Where to stay in Manila as a first time visitor
The City of Manila is a thriving metropolis, holding both titles of being the capital of the Philippines and the most densely populated city proper in the world. While this may turn off many travellers, it is the very reason that you should stick around. Known as the ‘Pearl of the Orient,’ many describe Manila’s grey and busy exterior as an unappealing shell, but when you look further into the city, its locals and its culture, you will find the jewel that the city truly is. A bayside city on the island of Luzon, Manila is filled to the brim with towering skyscrapers amongst Spanish colonial architecture mixed in with expansive shanty towns; not to mention ancient sites and modern malls, various markets, a wide range of bars and restaurants and chaotic traffic, all of which reflect its remarkable history. No stranger to hardship, the city has battled through every…