Malate District
Malate District
3.5
Full view
Top ways to experience nearby attractions
The area
Neighbourhood: Malate
How to get there
- Quirino - Malate • 1 min walk
- Pedro Gil • 10 min walk
Best nearby
Restaurants
2,252 within 5 kms
Attractions
354 within 10 kms
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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.
3.5
183 reviews
Excellent
24
Very good
69
Average
57
Poor
17
Terrible
16
Frederic Van geyt
Bali, Indonesia61 contributions
Jan 2020 • Friends
I love it here
Pure chaos, sizzeling part of town to walk around in. Not during the day, for me only the mall(robinsons) is worth hanging around a bit in then. But at night: life as it is in the real world. I got stuck here for 6 days due to the volcano eruption, enjoyed it nevertheless. Come and feel, see, sense,...
Pure chaos, sizzeling part of town to walk around in. Not during the day, for me only the mall(robinsons) is worth hanging around a bit in then. But at night: life as it is in the real world. I got stuck here for 6 days due to the volcano eruption, enjoyed it nevertheless. Come and feel, see, sense,...
Written 15 January 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.
Marc N
Manila, Philippines165 contributions
Feb 2013
This is the go to place for Korean and Japanese restaurants, casinos, and bars in Manila. There are plenty of Karaoke bars and shady bars in the area that target tourists. Red light district worth a walk but be careful of your surroundings.
Written 14 August 2013
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.
Franz_pilates
337 contributions
Jul 2013
This used to be a prime destination for all things exciting. When you want to hangout and party back in the 90's,
Malate was the place
to be.Sadly, it is no longer what it used to be. The red light district is still alive, the area for clubs/bars though is dead. Despite some bars still open, people no longer flock to malate during the weekends not since other party destinations started flourishing like the fort, makati, resorts world, and even timog. I live in the area so iv seem the changes that has happened and although im sad that this is happening, unfortunately the local
govt did not do anything to preserve it. If not for some malls and manila bay, this once reknowed area would be totally forgotten. I hope the new administration with do something to revive thi once glorios part of manila.
Malate was the place
to be.Sadly, it is no longer what it used to be. The red light district is still alive, the area for clubs/bars though is dead. Despite some bars still open, people no longer flock to malate during the weekends not since other party destinations started flourishing like the fort, makati, resorts world, and even timog. I live in the area so iv seem the changes that has happened and although im sad that this is happening, unfortunately the local
govt did not do anything to preserve it. If not for some malls and manila bay, this once reknowed area would be totally forgotten. I hope the new administration with do something to revive thi once glorios part of manila.
Written 23 July 2013
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.
AzitiZ
Shanghai, China350 contributions
Jul 2023 • Family
dangerous. people outside of random buildings wave menus in your face on the road and its a serious security risk if you do not oblige.
roads are dangerous with no proper pavements to walk on.
August 2023 they have decided to block off the bay walk for unknown reasons.
The entire area is totally set up to fleece any foreigner who is minding their own business walking along one of their roads.
dangerous area and not recommended if you are not familiar with this kind of place in Asia. If you are familiar then expect to have a shabby time for maximum spend.
roads are dangerous with no proper pavements to walk on.
August 2023 they have decided to block off the bay walk for unknown reasons.
The entire area is totally set up to fleece any foreigner who is minding their own business walking along one of their roads.
dangerous area and not recommended if you are not familiar with this kind of place in Asia. If you are familiar then expect to have a shabby time for maximum spend.
Written 12 August 2023
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.
orlando m
London, UK3 contributions
Nov 2014 • Solo
The problem with us" foreigners" is that we tend to compare our living standards with others. OK I am from London so for the sake of those who don't know. I will give some insight about living in England. To begin with, if I fall ill here,I can present at any Emergency Room and get 100% free medical treatment. If I was not employed, I would get an allowance each week to buy groceries. I would also have my rent paid by the government so that I can keep a roof over my head. As for hygiene, if one was to find just one Cockroach or Mouse in a restaurant, the restaurant would be closed down and would not be allowed to trade.
