Manila hasn't always been the easiest city to explore, something Coldplay would attest to. In January 2024, when the band performed here, lead singer Chris Martin was so shocked by Manila's traffic that he sang an impromptu ditty about its congested roads.
It's true Manila can seem chaotic, particularly in neighbourhoods like Binondo, the world's oldest Chinatown - a place where jeepneys (beautifully painted buses cobbled together from vehicles abandoned by US soldiers) dodge wooden handcarts, but that's part of its charm.
In reality, there are cities with worse traffic, and Manila is also becoming much more accessible these days. The Philippines Department of Tourism introduced Manila's first Hop-On-HopOff (HOHO) bus in 2023. Stops include the National Museum, and the Binondo and Intramuros districts, and there's a slick dedicated website (philippines-hoho.ph) and an app. There are also plans for a new Philippine national railway service, which will connect downtown Manila with Laguna, Quezon and Camarines Sur, known for its palm-fringed beaches.
Greater connectivity is also occurring off-road. In October 2023, United Airlines launched new San Francisco to Manila flights, while in November, Hong Kong-based Greater Bay Airlines' direct flights to Manila took to the skies. In late 2023, Cebu Pacific increased flights between Manila and Sydney to five times a week, and last month, Philippine Airlines added a third weekly flight between Manila and Toronto.
There's a new international airport on the horizon, too - in 2028 the New Manila International Airport is scheduled to open in Bulacan, 30 kilometres north of the capital. It will have an initial capacity of 35 million passengers annually, with a target of 100 million passengers a year once complete, and is intended to provide a much-needed solution to the capital's air traffic congestion.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة May/June 2024 من Business Traveller Asia-Pacific.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة May/June 2024 من Business Traveller Asia-Pacific.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Vietnam Airlines to add HanoiPhnom Penh service
VIETNAM AIRLINES has announced the launch of a nonstop service between Hanoi and Phnom Penh. Additionally, the airline has signed cooperation agreements with key partners in Cambodia to foster aviation and tourism development between the two countries.
Malaysia Airlines and China Southern strengthen codeshare pact
ONEWORLD MEMBER Malaysia Airlines and China Southern Airlines have announced an expansion of their codeshare flights to include the Guangzhou-Penang (CAN-PEN), Kuala LumpurBeijing Daxing (KUL-PKX) and Kuala Lumpur-Shanghai Pudong (KUL-PVG) routes from July 10, 2024.
BANGKOK
How to make the most of half a day in Thailand's bustling capital
MACHINE REVOLUTION
Artificial intelligence is transforming the travel industry, with huge strides in data analysis and generative Al set to create seamless, personalised travel for passengers
HONG KONG DEBRIEFED
The frenetic, constantly changing city on the South China coast still has more than a few tricks up its sleeve
Discovering Istanbul Airport
Set to be the world's largest airport, IGA will be capable of hosting up to 200 million passengers annually by 2028
Your attention, please
After a string of recent incidents involving extreme turbulence, we chart the history of the inflight safety video to see if the latest crop is up to the task...
SPOTLIGHT ON SURABAYA
The city in East Java is set to expand as it capitalises on its historic roots and status as an important trading centre
HOTEL HOP, BALI STYLE
Indonesia's tourist hotspot has a wealth of attractions to suit everyone, but it’s all about picking the right place to stay
JAKARTA IN POLE POSITION
Indonesia's commercial hub will thrive long after the nation's new capital is open for business