.png)
Places You Should Visit on Your Next Trip to Manila
Featuring Manila Ocean Park
Manila is one of the most populated cities on the planet and it is the capital of The Philippines peninsula. Moreover, when talking about the Pearl of the Orient, it is certainly all about this city.
No need to say that the capital is indeed beautiful enough as a Pearl without all those monikers and almost anybody is looking to make it a destination for his next vacation with the help of some very cheap flight tickets depending on his location and the season ahead.
Getting into the city is rather easy because it has an international airport and once you did reach the city, a marvelous holiday perspective is about to begin. The cheap tickets might not be the only reason why this holiday destination is topping travelers’ lists worldwide, year after year; actually, this city offers natural beauty landscapes, museums, entertainment facilities, and religious monuments to discover.
 |
| The underwater viewing tunnel in Manila Ocean Park, the largest in Asia, is your all-Season Holiday Destination, Photo: pinterest.com |
So a few days spent in Manila can be a memories supplier for the whole lifetime. Manila City also has a lot of history to expose and has witnessed all cultural influences that passed over its territories from multiple civilizations, notably from China, Spain, and other regions of Asia as well. All these interferences show up in the architecture of the buildings and the food in the country.
A largely populated city
Moreover, while sixteen cities make up the complete urban and architectural environment, Manila is at the top of the listing and is also the cultural center of the country. Together, the cities form one of the largest metropolitan regions in the entire world and they have a total population of more than twenty million people. This is extremely scaled by any standards.
As a result, a remarkable number of modern cultural establishments and attractions, as well as some extremely significant traditional heritage essentials interfered together to create a new generation of civilization. While Manila is a large city within its urban setting, it is not the largest in The Philippines as a whole; for instance, Quezon City which is a nearby neighbor is larger by population and geography.
However, Manila has an interesting global statistic regarding its population; it has the most condensed and crowded, not only in The Philippines but also in the world, where experts compared the fact to a more condensed version of New York or San Francisco! This is hard to believe but it is simply the truth!
With such an incredibly large and condensed population, it is very important to maintain and preserve enough parks and green spaces. However, Manila offers plenty of beautiful and abundant parks, gardens, and recreation areas. The Manila Zoo and The Botanical Garden are some of the most popular parks for tourists and it is not only naturally beautiful but also impressive for their conservation and educational purposes.
Besides, other botanic parks are also available in the city such as the Manila Boardwalk, the Ayala Triangle Gardens North, Mehan Garden, Rajah Sulayman Park, Paco Park, and Burnham Park, all distinctive of their miscellaneous types and some rare species of trees and plants.
 |
| The Ayala Triangle of Gardens features some rare trees and green plantations around the year, Photo: eng.wikipedia.org |
As you can notice the list might be very wide and diversified, but perhaps the most famous and symbolically important park in the city is Rizal Park, with its central monument that stands elevated in honor of José Rizal, who is the country's national hero. The Rizal Monument in the park is noticeable from a distance and stands facing the Quirino Grandstand.
Crowded almost all the time, and at every hour during the day, the park is home to many rare sorts of trees and species of plantations. A large water fountain located in the middle of the park brings a magical feeling to the entire scenery, especially at night with the ravishing lighting.
 |
| My wife and I toured the magnificent and wide Rizal Park in Manila during our honeymoon |
Another main attraction and cultural establishment in the city is the National Museum of the Philippines, which was inaugurated in 1901 and serves as the official warehouse of natural history in the Philippines. It is situated next to Rizal Park and is extremely easy to access from it. It is housing a building designed by Daniel Burnham, a well-known American architect.
As you can see, Manila is a variant and beautiful city and it attracts people from all over the world. It’s a city where you can find an activity to fill every hour of the day, for every member of the family, whether young or old and both man or woman…
Manila Ocean Park, a must-visit family entertainment facility
However, one of the top-of-the-list entertainment facilities for the whole family, and an unbeatable distraction ever, came the Manila Ocean Park, one of the most visited places for foreign tourists and local citizens as well. It is an educational and cultural destination for every age of people from all over the world. It is famous for the variety of marine life and animals housed there.