As far as I am aware, none of the above are applicable in the Philippines. Is it any wonder that poverty and corruption are fife. The truth is that if they don't work ,they don't eat and that is why there are beggars and prostitutes all over the Philippines.
So come on folks, let's stop comparing our lifestyles with those less well off as us foreigners and embrace the culture and beauty of the Philippines. All we can hope for is that every £or$ we spend there will some way, go towards improving the lives of the less fortunate.
I have been to Malate and I found it to be a wonderful experience. I will definitely visit again this year.
As far as I am aware, none of the above are applicable in the Philippines. Is it any wonder that poverty and corruption are fife. The truth is that if they don't work ,they don't eat and that is why there are beggars and prostitutes all over the Philippines.
So come on folks, let's stop comparing our lifestyles with those less well off as us foreigners and embrace the culture and beauty of the Philippines. All we can hope for is that every £or$ we spend there will some way, go towards improving the lives of the less fortunate.
I have been to Malate and I found it to be a wonderful experience. I will definitely visit again this year.
Written 17 February 2015
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.
Georget4886
36 contributions
This place is an absolute dump. One of the dirtiest places I have ever visited, the filipino people should be ashamed. It did not feel safe, with touts and peddlers everywhere. People were just dropping litter and urinating wherever they liked so it stank. The drivers are lunatics. Avoid it like the plague.
Written 11 March 2015
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.
i_love_earplugs
31 contributions
Jun 2014 • Solo
A late warning from a victim of organized crime. I am a seasoned and experienced traveller. After Malate, unfortunately, I needed to correct my attitude to be more suspicious of other people - sadly. What happened? I was invited by a spanish looking girl to have a drink (she was from philippines in fact). Next morning I woke up in a little house outside of manila with my credit card being used while I was drugged. What followed was the most horrible experience in my life EVER including police hunts, jail and courts including physical violence and death threats, which I don't want to talk about in detail. I think at a certain point my life was in danger and I was afraid to die for the first time in my life. MALATE IS A DANGEROUS PLACE!!! Be very, very, very careful and be suspicious of anybody approaching you. I recommend to stay in Makati, where I felt (somewhat) safer. If you become a victim, I do not suggest to go to the police, unless you need a report for insurance reasons. I was almost as disgusted by the police as I was of the criminals. (I had a lovely time in the Philippines later, just for the record)
Written 8 May 2015
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.
angelaO3374HR
Perth, Australia3 contributions
Apr 2018 • Solo
What you get here is not the sanitized lonely planet version of Manilla. You will see child beggars, hookers and families living on the street. You can almost taste the poverty and desperation of some people. Luckily I'm not one of these people and through the luck of birth im a western tourist who looks at malate as a slice of life as I enjoy the cheap decent hotels, great bars and restaurants like the star of manilla, bedrocks, and la cafe. I've walked about on my own late at night and I've never been hassled by anyone apart from some dirty looking kids wanting a few pesos. This place is not entirely safe but there are parts of my home town which are not entirely safe either. Go to Malate and see life. Its an eye opening experience but that's what life is all about. That's why we travel to the other side of the world.
Written 12 January 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.
Rumina
Malate3 contributions
Oct 2013 • Friends
This malate area of Manila is a very interesting place with a mixture of rich and poor,local filipinos and foreigners and tourists. I like to stay as near as possible to the Robinsons Place Manila shopping mall as I can shop here in this giant shopping mall day and night non stop.
It is a really interesting place with many many restaurants and food courts and eating places.
I love eating at some of the Chinese restaurants here and the taste of the food is just wonderful.
There are many massage parlours and spas,clinics,airline ticketing offices,macho hunk clubs with beautiful men doing dance performances ,transvestite clubs, comedy clubs, dwarf clubs ,fashion show clubs and many many more unique types of clubs
The manila bay is just a very short walk away and you can relax and watch the sea and let your thoughts wonder.
If you like nightlife and fun clubbing activities and singing and dancing and drinking or having the companionship of pretty ladies at the clubs ,and having a merry fun happy time , then this place is just perfect for you and a paradise on earth.
