Bambike Ecotours Intramuros

is an exciting and educational ecotourism activity in the heart of Manila’s old walled city of Intramuros.
Guests will be riding through the streets on bamboo bikes that have been handmade by Gawad Kalinga
villagers here in the Philippines. Tourists will be led around the area, getting to cover more ground than
if on a walking tour and having a more interesting experience than if going around on a calesa.

http://bambike.com/ecotours

kalesa  ride

Bored stiff with the classically kitschy kalesa  ride around Intramuros (P350)? Take on the asphalt and
cobblestones with modern aplomb, via White Knight Inn's Intramuros Tour via Segway (P1000 per
hour).

http://www.spot.ph/gallery/2082/10-things-to-do-in-intramuros/article/50860#photo-2082-1

1. Walk on walls

Intramuros is dubbed as the “Walled City” as well as the “City Within The City.” You can walk on top of
the defensive walls that surround what was once the former seat of the Spanish colonial government in
Manila. The whole experience can be likened to climbing the Great Wall of China or passing through
the Passetto di Borgo.

2. People watch from the baluartes

Intramuros is also a perfect spot to do some people watching. Seeing people from all walks of life
converge in the walled city is a pretty interesting sight. I recommend staying at the Baluarte de
Dilao which is just across The Bayleaf Hotel and Lyceum of the Philippines University. Find your spot at
the baluarte and maybe you could do what the girl on the “Sleepless Night” Department of Tourism TV
advertisement did.

3. Visit plazas and other free attractions

There are a lot of plazas and other attractions that you can enjoy in Intramuros for free. Some
Intramuros plazas that you may enjoy for free include: Plaza Roma, Plaza Mexico, Plaza España, Plazuela
de Santa Isabel, Memorare Manila and Puerta Isabel II.

You may also drop by Intramuros attractions like Manila Cathedral, Ayuntamiento de Manila, Aduana
(Intendencia) Ruins and San Ignacio Church Ruins. If school and university buildings interest you, then
you could also enjoy the different schools found in Intramuros including the Colegio de San Juan de
Letran.
4. Say a quick prayer at the San Agustin Church

If you are a Catholic, then stop by at the San Agustin Church and hear Mass or say a quick prayer. The
church is also known as the “wedding capital of the Philippines.” You can actually stop by and witness
how wedding ceremonies are done here in the Philippines.

Entering the church is free. However there are times when they close the church’s main entrance if
there are no church services. Sometimes they also do not allow tourists inside especially if church
services are being held. If anyone stops you from entering, just inform him or her that you are a Catholic
and you just want to say a quick prayer. Do not forget to enjoy the church’s unique architecture, design
and iconographies while you’re inside. Take photos too but turn off your camera’s flash.

If the church’s main entrance is closed, the only way to enter it is through the San Agustin Museum,
which means you have to pay for a ticket.

5. Pose for souvenir photos

Intramuros is one of the few places in Manila that still has cobbled streets (cobblestone streets).
Cobbled street and Spanish-era houses or buildings make for a perfect background for your next profile
photo. So do not forget to have photos taken during your stroll around Intramuros.

The best spot to do this is just outside the San Agustin Church, General Luna Street corner Real Street.
Posing for a souvenir in the Casa Manila Patio, which near the church too, is also great. The
friendly kutsero or coachman may even allow you to pose beside his horse-drawn carriage or kalesa.

6. Window shop

Intramuros abounds with several souvenir or novelty shops and doing some window shopping is a great
way to pass time. Try window shopping at The Manila Collectible Co., The Papier Tole Shop, Silahis
Souvenir Shop, Mananzan Handicrafts or La Monja Loca.

7. Watch for free cultural events

Every third Sunday of the month is called the “Intramuros Pasyal Sunday.” During the event, a stretch of
Intramuros is closed to vehicular traffic. Start-up businesses and street performers also line a portion of
Intramuros.

The annual Santacruzan in Intramuros is held during the last week of May.

Every first Sunday of December, the Grand Marian Procession is held in the walled city. More than 100
images of the Blessed Virgin Mary take part in the procession. The annual procession is included in
Time’s “25 Authentic Asian Experiences.”

You may also watch free cultural shows in Fort Santiago.

http://www.justjeric.com/2014/01/16/7-free-things-to-do-in-intramuros/

Club Intramuros Golf Course.

A few years after the Americans took over from the Spanish in 1898, the fetid, swamp-like moat around
Intramuros was drained and filled in. The newly reclaimed land was later covered with grass, spiced with
a few sand pits and sprinkled with water traps. Result: an 18 hole, par 66, 4,326-yard greensward that
wraps around the city's ancient walls and makes for an interesting (if rather short) golfing experience.

Drink

If you're feeling peckish - or need something more substantial to go with your beverage - the cafés listed
here also generally offer light meals and snacks, making them a good alternative to the restaurants
listed in the previous section.

Sleep

Hotels of any kind - from the luxurious to the spartan - are easy to find in Manila, but there aren't many
choices within Intramuros itself. Until recently, most visitors have had to base themselves somewhere
outside the walls; this has now changed with at least two new hotels setting up shop inside the district
boundaries within the last few years. In addition to the options listed below, other conveniently located
hotels can be found in the neighbouring Ermita district.

Tourists willing to put up with (and pay for) long taxi rides might also consider bedding down in the high-
end hotels of the posh Makati business district, miles to the southeast.
 The Bayleaf Intramuros, Muralla cor. Victoria

 A swank new hotel just inside the walls, with great views of the surrounding area (especially
from the roof deck). The neighbourhood isn't the best of places in Intramuros but the major
sites should be within an easy walk from here. Complimentary WiFi upon check-in. Has a cafe on
the ground floor and a restaurant on the 9th.

 White Knight Hotel, Plaza San Luis Complex, General Luna cor. Urdaneta (opposite San Agustin
church)

From here, guests can easily explore the oldest district in Manila and discover its rich and
fascinating history.

 Manila Hotel, One Rizal Park, Roxas Blvd

on a prime site just outside the walls of Intramuros, the venerable Manila Hotel is a well-known
landmark and a historic location in itself. General Douglas MacArthur lived there from 1935 to
1941.