In the middle of chaotic, noisy and colourful Manila is Greenbelt – a haven of upmarket shopping malls, relaxing gardens, restaurants, bars and a church.
Situated in Makati, it’s surrounded by hotels of all prices: from the very reasonably priced Prince Plaza 2, which is right on the doorstep, to the Shangri-La, Peninsular, Inter-Continental and Dusit – which are between 5 and 10 minutes walk away.
Also nearby are the older shopping centers of Glorietta and Landmark. Not as upmarket as the Greenbelt Malls, but still with an excellent selection of shops.
Greenbelt really comes into its own, though, after dark. The selection of restaurants leaves you spoilt for choice: anything from Cuban (one of my favourites), through various European cuisines to Thai, Japanese and more.
I’ve eaten in many of them and I’ve never yet had a bad meal. In fact they’ve all been superb.
There’s nowhere like Greenbelt anywhere else in Asia – at least not in the places I’ve visited. The closest I can think of is Knutsford Terrace, in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong – but it lacks the ambience, the entertainment and the surroundings of Greenbelt, it has no shops and it’s a fraction of the size.
Access to the complex is through security checkpoints, (same as any building or complex in Manila) where you’ll need to open bags for inspection and have a metal detecting wand waved over you.
That and the prices ensure you’re pretty safe anywhere inside, although you always need to hang on to laptops and watch for pickpockets.
My favourite location for dinner and entertainment in Greenbelt is Havana – a Cuban bar/restaurant offering great food and live music. You can sit inside or out – and the Patio area is a prime spot from which to watch Manila’s rich and beautiful.
Havana is located on the ground floor. It’s located in a part of the building that curves round a patio area and all the other establishments on that level are restaurants, all offering outside seating.
The result is a wonderful atmosphere. Lots of tables, food of all kinds and lots of laughter and conversation (real conversations, between real people, not Facebook conversations!).
The music in Havana starts at around 10:00 and the band plays Latin rhythms – as you’d expect, I guess. And if you feel the need to stretch your legs to walk off your meal the gardens all have well lit paths and walkways that you can stroll around in complete safety.
Whether you’re staying in one of the Makati hotels, or somewhere further away, an evening in Greenbelt is an absolute must – whether you’re there on business or pleasure.
Cheers,
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