Manila Nightlife Guide – Where to Go at Night In this Vibrant City

July 9, 2024

On my first trip to the Philippines, Manila struck me the most because of the instant feel of its cultural diversity, sophistication, lavishness, and spirituality.

But there is something more than that, something that happens at night. With such cultural diversity and with a cocktail of people across the world – Asia, Europe, Africa, and Europe, they all have something in common – the nightlife!

It doesn’t really matter if is a weekend or midweek, it’s always something to do and the bars and clubs are busy every day. Today I’m going to share with you the best bars, clubs, restaurants, things to do at night, and my top tips for nightlife in Manila, Philippines.

Getting Around

Most international and domestic flights can access the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila from major cities in the world. There are direct bus services to Manila from other parts of the Philippines.

The rail transportation is dysfunctional and their operation is not systematic, they have a single rail track running from South Luzon to Legaspi. Being an Island rich country, most passenger ferries have a direct route to the port of Manila.

Once in Metro Manila, you can either use coupon taxis around, metered taxis, or point-to-point buses. Rail transport is another option, but it often carries an overload of local passengers, especially between 7 – 9 am and 5 – 9 pm.

Although point-to-point buses are comfortable, it is preferable for tourists to take a cab around. Intra-city transportation within Manila is cheap by European standards, usually between $ 0.3 – 3.5 depending on the type of transport you opt for.

In the Philippines, the law permits tourists who are above 18 years and hold an international driver’s license to drive. You may choose to drive yourself around the city by arranging with a reputable car rental company through your hotel.

Manila Nightlife

During my time in Manila, it was easy to figure out that the city residents pursue pleasure as a matter of ethical principle.

Every night was a blast! Manila has a legion of entertainment districts and nightclubs, beautiful girls, stunning city-view bars, classy restaurants, and so much more. Prior to my visit, I have read and fantasized about the nightlife experience.

Just like Bangkok, Manila is a city of fun. Here are the highlights of Manila’s nightlife that blew my mind away, and I want you to put them on your must-do/visit list during your visit. If you spend some more days in the city you should check for the best things to do in Manila.

Check our guide for the best beach resorts near Manila!

Manila Girls

Manila is the hub for the hottest and most open-minded Filipina girls in the country. The majority of the girls look amazing with slim and sexy faces, they are very friendly with strangers and love to try out new things.

Rumors have it that Filipinas have an unending sex drive, this could not be far from the truth.

Manila is one place where you get to see and meet girls both day and night. During the day, just walk up to any mall – SM Makati, Robinsons, Century City, etc., and you will find single girls wandering around and they are always eager to start a conversation.

At night, you can hook up with ladies at restaurants, bars, and clubs. Most of them have basic knowledge of communicating in English, you may want to speak slowly and be patient for smooth correspondence.

Filipino Nightclubs

For clubbing and dancing freaks, there are more nightclubs in Manila than in any other city in the Philippines.

One of the biggest clubs and pool parties in Asia is domiciled in Manila where renowned DJs play every weekend with an attendance of over 4000 people, most of them beautiful young girls.

Filipino parties and nightclubs offer great music, an intoxicating ambiance, exotic drinks, and good company in a high-end setting.

Below are the four best clubs in Manila you don’t want to miss.

Chaos Nightclub

Touted as the “New York club” in the Metro Manila, it is located in the City of Dreams complex. The plushy design, breathtaking interior layout, and candlelight effects create a perfect space for a great nightlife experience in Manila.

If you came heavy to the club, you could use their VIP room for an avant-garde experience out of this world.

To enrich customers’ delight and clubbing experience, the club uses colorful LED curtains, hosts the best DJs in town, displays hot pole dancers, uses hydraulic DJ booths, has a conducive dance floor, confetti, and many other side attractions.

Opened: Wednesdays – Sundays
Entrance fee: 500 pesos (Regular nights)
Entrance fee: 1,000 pesos (Event nights)
VIP Room: 10,000 pesos
Working Girls: 40%

Valkyrie Nightclub

Valkyrie is the first club to open in The Palace. It is one of the best nightclubs in Manila and the first choice club for high socialite Filipinos in the capital city.

Valkyrie is the biggest nightclub in Manila with space that can accommodate over 2,000 party lovers.

Some of the biggest DJs in the world play here, those who have graced the stage in the past are Martin Garrix, Adventure Club, Andrew Rayel, DJ Snake, Miss Nine, and many more. On top of these, Valkyrie girls are classy, neat, and very beautiful.

The club also has VIP rooms with comfortable white orthopedic couches and entertaining side attractions.

Opened: Everyday
Entrance fee: 800 pesos (weekdays)
Entrance fee: 1,000 pesos (weekends) + 2 drinks
VIP Room: Buy a special drink for access
Working Girls: 10%

Palace Pool Club

This is a world-class party venue in Manila with a maximum capacity of 4,000 people for both day and nightclubbing. The pool club is located in Makati right beside Valkyrie.

It has two swimming pools, multiple bars, a satellite DJ booth, and the main DJ booth for both local and international disc jockeys.

