Where should visitors go when the sun goes down in Manila?  Not back to the hotel, that’s for sure.  Here are some of the top picks for Manila nightlife:

  • Balibago ( http://www.balibago.com/index.html) may be a drive away but worth checking out because it offers extensive nightlife.  The biggest draw is Field Avenue which is a strip of go go clubs and adult entertainment spots enjoyed by travelers from all over the world.
  • Brewery is, as the name suggests, a local brewery where travelers can sample various beer at a relatively low cost.
  • Casinos can be found in some of Manila’s hotels.  Visitors can enjoy relatively inexpensive drinking, live entertainment, table games and slot machines.  The best of the casinos is located inside of the Heritage.
  • Giraffe is the favored happy hour bar in Manila.  Despite being known for this, it is a bar which is also open late, usually until four in the mornings, so visitors can stop in at any time to grab a drink.
  • Roxas Boulevard is the street that people often find most attractive, in the fullest sense of the word.  There are numerous bars located on this street, most of which offer up scantily clad women stripping somewhere in the bar.
  • V Bar is Manila’s favored dance club for the young adult crowd.  Additional dance club listings can be found online at
  • Divisoria Night Market is one of the oldest local shopping markets in the city, and around Christmas time runs until the wee hours.  It is one of the larger night markets in Asia, and is located in San Nicholas between the North Port and Chinatown.  Ideally travel with a local, and watch your bag as pickpockets are common.  Great for cheap running shoes, all manner of flea market treasures.  Taxi to Divisoria, or alternatively catch an MTR or LRT2 (light rail) to Recto station and then catch a jeepney to Divisoria if you are confident.
  • Marikina Riverpark is the perfect gimik area if you wanted to lounge, dine or bond with friends with the view of the famous Marikina river. Since the river was rehabilitated years back, it became the biggest park in a natural setting in the country today and at night, it turns into a gimikeros haven with different bars and restaurants lined along the river banks. 

  • Malate is still the most lively spot for nightlife. Two blocks in from Roxas Blvd. start from Malate Church down Remedios. On Remedios Street is Tia Maria with live music and opposite many small eateries with cheaper (and better) food. Turn right on the corner of Adriatico and Remedios you find a branch of Cafe Havanna and next to it a Bistro with a really good selection of Filipino foods which is a bit more affordable then Café Adriatico (diagonally opposite from Café Havanna). Café Adriatico has nice selection of foods and is well known in the area. Follow along Remedios Circle and find a pleasant (but more expensive)Restaurant Guernica (named after the Picasso Painting) with imported beef and other specialities. If you stay on Adriatico and go along past the Café Adriatico you will find more spots with live music. BedRock is well known and a bit noisy. If you are there on the weekend try "Unplugged" above the BedRock - if they are open the music is (a little) more quiet. Further along Adriatio you pass Starbucks (which is also the entrance to Malate Pensionne - a reliable and affordable place to stay while in Manila). A few meters further down the road you find three simple bars on the street (if they are still there). The best one is Koko's Nest with reasonable prices on drinks and a good selection of (cheap) and tasty foods. Sit down and you get a free view of the nightlife walking by - can't beat it. Wait for the street vendors to sell you snacks for about 10 pesos (€0.16) or even single cigarettes (if you can't afford the half pack or the full pack). A little further down the road you can branch of to the into Nakpil Street where you find a wine vendor (they have other spirits) and more live music and some of the gay bars in the area (may be someone else knows more about that). Make your way back on Maria Orosa or J. Bocobo to find more food and live entertainment. If you did not go down Nakpil and are still on Adriatico, check out some of the beautiful "ladies" - makes sure you get what you really like ;-) because most of them are not female. Continue on Adriatico and at the corner of Pedro Gil you will find the re-built Robinson's Midtown Department Store and Mall with a good selection of New Stores and Restaurants. Bargains on cell phones and accessories and a food fair. If you do not go into the Mall have a look at the Gruppo Barbero (formerly Bruno's which is now in the Mall). A good barber shop with about 150 Pesos ((€2.50 for the haircut, but do not stop there! Get a scalp massage and a shave and let one of the ladies give you a manicure, pedicure and a facial (YES - do it, it is not only for girls). As part of the package you get a nice massage, or you can even ask for a full-body massage which is DECENT and relaxing. The 'full package' will not cost you more than 1,500-2,000 pesos which is still affordable ((€24.00-32.00 for 1 1/2- 2 hours of pampering). If you skip Bruno’s and walk past Salas Street you pass another entrance to the Mall on your right and at the corner of Sta.Monica find another simple Bar and Grill . Turn left to see the stalls on Sta. Monica and AVOID the Money changers unless you wish to be cheated. Turn right on Mabini and look for more live entertainment at Calle Cinco (also called C5) on the right and Cowboy Grill on the other side of the Road.