Founded in 1596 in order to encourage more Chinese to become Catholic, Binondo has since emerged to become one of the city’s most dynamic and vital commercial districts, and is said to be the world’s second oldest Chinatown. But there are so many things to do in Manila’s second oldest district other than just coming here for business. From history to shopping, from yummy food to spa treatments, you will be surprise at what awaits you here!
FRIDAY
2pm. Hotel de Oriente, one of Manila earliest known hotels, first opened here in Binondo in 1889. Unfortunately it no longer exists, so the next best thing is to check in to the area’s newest hotel, Ramada Manila Central (Ongpin cor. Quintin Paredes St; +63 2 5886688, +63 2 354415). Offering 21st century comfort and value for money, a superior room here with buffet breakfast for two and hi speed wi-fi is a steal at PHP3,500++ per night.
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3pm. Start your exploration of Binondo with a bit of time travelling. Your vehicle of choice? A calesa (horse-driven carriage)! Hire those waiting near Binondo Church. A route I would recommend where you get a glimpse of the district’s historical past would be (just tell the cochero): from Jones Bridge, turn right at Muelle de Industria and go right into San Fernando Street. Along the way you will see reminders of the district’s former commercial glory such as the El Hogar Building, Chaco Building and the former head office of Citibank and HSBC.
The price for this nostalgic journey? Around PHP350, though I am told that with a bit of bargaining and persuasion you can take it down to PHP150. (If you are non-Filipino, it is best to let a local do the talking while you hide somewhere near.)
Tell the cochero to drop you off where the Citibank along San Fernando Street is located. There is a historical site that can be found on Urbiztondo Street, just behind this building. Near the Jose Abad Santos High School is where you will find the house where patriot General Antonio Luna once lived.
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Then head towards Sto. Cristo St. where you can still find shops in old bahay na bato. You can find charcoal-fed iron, gigantic woks and hurricane lamps, as well as the more mundane aluminum pots and pans. Highly recommended is the Chua Chuan Huat Glassware (576 Sto Cristo St; +63 2 2426021). Here you can find Lucky Strike blue enamelware kettle from Cebu. The older folks in Binondo buy it to create Chinese medicine tonic, but it will also work as an accent piece in your kitchen. You can also buy here old-fashioned oil lamps (PHP350 for the 12-inch model) and hurricane lamps (PHP220). Try lighting them with scented oils instead of kerosene.
When you are done, walk back to Citibank, cross the San Fernando Bridge and walk toward Binondo Church. If you have time to spare, turn right on Quintin Paredes Street and have your picture taken by the statue of Don Roman Ongpin. A well-known businessman during the time of the Philippine Revolution of 1896, he was incarcerated by the American troops for his support of the revolutionaries. He later on made a name for himself as a philanthropist. After his death in 1912, Calle Sacristia was renamed in his honor and has since become the street that is most synonymous with Binondo.
If you are hungry, go down Quintin Paredes Street, look for the EastWest bank and turn right at the small door next to it. You have now entered Uy Su Bin Building, which is a former office building, built in the 1930s, that has been reconverted into an apartment building. What is amazing is that they have managed to preserve the building’s Art Deco detailing. Once you settled down, treat yourself to some fresh Chinese lumpia (PHP50) at Po Heng Restaurant.
5pm. Back at your hotel, go to Seri-Spa next to the entrance and book yourself a treatment when you get back to your hotel around 5pm. You can revive those tired feet with a one-hour foot spa treatment with reflexology (PHP360).
7pm. Once your spa treatment is done, it is time to get back out again and get dinner. There is so much to choose from! There is the ever-popular Sincerity (497 Yuchengco St; +63 2 2419990) just around the corner at Yuchengco St. People flock here for their classic Tsinoy fare such as the duck misua (PHP140), fried chicken (PHP150), kiampong (rice cooked in pork stew, PHP35) and oyster cake (PHP140). On the other end of Yuchengco Street is Dong Bei (657 Yuchengco St; +63 2 241-8912) with their yummy handmade pork and chives dumpling (PHP100 for 14 pieces) and chicken Xinjiang (diced chicken, carrot and sayote stir fried with cumin and sesame seed, PHP220). Another recommended spot is Tasty Dumpling (641 Condesa St; +63 2 242-5195) just next to Binondo Church. They are well known for their fried porkchop and dry-tossed noodles (PHP123). Their spare rib noodles (PHP115) is also a must try.
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If you want entertainment with your dinner, try Awi’s Café (520 Yuchengco St; +63 2 5168576. Mon-Sat 8am to midnight). At night, the restaurant doubles as a KTV. Regular patrons here will entertain you with their rendition of classic Chinese love songs and ballads such as those from singer Teresa Teng. As for the food, this restaurant tries to be a different from other in Binondo by offering a mix of classic Chinese fare such as crispy tostado bihon (PHP150) and those with a modern twist, like beef fritters with spicy mayo (PHP260)
SATURDAY
9am. Hit the hotel gym for an early morning work then reward yourself with the breakfast buffet on the mezzanine. Then begin your shopping expedition of Binondo. Of course it is easy to head over to nearby Divisoria with the 168 Mall. But businesses in Binondo usually cluster around a certain street, making it easier for you to explore the area. at the same time compare prices. For example, if you are looking for jewelry, you will be glad to know that most of the jewelry stores can be found along Ongpin Street. Don’t worry about getting lost, as the hotel staff can help you find your way or you can hire a pedicab to get you around.
