goodies that you can bring back home.
Get into the zen zone for the rest
of the afternoon. No girls’ getaway
to Manila is complete without a trip
to The Spa. This local chain, which
pioneered the spa industry in the
country, has impeccable service,
comparable to that of high-end spas in
hotels, but without the high-end price
tag. At The Spa, your HK$500 will
get you hours of bliss and pampering.
But if you want to splurge a bit, some
locations allow you to book a private
loft for you and your girlfriends.
Private lofts are available at the newest
branch of The Spa at Bonifacio Global
City (BGC), which also happens to be
a Manila must-visit. If you are feeling
rejuvenated after your spa escape,
have a jaunt around Bonifacio High
Street, a kilometre-long haven for
foodies and shopaholics.
Monday
You still have your luggage to fill
before flying back home, so it’s time to
hit the malls! Aside from its hundreds
of international and local boutiques,
Ayala Center houses three major
department stores – SM, Landmark
and Rustan’s – offering a myriad of
goods spread over thousands of square
metres of shopping floors.
If time (or energy) is short and you
have to choose only three sections
to explore, make sure you check out:
1) the ladies’ shoe department to
indulge your inner Imelda Marcos; 2)
the children’s clothing department.
For decades, the Philippines has
been manufacturing products for
international brands such as OshKosh
and Gap, and its own local brands
of children’s fashion hold the same
high quality at more reasonable prices
than in Hong Kong; 3) the Philippine
souvenirs department to let everyone
back home know you were still
thinking about them while away.
Three days in Manila will have
you feeling like your old self again,
refreshed, renewed and ready to get
back into it.
WHERE TO STAY
Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig and the Ayala Center in the Makati
Central Business District are upscale areas with easy access to many
amenities. Both are just a few kilometres away from the airport and are
the expats’ choice of residences and playgrounds in the city.
BGC (or “Fort Boni” to the locals) is the newer of the two
developments and is often likened to new, modern cities in the US. It
has several hotels and serviced apartments, and a leisure and shopping
complex, but isn’t as crowded yet as its predecessor, the Ayala Center.
However, Ayala Center has a wider variety of accommodation. While
it houses major hotel chains such as Shangri La, Intercontinental and
Holiday Inn, it also offers two-star hotels that give you great value for
money, including The E-Hotel – a humble hotel that provides decent
and secure accommodation for HK$600 per twin-share per night.
GETTING AROUND
The best way to get around Manila is by chauffeur-driven private car,
which your hotel can help you arrange ahead of your visit. For about
HK$800, you’ll have a driver to take you around Manila for a whole day.
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