to avoid the Binondo-Intramuros Bridge. Due to the bridge veering West, it shoots you out into another neighborhood that borders Binondo but isn’t quite there. This particular area feels incredibly seedy, especially if you are a female and/or solo traveler.
While we think that Intramuros and Binondo are two areas well worth your time, be careful when walking between the two neighborhoods, and try out the Jones Bridge instead.
Should You Visit Manila?
So maybe you’re a little bit freaked out by the section above and are wondering if you should even bother visiting Manila.
Here are our thoughts on that – you should not try to add Manila to your itinerary on purpose.
However, if you are visiting the rest of the Philippines (which should be on every traveler’s bucket list), a trip through Manila may be hard to forgo.
If you are going to spend longer than a few hours in Manila, please don’t be afraid to leave the airport and explore the city, even if just for a short amount of time. We recommend sticking to the more popular tourist zones, such as Rizal Park, Intramuros, Binondo, or Makati.
Layover in Manila? Check Out These Other Nearby(ish) Cities
| Bohol | Perfect for couples, families, and jungle explorers |
| Coron | Perfect for island hopping lovers |
| El Nido | Perfect for young travelers, beach lovers, and social butterflies |
| Moalboal | Perfect for backpackers, adventurers, and snorkelers |
| Taipei | Perfect for budget travelers looking to go to a lesser-visited city |
| Tokyo | Perfect for people looking for a quintessential destination |
Things to Do During 12 Hours in Manila
Rizal Park
If you are taking a taxi, we recommend telling them to drop you off at Rizal Park for your first stop of the day. If you have arrived via bus, it is an easy walk over from all of the final stops (there are multiple depending on the line).
Whereas Manila can be quite overwhelming with all of the traffic and the people, Rizal Park is a beautiful, tranquil oasis right in the heart of the city. It is one of the largest urban parks in the Philippines with a total of 58 hectares.
It is known as the place where Jose Rizal, a famous Filipino Nationalist, was executed by the Spanish colonials in 1896. Now, the park has picturesque green areas, a beautiful Central Lagoon, and a Japanese Garden to explore.
Intramuros
Next, walk across Padre Burgos Avenue to enter the Intramuros. This neighborhood is surrounded by old walls and is the site of a lot of Spanish landmarks. Home to multiple universities and some secondary schools, it is a very young and lively neighborhood, despite its incredibly old architecture.
Walk along the top of the mural walls, take a look inside the ornate Manila Cathedral, or spend time in Fort Santiago.
Intramuros is a very green area of the city, and it only takes around 15 minutes to walk from end to end.
National Museum of Fine Arts
Right in between Rizal Park and Intramuros is the National Museum of Fine Arts, a perfect spot for museum lovers.
This massive museum showcases Filipino fine art, artifacts, natural history, and botany exhibits. Entrance to the museum is completely free, and travelers should budget spending between 1.5 and 2 hours exploring the 29 exhibit halls out of your 12 hours in Manila!
Binondo (Manila’s Chinatown)
Finally, end your tour with a walk around Binondo, Manila’s Chinatown, and stop for a fantastic dinner.
From the Intramuros area, navigate towards the Binondo Church, approximately 20 minutes walking. Once in that zone, walk down the famous Ongpin Street, where most of the attractions are located.
Ongpin Street is where the famous ‘Welcome to Manila Chinatown’ sign is located and is a great pedestrian-friendly area. The narrow streets are fantastic to explore, with a bunch of stores selling traditional Chinese snacks. Pro tip: pack some of these for your return to the airport later.
We went to Mr. Ube, a restaurant situated directly underneath the sign. It was a great meal of noodles and bubble tea.
Makati
While not located within walking distance of Binondo, Intramuros, or Rizal Park, Makati is the more popular upscale area of Manila with high-end shops and good discounts.
A lot of visitors go to Makati just to shop at well-known chains at a much lower price than in their home countries. The neighborhood is walkable, and you can hit a lot of your favorite stores at a cheaper price.
If you do wish to go shopping in Makati, we recommend strictly staying in that area during your 12 hours in Manila as it’s a lot farther from everything else (around a 30-minute drive from the above neighborhoods). To avoid the headache of traffic and make it back to the airport on time, either choose the old city area or Makati.
We opted to stay out of Makati because even though bargain shopping can be fun, if you want to learn more about the heartbeat of Manila, head to the famous Intramuros area.
Frequently Asked Questions About 12 Hours in Manila
Can you sleep in the Manila airport?
Although you may not be very comfortable, it is possible to sleep in Ninoy Aquino International Airport if you have a lot longer than 12 hours in Manila. There is a lounge in Terminal 3 with an entrance fee that includes sleep pods. These may be more comfortable than your average terminal seat. This particular terminal also has two other lounges with shower facilities.
Terminal 1 also has two lounges, one of which has shower facilities.
Can I leave the airport during a layover in Manila?
Of course, you can certainly leave the airport during a layover in Manila. Because of the traffic leading into the city, we suggest that you allocate enough time to see your top attractions without having to immediately return to the airport.
If you have 12 hours in Manila, this is certainly enough time to explore the city. If you have anything less than 4, we recommend staying in the airport.
It takes around 30 minutes to an hour to get into the heart of Manila thanks to the immense amount of traffic.
Is Manila worth it?
Honestly, skip Manila if you can. Most travelers will transit through Manila at least at some point during their trip to the Philippines, but we would suggest not adding on a few extra days just to see the city. It’s an okay town to explore during an extended layover, but don’t go out of your way to visit.
We hope you enjoyed this guide on 12 hours in Manila and what to do when you only have a short layover in the capital of the Philippines. Whether you want to get all of your budget shopping in Makati or want to explore the historical area of Intramuros and Rizal Park, Manila has something for everyone.
When in the Philippines don’t forget to check out Coron, Moalboal, Bohol, and El Nido.
Happy sampling!