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Manila Bay
About
This natural harbor is an excellent place from which to view a most elegant sunset.
Duration: < 1 hour
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Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

Top ways to experience Manila Bay and nearby attractions

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

3.5
3.5 of 5 bubbles1,169 reviews
Excellent
325
Very good
401
Average
261
Poor
114
Terrible
68

These reviews have been automatically translated from their original language.
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Hana
Nantes, France45 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
It's pretty much all said in the title of my review. It smells like piss and poop and it's full of people who look homeless trying to offer massages and pedicures. Also every person with a buggy or a taxi honks and tries to communicate with you. Groups of children beggars. I have heard that sunsets are nice here but I don't think I'll ever go see one because I am scared of what happens here after dark.
Written 2 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

BHH2
Greendale, WI1,491 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Business
Manila Bay continues to be an attraction for me even after coming to the country for nearly two decades. I actually Choi’s a hotel near the Bay anytime I have that option.

There are great vistas of the Bay from nearby hotels but it is best if you can catch it on the evening of a beautiful sunset, when the Bay is breathtaking
Written 15 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Glenn W
Sydney, Australia322 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2022
Not just a place for walking hand in hand with a special someone given the great view of Manila Bay, but also a place to wine and dine. Lots of great restaurants and places to drink. Even if you don't stay at one of the two big luxury restaurants there, you can still have an enjoyable afternoon or sunset evening. Recommended for your visit to Manila.
Written 12 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

linanauli21
Jakarta, Indonesia404 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Friends
Manila Bay in Manila, Philippines is relatively quiet in the morning. It is walkable from SM Mall of Asia. The good thing about this place is that only the patrol motorbikes are allowed to pass. The walk by the bay is convenient. It is the right place to spend outdoors. A pair of sneakers will be good to wear here.
Written 6 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

sahaooon
Kasugai, Japan12,784 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Couples
Someone said it is one of the "Three Great Sunsets in the World". It's nice to watch the sunset from a hotel in Ermita, but it's also nice to join the locals on the Bay Walk. It was a cloudy day, but the sunset shining through the gaps was beautiful. It's been a while since I last visited, but the beach was well-maintained, there was no trash, and it was clean and comfortable.
Google
Written 12 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

VA5
Quezon City, Philippines1,173 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021 • Solo
Since Manila elected a young, dynamic and country loving Mayor, this city has been transformed from a dumpsite to a vibrant, clean and organized state. The streets are finally well lighted and paved. The parks reopened and maintained. The boulevard as beautiful as ever except for a National project putting dolomite sand in the bay area which is a complete disaster.
Written 10 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

HMF
Makati, Philippines7 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2021 • Family
Disgusting. Health hazard to anyone a mile of this place. The “bay” is full of rubbish and hap-hazard constructions. Beggars (not judging these people) are found sleeping on the streets and everywhere. The poor animals are abused and neglected to a degree of death on legs. Manila is just the worst city ever & Filipinos just carry on as if this is an ok way to live.
Written 31 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

elizabethlascheid
Los Angeles, CA5,211 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2018 • Family
Manila Bay is stunning at sunset. It is magical. Kids are running around, locals are exercising, and street vendors are aplenty. The sunset is calming and even with the crowd and the noise it is wonderful. There is a mall nearby to start your walk and a huge Ferris wheel within walking distance. If you are anywhere near there, I really would go for the sunset.

Sadly, the place is not clean, not the beach area and not the water. You can not swim it, the pollution is so bad. There is a government program to clean it all up and from what I have read it is much better than it was. The smell is not fun and I would never go anywhere near there in bare feet.

Keeping that in mind, it is still a lovely sunset and I love watching kids play while the day ends.
Written 26 April 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

