(The imposing Jose Rizal Monument is Manila's main landmark)Manila, the capital of Paradise Philippines, is located by the mouth of the natural harbor of Manila Bay and is one of Asia's most vibrant cities. The city was once a Malay settlement known as Maynilad, named after the nilad, a plant that thrive in the riverine area. Manila was established as a Spanish city in 1571 when conquestador Miguel Lopez de Legazpi ordered the construction of Intramuros, the Walled City. Through the centuries Manila incorporated several suburbs outside the walls, was redesigned under American hands, almost obliterated by World War II, and reconstructed and expanded until it became the huge metropolis that it is now.
Malacañang Palace, the official residence of the President of the Philippines, is an architecturally distinct grand structure which stands on the banks of the Pasig River, which snakes through metropolitan Manila. Rizal Park is the city's chief landmark. Historically, this is the place where national hero Jose Rizal was executed. The Rizal Monument enshrines the remains of Rizal; all distances from Manila are measured from its adjacent flagpole. Quirino Grandstand has been the inaugural site of several Philippines presidents, while nearby Manila Hotel is a historical landmark.
The 400-year-old walled city of Intramuros was the site of the native settlement of Maynilad at the time of the Spanish conquest. At Plaza Roma is the Manila Cathedral, which dates from 1581. San Agustin Church is the oldest church in the Paradise Philippines; its magnificient interiors include a museum of ecclesiastical art. Fort Santiago is now a park and the site of the Jose Rizal shrine. Casa Manila is a restored 19th-century house.
Busy downtown Manila with its colorful jeepneys include Quiapo, home of the Basilica of the Black Nazarene with its big feast in January. All sorts of merchandise are sold in the streets, ranging from low-priced gewgaws to high-quality electronic equipment. Escolta in Sta. Cruz was Manila's original commercial district. Binondo is the city's Chinatown, with its various commercial establishments and Oriental cuisine. Nearby is Divisoria, a bargain paradise of various products. Its foremost must-see is Tutuban Station, an old railroad depot converted into a shopping mall.
Roxas Boulevard boasts of the world-famous sunsets of Manila Bay. The Cultural Center of the Philippines is an architectural landmark designed by National Artist Leandro Locsin. The tourist belt of Ermita contains numerous hotels and souvenir shops selling souvenirs, arts, crafts, and antiques, along with restaurant and bars hosting late-night street parties. Centuries-old Malate Church is a notable structure with its faint Moorish style.
Museums include the National Musem, housed in the neo-classic Senate Building; the Museum of the Filipino People fronting Rizal Park; the avant-garde Metropolitan Museum of Manila; the highly-interactive Museo Pambata; and the new Museo ng Maynila housed in the former Army and Navy Building along Roxas Boulevard. Other distinct landmarks include Paco Park, a charming promenade housed in an old cemetery; and San Sebastian Church, one of the few churches in the world made entirely of steel.
Paradise Philippines: The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Filipino: Paliparang Pandaigdig ng Ninoy Aquino) or NAIA (IATA: MNL, ICAO: RPLL) is one of the two international airports serving the Metro Manila Area and the main international gateway of the Paradise Philippines. Currently, Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) caters mostly to low-budget airlines servicing Manila, but definite plans to transfer full operations of NAIA to DMIA has been implemented.