With its vibrant waters and warm, tropical climate, The Philippines is blessed with one of the most varied and magnificent white sand beaches on the whole planet. It's no wonder then that it possesses a wide variety of plant and animal life that amazes those who experience them first-hand. For visitors and travelers in Manila, there's no better place to experience this lush collection of marine life than at the Manila Ocean Park.
It’s a unique experience of all standards. Located in the crowded heart of the Philippines’ capital, Manila Ocean Park welcomes everyone to a world filled with the incredible sensation of the sea. As the first marine-themed water park in the country, it is a wonderful place to learn more not only about the ocean's secrets but about Mother Nature's treasures as well. Here, visitors marines to an aquatic world that captivates the imagination to fullness and stimulates the enjoyable act of discovery.
There are many attractions and activities to do in the park that will surely please every member of the family.
Starting with the Oceanarium is the main attraction in the park. Children and parents will be left breath-away experiencing the journey through the given trajectory and passing so close by the aquatic creatures of all sorts and spices, and showing marine life in all its mystery and magic. The only separator is a thick wall of plexiglass manufactured with a high level of security and waterproofing safety specially designed for the project.
The spectacular underwater viewing tunnel is the largest in Asia, making it an unforgettable experience for everyone who goes through it. (see the article featured image above)
Another major attraction is the Marine Life Habitat, where visitors can watch playful South American Sea Lions in a charming live show. It not only entertains the kids but also teaches them a valuable lesson about preserving clean environments and the damage done by water pollution.
It is in fact, a real live school session for students learning natural sciences courses: they will enjoy their direct lessons instead of pursuing their usual boring sessions in the classroom.
 |
| Different life forms are found in the deep of the oceans… |
Aside from the Oceanarium, the park also hosts other enticements that likely entertain and surprise guests of all ages. The superb Musical Fountain Show features the Philippines' first and most majestic fountain show featuring a mixture of water, fire, music, and laser lights in one of the most extraordinary spectacles in the world. Do not miss the magical show usually performed when the night falls. (See image below)
 |
| Fall in love with the graceful dancing of these magical multicolor water lights, Photo: http://www.traveltothephilippines.info |
The Jellies Exhibit, meanwhile, offers guests a more intimate look at the beauty and nature of the jellyfish and falls in love with the graceful dancing of these sea fairies.
Various other activities are also showcased at the park such as the Aquanaut Voyage, Glass Bottom Boat Ride, and the Fish Spa. They all provide the whole family with an enjoyable and entertaining program that your kids will never forget.
Great Offers that fit all budgets, all around the Season
On the other hand, for those who like to explore and extend their journey in the park with one or more night accommodations they are set in place; you have plenty of choices that will surely satisfy you! Anyway, it would be a smart idea to look for packages provided by a variety of worldwide chain hotels nearby in the city and suburbs.
Or you also go for the other option which is the locally established hotel, opened in 2010: The H2O Hotel, which has direct access from Ocean Park, which is a part of the resort. It is the first and only marine-themed urban hotel in the Philippines. In addition to its amazing location overwhelming the superb Manila Bay, the majority of the rooms feature a real aquarium. Making use of promos provided by hotels in Makati or other neighboring areas ensures a holiday that offers great value at a minimal cost.
Tip: Always check the enticing updated offers on their official website, for more reduced prices.
From my personal experience, and actually, as I did spend my honeymoon in Makati (from the 21st of December 2011 until the 17th of January 2012) I permit myself to advise others to do the same; Believe me, it is worth it, and you won’t regret it!
I will even guarantee to travel lovers from all over the world:
Don’t ever miss visiting this country; there are even much more places to see that weren’t mentioned in this post due to the diversity of The Philippines.
I, personally, did spend some memorable time in this wonderful country full of new places to discover… See the on-site shoot photos in the post for more details.
At the end of our tour, don’t forget to stop by the souvenir shop for plenty of gadgets of all sorts that will be remembered all your lifetime. No matter how guests get to explore the wonders of Manila Ocean Park, they'll always be left with a sense of fascination and amazement.
 |
| A chic gadget bought from the souvenir shop that will last for a lifetime |
References in this article:
Nadim Maani
Hello,
From discussing cutting-edge architectural trends to analyzing iconic structures, and home improvement topics, my articles delve into the intricacies of design, offering thought-provoking perspectives and practical tips.
So, welcome and visit my blogs today; I'm sure you will find what you are looking for!
