Located between the Philippine and the South China seas in Southeast Asia, the Philippines is an exceptionally charming archipelago of 7,107 enchanting islands, covering an area of 300,000 sq km, and consisting of Mindanao, Luzon, and Visayas, thereby forming the nation’s main island chains.Acknowledged as the ‘Pearl of the Orient’, the Philippines boasts of an array of attractions comprising beautiful islands, fantastic beaches, astounding volcanoes, unique wildlife, awe-inspiring landscapes, and world-renowned diving destinations.

With hundreds of awesome tourist destinations, the Philippines cater to all types of vacationers, such as honeymooners, nature lovers, adventurers, and wildlife explorers. Baguio, Bataan, Bohol, Cebu, Davao, Tagaytay, Bicol, Palawan, and Ilocos, are just few among many of the tourist destinations in Philippines. Despite these attractions, a visit to Philippine is incomplete without taking a tour to Manila.

Manila is one of the world’s largest metropolitans. Nestled on the Luzon – the largest island of the Philippines, Manila is the capital city and is considered a gateway to charming Philippines. Graceful with the magnificent views of the enchanting Manila Bay as well as its astounding golden sunset, Manila has now become one of the premier tourist destinations.

Manila’s attractions, among many others, are Intramuros, one of the oldest parts of Manila, packed with ancient churches and buildings; Fort Santiago, (the Shrine of Freedom), erected on the ashes of burnt fort of a Muslim king; Malacang Palace, a gracious villas which was once the summer house of the governor general; American Cemetery and Memorial, which contains graves of those who died in the second world war; Manila Cathedra, a Romanesque edifice; and Coconut Palace, a museum exhibiting varied styles of home interior furnishing and designing. Manila also boasts of a great number of parks and gardens, each of which are unique and excellent to relax with friends and relatives. Some of them are Rizal Park – Asia’s largest park, which is dedicated to the national hero, Jose Rizal; Paco Park, dating back to the colonial period; and Japanese Garden; and Greenbelt Park.

Aside from these parks and gardens, Manila has to its credit some enchanting public spaces including the Baywalk, offering superb views of the sunset, Rajah Sulayman Park, Plaza Miranda, Remedios Circle, Plaza Balagtas, and the Manila Broadwalk. For those who want to explore the influence of Chinese culture in the Philippines, a great option would be to take a visit to China Town, which is much sought after for its shops, restaurants, and exotic stalls. Besides, worth mentioning are the ancient churches of Manila, such as, the San Agustin Church, dating back to the 16th century; Quiapo Church, alternatively known as the Church of the Black Nazarene; Black Nazarene; Manila Cathedral; Bonifacio Shrine; and Quiapo Church.

Above all, Manila renders great opportunities to enjoy a variety of activities. For instance, taking a short excursion to Tagaytay to spot the renowned Taal Volcano would be a great experience. Likewise, a tour to Pagsanjan through a canoe ride would be equally enthralling. Further, while your stay at Manila, don’t forget to take a trip to Laguna, which is much favored for its hot sulphur springs. Equally fascinating is the nightlife of Manila, with night clubs in such happening areas as Pagsanjan, P Burgos, and Kalayaan streets.

With these amazing as well as umpteen attractions, people flock to Manila year-round. No matter you want budget or luxury accommodation, Manila has hotels and resorts to cater all levels of people. Many of them are located within the heart of the city, and hence are within the proximity to all world-class tourist attractions. Accommodations, especially luxury ones, are replete with air conditioning, data port, automatic wake-up call, voice mail, and satellite TV. Mostly, such facilities as business center, private parking facility, currency exchange facilities, and internet access, are also made available.

A vacation to Manila can be made truly memorable through effective planning. But, sometimes it may be chaotic to schedule such things as arrangement of accommodation, activities to be done during vacation, and traveling within the place after having reached the place. To cope up with these problems, one can make use of the service of tour operators or travel agents.

They can arrange you everything from accommodation and food to traveling and sightseeing requirements. Nowadays, some of the top-rated hotels and resorts also render services in the form of packages. Packages usually cover accommodation, traveling within the place, and food. All you have to do is to enter their website, and share your interests as well as likes and dislikes. Just feel relaxed and wait for a refreshing vacation in Manila!