World City Guide

Nightlife

All the Latinate vibrancy of Philippines life comes out in Manila at night, although there is no denying its rough edge. Recent clean-up campaigns have cut into the legacy of sex tourism sleaze, although it can still be found by those who care to look. The generally high standards of English also allow for faster contact with locals. Barflies looking for genuine native excitement should gravitate to JM Nakpil Street, Makati Avenue or Pasay Road in Makati, or anywhere in Malate and Ermita districts. Almost any bar or club is likely to feature live music, so the sections below do overlap somewhat. Closing times range from 0200 or 0300 during the week to 0500 at weekends, depending on the venue. Dress codes also vary with the venue but are often robustly get-down. The legal drinking age in the Philippines is 18 years. An entire evening of hardy drinking at a typical bar will cost between P150 and P300 – anyone foolhardy enough to patronise a girlie bar can expect that figure to rise hugely.

The Manila Bulletin City Guide (website: www.mb.com.ph) and ClickTheCity (website: www.clickthecity.com) are the best sources for listings in Manila. Further listings can be found online at www.manilaguide.com and www.yehey.com.

Bars: Top-class venues for the sophisticate include Café Vogue and the Orchid Bar, both located at the Manila Midtown Hotel, corner of Pedro Gil Street and M Adriatico Street, the Lobby Lounge, at the Manila Hotel, 1 Rizal Park, the Sky Lounge, at the Manila Diamond Hotel, corner of Roxas boulevard and Dr J Quintos Street, and Top of the Century, at the Century Park Sheraton Hotel, 599 P Ocampo Street. Symptomatic of the many Westerners who have settled in Manila, the San Mig Pub, Legaspi Street, and the Prince of Wales Pub and Grill, New Plaza Building, Greenbelt Mall Ayala Center, Makati, offer a suggestion of home in a far more lively atmosphere. The local Hard Rock Café, 1786 M Adriatico Street, Malate, is a good venue for East-meets-West. Streetlife, on the fourth floor of Quad III, Ayala Center, has eclectic decor and an exuberant ambience. Last, but not least, the V Bar in the Ayala shopping centre in Makati, Glorietta 2, is one of the trendiest spots in town, so dress to impress if you want to get in.

Casinos: Filipinos love to gamble and there are more sophisticated places to do this than around the cockpit (see Further Distractions). The Casino Filipino Pavilion, situated in the Holiday Inn Manila Hotel, United Nations Avenue, Ermita, is open daily 24 hours. Dress code is smart, the entry fee is P100 and the minimum age is 21 years – a passport is required. The Casino Filipino Heritage, in the Heritage Hotel Manila, at the intersection of Roxas Boulevard and EDSA, in Pasay City, offers a similar gambling experience.

Clubs: Sedate ballroom dancing can be found Monday-Saturday evening at Remedios Circle, with In the Mood. Up-tempo, upmarket venues include the Infinity Club, 1712 Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City, and La Legende Entertainment Complex, 718 Quezon Avenue, Quezon City. For raves, trance, house and club culture, try Laser Planet, at Star City, Roxas Boulevard, Pasay; Synergy, on the third level, Glorietta II, Ayala Center, Makati; or The Verve Room, second floor, 607 J Nakpil Street, Malate. Alternatively, just pick up any flyer marked ‘Groove Nation’ or ‘Consortium’. More eccentric choices include Hobbit House, Mabini Street, a folk club staffed entirely by dwarves.

Live Music: Philippine live bands, ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous, swarm right across Asia and Manila is where the entire tradition comes home to roost. The Cowboy Grill, corner of Mabini Street and Arquiza Street, Ermita, offers the typical roster of rock favourites with energy and panache. Filipinos are equally addicted to karaoke and English singers can enjoy competing against the local talent – just remember to praise your competitors. Ex-pat indulgers convene at Zu, located in the Shangri-La Hotel, on Makati Avenue. The range of local options is showcased at the EDSA International Entertainment Complex, in Pasay City.