Another good area to explore is Tomas Pinpin Street, this where you will find many of the area’s furniture stores. Teodora Alonzo and Soler Streets are also good places to browse through as they specialize in hardware and plumbing. You can also do a gourmet tour by checking out the fresh produce shops, groceries and bakeries in the area. Best places to do this are Salazar, Soler (Arranque Market) and Carvajal Streets.
Of course there are always exception to the rules. For example, if you are looking for children’s furniture or stylish shelving units, go to Neoshoppe (2/F 573 Yuchengco St; +63 2 6686889). For affordable kitchen appliances, go to the corner of Piedad and Magsangkay Streets for the Imarflex Factory outlet.
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1pm. You have two choices for your late lunch. One is to book one of Old Manila Walks’ weekend tours (PHP1100 per person; +63 2 7113823). You will not only sample some of the district’s culinary delights on this three-hour walking tour, you will get to know more about the district’s history as well. But if you have been on this tour already, then here are some dining options.
If you are near Salazar Street, look for Happy Delicious Kitchen (corner of Salazar and Benavidez; +63 2 2441020) and grab their tasty quikiam (PHP100/roll) and their incredible three entrées and rice for PHP150 per person deal. If you are near S. Padilla St, you could go to Ang Tunay Beef Center (825 S. Padilla St; +63 2 7331340) for their steamed fish filled over tofu with black beans and garlic (PHP180) and the pork spare ribs and meatball soup (PHP110). If you can wait an hour longer, go to Golden Fortune (G/F Peace Hotel, 1283 Soler St; +63 2 522-2288). Between the hours of 2pm and 5pm, they drop the price of their dimsum down to PHP48 per item.
6pm. March right down Ongpin Street towards Sta. Cruz Church. Before you reach the Friendship Arch in front of the church, turn right at Lido De Paris Hotel (1036 Ongpin St; +63 2 7088888 to 91). Head to the hotel in-house spa, One and Only Spa, on the third floor and book yourself a 75-minute foot spa for PHP450. Price includes private room, with free drinks and TV. The spa also has a Jacuzzi and sauna if you are interested.
You don’t have to go far for dinner as the hotel has two excellent restaurants on the ground level. There is the Ta Lian Seafood Restaurant, which offers modern Chinese dishes such as wasabi prawn salad (PHP580), lamb in chili oil (PHP480) and chicken and dumpling in a pot (PHP480).
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You can also sample authentic Hunan cuisines at the WTJ restaurant. What makes Hunan cuisine unique is it spiciness. It is not a chili pepper kind of spiciness or a wasabi head-clearing punch. It is the type that makes you feel like your lips and tongue are numb. If it is your first time here, I suggest you try the skewered prawns (PHP375), steamed chicken with chili (PHP500) and the sautéed beef with hot pepper sauce (PHP350). They also have “exotic treats” such as boiled frogs (PHP780) and braised turtle (PHP498). But if you are not a fan of spicy food, non-spicy options such eggplant salted fish in casserole (PHP320) are available as well. After dinner, you can sing till midnight at the basement KTV.
SUNDAY
7am. If you are booked in the right room, the silver dome of Binondo Church will greet you when you wake up in the morning. Consider it a sign: check out the church after breakfast. Even if you are not Catholic, the interior of this church is worth taking a look for murals on the ceiling portraying the lives of Jesus and Mary. For something more interesting, go to the Crusaders Academy behind the church and attend one of the Chinese language masses at Our Lady of the Rosary parish (7am for Mandarin, 10am for Hokkien).
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Just past Shopper’s Mart is where you will find the shrine of Sto. Cristo. What makes it unique is how the residents in Binondo have turned it into a symbol of religious ecumenism. Originally a cross marker that was used to indicate the border between the district of Sta. Cruz and Binondo, it has since evolved to an object of devotion. Devotees now demonstrate their faith to the cross by not offering flowers and candles, but also in the Chinese way with incense.
If you want to visit a real Chinese Buddhist temple, you can ask a pedicab or a calesa to bring you to Seng Guan Si Temple (1176 Narra St) on the border of Binondo and Tondo. This temple is considered as the headquarters of Chinese Buddhism in the country. The building has two worship halls. The one on the ground floor is where the devotees come and carry out their private devotion. The second floor is the shrine where the chanting services are held. Usually on Sundays there is a one-hour chanting service conducted by the monks. The carved murals on the ceiling of the upper room depict the life story of Gautama Buddha.
If you have not sampled it yet, you might as well treat yourself to a dimsum brunch before you leave Binondo. Popular places for locals include Golden Fortune, Wai Ying (810 Benavidez St; +63 2 2436665) and Ying Ying (233-235 Dasmarinas St; +63 2 3872797). But if you have tried them already, then go to Escolta and check out Uno Seafood (Calvo Bldg, 278 Escolta St; +63 3 2321054) and Crown Prince (286 Escolta St; +63 2 247-7753). Finally, before you leave, drop by the popular Eng Bee Tin (branches all over Binondo) or Holland Bakery (Yuchengco cor. Carvajal) for a sweet reminder of Binondo’s staycation the hopia. Aside from mongo, kondol and ube, try out the latest ones which are custard filled.
Photos: Anson Yu
MORE STAYCATION GUIDES TO METRO MANILA:
– Friday, Saturday and Sunday in BF Homes Parañaque
– Friday, Saturday and Sunday in San Juan
– Friday and Saturday in Divisoria and Tondo
