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| City Guide - Manila - Nightlife | ||
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Nightlife All the Latinate vibrancy of Philippines life comes out in Manila at night, although there is no denying its rough edge. Recent clean-up campaigns have cut into the legacy of sex tourism sleaze, although it can still be found for those who care to look. The generally high standards of English also allow for faster contact with locals. Barflies looking for genuine native excitement should gravitate to JM Nakpil Street, Makati Avenue or Pasay Road in Makati, or anywhere in Malate and Ermita districts. Almost any bar or club is likely to feature live music, so the sections below do overlap somewhat. Closing times range from 0200 or 0300 during the week to 0500 at weekends, depending on the venue. Dress codes also vary with the venue, but are often robustly get-down. An entire evening of hardy drinking at a typical bar will cost between P150 and P300; anyone foolhardy enough to patronise a girlie bar can expect that figure to rise hugely. Bars: Top-class venues for the sophisticate include Café Vogue and the Orchid Bar at the Manila Midtown Hotel and the Lobby Lounge at the Manila Hotel, as well as the Sky Lounge at the Manila Diamond Hotel and Top of the Century at the Century Park Sheraton Hotel. Symptomatic of the many Westerners who have settled in Manila, the San Mig Pub on Legaspi Street and the Prince of Wales Pub and Grill in Makati offer a suggestion of home in a far more lively atmosphere. The local Hard Rock Café, 1786 M Adriatico Street, Malate, is a good venue for East meets West. Streetlife, on the fourth floor of Quad III, Ayala Center, has eclectic decor and an exuberant ambience. Casinos: Filipinos love to gamble, but there are more sophisticated places to do this than the cockpit (see the Further Distractions section). Studebaker's Bar has sufficient facilities. The Casino Filipino Pavilion in the Holiday Inn Manila Hotel on United Nations Avenue in Ermita is open 24 hours daily; dress code is smart, the entry fee is P100 and the minimum age is 21 years. The Casino Filipino Heritage in the Heritage Hotel Manila at the intersection of Roxas Boulevard and EDSA in Pasay City is similar. Clubs: Sedate ballroom dancing can be found every evening except Sunday at Remedios Circle with In the Mood. Up-tempo, upmarket venues include the Infinity Club, 1712 Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City, and the La Legende Entertainment Complex, 718 Quezon Avenue, Quezon City. For raves, trance, house and club culture, try Laser Planet at Star City, Roxas Boulevard, Pasay; Synergy, on the third level, Glorietta II, Ayala Center, Makati; or The Verve Room, second floor, 607 J Nakpil Street, Malate - or just pick up any flyer marked 'Groove Nation' or 'Consortium'. More eccentric choices include Hobbit House on Mabini Street, a folk club staffed entirely by dwarves. Live music: Philippine live bands, ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous, swarm right across Asia, and Manila is where the entire tradition comes home to roost. The Cowboy Grill (corner of Mabini and Arquiza streets, Ermita) offers the typical roster of rock favourites with energy and panache. Filipinos are equally addicted to karaoke, and English singers can enjoy competing against the local talent: just remember to praise your competitors. Ex-pat indulgers convene at Zu in the Shangri-La Hotel on Makati Avenue; the range of local options is showcased at the EDSA International Entertainment Complex in Pasay City. |
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