This review will cover everything you need to know about partying in the whole Metro Manila, a huge urban area which is made of several cities including Manila, Makati, Pasay, Taguig and Quezon City.
I will answer the following questions: Why choosing Manila? Where to stay and party? What are the best clubs and bars in Manila? Where to meet Filipino girls? Where are the red light districts, massage parlours, strip clubs and gogo bars?
If you need more information or if you feel I missed something, please just leave a comment below at the end of the review.
Is Manila Recommended for Party?
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I would recommend Manila nightlife for the following reasons:
- Cheap prices for alcohol, entrance fees and taxis: Even high-end nightclubs like Revel only charge a 10$ entrance with 2 strong drinks included. You can easily get yourself drunk for 30 dollars in Manila, which is the price for one cocktail in some bars in Singapore.
- Foreigner-friendly: English is spoken everywhere in Manila, even by security guards or taxis. Filipinos are open-minded and easy-going. Dress codes are almost never implemented.
- Girl-friendly hotels: There are no issues with bringing girls back to your hotel in Manila.
- Rather easy to meet pretty girls that are not prostitutes: While prostitution is big in Manila with several red light districts, you also have a great dating and flirting scene with normal local girls.
- Clubs and bars open late and every day: You can go out any night of the week in Manila, you'll always find a crowded bar or nightclub. Sunday nights can be spent in B-Side, Mondays in ZZYZX and Tuesdays in Privé. The rest of the week is busy almost everywhere. There are no real curfews: Many clubs close at 6am, a few keep going until 8am.
There are a few negative sides about Manila though. The city is still developing and you won't see the kind of sophisticated bars and clubs as you would in Singapore, Bangkok or Jakarta (except maybe for Chaos).
Hotels are usually a bit more expensive than elsewhere in Southeast Asia and their quality is average. The internet is terrible, even when advertised as being fast. During the day, you may spend a lot of time in traffic (not as much as in Jakarta anyway). There is a metro but it is packed and hot. The food is not great unless you are a fan of junk food/American food.
If you are into paid sex, be aware that Manila is rather expensive too: Bar fines can reach almost a 100$!. Finally, security is an issue but it is quite exaggerated in my opinion. As long as you stay in safe neighborhoods and use reputed taxi companies, you are not particularly at risk.
Where to Party in Manila?
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Metro Manila is one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world. You cannot visit everything in one night of course.
The nightlife is active in the following areas, by order of personal preference:
- Makati is the first business district in Metro Manila and it is home to many expatriates. It is the most interesting place for party because there are both high-end clubs and bars + a lively red light district. It is also centrally located with many options for hotels and apartments. Go to Makati Avenue for coffee shops/bars/clubs, P Burgos Street for gogo bars and brothels and near Havana Café in Greenbelt 3 for freelancers.
- Bonifacio Global City (BGC or The Fort) is a newer business district that currently competes with Makati. It is more modern and attracts younger Filipinos and expats. It is built on a grid, meaning it's easy to go from one place to another. It's probably the safest area in Metro Manila. Accommodation is hard to find, especially in the budget segment. Go to The Fort Strip or to The Palace for trendy bars and clubs.
- Ermita/Malate are two districts of Manila located next to each other near the Manila Bay. They attract budget travelers, backpackers, tourists and Koreans/Japanese businessmen. It is also where most government buildings are. The area can be considered a red-light district with its Korean-style karaokes and its pubs with freelance prostitutes. You also have some street prostitution and a few popular expat bars. Go to Adriatico and nearby streets.
- Quezon City is actually the most populated city in the Philippines, before Manila. It is very authentic, mostly residential, with at least 10 good nightclubs, dozens of bars and a few karaokes/massage parlours. The crowd is usually young and almost 100% local. Prices are low. There used to be a red light area with naked striptease but it was closed down by the Mayor a few years ago. You can go to Tomas Morato Avenue, Timog Avenue, Quezon City Avenue and Cubao X (for hipsters).
- Pasay/Parañaque are two municipalities located around the airport, south of Manila. It is not the most recommended area except if you are looking for sex. In particular, you have the EDSA International Entertainment Complex, a sort of smaller local version of Nana Plaza with 6 bars lined up next to each other. You also have a few bordellos and gogo bars scattered around, for instance Universe Strip Club or Air Force One KTV. Finally, this is where the mall City of Dreams is located, with its 2 luxury nightclubs (Pangaea and Chaos).
You have secondary nightlife areas like in the Ortigas Business District (Metrowalk). The ambiance there is good natured with live music and families.
- Pasay/Parañaque are two municipalities located around the airport, south of Manila. It is not the most recommended area except if you are looking for sex. In particular, you have the EDSA International Entertainment Complex, a sort of smaller local version of Nana Plaza with 6 bars lined up next to each other. You also have a few bordellos and gogo bars scattered around, for instance Universe Strip Club or Air Force One KTV. Finally, this is where the mall City of Dreams is located, with its 2 luxury nightclubs (Pangaea and Chaos).
