95,305 places across Metro Manila and Boracay, from Makati bars and Quezon City eateries to White Beach hotels, for a country where getting around is the puzzle.
Num's Philippines is Metro Manila in depth and one island for the beach. Manila has 92,655 places spread across Quezon City, Makati, Taguig, Pasay and Mandaluyong, with 8,758 restaurants, 5,923 hotels, 5,620 street-food stalls and, unusually, 4,585 attractions. Boracay holds 2,650, most of them hotels (798) along White Beach.
What works well here: a carinderia near your hotel that is serving now, a coffee place in Bonifacio Global City open past midnight, a pharmacy at two in the morning, a bar in Poblacion with live music tonight, the nearest place to buy a SIM card, or a quiet spot on Boracay away from Station 2. Ask in any language and Num answers in the same one, with one place and how far it is.
Every destination Num covers here, with how many places it holds in each. Open one for the full picture.
| Currency | Philippine peso (PHP) |
|---|---|
| Languages | Filipino (Tagalog) and English, both official; English understood almost everywhere |
| Plugs | Types A, B, C · 220 V |
| Emergency | 911 for police, fire and ambulance |
| Tipping | a service charge is often added in restaurants; where it is not, around 10% is appreciated |
A five-kilometer trip across Metro Manila can take over an hour at peak times; Grab is the reliable way to get a car, and the MRT and LRT lines beat the road when they go where you need.
Cards work in malls, hotels and chain restaurants, but jeepneys, tricycles, street food and many small shops are cash only. Keep small notes and coins.
Air-conditioned malls open around ten and close around nine or ten; they hold the pharmacies, supermarkets, cinemas and much of the good eating, and are a sensible refuge in the heat or a downpour.
June to November brings typhoons and heavy rain, especially August to October; flights, ferries and Boracay boats get canceled at short notice. December to May is drier.
Since the island's 2018 clean-up, drinking, smoking and parties on White Beach itself are banned, and single-use plastics are restricted; bars are set back from the sand.
Message Num the way you would message a friend who lives here, in any language. It answers with one real place that fits, open now, and how to get there. It is free for travelers. Businesses list free and pay only when Num completes a booking for them, so nothing here is ranked by who paid.
Mostly, with sensible care: stick to well-lit areas at night, use Grab rather than hailing a taxi, and watch bags on the MRT and in crowds. Petty theft is the common problem, not violence.
Yes, and in any other language too. Ask in yours and it replies the same way, with a place in Manila or on Boracay that is open now.
December to February for dry, cooler weather; March to May is hot and dry and busy at the beaches. Avoid planning island hopping for the heart of typhoon season in August to October.