Do Your Travelling Pants Have Shallow Pockets? Ten Things to do in Downtown Manila

There are two kinds of traveler: the traveler with a pocket full of money and would be willing to splurge on fine-dining, entertainment and comfort; the traveler who's adventurous, wants to make the most of his trip all the time, avails of a travel promo because he is on a tight budget, has shallow pockets, so to speak.

Now if you are the latter and are planning to explore the downtown of Manila, indeed, it would be very wise to take advantage of  budget travel offered by a travel agency of your choice. One that will fit your budget, but will never compromise your experience.

Since Manila is considered as the biggest, busiest and most urbanized city in the Philippines, the tours or activities included in your budget travel may differ from others. But if you decided not to avail of one, here are ten things to do in Manila that you surely would not want to miss.

Ride the Jeepney. The Jeepney is the most popular mode of transportation and is, in fact, a symbol of the country's culture. Manila Jeepneys are colourfully decorated and made of stainless steel. Drivers are famous for multi-tasking, receiving payment while giving the change while driving, that is.

If you are into shopping or just love window shopping, go "malling" in Manila. Usually, a mall is situated in every station of the Metro Rail Transit, or more commonly called,  MRT. When you get off Ayala Station in Makati, you can already go inside SM Makati without a chance of getting lost. Walk a little further then you can check out Glorietta Malls, Landmark, and if you're into high-end shopping and dining, Greenbelt is the place to visit. However, if you don't want the overpriced things in the mall, go for the generic. Thus, you might want to visit Divisoria, considered as the shopping mecca of the Philippines. It has everything you need and you can buy them at a very cheap price, cheaper even, only if you know the art of haggling.

Visit Luneta Park for a quick retrospect on how brave Filipinos, Jose Rizal for one, fought for the country. Take a walk in its Chinese, Japanese and tropical gardens or stroll right in front of Rizal's Monument then stand on the 0km post, the spot where distances in the Philippines are measured, snap a photo.

At the back of the mentioned park is the Manila Ocean Park. It is a world-class marine theme park meant to cater to and fascinate people of all ages. The Oceanarium houses freshwater and saltwater species which can be witnessed by walking inside its huge underwater tunnel. No worries, the entrance is wallet-friendly. You can always choose other activities according to your preference and budget.

 Need some refreshments? Try Halo-halo (click for recipe), a combination of a cup of finely shaved ice, creamy milk, tapioca pearls and some sweetened beans and fruit below; a slice of Leche flan on top. It would surely quench your thirst, delight your taste buds and cool your body in this warm Philippine weather.

Watch the sun set in Manila Bay. Stroll along the bay and have your camera handy. Feel the breeze and enjoy the sound of the waves that hit the ground. It's an escape from the busy honking streets of Manila.

Want to have some fun in the evening? Head over to Malate, Manila. There's a concentration of clubs and pubs in the area where you can drink all you want, dance and be merry as if it's going to be the zombie apocalypse tomorrow. However, if you prefer to just sit, watch and have a laugh, then visit a comedy bar such as The Library. You might get stomach ache from the laughing though. You've been warned.

How about an exotic food after the nightlife? A warm "Balut", a fertilized duck egg, is the best for you. You can season it with spicy vinegar and a pinch of salt. The broth can be sipped before peeling the entire shell. Once done, you can munch on everything that's left. There, it's as if you swallowed a potion of stamina.

For budget travel or not, you would surely enjoy travelling in Manila. Just figure out the things you want to do, places you want to visit and have a map or GPS handy. Also, always keep an eye on your valuables.