There are many many Japanese and Korean ktv clubs which have lounge hostesses to keep you entertained with chatting ,singing,dancing,eating and drinking and joking and dance performances and you can have a really very fun time here.
If you compare the costs of clubbing here in malate compared to in places like Singapore,Tokyo and Seoul,this place in Malate is really good value for your money.
Both foreigners from all nations and filipinos (local as well as from overseas) are very much welcomed at the large number of Japanese and korean ktv clubs here and there are english,chinese,japanese ,korean and Philippine songs that you can sing at the ktv clubs.
There are also western style clubs here for those that prefer western style clubbing.
Its fun to explore the streets of the area both in the day time as well as night time but night time exploring is best kept to the brighter parts of the district,if you are the timid type of person.
The Philippines convention centre is a short taxi ride away and so is the Mall of asia where you can go for ice skating.
This place ,Malate district has a huge number of money changers and you can have so many choices.
Some nearby places to see are malate church,Remedios Circle,Manila zoo,Rizal Memorial Stadium,Plaza Rajah Sulayman,The Manila Yacht Club.
Places here are: Malls:
Robinsons Mall Manila.
- Near SM Manila.- Few minutes to Harrison Plaza Manila.
Schools:
Philippine Christian University (PCU),
- Philippine Women’s University (PWU),
- Saint Paul’s University,
- University of the Philippines (U.P. Manila), and
- Paco Catholic School.
- Few minutes to De La Salle University (DLSU),
- Saint Scholastica.
Hospitals:
- In walking distance to Philippine General Hospital(PGH) and
- Manila Doctor’s Hospital.
Nearby Places are:
• Universal/Savings Bank
• Robinson's Place Manila
• Hyatt Casino
• Fast foods & First class Restaurants
• Philippine Airline Ticketing Office
• Travel Agencies
• UP-PGH College of Medicine
• Philippine General Hospital (PGH)
• DOJ / Supreme Court
• Court of Appeals
• Manila Doctor's Hospital
• St. Paul University - Manila
• Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC)
• Philippine Women's University
• Manila Police District - Headquarters
• National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)
• Rizal Park (Luneta Park)
• US Embassy
• Thomas Jefferson Library
• Museo Pambata
• Rajah Sulayman Park
• The Baywalk (Roxas Boulevard)
• Army and Navy Club
• Intramuros Golf Course
• Manila Cathedral
• San Agustin Church
• Fort Santiago
• National Museum
• De La Salle University
• College of Saint Benilde
• Central Bank of the Philippines
It is a really interesting place with many many restaurants and food courts and eating places.
I love eating at some of the Chinese restaurants here and the taste of the food is just wonderful.
There are many massage parlours and spas,clinics,airline ticketing offices,macho hunk clubs with beautiful men doing dance performances ,transvestite clubs, comedy clubs, dwarf clubs ,fashion show clubs and many many more unique types of clubs
The manila bay is just a very short walk away and you can relax and watch the sea and let your thoughts wonder.
If you like nightlife and fun clubbing activities and singing and dancing and drinking or having the companionship of pretty ladies at the clubs ,and having a merry fun happy time , then this place is just perfect for you and a paradise on earth.
There are many many Japanese and Korean ktv clubs which have lounge hostesses to keep you entertained with chatting ,singing,dancing,eating and drinking and joking and dance performances and you can have a really very fun time here.
If you compare the costs of clubbing here in malate compared to in places like Singapore,Tokyo and Seoul,this place in Malate is really good value for your money.
Both foreigners from all nations and filipinos (local as well as from overseas) are very much welcomed at the large number of Japanese and korean ktv clubs here and there are english,chinese,japanese ,korean and Philippine songs that you can sing at the ktv clubs.
There are also western style clubs here for those that prefer western style clubbing.
Its fun to explore the streets of the area both in the day time as well as night time but night time exploring is best kept to the brighter parts of the district,if you are the timid type of person.
The Philippines convention centre is a short taxi ride away and so is the Mall of asia where you can go for ice skating.
This place ,Malate district has a huge number of money changers and you can have so many choices.