amytendstowander
Cherry Valley, CA412 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
On October 14, 2014, at around 5 pm or so, I was walking up Roxas Blvd along Manila Bay, towards the ferris wheel. There were many people hanging around, some just lounging, some were fishing in the bay. I had just passed Aristocrats Restaurant when I was approached by 2 women, a chubby light-skinned Filipina with a round face, that looked to be in her early 30's and about 5 feet tall, with dyed light brown hair that was just past her shoulders, and the other looked to be in her 60's and was very petite, maybe 4'9, with a darker complexion and short black hair. She was dressed in a purple top, and what looked to be a traditional Filipino style purple skirt, and purple plastic thong sandals. The younger woman complimented me on my green dress, she said green was her favorite color. She also said she liked my height, and how did I get so tall? She was wearing a t-shirt that accentuated her bulbous belly, and jean shorts. The 2 women asked me what my name was and told me theirs', the younger chubby one was named Karyn, and the older petite one was named Imelda. They asked if this was my first visit to Manila and I replied that it was. I asked if they were visiting Manila as well and they told me that they had had to evacuate their home in Legazpi, south of Mayon volcano, that the impending eruptions had led to volcanic ash contaminating the air and their water supply. They asked me whether I was alone, and if I had any plans. I said I didn't. They said they were on their way to visit a church made of all metal and said I should see the church and ride in a jeepney, and asked if I would like to come along. I took some selfies with Karyn since she was seated next to me in the jeepney, and she warned me about letting others see expensive phones. She said people snatch phones out of jeepneys all the time, and necklaces also. She looked at my necklace and asked what it was made of. I told her it was white gold. In retrospect, I should have said it was tinfoil. She was wearing a white gold ring with a small white diamond set in it on her left middle finger. Imelda said she had researched how to get to this all metal church, but when we got there, it seemed like she had been there before. She halfheartedly walked me around the church and then we went outside. I placed some money in the donation box outside, lit a candle, and placed it in the candlelabra, and prayed for my deceased loved ones. Imelda took pictures of me with my camera while I was lighting the votive. We all walked back inside the church and Imelda and Karyn both touched the holy water and prayed. When we left the church, I asked a security guard to take a few photos of the three of us, with San Sebastian church in the background. Imelda and Karyn walked around like they knew the area very well, and we ended up at a small non-descript local shop that served beer and had a karaoke machine. Karyn and Imelda insisted that I have some beer. Imelda said she was very stressed about having to evacuate her home and needed to relax with a beer, and I should drink with her. Karen and Imelda wanted to sing karaoke, but the shop was obviously closing soon, so we went to Golden Banana Eatery. Imelda said her male relative would be joining us, but she said she didn't tell him they were with a foreign guest, as he was very shy, and still single. We ordered a few rounds of San Miguel, lechon, mami, buttered chicken, and sang several karaoke songs. Karyn went to 7-11 during dinner, but was gone for quite some time. She had some candy in her hand when she came back and fed it to me. I went to the toilet once while we were at Golden Banana Eatery. Yes, my glass was unattended. A few rounds of beer will not normally make me feel even slightly intoxicated, mind you. I remember paying 500 pesos of the 1100 peso bill, because I ordered the majority of the food and ate most of it. I vaguely remember Karyn taking my necklace off, and me grabbing it from her fat hand and stuffing it in my pouch. I remember walking out of the Golden Banana Eatery, and I think Karyn was holding my hand, which I thought was strange.
I also had to go to the atm, but I was very groggy at that point and didn't know why I was at the atm in the first place because I had cash in my wallet, and I noticed Karyn was peering at the keypad. Perhaps I had been coerced into going to the atm? I told her I needed privacy when I saw her keep looking over my shoulder. I don't remember anything after this. I have a bunch of receipts that say no money was dispensed due to incorrect pin entry, thank Buddha. If I remember correctly, I had $22, 2500 baht, and 7,000 pesos in my wallet before i ran into Karyn and Imelda. I must have fallen down at some point because I have a scrape on my right elbow and a small abrasion on my right pinky finger. I remember bits of staggering into Tune Hotel Ermita lobby, and blacking out. I woke up fully clothed, alone, and in my hotel bed. The next day, I was very very groggy and went downstairs to buy food at 7-11, but struggled to walk. The 7-11 clerk said i owed her 160 pesos from the previous night, so I paid her. I had a few hundred pesos left in my wallet, but everything else was cleared out. My white gold necklace, worth $250, was also gone. All the photos of Karyn, Imelda, and I, had been deleted. I'm surprised they hadn't taken my camera or my cellphones. The 7-11 security guard asked me if I remembered what had happened the previous night. I was so groggy I didn't think to ask him why? I even missed my flight to Puerto Princesa City that day because I was so disoriented.
I've traveled solo through all of Southeast Asia and parts of Western Europe, and I usually have my wits about me, but being drugged and robbed is not a situation I ever imagined myself in, and I don't wish it upon anyone. I later read that there is at least one robbery every day in Ermita, and that local authorities have done nothing to protect tourists. Be warned when visiting Manila. There are scam artists everywhere.
Written 20 October 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

CzechJaneBlack
Prague, Czech Republic71 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2017 • Couples
We missed the sunset, so we just used the venue to get back to our hotel in the evening. The walk wasn't nice at all, there are homeless people literally everywhere. It didn't feel safe at all and smellt terribly.
Written 8 June 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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MANILA BAY (2024) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos) - Tripadvisor

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