5 reasons why you should skip Manila

Allow me to start off by saying that this is my first time in the Philippines. I have friends who have traveled and lived in this country in the past, so I did have some people to refer to regarding my trip. I wrote down a lot of valuable information, including the widely agreed upon suggestion to skip the capital city, Manila.

At first, I was a bit skeptical, as this is the capital of the country. Imagine landing in France and skipping Paris- how could someone not visit the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre ? Fast forward a few months later, and upon landing in Manila, I understood why they were so against this place. 

Here are 5 reasons why you should absolutely waste no time in Manila in order to explore the rest of this beautiful country:

1. Heavy traffic - Unless you plan on traveling very late at night or the early morning, you will most likely experience the heavy traffic this city has to offer. I landed at around 22:30 at Ninoy Aquino Airport, and from there Yoel (my travel companion) and I took a cab to the hotel we booked not far from the airport. The distance between the two is 3.5 kilometers, which would usually take up to 10 minutes. Not only did we land on a rainy, stormy night, but we were stuck in traffic for about 30 minutes before finally arriving at our hotel.

The following day, however, was much worse. In order to pursue our next destination the next night, we booked a hotel in Quezon City, a province in Manila 14 kilometers away from our last hotel. Usually, the estimated time of travel would be 30 minutes. Due to serious traffic, it took us 2 hours to arrive! By the time we arrived we were annoyed and lost all interest in doing anything for the remainder of the day.

2. Expensive than most places - I'll start off by saying that to the first hotel we drove to, the cab driver charged us 1,900 pesos ($35). For only 3.5 kilometers! I'd like to point out that the drivers at the airport like to supercharge tourists, but you should know that for that distance, the price shouldn't exceed 1,000 pesos. I'll take a moment to praise the existence of Grab- a system similar to the popular Uber, and insanely cheaper than normal cabs (they only in cities such as Manila and Cebu City). We used it on our way to the next hotel, and it cost us almost 10 times less for a longer distance and travel time.

Additionally, Western food places (especially fast food chains) are a lot more expensive than the local ones. My recommendation is to try the local delicacies, especially if you're in an Asian country- cheaper and almost always better. 😉

3. High poverty and crime rates - Recently I found out about The Borgen Project, an American non-profit organization with many volunteers all across the US. Its primary focus is addressing extreme poverty worldwide and exploring solutions to eradicate it. I stumbled upon an article they wrote about poverty in Manila, which I found very accurate to what I encountered. Here's a link to the article: https://borgenproject.org/10-facts-about-poverty-in-manila/.

Additionally, an English friend I met along the way told me about an encounter he had with a homeless man with a knife in a dark alley, in which he almost lost everything he possessed. Fortunately for him, he managed to escape with his valuables in tact.

4. Pollution - Manila is said to be one of the most highly polluted cities in the world, and for a reason. The local public transportation systems, such as the jeepneys (a form of modified, decorated military jeep, formerly used by the US military during World War II) and tricycles (a three-wheeled motorbike capable of carrying numerous people) are the main cause for pollution, due to the fact that they run purely on gasoline and are such old systems, there's absolutely no way to make them eco-friendly. It's so bad that Yoel and I had to wear neck warmers over our noses and mouths every time we boarded one of them 😂. Add to that many factories all around the city and a constant hot and humid weather, and you get a very high level of pollution. Not something you and I would stick around for.

5. Not the focal point of the Philippines - Finally, and probably the most important of all- Manila should only be viewed as a pit-stop towards your next destination. As I've come to realize, the beauty of the Philippines consists of the myriad islands all throughout the country (such as Palawan, Siargao, Camiguin, etc.) and the mountainous region of the north (such as Banaue, Sagada, etc.). You won't find any breathtaking rice terraces or stunning beaches in Manila- just a headache and urge to escape from there. If you have to stop there for at least a day, I'd recommend strolling around the modern areas of Manila, such as the Eastwood Citywalk in Quezon City or Greenbelt in Makati. Other than that, don't stay for long, or don't stay at all!

These were 5 reasons why you should, in my opinion, avoid Manila on your trip to the Philippines. Hope to read your thoughts and until then, safe travels!