Some nearby places to see are malate church,Remedios Circle,Manila zoo,Rizal Memorial Stadium,Plaza Rajah Sulayman,The Manila Yacht Club.
Places here are: Malls:
Robinsons Mall Manila.
- Near SM Manila.- Few minutes to Harrison Plaza Manila.
Schools:
Philippine Christian University (PCU),
- Philippine Women’s University (PWU),
- Saint Paul’s University,
- University of the Philippines (U.P. Manila), and
- Paco Catholic School.
- Few minutes to De La Salle University (DLSU),
- Saint Scholastica.
Hospitals:
- In walking distance to Philippine General Hospital(PGH) and
- Manila Doctor’s Hospital.
Nearby Places are:
• Universal/Savings Bank
• Robinson's Place Manila
• Hyatt Casino
• Fast foods & First class Restaurants
• Philippine Airline Ticketing Office
• Travel Agencies
• UP-PGH College of Medicine
• Philippine General Hospital (PGH)
• DOJ / Supreme Court
• Court of Appeals
• Manila Doctor's Hospital
• St. Paul University - Manila
• Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC)
• Philippine Women's University
• Manila Police District - Headquarters
• National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)
• Rizal Park (Luneta Park)
• US Embassy
• Thomas Jefferson Library
• Museo Pambata
• Rajah Sulayman Park
• The Baywalk (Roxas Boulevard)
• Army and Navy Club
• Intramuros Golf Course
• Manila Cathedral
• San Agustin Church
• Fort Santiago
• National Museum
• De La Salle University
• College of Saint Benilde
• Central Bank of the Philippines
Written 20 September 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.
Chris Bril
Melbourne, Australia189 contributions
Mar 2016 • Solo
On my return journey to my mother country I was disheartened to discover you can’t walk around the Manila on your own as it is too dangerous. I decided to pay a driver to take me to the local mall in the Malate District.
I was ripped off by my Taxi Driver so I chose to walk back on my own to the Manila Hotel where I was staying as it seemed very close. I imagined through skilful orienteering, such as remembering key landmarks I would avoid the most sketchy parts on my walk back to the hotel.
Big Mistake.
It turns out the scary ghetto sections of Malate bloom out from the Robinson Shopping Center where I was dropped off and from there it just gets worse. You can’t skip the dangerous bits because it’s all bad.
The things I saw changed me forever.
Scores of toddlers running around unwatched. A construction site being shut down by police men with assault rifles. Dogs running free. A home for unemployed sailors.
It was fascinating to see families eking out an existence from their strapped together shipping container restaurants. Metal bars across windows or slits cut into the metal of the container so bowls of hot soup could be pushed out. (This is real street food not the Americanised crud we get sold in Australia. You think you’re edgy because you ate fried chicken made by some tattooed dude in Brunswick? That isn't street food - that's over packaged hipster baby food.)
People eyed me with curiosity as I walked very briskly holding my Silas & Maria travel bag close to my chest.
I looked up at one point and saw a woman behind a window with iron bars brushing her hair, her cheap grooming products strewn around. Her existence bare to everyone on the street… was that the point?
My strongest sense memory of the hours I spent in Malate was the overpowering stench of rot and petrol fumes. I felt nauseated from the air pollution after several hours of trying to get back to Rizal Park, which I knew was opposite my hotel. I remembered my cousin’s broken, homophobic husband pointing out the illegally built construction site towering over Rizal Park, so I kept looking for that.
At one juncture all the light fell away, as if the local municipality had run out of funds to provide lighting to that part of Malate. Under a large tropical tree was a mattress covered in perhaps 20 toddlers and young children. Where were their mothers?
After I crossed the main street a handsome hispanic looking man with a groomed moustache walk-jogged passed me in a tiny, shiny designer exercise ensemble, dodging crazy careening cars as if he were power walking through central park.
I felt like I was tripping.
On the other side of this major thoroughfare three police approached me. I think they were mocking me or at least seemed very amused by my presence.
‘What are you doing here? Why are you walking? Where are you from?’
