Intramuros and Chinatown Tour by Jeepney and Tuk-Tuk, Manila

Binondo, the historic Chinatown of Manila

Binondo was set up in 1594 on the north bank of the Pasig River as a settlement for Chinese merchants and their families, just across the water from the walled Spanish city. Trade between Manila and China had flourished long before, and Binondo quickly grew into the commercial heart of the capital. Today it is often described as the oldest Chinatown in the world, a lively district of red lanterns, gold shops, tea and herbal stores, hardware traders and family bakeries.

A Binondo tour is the best way to understand the strong Chinese-Filipino roots of Manila. Your guide leads you through the side streets around Ongpin Street, the main artery of the quarter, pointing out small temples, old shophouses and the stalls selling dumplings, hopia pastries and dried fruit. Many visitors ask how to get to Binondo on their own; on this tour the meeting point is right beside the district, so you start exploring within minutes.

Binondo Church, Escolta and the old trading streets

The landmark of the quarter is Binondo Church, first built by Spanish missionaries in the 1590s and rebuilt several times after earthquakes and wars. Its octagonal bell tower, which looks almost like a Chinese pagoda, is one of the most photographed sights in Manila. The plaza in front is a good place to pause and watch daily life in the district.

Nearby, Escolta Street was Manila's grand shopping street in the early twentieth century, lined with banks and department stores in Art Deco and neoclassical styles. Some of these buildings have been restored and now host small galleries and creative spaces. Your guide will explain how the canals, called esteros, once brought goods by boat into the heart of Binondo, and how the district survived fires, typhoons and the destruction of 1945 to remain the trading hub it is today.

The jeepney ride across the Pasig River

No vehicle is more Filipino than the jeepney. After the Second World War, surplus military jeeps were lengthened, given bench seats and decorated with chrome horses, bright paint and names, and they became the main public transport of Manila. Riding one is a small adventure in itself: you sit side by side on the benches, the open back lets in the sounds of the city and the driver weaves through the traffic with confidence.

On this tour a classic jeepney carries you from Binondo across one of the historic bridges over the Pasig River, the waterway that once linked Manila Bay with the great lake of Laguna de Bay. From the bridge you see the river barges, the old customs area and the walls of Intramuros rising on the south bank. It is a short ride, but it shows how close the Chinese and Spanish towns always were.

Intramuros, the walled city

Intramuros, which means within the walls, was founded by the Spanish in 1571 at the mouth of the Pasig River and became the seat of colonial government for more than three centuries. Its thick stone walls, about 4.5 km long, were built from the late sixteenth century with bastions, moats and fortified gates such as Puerta Real and Puerta del Parian. Inside were churches, convents, schools, government buildings and the houses of the leading families.

Much of Intramuros was destroyed in the battle of 1945, but its walls, gates and several landmarks have been carefully restored. Is Intramuros worth visiting? It is the one place in Manila where you can still feel the Spanish-era city: cobbled lanes, horse-drawn calesas, stone balconies and quiet plazas shaded by trees. The walled district is open all day; museums inside keep their own hours, and some close on Mondays.

Inside Intramuros by tuk-tuk: cathedral, church and fort

Inside the walls you swap the jeepney for a tuk-tuk, a small motorised tricycle that slips easily through the narrow streets. The route usually passes Manila Cathedral on Plaza de Roma, rebuilt in its present form in the 1950s, and the baroque stone church completed in 1607, the oldest stone church in the country and part of a UNESCO World Heritage listing of baroque churches of the Philippines.

Your guide also points out Casa Manila, a reconstructed nineteenth-century mansion, the ramparts with their old cannons and the area of Fort Santiago at the river mouth, the citadel that guarded the city for centuries. Stops are short and photo-friendly, so the tour stays relaxed even in the heat. At the end you have a clear picture of how Manila grew, and plenty of ideas for places to come back to on your own.