Considered one of the most cosmopolitan cities in Asia, Manila serves as capital, main port, and center of government, commerce, industry and culture for the Philippines. Situated on Manila Bay, Metropolitan Manila actually comprises several cities, Makati, Pasay, Caloocan, Pasig, Quezon and Manila, along with 12 smaller towns. Because it was virtually destroyed during World War II, Manila is a very modern-looking city of towerblocks, with a few surviving colonial structures nestling here and there. It is a city of sharp contrasts: very wealthy areas and huge slums, new cars driving alongside humble jeepneys and horse-drawn calesas. This vast urban sprawl can be daunting for some, but if you explore its nooks and crannies, you can find rich pockets of traditional culture, excellent food and friendly people.


By the time the Spanish arrived in the 16th century, Manila was a busy port, trading with China, Hindu empires in Sumatra and Java, and powerful Arabs. The first wave of Spaniards receded quickly when when indigenous people killed explorer Ferdinand Magellan in 1521. Led by Miguel de Legaspi, the Spaniards returned in 1565, and upon their arrival, a local trade leader burned the port settlement and fled. Legaspi met with fierce resistance from the indigenous people, but managed to establish a base, which he later shifted to Manila. Under Legaspi, the Spanish built a fortified settlement on top of the burned town and spread out, using the Philippines as an important stop on their trade route.

By the 19th century, Spain's power had waned, and a violent revolt in 1896 weakened her even further. Two years later, Spain went to war with the United States, which ultimately ended Spanish rule in the Philippines. The American occupiers set about to remake the Philippines as an American cultural and military base. During World War II, the Japanese occupied the Philippines, and Manila suffered worse damage than any other city except Warsaw, Hiroshima and Nagasaki. When the war ended, American presence was re-established, and the Philippines was granted a limited independence. The dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos in the the 1970s and 1980s ushered in decades of political corruption and civil unrest. Today, the Philippines remains unstable, as evinced by a military coup attempt in July 2003.


Coconut Palace
Imelda Marcos had this week's elaborate Pit Stop built for the 1981 visit of Pope John Paul. The Pope, however, declined the offer, declaring the structure ostentatious. This palace is showy indeed, built of indigenous materials (70 percent from the coconut tree), with seven lavish suites, each decorated to represent a different region in the Philippines. Though the Coconut Palace never housed the Pontiff, Imelda's celebrity visitors luxuriated there when in Manila. Today, the palace functions as a museum, with beautiful grounds, including an enchanting butterfly garden and orchidarium.

Intramuros
Intramuros, the original walled city built in 1590 by the Spanish atop the ashes of the indigenous settlement, once contained 15 churches and six monasteries. During World War II, General Douglas MacArthur demolished buildings and widened roads to make Intramuros his base of operations. After the war, not much was left of the old city save its walls. Recent renovation projects have restored some Spanish stone buildings, and today Intramuros forms the charming colonial core of metropolitan Manila's urban sprawl.

Lagen Island
Set in the El Nido island chain, Lagen Island's sheer limestone cliffs rise up from clear waters replete with all manner of marine life, including protected sea turtles, dolphins, sharks, whales, 200 species of tropical fish and more than 100 species of coral. The island is riddled with secret caves, private coves and lagoons and blanketed with lush tropical foliage. Its forest is a treat for hikers, home to over 70 species of colorful birds. Lagen also provides excellent opportunities for a variety of water sports, including sailing, windsurfing, waterskiing, snorkeling and scuba diving (there are 25 great dive sites in the area). Nearby islands like Dilumacad, Matinloc, Cadlao and Entatula are great for day trips and boast wonders like reefs, secret beaches and an underwater tunnel.

National Museum
Housed within the old Congress building and three surrounding government buildings, this museum features a wide range of Filipino art and artifacts, including treasures from a sunken 17th-century galleon and an installation tracking the history of the Filipino people.

Pagsanjan
The final scenes of Apocalypse Now were filmed in this lush section of the river, now a popular place for whitewater canoe enthusiasts to shoot the rapids, along with the waterfall. Pagsanjan, in the Laguna Province about 44 miles southwest of Manila, is well worth the trip for anyone wanting to add a little adventure to their itinerary.

Rizal Park
This 148-acre park boasts gardens, both wild and manicured, sweeping lawns, fountains, a children's park and a planetarium, all punctuated by monuments to Filipino heroes. A stroll through Rizal, where crowds of Filipinos relax every day, is a welcome respite from the hurly-burly of the surrounding streets.



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Rees, Bernard. The Manila Galleon. Xlibris, 2003.

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