You have secondary nightlife areas like in the Ortigas Business District (Metrowalk). The ambiance there is good natured with live music and families.
Best Nightclubs in Metro Manila
I list here my 11 favorites starting with the best. I usually go clubbing with 1 or 2 persons maximum so I tend to prefer when there is a dancefloor, a nice bar area and where it is easy to meet new people.
UPDATE 2017: There is a new nightclub I haven't been to called XX XX or 20 20 (in Makati). According to my friends, it is the best one in the city at the moment if you like underground music/techno. Please have a look and leave your feedback below. My next trip to Manila is only in September and I'll review it then.
1) Black Market
The current trendy club in Manila among expats and hip Filipinos. Music is anything but EDM. Lots of pretty girls but not so easy to chat with them.
2) Valkyrie
Located in The Palace in Bonifacio Global City, it is huge and modern with a great party atmosphere. If you are new in Manila, Valkyrie is my first recommendation as you can meet girls easily. It is also connected to the Pool Club and Revel.
Chaos is located in the mall/casino City of Dreams. It looks neat with a perfect sound system and a high-end crowd. It is best enjoyed if you book at least a small table near the dancefloor.
4) Time
This small underground nightclub is famous for staying open until late in the morning. It has also the best DJs playing techno, minimal and electro-tech. Many expats.
5) Prime
Located in Quezon City, about 30 minutes from Makati without traffic, Prime is worth a visit if you want to experience another side of Manila nightlife: Younger, cheaper and more relaxed.
6) Revel
Revel is crowded with 30+ years old executives and expats. It could be a fantastic club but there is almost no dancefloor so unless you book a sofa, you don't really feel comfortable. It is connected to Valkyrie and The Pool Club. Easy for meeting girls.
7) Pangaea
Pangaea is the sister nightclub of Chaos in City of Dreams. It is rather intimate with a low ceiling and a NY-underground vibe (though it is a luxury place). They play mostly Rn'B.
8) Privé
Maybe the most exclusive nightclub in Manila, it is located in the Fort in BGC. You have a good crowd of expats and rich Filipinos. Some celebrities as well. They have a popular retro night every Tuesday.
9) Gramercy 71
Located on the 71st floor of the Gramercy tower in Makati, you have an indoor and an outdoor area with a nice view over Manila.
10) ZZYZX
This little club in Malate is packed every night of the week. Though targeting mostly Koreans, it is still one of my favorite places for party in Manila, especially on weekdays. You have a lot of pretty girls but 90% of them are freelance prostitutes.
11) URBN
URBN is more like a pub turned nightclub after midnight. Located next to the Fort Strip, it is considered to be a pick-up joint by many expats.
Clubs usually close around 5am-6am. If you want to keep going after that, you can go to Time, LA Café (open 24-hour with many freelance prostitutes) or Bronx (also a bar with working girls).
Best Bars in Metro Manila
I listed a few of them here: Best Bars in Manila.
Among my favorites, I like Cable Car, Borough, El Chupacabra and Draft. They are busy, they serve food and they get you all pumped up before party.
There are some more sophisticated venues targeting mainly expats and high-class Filipinos. The best ones are Hooch, famous for its cocktails, and Finders Keepers (next to Black Market).
Speakeasies are so trendy in Manila that it is kind of ridiculous to see so many bars having the same concept. Finders Keepers is the best. The other good ones are The Curator, ABV (Alcohol by Volume) or Blind Pig.
If you need alternative/hipster places, you can visit Today X Future and Fred's Revolucion in Quezon City (Cubao X). B-Side in Makati is great on Sundays for reggae lovers.
Manila is one of the best places in Southeast Asia for live music. You can listen to any genre in hundreds of bars, but these are the current top spots:
Rock Music: Craft, The Brewery @ The Palace, Handlebar
Oldies/Retro: Strumm's
Indie Rock/Acoustic: 12 Monkeys, Saguijo, Tomato Kick, Route 196
Jazz, World Music, Reggae: Tago, The Bar @ 1951, B-Side
Where to Meet (Normal) Filipino Girls?
A good idea is to download a few dating apps like Tinder, Badoo or Skout. If you are more a laptop person, you can also visit the very popular FilipinoCupid (up to 5,000 girls online in evenings). If you fill your profile with an honest, witty description and nice pictures, you should get a fair number of matches.
The big problem with those apps is that most girls are looking for expats who actually live in the Philippines (except on FilipinoCupid). If you are in Manila for a few days only, they will see you as a tourist hungry for casual sex and they hate that. Those girls might be ok to meet with you, but they will act cold and they will make you waste your time. Personally, I filter girls to meet only the ones who enjoy going to clubs and who drink alcohol. Girls who don't like those are usually uptight and still looking for their Prince Charming. Avoid at all cost unless you're looking for a wife.
If you are looking for one night stands, then clubs and bars are probably your best options. You can either invite a date from a Tinder/Badoo or find someone directly there.
