Manila Philippines

Manila is a coastal city on the island of Luzon in the Philippines . The capital city of Manila, which was once under the rule of Spain, America and Japan, has the culture and several traditions of different countries. And so this city, clinging to history, is called the Rome of the East. However, apart from the historical sites, the city of Manila has numerous tourist attractions including beautiful parks and entertainment. And so many tourists from far and wide gather in this popular tourist town.

The colonial architecture of densely populated Manila, modern skyscrapers and Intramuros City are special attractions for tourists. There are also churches, parks and several museums covering the history of the city which tourists are sure to enjoy.

This old Spanish fort is a major attraction for tourists to learn about the history of the city of Manila and their culture. In 1593, Spanish sailor and governor Miguel Lopez de Legazpi built the fort. Fort Sentigo is a significant part of the inner city walls of Manila. During World War II, hundreds of American prisoners died of suffocation and starvation in the darkness of this fort. Each and every structure in the well-kept grounds and corners has been meticulously maintained and the ancient fort and other structures and every monument seem to hold ancient history. Here the museum of Philippine national leader Jose Riel is a special attraction for tourists. The fort also has a beautiful garden, a pond filled with lotus flowers and a fountain near the entrance. There are also rest rooms, cafes, gift shops and an information center for tourists. Guides for visiting the fort are available here. Again there is an opportunity to visit the fort by renting a bicycle. Fort Sentigo is open daily from 8 am to 5 pm and the entrance fee for adults is Tk 319.

Covering an area of ​​about 143 acres, Riel Park is a popular place in Manila. Also known as Luneta Park or simply Luneta, this park is a historical urban park in the Philippines. Inside the park is a sculpture garden built in honor of Philippine national leader Jose Riel. So the history of the Philippines can be known to a large extent by reading the inscriptions on the monuments and landmarks here. You can listen to low beat music from the music speakers spread around the garden. And if you want, you can rent a horse and go around. Many people come to walk here in the afternoon. And at night, the colorful decoration of the colorful fountain here is worth noting. However, the tourist crowd is much more than the seating area in Riel Park. There is a huge crowd in front of Riel Monument to watch the musical fountain especially at 6 pm.

This park is a perfect place of entertainment for the entire family to spend the whole day enjoying. Various sea creatures can be seen here in the huge aquarium. There will also be an opportunity to see various species of fish, birds and reptiles as well as swim with sharks underwater. There are various shows based on information about marine life. And there is an opportunity to take pictures with the sea animals under the special supervision of the trainers. Its symphony fountain show, bird show, talking penguin show, sea lion show, fish spa and gift shop are special attractions for tourists. Manila Ocean Park can be visited for 1282 taka (300 pesos in Philippines) per person for 3 hours.

The Roman Catholic San Augustan Church in the inner city of Manila is one of the oldest churches in the Philippines. The church was formerly the residence of Miguel López de Lejazpi, the founder of the city of Manila and the city's first general. Around this 400 year old church there are numerous buildings that are worth exploring. There are also some beautiful terracotta sculptures and paintings. At the same time, the time spent in the garden here is also very enjoyable. And almost always various events are organized here. If you go with a tour guide, you will know a lot of history, and the entry fee here is 855 taka per person.

The National Planetarium, run under the National Museum, is basically a planet theatre. The 16-meter-tall dome-shaped theater is located in Real Park between the Japanese Garden and the Chinese Garden on Padre Burgos Avenue. This theater mainly shows three shows of Planets based on Astrology. How the movement of the stars affects our lives and many things about the solar system can be learned by watching these shows. And so kids as well as adults will love it here. A glow-in-the-dark planet between the ornate walls and ceiling here creates a different kind of atmosphere. The theater is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm and the ticket price is Tk 213 per person.

The museum exhibits Philippine fine art, archeology, botany and natural history collections as well as various paintings by Filipino artists. It takes about 2-3 hours to visit this museum. And the most important thing is that there is no entry fee.

You can also go to Casa Manila (a museum depicting the life of the Spanish during the colonial period of the Philippines), Money Museum (a museum that showcases various aspects of the Philippine financial system from its beginnings to the present), Upside Down Museum (a different arrangement of adventure and entertainment) This place is very famous especially for photography), Paso Park (Spanish colonial cemetery now known as park, various events are organized here), Star City (amusement park with various entertainment programs), Marina North Cemetery, Places like the Statue of the Sentinel of Freedom, Ayala Tri Angle Gardens, Coconut Palace, Manila Cathedral, Manila Zoo, Santo Domingo Church, Greenbelt Park, Arroyos Forest Park and Santa Cruz Church.

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From Dhaka, you can go to Manila in Philippines by Biman Bangladesh, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific or Malaysian Airlines. However, there are no direct flights so transit stops at Bangkok , Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. In that case it takes about 7 and a half hours to 16 hours to go from Bangladesh to Manila depending on the airlines and transit.

Air travel from Bangladesh to Philippines will cost around Tk 29,000-38,500. And visiting the tourist spots, staying in the hotel, eating and drinking and traveling by plane from Bangladesh will cost about 65,000-75,000 Tk to stay in Manila for 4 days and 5 nights.

Manila has a number of good quality apartments, hotels, guest houses and home stays in SM Mall of Asia, Rial Park, SM Manila, China Town and Intramuros. Among them are Bahay Ng Lahat, Mang Ben Dormitory, Bed and Brewhouse, Despacito del Sol, 37Z Dutch Inn, Roberto's Dutch Inn, Manila Beck Packers Lodge, JCP Room Rentals, Palins Apartments Studio Unit at SM Lite Residence, like Room Tenth Ave Cubao, In hotels like Red Rose, you will get a room for two people between Tk 450-1150.

The diversity of food in the city of Manila is remarkable. And among different restaurants, you will find good quality food at Bar Pintox, Black Bird, Bite, Early Bird Breakfast, Sabrosso Comfort Food. And among the dishes are halo halo (a sweet dish consisting of red beans, coconut, jelly, fruit and ice cream), buco pie (similar to a custard pie), Mexican fried chicken, kinilaw (a fish, onion, coconut vinegar and lemon based dip). ), try different religious dishes like kare kare (peanut butter with various vegetables). Again there are several good food stalls inside Riel Park. Here you will find good quality food at low prices.

Mall of Asia, Robinsons Galleria, Plaza Miranda, and Salcedo Center in Manila offer plenty of shopping options. You can shop cheaply in Baclaran, Green Hills, SM Malls and Cubao. And among the tourist spots, you'll find several gift shops along the exit gate to Fort Santiago. Here you can buy some good gift items and souvenirs. Again San Augustan Church has a souvenir church where you can find books, postcards and souvenirs.

Feature Image : Piotr Kupczak