Manila nightlife

Manila Nightlife Explorer: A Tourist’s Essential Guide

Manila is the capital city of the Philippines and the craziest spot for nightlife seekers. Partying never ends since the city never sleeps! It wouldn’t be a surprise when you see people on Manila streets rushing to their jobs while you are heading back to your hotel for sleep. Manila nightlife offers a variety of fun, especially for foreigners. Unlike Thailand, Manila still presents foreigner-friendly nightlife features and relations. Let’s explore nightlife in Manila with full details below.

Manila Nightlife

Manila is the largest and most crowded city in the Philippines. So, the nightlife doesn’t locate in one particular street or town. Since the city never sleeps, nightlife can be found on every corner, but let’s list the leading nightlife spots in Manila, Philippines.

“It’s more fun in the Philippines”

Makati Nightlife

The most well-known nightlife spot in Manila, where the most popular bars, nightclubs, and hotels are located. The city is also well-developed and safe for foreigners. Burgos Street (the Bar street of Makati) is also located here, where you can find many restaurants, bars, and clubs in one street. Hotels are usually average, but the quality is worth the money in the Makati area.

Bars and Clubs in Makati

  • Strumm’s
  • Manila PubCrawl
  • Royal Club
  • The Curator
  • Salon de Ning
  • Finders Keepers MNL
  • Music 21 Plaza
  • Club SixtyNine
  • Bar Crawl PH
  • Ringside Bar
  • Palladium
  • The Void

Malate/Ermita Nightlife

Also called the Ermita district of Manila, it offers second-class nightlife options where you can find college students and locals hanging out in bars and clubs. Compared to Fort Bonifacio and Makati, the Malate district is less developed and more affordable. Majority of tourists still prefer hanging out around Malate since the location is central and close to famous tourist attractions like Rizal Park and Intramuros.

Unlike Makati and BGC, Malate offers many karaoke and girly bars with very affordable prices. Adriatico Street is the main road where tourists and locals stroll throughout the day. Starting from LRT Pedro Gil Station (people using LRT need to stop on Pedro Gil station to reach here by walking) and extending all the way to Manila Bay, the street accompanies you with hotels, Casino, Robinson Mall, KTV bars, nightclubs, and simultaneously homeless people sleeping on the streets, beggars following you obstinately, freelancer Pilipino massage girls yelling, vendors that always cheat, Jeepneys, and heavy traffic. Defiantly worth the try!

Seven-Eleven is almost on every corner. Usually safe but still needs to be careful after midnight. Manila’s famous 2 Bars (L.A. CAFÉ and Exclusiv Club) are located here too. The atmosphere is more sincere, and venues are relatively cheaper than Makati. Hotels are cheaper, but my recommendation is to stay around Adriatico Street to be exactly in the hearth of nightlife, bars, restaurants and cafes.

Recommended to Read: LA CAFE Manila 

Bars and Clubs in Malate

  • L.A Café
  • Exclusiv
  • FAB
  • Club ZZYZX

Fort Bonifacio Nightlife

Also called Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, probably the most developed district in Manila. The city accommodates well-known companies and sectors but still offers luxury nightlife features for its rich class guests.

Bars and Clubs in Fort Bonifacio

  • Bank Bar
  • Seventh High
  • Nectar Nightclub
  • Prive
  • Rockstar KTV
  • Valkyrie
  • Revel
  • The Island
  • Early Night

Quezon City Nightlife

Unlike other nightlife spots, Quezon City still has nightlife options to offer for locals and visitors from abroad. Quezon City became popular recently in terms of nightlife since foreigners got bored of Makati, Malate, and The Fort and started searching for untouched spots in Manila. By taxi, depending on the traffic, it would take 1 to 1.5 hours to get there from Makati.

If you also want to get rid of venues packed with foreigners, Quezon City nightlife may help you out with safe and cheap nightlife options. Let us warn you about your expectations. Since it’s not really a tourist spot, you may not find it worth it, but for me, it’s quite worth experiencing. Hotels are also cheap and comfortable here compared to other tourist spots.

Bars and Clubs in Quezon City

  • Oblivion
  • Ka Freddie’s Music Bar & Restaurant
  • Cowboy Grill
  • Red Planet Quezon City
  • Vanity Club
  • Guilly’s Night Club
  • PS Bar & Billiard
  • Fred’s Revolucion Cubao X
  • Tago Jazz Café

Angeles City Nightlife

 A town trying to emulate Walking Street in Pattaya, Thailand, also known as Pampanga. It’s basically a red-light district in Manila where you can find beautiful girls calling for a drink while you are walking on their so-called “walking street.” And yes, their street is also called “walking street” but in Pampanga. Anyway, it’s also crowded with foreigners, and everything is designed for foreigners’ attention.

Relatively expensive and not really worth it. Those who are looking for quick action without any effort may prefer Pampanga nightlife. Just be careful and don’t forget to bargain all the time. For safe and central hotel options, check out here.