Artistic DJs who have graced the stage here include Kaskade, Showtek, Diplo, Steve Aoki, and so on.

Popular music played are twerk, EDM, R&B, Hip-hop, and trending hits back-to-back. The big highlight here is the interior and exterior setting, lavish Cabanas, day beds, frenzy crowd, and steam rooms.

The Cabanas often come with indoor and outdoor sitting areas, air-conditioning, LED TV, personal toilet and bath, a safe, and a dedicated butler to serve your needs.

Opened: Everyday
Entrance fee: Free (Sundays – Thursdays), 800 pesos (Fridays and Saturdays)
Cabana: 10,000 – 20,000 (depending on day)
Working Girls: 25%

Exklusiv Nightclub Bar

If you are unrestricted and you want to unleash the party beast in you, Exclusiv is one of the trending Manila nightclubs where your dream can come true. The club grabbed its revered status after the recent renovation that was made to the club.

It is located in the Malate district surrounded by different KTV bars and girly bars, this can only mean one thing – More Girls!

Exklusiv parties are always filled with beautiful and wild young ladies who can go to any length to hit your soft spot. There is no entrance fee and the drinks are affordable.

This makes Exklusiv a center of attraction for city ladies and gents seeking to have fun, listen to great music, and dance like there is no tomorrow.

You can walk in, buy yourself a drink and chat with a lady of your taste, but you should note that the real party won’t start until around 12:00 at midnight.

Opened: Mondays – Saturdays
Entrance fee: Free
VIP Room: 20,000 (weekends)
Working Girls: 5%

I really think these are the best nightclubs in Manila, Philippines. There are a few other smaller pubs and clubs, but if you decide to go for a night out, you should try one of these first.

Filipino Bars and Restaurants

There are many world-class bars and restaurants around Manila, they often come with a live performance or soft music while you enjoy their food and drinks. If you’ve got the gut for the locally brewed beer, they’ve also got plenty made from indigenous plants.

I make bold to say that there is a lot of excitement that comes with eating and drinking in Manila at night. Below is a list of restaurants and bars to start your nightlife with good food and drink.

Oto – 5883 Enriquez Street, Barangay Poblacion, 1210 Makati
Grace Park – Ground Floor, One Rockwell, 1200 Makati
19 East – KM 19, East Service Road Sucat, Muntinlupa, Luzon
Unit 27 – G/Floor Icon Plaza, 26th Street, Bonifacio Global City
Polilya – 5658 Jacobo St., Poblacion, Makati, Metro Manila
Planet Grapes – 30th Street Corner 5th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
Rou Bourbon – Ground Floor, Aguirre Building, Salcedo Village, Makati City
Futurist – 5062 Guerrero St., Brgy. Poblacion, Makati, Metro Manila
12/10 – 7635 Guijo, Village, Makati, 1203 Metro Manila
Prima Facie – 114 Scout cor Tomas Morato, Sct. Lozano St, Quezon City.

Where to Go in Manila at Night

There are more interesting sides to Manila nightlife than just the parties, bars, shopping, and clubs.

If you want to try out something different in Manila at night, these are some other amazing things you can experience with your friends or dates that will make your night end on a frenzy note.

Eat a sumptuous dinner at Bayleaf Sky Deck
Enjoy the indie live performance at Route 196
Have an evening gaze at the beautiful scenery at the Star City
Have a drink at Zirkoh Comedy Bar
Watch the Sunset on Manila Bay
Take a picture at the Luneta ornamental garden
Window-shop/Shop at the Mall of Asia
Go gaming at the City of Dreams
Visit the ancient Intramuros site
Have good local food at Mercato.

Manila Nightlife Safety Tips

Manila is generally safe for visitors, but you must know that people are faced with extreme poverty and other problems.

This can put visitors in a difficult situation sometimes if precautions are not adhered to. Below is a list of travel tips to keep out of trouble and enjoy Manila’s nightlife more.

Wear simple clothes during a night out; don’t use expensive jewelry that can attract notorious snatchers and grabbers;
Beware of scams and thieves looking out for foreigners to deceive, and always have a solid plan of where to go, especially in the early hours of the morning;
Always use Grab for moving around (Asia’s UBER/TAXIFY substitute). If you must use the white street taxis, always ensure that the meter is on to avoid overcharging;
Do not let your guard loose when at a bar, your drink may be spiked. In Metro Manila, there were multiple cases of tourists being spiked and getting all their possession stolen.
Avoid areas notorious for crime such as Tondo, Narvotas, and Baseco;
If you get lucky to bring a local girl to your room, always lock your room and put the keys in your pocket to avoid being robbed;
When you exchange cash at night, always do it in an illuminated area and always count the cash because some of them can use hand tricks to give you less amount than they counted right in front of you;
Avoid tap water and ice from street vendors;
Avoid putting your valuables in backpacks because of the risk of losing your wallet, passport, and other valuables. Do not go out at night with backpacks because most of the clubs and malls will not allow you to enter with it in the first place;
Avoid getting into a lengthy conversation with local people, if you are not the one who started the conversation.