Manila has several budget-friendly date spots for you and your loved one to experience.
While fancy restaurants and tropical getaways are nice to experience, those aren’t the only ways to have fun and create beautiful memories with your significant other. You don’t have to create a hole in your pocket to show your love. Know that there are several other options where you and your loved one can enjoy your time together.
After all, it’s not always about the money. It’s the quality of your relationship that counts.
Below are 7 budget-friendly date spots in Manila you may want to consider.
1 | Intramuros
Intramuros Entrance
Address: 1002 Metro Manila
Intramuros may be hundreds of years old but it actually never gets old. It is well-maintained and is one of the most popular tourist attractions especially for history and architecture enthusiasts.
The walled city is home to Spanish era churches and buildings that make the ambience even more romantic and photogenic. Aside from touristy photoshoots, you may want to tour the area on a bamboo bike. Called bambike, this unique method of transportation comes in different varieties and designs. If biking is not your thing, try the kalesa (horse-drawn carriage) tour instead.
Manila Cathedral and San Agustin Church, both popular wedding venues, are also located in Intramuros.
READ MORE: Intramuros | Manila Cathedral | San Agustin Church
2 | Venice Grand Canal Mall
Venice Grand Canal Mall
Address: McKinley Hill Drive, Taguig, 1630 Metro Manila
Dubbed as the “most romantic mall in the country”, it makes perfect sense for couples to choose Venice Grand Canal Mall as the venue for their next date. This ‘Instagrammable’ mall is Venetian-inspired and highlights the manmade Grand Canal where guests can experience the gondola ride similar to that of Italy’s.
READ MORE: Taguig City Visitors Guide
3 | Mang Larry’s Isawan
Mang Larry’s Isawan | Image Source
Address: E. Jacinto Street, Diliman, Quezon City, Metro Manila
Located inside UP Diliman Campus, Mang Larry’s Isawan is dubbed as “The Famous Isawan in UP”. The stall found near the College of Fine Arts sells grilled isaw (pig or chicken intestine) as well as grilled gizzard, pork liver, pork bbq, and refreshments like mango shake and avocado shake. What makes Mang Larry’s Isawan different from other isaw vendors along the street is that their sawsawan (dipping sauce) tastes really great and is served separately from the isaw. Additionally, you will get to enjoy the food without worries as it is guaranteed to be clean and safe.
Adding to the tasty street food is the ambience in UP Diliman – great for walking around and hanging out with your loved one.
4 | Dessert Museum
Address: Seaside Boulevard, Coral Way, Pasay, 1300
The sweetest place in the metro! Dessert Museum is actually not a museum but a candy-themed indoor playground and gallery where kids and kids at heart can enjoy eight rooms filled with sugar and everything nice. The first room is the Donut Room where you can either slide through the donut hole or walk down the steps. The other rooms are Marshmallow Room, Candy Cane Room, Ice Cream Room, Bubble Gum Room, Gummy Bear Room, Cotton Candy Room, and Cake Pop Room. Each room is unique from the other but all make a fun backdrop to your Instagram photos.
The entrance fee comes with six different kinds of desserts that include gummy bears, cotton candy, macarons, ice cream popsicles, and marshmallows.
5 | National Museum Complex
National Museum Building
Address: Padre Burgos Avenue, Ermita, Manila, 1000 Metro Manila
If you are into these sorts of things, then schedule a day to explore the National Museum Complex. The complex houses the National Museums of Fine Arts, National Museum of Anthropology, National Museum of Natural History, and National Planetarium. You and your loved ones will not only be spending time together but also know more about the country’s history and culture. Admission to the museums is free.
6 | Binondo Food Crawl
Fried Siopao Store at Binondo | Image Source
Address: 1006 Metro Manila
For foodie couples, make Binondo the venue for your next date. Dubbed as the “Oldest Chinatown in the World”, Binondo is one of the best places in the country to satisfy your gastronomic adventures. There are over 100 restaurants in the area so you will surely find something that will fit your budget or food preferences. While Binondo is a mecca for Chinese foods, you will also find restaurants serving Filipino and international cuisines. Try Dong Bei Dumplings, Tea Brothers, Shanghai Fried Siopao, and New Po Heng Lumpia House.
7 | La Mesa Ecopark
La Mesa Ecopark | Image Source
Address: P36G+Q2V, Novaliches, Quezon City, Metro Manila
How about some nature exploration with your loved one? La Mesa Ecopark is a 33-hectare public park and protected watershed where you can relax amidst lush greenery and peaceful ambience. Various activities you can do in the park include biking, swimming, fishing, horseback riding, and ziplining. In the park is a koi pond and Butterfly Haven where different species of butterflies inhabit.
READ MORE: Lifestyle in the Philippines
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