Pasay - city of the Philippines in Metro Manila

Pasay is a city in Metro Manila. Just south of Manila, this city houses the Ninoy Aquino International Airport which serves the region, and the Bay City development which hosts SM Mall of Asia, also part of Manila's tourist area.

Understand

Pasay's growth is generally connected to Manila's outward expansion. Today, Pasay displays huge contrasts, from the relative sterility of the Bay City development to the urban plight in the rest of the city. The relative lack of sights make this rather a minor destination, except for spots like SM Mall of Asia and Star City, all within the more stable Bay City area, built on land reclaimed from Manila Bay.

Orientation

The city is roughly divided by Roxas Boulevard into two parts, showing sharp contrasts. The Reclamation Area is the more sterile part of Pasay, where the obvious visitor attractions are found; east of it is the rest of the city which is a concrete jungle, a mix of high-rise condominiums, multistory apartments, ordinary one to two-story houses, and rickety slum residences. EDSA Rotunda is an area at the interchange between Lines 1 and 3 and a land transport hub, also seedy not only for street vendors and petty crime, but also for prostitution and a row of no-tell motels, lending its reputation as a red-light district outside Manila city proper. The southeastern corner of Pasay contains Villamor Airbase, Newport City, and the airport.

Get in

By plane

Main article: Ninoy Aquino International Airport

Ninoy Aquino International Airport lies in the southern part of Pasay.

Terminal 1 is principally used by the majority of international carriers; Terminal 2 is exclusively used by Philippine Airlines flights (domestic or international). Terminal 3 is used by Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines (some domestic flights), AirAsia, ANA, Cathay Pacific, Delta Air Lines, Emirates, KLM, and Singapore Airlines. Terminal 4 is used by domestic carriers using smaller aircraft.

There are yellow airport meter taxis waiting outside the arrival areas, each dispatched when one departs. Beware of scams, especially those using a device that tampers the meter (batingting), and insist on using the meter.

White taxis are "not officially sanctioned" by NAIA, but their drivers are more honest, with a base fare of . But most only serve the departure area, and are not allowed to pick up passengers.

By bus

Pasay is served by these numbered bus routes since June 2020:

• Route E EDSA Carousel: A BRT-like service which plies EDSA, and supplements MRT operations.
• Route 2 Monumento-PITX: Runs from Monumento in Caloocan via Navotas and Roxas Boulevard.
• Route 6 Quezon Avenue-EDSA-Taft: Travels from the intersection of EDSA and Quezon Avenue via Manila's University Belt and Taft Avenue
• Route 17 Monumento-EDSA/Taft: North-south route ending at Pasay Rotonda that supplements LRT Line 1 operations.
• Route 18 PITX-NAIA loop: Airport shuttle route which runs clockwise via EDSA and Andrews Avenue. Buses stop at Mall of Asia and the Pasay Rotonda.

As of 2021, provincial buses from both north and south no longer terminate at Pasay; those now terminate at North Luzon Express Terminal (NLET) in Bocaue, Araneta City Bus Port in Cubao, Quezon City or Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) in Parañaque.

By train

Pasay is the at terminus of the LRT Line 1 (LRT-1) and MRT Line 3 (MRT-3).

Get around

If use public transportation try sakay.ph (dead link: August 2018), it will show you the right type to your destination.

Jeepneys are the major mode of transportation around Pasay. Just look at the signage in the front and sides for the routes and destinations.

As with most of Metro Manila, is inadvisable to drive around Pasay. Parking is scarce, traffic may grind to a half at times, and roads tend to be narrow. The major thoroughfares are EDSA, Roxas Boulevard, Gil Puyat Avenue, Taft Avenue, Macapagal Boulevard, Arnaiz Avenue, and Harrison Avenue, but traffic remains worse. The Mall of Asia area can be accessible by car, but parking fees can cost a lot, and commuting is still advised as it is well served by public transport.

See

• Mall of Asia Eye (MOA Eye), Seaside Avenue (Behind SM Mall of Asia), 14.5329159°, 120.9792272°. Part of SM by the Bay, it is Ferris wheel overlooking Manila Bay. 2019-01-28
• Cultural Center of the Philippines, Roxas Boulevard. Straddling the boundary with Manila, this building complex is constructed displays the Filipino performing arts and culture. It is one of the key locations around the Reclamation Area. 2019-01-28
  • Tanghalang Pambansa, Roxas Boulevard. A giant Brutalist theater building that is the center of the CCP complex. It is built in 1969, and the architecture is designed by Filipino architect Leandro Locsin. It houses four theatres for different performance genres. 2019-01-28

Do

• Mall of Asia Arena (MOA Arena), Jose W. Diokno Boulevard. A large outdoor arena that serves as an alternative venue for Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) games, most concerts, and theatrical performances. 2019-01-28
• Star City. The only indoor, air-conditioned amusement park in the Philippines, with 30 attractions and rides. It is closed for reconstruction (until around October 2020) after a destructive fire in October 2019. 2019-12-31

Buy

Malls

• SM Mall of Asia (MOA). This enormous mall was built on reclaimed land. It has many mid-range and high-end stores and restaurants. Besides shopping, there is a large arena that often hosts concerts, a science museum with many interactive exhibits, a convention center and even an ice skating rink. Behind the mall, overlooking Manila Bay, is a theme park, MOA by the Bay.

