Top 18 Things To Do in Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines

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Makati City is one of the most modern, famous, multi-cultural, financially rich and sustainable cities in Southeast Asia. As one of the commercial and financial hubs in Metro Manila, almost more than a million people flock Makati City’s streets. Here are our Top Things To Do While in Makati City, Philippines!

1.) Appreciate Makati City from Top Views

As Makati is filled with high-rise buildings, it is nice to appreciate Makati City from top views. Whether it is a morning, afternoon or evening, the aura that Makati landscape emits is inspiring. So far we have shot below views from City Garden Grand Hotel, Ramada Encore by Wyndham Makati, Sunette Tower, SMDC Jazz, Draper Startup House Building, Z Hostel and Y2 Residence Hotel. (Swipe below photo for more pictures)

2.) Airbnb, Hostel or Hotel Staycations

We had our staycations either from Airbnbs, hostels or hotels. We already stayed in New World Makati Hotel, Sustainable Living by Tina, Draper Startup House Manila, Z Hostel, Manila Peninsula Hotel, City Garden Hotel, City Garden Grand Hotel, Berjaya Hotel, Ramada Encore by Wyndham Makati, and Havitat Boutique Hotel. Read our blog here. (Swipe below photo for more pictures)

3.) Party till you Drop

Makati City is surrounded by locally and internationally famous bars offering award-winning ambience, drinks, and multi-cultural crowds. One of the recommended county in Makati which almost has bars in every street is Brgy. Poblacion. To mention some of the interesting bars we have visited are Alamat, Dr. Wine Poblacion, Agimat at Ugat, Filling Station Diner, Futurist, Lampara, Run Rabbit Run, Mijo, Z Hostel Roof Deck Bar and Dear Adam/ Sweet Lucy. Read our blog here. (Swipe below picture for more photos)

4.) Walking around Makati City

Makati is safe and definitely walkable. You will be inspired walking around Makati, seeing its modern, tall, iconic and sustainable buildings. Each building normally evokes a unique persona created by its famous architects and engineers. I wish there will be a facilitated tour in Makati pointing some of these impressive buildings in the city with some of the juicy trivia about them. (Swipe below picture for more photos)

5.) Exploring Gastronomic Delights

Being one of the largest cities in the Philippines, Makati City offers all kinds of cafes/restaurants with more than thousands of food businesses on its list. As tourists ourselves who frequent Makati City almost every month, we are sharing our Top Interesting Cafes/ Restaurants in Makati City (in no particular order)! Read our blog here. (Swipe below picture for more photos)

6.) Visit Makati Churches

Some of the churches are more than 400 centuries old. The first to eight photo on below slideshow is the Saints Peter and Paul Church located in Poblacion, the oldest part of Makati. The Franciscans were the first missionaries here in 1578. The Jesuits built this church in 1620 and administered it until 1768. Adjoining were the novitiate for the Jesuits and a house of retreat. Both the church and novitiate were dedicated to San Pedro in memory of the Rev. Pedro de los Montes, builder of the church and of Captain Pedro de Britto, Regidor of Manila, who donated the site called Buenavista in 1607 and endowed the novitiate. The ninth photo is the St. George Greek Orthodox Chapel which seems to be the smallest chapel we have visited in Makati City. (Swipe below picture for more photos)

7.) Chasing Makati Sunset

Below photo is from an AirBNB unit of Sustainable Living by Tina in Sunette Tower. (Swipe below picture for more photos)

8) Meditate in Parks

Makati City has award-winning open and green spaces- Ayala Triangle Gardens, Legazpi Active Park and Jaime C. Velasquez Park. (Swipe below picture for more photos)

9.) Shop in Weekend Markets

Weekend Markets in Makati are not just Weekend Markets. It has been the cradle of promising small businesses which have gone big. Two of the most famous are the Salcedo Weekend Market and the Legazpi Sunday Market. (Swipe below picture for more photos)

10.) Visit Some Historic Buildings

Some of the historic buildings I can mention are Nielson Tower, Philippine Stock Exchange, The Manila Peninsula, Pacific Star, and DBP Building. Read our blog here.

11.) Malls

So far we have been to Centuy City Mall, Power Plant and Sm Jazz Mall. Read our blog here.

12.) Statues

The statues around Makati represent some of our celebrated heroes. They were even sculpted by one of our famous national artists. Make sure to spot some of them around.

13.) Museums

Some of the interesting museums you can visit are Museo ng Makati, Ayala Museum and Yuchengco Museum.

14.) Walk in Underpasses

Makati Underpasses have caught our attention because of its valuable murals painted by top Filipino artists. Read our blog here.

15.) Ride the E-Jeepney

The E-Jeepney is one of the city government’s effort to promote sustainable and green transport system.

16.) Attend Concerts

17.) Learn Other Countries’ Cultures

Makati City also houses most of the embassies and various language and cultural institutes. Below picture is the Goethe-Institut Philippines. (Swipe below photo for more pictures)

18.) Be a Member or Get a Guest Pass in The Rockwell Club

Trivia about the name Makati: In 1571, Spanish Governor-General Miguel Lopez de Legazpi visited a small settlement by the Pasig River in one of his fluvial expeditions from Manila. When he asked the locals what the name of the place was in Spanish, the natives who did not understand him- who did not understand him- pointed to the river and replied, “Makati na! Kumakatina,” referring to the ebbing tide. He then recorded the name of the place as MACATI and later dismissed it as a worthless swampland.

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