One of them offered to walk me back to my hotel. I declined his offer as I felt like he might rape/assault me or demand a bribe. I scurried back into the darkness.
Eventually I found my way to the Manila Bay walk. I had the sickening realisation that I had in fact walked in a three quarter circle. I made mistakes. I mistook the landmarks, missed key turning points and nearly found Rizal Park twice but just missed.
I now knew I could get back to the Manila Hotel by following the Bay. The distance seemed like such a heavy blow after my nauseating walk through Malate.
Manila Bay is two miles of stinky, polluted water frontage populated by people offering to massage you with tiger balm or baby oil.
My spiritual practice is based on non-judgement but I also can not bear being touched by strangers. These people looked particularly untouchable. On a 30 degree night, after nearly succumbing noxious fumes the idea of being touched by an untrained masseur made my stomach turn.
The Malate Area is best seen on the internet or get a friend to tell you about it.
I was ripped off by my Taxi Driver so I chose to walk back on my own to the Manila Hotel where I was staying as it seemed very close. I imagined through skilful orienteering, such as remembering key landmarks I would avoid the most sketchy parts on my walk back to the hotel.
Big Mistake.
It turns out the scary ghetto sections of Malate bloom out from the Robinson Shopping Center where I was dropped off and from there it just gets worse. You can’t skip the dangerous bits because it’s all bad.
The things I saw changed me forever.
Scores of toddlers running around unwatched. A construction site being shut down by police men with assault rifles. Dogs running free. A home for unemployed sailors.
It was fascinating to see families eking out an existence from their strapped together shipping container restaurants. Metal bars across windows or slits cut into the metal of the container so bowls of hot soup could be pushed out. (This is real street food not the Americanised crud we get sold in Australia. You think you’re edgy because you ate fried chicken made by some tattooed dude in Brunswick? That isn't street food - that's over packaged hipster baby food.)
People eyed me with curiosity as I walked very briskly holding my Silas & Maria travel bag close to my chest.
I looked up at one point and saw a woman behind a window with iron bars brushing her hair, her cheap grooming products strewn around. Her existence bare to everyone on the street… was that the point?
My strongest sense memory of the hours I spent in Malate was the overpowering stench of rot and petrol fumes. I felt nauseated from the air pollution after several hours of trying to get back to Rizal Park, which I knew was opposite my hotel. I remembered my cousin’s broken, homophobic husband pointing out the illegally built construction site towering over Rizal Park, so I kept looking for that.
At one juncture all the light fell away, as if the local municipality had run out of funds to provide lighting to that part of Malate. Under a large tropical tree was a mattress covered in perhaps 20 toddlers and young children. Where were their mothers?
After I crossed the main street a handsome hispanic looking man with a groomed moustache walk-jogged passed me in a tiny, shiny designer exercise ensemble, dodging crazy careening cars as if he were power walking through central park.
I felt like I was tripping.
On the other side of this major thoroughfare three police approached me. I think they were mocking me or at least seemed very amused by my presence.
‘What are you doing here? Why are you walking? Where are you from?’
One of them offered to walk me back to my hotel. I declined his offer as I felt like he might rape/assault me or demand a bribe. I scurried back into the darkness.
Eventually I found my way to the Manila Bay walk. I had the sickening realisation that I had in fact walked in a three quarter circle. I made mistakes. I mistook the landmarks, missed key turning points and nearly found Rizal Park twice but just missed.
I now knew I could get back to the Manila Hotel by following the Bay. The distance seemed like such a heavy blow after my nauseating walk through Malate.
Manila Bay is two miles of stinky, polluted water frontage populated by people offering to massage you with tiger balm or baby oil.
My spiritual practice is based on non-judgement but I also can not bear being touched by strangers. These people looked particularly untouchable. On a 30 degree night, after nearly succumbing noxious fumes the idea of being touched by an untrained masseur made my stomach turn.
The Malate Area is best seen on the internet or get a friend to tell you about it.
Written 22 April 2016
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.
How can I get to International Diagnostic Center through public transportation from Sta. Mesa, Manila?
Written 14 February 2015
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