Aside from the colonial structures and the jeepneys, Manila is known for its vast shopping malls. Wherever you are in the Philippines’ capital city, you will find a shopping mall just a stone-throw away. Unfortunately, due to the global health crisis that’s happening, only a few people come to shopping centers and buy all the stuff they need or want. Also, as a result, most people all over the Philippines stay at home and do their shopping online.
However, if you have plans to have a shopping spree around Manila after the pandemic, here are our five top destinations.
Greenbelt Makati
Makati is one of the busiest cities in the Philippines, if not the busiest. Filipinos and some foreigners from all walks of life come here day-in and day-out to work. But in the middle of this bustling center of Metro Manila is Greenbelt, a shopping oasis. We consider it an oasis because it literally is one: Five huge sections encircling a lush, green park. Surrounding the park in the edges are a handful of coffee shops and restaurants, wherein you can wine, dine, or coffee after a tiring day of shopping. This relaxing feat makes us place Greenbelt in this list of our favorite destinations when shopping around Manila.
SM Megamall
If you’re into shopping for clothes, then SM Megamall should be your mall of choice. This mall, situated along EDSA, boasts of its relatively new Fashion Hall. Fashion Hall houses hundreds of major clothing brands, both local and international, scattered all over its five-story building. When you get tired of getting in and out of the boutiques, you can dine at the cozy food court on the 5th level beside the ice skating rink. Either that or you can try your luck at the bowling alley. When you can’t find what you’re looking for in SM Megamall’s Fashion Hall, don’t worry. The mall is located near Shangri-La EDSA, The Podium, and Robinson’s Galleria (though you have to walk a bit far for the last one).
Venice Grand Canal Mall
The next on this list of destinations to go when shopping around Manila is located in BGC, Taguig. The Venice Grand Canal Mall opened a few years ago, and it has already lured in thousands of shoppers every day. Why? Because it’s not just an ordinary mall. From the name itself, the Venice Grand Canal Mall is developed with Venice, Italy in mind. Architecture-wise, it looks like one of those grand buildings in this iconic Italian city. In fact, it has a canal in the middle of it, complete with gondolas that you can rent out. If you want to visit a mall only to unwind and relax, this mall is a perfect place. Also ideal for bringing your visitors, too.
Festival Mall Alabang
This mall, built in the 90s, may look dated in most parts. Still, Festival Mall holds it as thousands of people come to this mall in Alabang every day. It may be the nostalgia that makes people come back, but the mall still has a lot to offer. It even has a mini theme park on its top-level where kids of all ages can enjoy. Aside from that, the coaster rides and the arcade are busy even up to this day. Expansions are going on around the mall’s vicinity, which simply means that the Festival Mall is here to stay.
SM Mall Of Asia
In every corner of Manila, there is an SM-owned establishment. No wonder why we have two SM Malls in this list of destinations when shopping around Manila. And it’s also no surprise why we include this massive mall located along the coast of Pasay. The SM Mall of Asia is one of the biggest malls in Asia and the world and is also one of the most popular among the SM malls. We include “MOA” because of its overall value for the family. Aside from shopping and dining activities, it has a leisure center where kids can truly enjoy themselves. For yuppies who want to enjoy their Friday night, they can chill and unwind at a dozen bars located beside the bay area.
In Conclusion
Shopping around Manila is not just a chore; it is an experience. That is why it’s a shame that the pandemic put a halt to many mall activities. We hope that this will end soon, but we are also glad that online shopping already exists. Getting to shop for your favorite items and brands at the comfort of your own home is a game-changer. There are many shopping apps out in the open now. However, you can choose an all-Filipino company that helps fellow Filipino entrepreneurs boost their business.