Bars and Clubs in Angeles City

  • After Dark
  • After School
  • Agasya
  • Angelwitch
  • Atlantis
  • Aura
  • Viking Bar
  • Red Bar
  • Lollipop
  • Aqua Beach Club
  • Midnight Rodeo
  • The Living Room
  • Midnight Rock Bar
  • Tao
  • Club Vibe

Transportation

Using a taxi in Manila can be challenging, especially during high-traffic hours when they may demand exorbitant fares for short distances due to being stuck in traffic. In places like Mall of Asia, it’s not always easy to find a taxi, and if you’re lucky enough to find one, they might quote high prices. If you’re traveling alone in Manila, I strongly recommend hassle-free apps like Angkas (motorbike), Joyride (motorbike), or Grab (taxi) while in the Philippines.

Install them immediately upon arriving at your hotel. These apps provide budget-friendly transportation options in the Philippines. Additionally, Manila has a robust bus and LRT network; Google Maps can assist you with directions. Using LRT or Jeepney is a convenient way to travel in Manila. Be cautious of taxi scams, as some may attempt to charge triple prices from tourists.

Accommodation

Hotels in Manila are generally good, comfortable, safe and centrally located, but it’s crucial to be careful when finding your hotel. Manila is vast, and your hotel may be outside convenient boundaries. Opting for cheaper options might seem appealing, but it could result in high taxi costs. Moreover, it’s not entirely safe to book a hotel in any part of Manila, given the city’s complexity with suburbs, and certain areas may pose safety risks. As an expat who has lived in Manila for more than three years, I have listed below the best locations to stay for an optimal Manila nightlife experience.

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Safety

Finally, I would like to conclude this guide with some important safety tips. To stay on the safe side, avoid arguing with any Filipino, especially in the middle of the night. Try not to drink excessively to avoid getting lost. Never engage in discussions about drugs. Exercise caution regarding your bills in nightclubs. Don’t assume that women are easily approachable; many of them may be freelancers who make deals before you leave the venue.

Never argue with the bodyguards or security staff at any place you visit; they are not typically friendly and may react strongly. Street vendors and strip club promoters should not be trusted; engaging with them could lead to serious trouble. Avoid purchasing anything like Viagra or other drugs related to intimacy from unreliable sources, as most of them are likely fake and could pose serious health risks. If you need such pills, obtain them from well-known pharmacies like Mercury Drugstore or Watsons. Be polite to people; they are generally friendly, but disrespect can provoke unfavorable reactions.

Summary

Manila nightlife is a great option in Asia right after Thailand. There are many options according to your budget for hanging out and a variety of options in terms of fun. The listed bars and clubs are not all, but the ones I can remember. The real list may not fit in this article since there are hundreds of bars and clubs in Manila that open till morning.

7 comments

  1. good write up man, definiitely a ton of fun to be had in this city, the fort is the best for clubs

  2. Can anyone advise the names of hotels very close to the nightlife area,Walking distance? Davao.
    Many thanks in advance

  3. Also mall of Asia is good spot for hanging out if you want to meet with locals. There are many bars along with sea side in front of mall of Asia. People walking around and it’s quite crowded as well. Definitely recommend.

  4. ZZYZX is good although the security check to get in is seriously stringent. but it is safe in there (probably because of that) and it is free to get in. The beer in there is disgusting so better stick to a brand that you know and that means bottled Budweiser at about 200 PHP a bottle. Can’t complain really though seeing as it dont cost anything to get in and is open all night.

    Aother couple of places of note are on Pedro Gil. Tambayan hotel has a terrace bar that is ideal for taking a date (speaking from experience). Its classy and nice. Then there is a place behind the Birch Tower called Bellagio Square which has a few bars and a disco. Seating outside and is pretty good value for money and the bars become a pick up joint later at night.

    In Makati on Burgos there is a so called sports bar called Cheers which is pretty good and has a happy hour (half priced drinks) every day until 8pm. In terms of picking up a girl in there, its possible but also is a ladyboy hangout as well if that is what you are into – or wanna try.

    Around the corner from there on Polaris is a less known sports bar called Handlebar, which does actually show sports on TV. Not a pickup joint as such but probably can score in the evenings when regular locals are there especially if you are in a group. Not the place for a solo on the hunt.

    Cheapest hotel in Makati is still the Citadel Inn at 1700 PHP a night. It is quite hard to find a booking site that has this hotel listed but its the ideal place – right next door to Cheers bar and no checks are made taking visitors in. I have banged a few in this hotel. Another one nearby as well is called Dragonlink suites (also known as Soho suites), which more like an apartment block and visitors are able to get in hassle free.

    • ZZYZX club is just scammer. ı was there 1 month ago with one of my friend. we have ordered 8 beers bucket. They told us no space in bucket and they just served 6 pcs. Waiter told me I will bring once you finished the bucket. I said ok. After we finished beers I asked for my remaining 2 beers. He bring and once we are ready to leave and ask for bill, they charged me 10 beers. I tried to explain even with the waiter who served us but they said no I have to pay 10 beers. I got really mad and securities come over me. I called manager but manager did not even come to me. I just paid since I dont want any trouble next to my visitor. I never go this place again. They are true scammers. Never recommend also.

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