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Manila is listed as one of the best destinations for 2026

Lifestyle | Travel

Manila is listed as one of the best destinations for 2026

Food is marked as the main reason to visit

By Poch Eulalia

Binondo, Manila (Photo from Pexels)

Binondo, Manila (Photo from Pexels)

Manila is notably listed as one of the best destinations to visit in 2026.

National Geographic, best known for its stories regarding geography, nature, history, and culture, included Manila in its "Best of the World 2026" story. Manila joins the likes of Milan, Québec, and Beijing, to name a few. Food has been cited as the main reason to visit Manila. In its story, writer Lisa Futterman highlights local bakeries in Binondo like Eng Bee Tin and Ho-Land. Both are known for their iconic hopia. Lisa also notes how the recent Michelin visit added another reason to check out the Philippines. Restaurants like Manam, New Po Heng Lumpia House, Toyo Eatery, Kondwi, and Alba are all listed as places to check out.

Inclusion in the list comes as welcome news, given how the Philippines continues to struggle with tourism. Recent data revealed that PH tourism declined in 2025, with only 5.24 million arrivals. Meanwhile, our Southeast Asian neighbors all saw a rise in their tourism numbers. Places like Vietnam have even received double the number of visitors since 2022. Many people online placed the blame on the Department of Tourism's lack of travel campaign posts for the lackluster post-pandemic tourism performance. Other reasons people cite are a lack of infrastructure for getting around easily and rising ticket prices, making domestic travel difficult for locals.

A recent study by Klook also cites Metro Manila as a top choice for domestic travel. Alongside it, Cavite, Pampanga, Boracay, and Cebu are listed as favorite spots for domestic travelers. This same study mentions a likely rise in domestic tourism, due to the ongoing global conflict, causing a rise in airfare prices and flight cancellations.

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