Manila Chinatown, Binondo

Location: Manila Chinatown is in the third district of Manila. The address is 864 Masangkay St, Binondo, Manila, 1006 Metro Manila, Philippines.
Opening hours: Manila Chinatown is an open place, without fixed opening hours. However, different shops, restaurants, markets, temples, churches, etc. may have different business hours, generally from 8 am to 10 pm. On holidays or special days, there may be some special activities or celebrations, which will extend or shorten the business hours.
Reason to visit: The oldest Chinatown in the world
How to get there: After arriving in Manila, it is very convenient to go to Manila Chinatown. If you choose light rail, you can take LRT1, LRT2. In addition, you can also take a jeepney directly to the place.

Brief Introduction

Manila Chinatown (also known as Binondo) is an area in the capital of the Philippines, Manila, and one of the earliest overseas Chinese settlements in the world. It was established in 1594, when the Spanish colonizers relocated the Chinese in Manila to the north bank of the Pasig River, for easier supervision and taxation.

Manila Chinatown covers an area of about 9 square kilometers, and is home to more than 600,000 people, most of whom are Chinese from Fujian province. There are many ancient buildings, temples, churches, shops, restaurants, and markets here, showing the traditional lifestyle and customs of the Chinese. Manila Chinatown is also one of the business centers of the Philippines, especially in finance, wholesale, retail, and catering. Every Lunar New Year, Manila Chinatown holds a grand celebration, attracting countless tourists and locals.

Popular attractions in Binondo

Main streets

Ongpin Street is one of the most representative and busiest streets in Manila Chinatown, where most of the service industries such as restaurants, hotels, and retail stores are concentrated. It is named after the Philippine Chinese leader Ongpin, and there are his memorial statue and the monument of the Chinese anti-Japanese war on the street. Besides Ongpin Street, you can also visit Divisoria, which specializes in cheap goods wholesale and retail, and Soler Street, which deals in wholesale of both consumer and industrial goods.

If you want to experience the glory of the former financial center of the Philippines, go to Escolta Street. This is a historic east-west street, with many old buildings. In the late 19th century, Escolta flourished into a fashionable commercial district, with the tallest buildings and the Manila Stock Exchange in Manila, until the 1960s when the business center gradually moved to Makati.

Main religious attractions

Binondo Church, also known as San Lorenzo Ruiz Basilica, is named after the first saint of the Philippines, who was also of Chinese descent, San Lorenzo Ruiz, who was executed by the Japanese in 1637 for refusing to renounce Catholicism. Its architectural style is baroque, and although the exterior looks a bit old, the interior decoration is magnificent, with vivid murals and sculptures. In front of it is the central plaza of the famous church

In the Binondo area, the two most famous Catholic churches are the classic Binondo Church and the long-named Black Nazarene Basilica, unlike the magnificent Binondo Church, the location of the Black Nazarene Basilica is closer to the daily life of the Filipinos. Inside the church is a statue of Jesus, known as the "Jesus of the Holy Cross" (Black Nazarene). Every year on January 9, millions of believers participate in a religious event called the "Black Crowding" (Black Nazarene Procession), where the statue is carried out of the church and paraded through the streets.

Iconic arches

Entering Chinatown from the south via Johnes Bridge, at the north end of the bridge is the Welcome Arch of Chinatown, a newly built large arch. Adjacent to the north of this arch is another iconic entrance of Chinatown, the Philipino-Chinese Friendship Arch, the range of Chinatown starts from here and extends to the other end of the Arch of Goodwill.

Malls

In Manila Chinatown, "999 Shopping Mall" is a conspicuous shopping mall, with it as the center, nearby 168, other malls are also rich in characteristics. Although the variety and quantity of goods are numerous, the quality is uneven, however, if you like treasure hunting, Manila Chinatown's department store is a worthwhile attraction.

Lucky Chinatown is the first large shopping center in Manila Chinatown, set up to promote the business and tourism of Binondo. It not only gathers various international fashion brands, but also gathers various cuisines from the Philippines, China, and Europe.