In the days of the Spanish Empire, Manila was Spain's seat of power in Asia and the Pacific. Today, the city and its people are a mish-mash of the East and West. A string of harsh invasions (Spain, USA, Japan) and a history of hardships moulded Filipinos into resilient, good-humoured and resourceful people, traits that can be seen in their everyday life.

The friendliness of Filipinos translates to good customer service in hotels, businesses and malls. Most residents speak English, so navigating the city is not a big problem. These, plus the added purchasing value of the foreign exchange rate, make Manila a great place for guests looking for luxury, pampering and bargains.

‘Manila' really refers to two places: the City of Manila, founded by Spanish conquerors in 1571 by the side of Manila Bay, and the larger Metropolitan Manila (abbreviated to Metro Manila), which encompasses the City of Manila and 17 other cities. Filipinos use ‘Manila' to mean Metro Manila, while the term Manileño is reserved exclusively for the City of Manila's residents.

Manila's history is intertwined with its geographic location. Manila Bay was an ideal port for Spanish ships bearing gold, spices, silk and ceramics (treasure hunters still seek sunken Manila galleons today). Unfortunately for Manileños, this also attracted a string of invaders.

Spain first conquered Manila in 1571. For 300 years, Spain successfully repelled a series of invasion attempts by the Chinese, Dutch and the British. A Filipino revolutionary force triumphed over the Spanish in 1896. But this was shortlived as the USA took over Manila in 1898. The city finally got its independence after WWII.

The city is mostly warm and humid, with an average temperature of 27°C (81°F). It gets cooler in the months of December to February (down to around 21°C/70°F), and warmer to hot during March to May (up to around 34°C/93°F). The rainy season used to be in June to September, but this has shifted towards September to October, with typhoons often arriving during these months.