If you are an expat, I would say your best chances to meet with a Filipino girl are in the following venues: Valkyrie, Chaos, Revel, Pangaea, Privé, URBN and Below (ex-Paradis). Quezon City is a bit more difficult compared to Manila nightlife because girls are not used to be approached by foreigners. You may try Guilly's there.
Gogo Bars, Striptease, Red Light Districts, Massage Parlours:
- P Burgos Street in Makati (mostly gogo bars, massage parlours and street prostitution) - Beware, there is also a Burgos street in Manila but it's not the right one.
- EDSA Entertainment Complex in Pasay: A similar, yet cheaper alternative to Burgos
- Malate/Ermita: A mix of everything from street prostitutes, Korean KTVs, spas and freelance bars
In the past 10 years, the local governments of some municipalities have put pressure on venues owners in an attempt to curb prostitution. This can be seen in Malate/Ermita and Quezon City where most gogo bars and naughty massage parlours have shut down. Police raids are rather common in such establishments.
You also have some very local places in working class neighborhoods but for safety reasons, I would strongly advise you to avoid unless you are familiar with the city.
In the past few years, a lot of the action has moved online, particularly on WeChat. The app is full of prostitutes and escorts that are quite easy to contact using the "Look Around" feature.
Massage Plus Plus:
In terms of quality, massage parlours in Manila cannot compare with those in Bangkok or Jakarta. They are mostly disguised brothels without a real massage. You usually pay for the room a certain amount and then pay a tip to the girl depending on the service. It is rather pricey: The decent ones will cost you at least 50$.
The most high-end massage parlour in Manila is probably Flight 168, which is attached to the KTV Air Force One. Several services are included there for a price starting 90$.
The best-value massage parlours plus plus in Metro Manila are located in Quezon City on Quezon Avenue. The famous ones are Kremlin, Wilderness and Pegasus.
Nuru massage / Thai Massage / Soapy are available in Starfleet in Parañaque, not too far away from the airport.
For 24-hour massage parlour in Manila, there used to be Palacio Don Pedro in Makati but it was shut down by the police.
Many street girls will offer you massage on the streets of Burgos in Makati. The quality is usually poor.
Gogo Bars:
Gogo bars in Manila are quite similar to those you can find in Bangkok in places like Soi Cowboy or Nana Plaza. The main difference is that prices are much higher, in particular for the bar fine which can reach between 50$-80$ in Burgos street. This does not include what you pay to the girl, usually another 50$. The best ones are Kojax, Ringside Bar (a kind of blowjob bar too which features Midget Boxing) and G-String (very friendly). More venues: Best Gogo Bars in Manila.
Some of the bars have rooms where you can have sex. I'll recommend Plan B for that. Price is the same as the bar fine + tip for the girl.
EDSA Entertainment Complex has cheaper prices, but the bars are not as numerous and the quality of girls is lower.
You can also look at my list of the Best Girlie Bars in Manila where I included all the gogo bars and the venues with a high proportion of freelancers.
Stripclubs:
In terms of striptease, there is only one place that I could find with full nudity in Manila. It is called Universe and it is located in Pasay. Horizon Gentleman's VIP Club has real pole dancing shows, Las-Vegas style, but the girls don't strip naked.
Some gogo bars in Burgos street are hotter than others. In particular, Bottoms Bar where ladies' drinks can create miracles and make bras disappear.
Karaoke and Digital KTV
Popular family karaokes in Manila include CenterStage (Pasay and Makati) or the chain Music 21 (several locations).
My guess is that you are more interested in sexy karaokes with hostesses and hot lady companions. In this case, most of them are in Ermita/Malate (Korean and Japanese). You also have a few in Burgos Street (Makati), in Quezon City and around the airport.
In Ermita/Malate, you can just walk on Adriatico, Mabini, Bocobos and Remedios street and you'll see a lot of them with girls waiting outside in sexy dresses.
In general, you pay an entrance fee of 500PHP. This gives you access to free booze and food for a certain amount of time in the common area. The common area is quite similar to any bar with hostesses/bar girls except that you can sing. There might be a show sometimes (just singing). You can call the girl you like, chat with her and buy her ladies' drinks. You can also get some private time with her in a room, but this generally does not include anything sexual. The girl will usually give you her phone number and you can meet her outside for lunch or dinner. What happens next is just between you and her.
The famous ones are Room 526 (the most luxurious with the hottest girls), Subaru (but girls there are mostly interested in Japanese and Korean customers), Mysterious Lady Angel KTV Bar, Vogue KTV and Upstage.
KTVs in Malate rarely have bedrooms inside. If you want sex, you must go to other municipalities:
In Quezon City, check Classmate, Pegasus and Heartbeat.
Around the airport, the best one is Air Force One (next to the massage parlour Flight 168). You also have Liberty Island and Universe Strip Club. Other good places to check are Genie Magic KTV but it is far in Rizal municipality and East Asia KTV in Roxas. Some other names mentioned on internet are Studio 69 and Apeira but I cannot confirm if there are still open or not.
Photo credit: Goks.