Philippines – Manila Davao Borocay – Travel Food Entertainment

 

SM MALL of ASIA, a Guide to Hot Spots

 

The SM Mall of Asia is the staggering centerpiece of the Sy family’s Mall army. The Sy’s have always been known for their great and beautiful malls located all over the Philippines. Each mall outside of Metro Manila has practically become a tourist destination especially for the unique ones such as SM City Baguio.

 

But to say that SM Mall of Asia is just like any other mall is like saying that a Rolls Royce is just like any other car.

 

To discuss Mall of Asia in length would take a long time and you still wouldn’t be able to see how awesome it is. Malls are meant to be walked through, not discussed in an article. But here’s a short guide to show you some of the awesome spots anyway.

 

1)      IMAX Center- Unequivocally, the SM Mall of Asia is best known for its IMAX theater. Nowhere else can one have the IMAX experience in the Philippines and this is primarily why a lot of people want to watch movies here especially when the movie is in 3D.

2)      Concert Area- A phenomenon happened a few years ago and a lot of concerts started finding their way to the backyards and other spots around Mall of Asia. A lot of international stars and local artists found their way showcasing their wares in the SMX Convention Center, the grounds behind MOA or the awesome concert hall with a backdrop of the world famous sunset behind it. Tens of thousands make the drive to MOA just to see them and it’s usually an incredible show.

3)      Restobars- Lining up the Manila Bay, several restobars have cropped up right outside the main mall. These bars used to be along Roxas Blvd. but they have sice relocated to Mall of Asia. I think it’s a great thing.

4)      Ice Skating Rink- SM Mall of Asia revived the ice skating craze in the Philippines of the 90s in their spectacular mall. The skating rink is amazing and they have various programs that help train rookies and, surprisingly, some world champions in the ice skating scene.

5)      Sightseeing spot- Like I stated, SM Malls have become tourist attractions. Manila Bay itself is an amazing sight and the Mall of Asia helps maximize this priceless beauty by setting up areas where one can enjoy the view. They have viewing platforms and bridgeways to help people out. And when the World Pyolympics arrive for their annual competition involving fireworks, the place simply explodes.

Ten Gimik Spots You Need to Go to in Manila

 

Filipinos are notorious party goers. They know how to have fun and have a good time. From Thursdays to Saturdays, the country’s hot spots become alive and everyone who is looking to relax and enjoy the nightlife are in very particular spots in the country. I will not tell you particular restaurants right now but areas as people don’t go to one particular bar only but as many as possible.

 

First and foremost however, we need to teach you the word : Gimik. Gimik is the local term for a party or “happening” or anything that has to do an with an event about having fun. People would ask, “Where’s your gimik?” which means where are you headed to tonight or what will you guys be doing? Gimik is the term that you need to know if you want to have a fun time.

 

1)      Eastwood City, Libis

 

Eastwood city is probably the hottest gimik spot in the Northern part of Metro Manila right now. There are malls in the area as well as a lot of restaurants that line up the area. The restaurants are perfect for those who want to wine and dine and they have good ones too that are for family night out or for friends or lovers. The prices of the food for these restaurants are perfect for the younger generation of employees and businessmen. They are not too expensive so as to turn-off the yuppie crowd that mostly makes up the gimik-going crowd.

 

One of the big come ons of Eastwood is the live band or the outdoor concert stage in area. There are live bands who perform there as well as amazing singers every night of the week. Even top artists from the US perform there such as Daughtry and Maroon 5. The area is relatively small and it is filled to the brim when such artist perform there live.

 

 

Filipinos love to watch movies and the theaters in Eastwood are probably some of the best both in cleanliness and ambience of the cinemas. Other activities you could do here include bowling and dancing. There is also an abundance of coffee shops and the coffee shop sub culture in the country is thus, well served.

 

2)      SM North/ TriNoma Area

 

Further up north are two competing malls that has just become hot over the past two years. TriNoma is owned by the Ayalas while SM City North Edsa is owned by Henry Sy. The Block, in SM City, used to be a mere parking lot is now one of the best places for gimiks. The best thing about the place is that it is spacious so that for people who want to walk, it is pretty much ideal. The roof deck is slowly being transformed into a great place to have dinner in and the Block itself connects to the general Mall area that is less glamorous to go to. The Block has a separate theater area from the general mall and is also more expensive. They have a digital cinema that also shows #D films and is therefore one of the most accessible theaters for that sort of thing.

 

While SM is still fixing their roofdeck, TriNoma is already there. TriNma’s roofdeck is one of the best places to have a good time. There are water tricks in the fountains, fake fog and beautiful lights that make the area just so beautiful. There are coffee shops and restaurants around a pseudo-pond which is also just a few meters away from an arcade and videoke bar. Right beside the arcade is just a luxurious theater area. Like I said, Filipinos love movies and the entire place just gives everything else a good vibe.