There are other malls around Pasay, such as the Metropoint Mall, not far from the Lines 1 and 3, the city-owned and the smaller Atrium Mall, just near Line 1 Gil Puyat station. Those smaller malls do not have the high-end stores, and mostly have tiangge-style shops, which offer cheaper finds, but they usually sell pure imitations of most known brands, usually imports from China.

• Newport Mall, Newport Blvd, +63 2 908 8888. 11:00 AM - 07:00 PM. 2021-01-07

Eat

• Chimara, Level 1, Entertainment Mall, SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City, +63 2 556 0809, chimaramoa@tatersgroup.com. This healthy café boasts a range of delicious vegetarian and vegan friendly options from soups, salads and wraps. They also have a great range of soy ice cream and even offer a delivery service. US$4-6

Drink

• Varona Vegetarian Health Foods, 2008 Leveriza Street, Pasay City, +63 2 525 0389, +63 2 5367426. Has a canteen with plenty of vegetarian and vegan friendly options as well as a fantastic store offering a very large range of great mock-meats.

Sleep

• Atrium Manila, 15F Taft Centrale Exchange, Gil Puyat cor. Taft Avenue, +63 2-552-0351. The Atrium's 147 guest rooms are inviting, stylish, and spacious: at 52 m², their studio rooms are the largest of any hotel in Manila. From US$35
• Copacabana Apartments, 264 EDSA Extension, +63 2 8851 8888. Copacabana Apartment Manila Hotel is the pioneer in the serviced apartment industry. Established in the early 1970s, this Manila hotel carries with it a long history of quality service and dedication to excellence. Light sleepers should be warned: the EDSA Extension is one of the major highways in the southern Metro area and motor traffic will be audible even on the top floors, particularly on weekends. From US$50
• The Heritage Hotel Manila, Roxas Blvd corner EDSA,, +63 2 8548888. A five-star deluxe hotel, it is minutes away from the international and domestic airports, business hubs; convention centres and SM Mall of Asia, the largest shopping mall in the Philippines.
• Kabayan Hotel Pasay, #2878 Zamora St. corner Edsa, Rotonda, +63 2 702-2700. It offers 253 air-conditioned rooms, all equipped with cable TV, private toilet and bath, telephone, and bedside control panel. Some of its facilities and services are restaurants, function/meeting rooms, business center with Internet facility, room service & laundry, and massage service. Near Metro Point Mall. From
• Midas Hotel and Casino, 2702 Roxas Boulevard, +63 2 902 0100. A/C rooms equipped with cable television, private balcony, shower with bathub, hair dryer, phone and wi-fi internet access. Some of its facilities and services are airport and city transportation service, cafe and parking. From
• Park, Bed, and Breakfast, 733 Woods Street corner EDSA, +63 2 8894 2593. It offers 75 affordably cozy rooms, all equipped with air-conditioner, cable TV, mini-bar, Internet access, coffee/tea maker, private toilet and bath, and a telephone. Some of its facilities and services are airport and city transfers, business center, car rental, restaurant, massage service, and valet parking. From
• Pinoy Pamilya Hotel, 2897 F. B. Harrison cor. Cuneta Ave., +63 2 702 2700. It offers air-conditioned rooms, all equipped with cable TV, Internet connection, IDD/NDD telephone, mini-refrigerator, and a coffee/tea maker. Some of its facilities and services include Wi-Fi Internet access, coffee shop, room service, massage service, and room service. From
• Hyatt Regency Manila, 2702 Roxas Boulevard, +63 2 833 1234. On Roxas Boulevard offering spectacular views of Manila Bay. Hyatt also has another property in Manila.
• Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila (formerly the Westin Philippine Plaza), CCP Complex, Roxas Blvd, 14.553111°, 120.980444°, +632-8-573-5555, H6308@sofitel.com. At a bayside area within the Cultural Center of the Philippines Complex
• Victoria Court Cuneta, +63 2 831 4615. The hotel offers themed suites that ensure a romantic rendezvous for every couple. Near Mall of Asia and Casino Filipino. Online reservations are accepted.

Go next

Parañaque, another city, is not too far from the airport.