BGC and Makati in Manila

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Makati and Bonifacio Global City, or BGC, are the modern face of Metro Manila. Both are business districts full of office towers, hotels, malls and restaurants. They are cleaner, greener and easier to walk than most of the city. Many visitors stay in one of them and use it as a base. This guide explains what each area is like and how to spend a day there.

Makati: the old business centre

Makati has been the main business district of Manila for decades. Ayala Avenue is its central street, lined with banks, offices and hotels. Covered walkways and footbridges link many buildings, so you can walk a long way without crossing busy roads. Ayala Triangle Gardens is a small green park between the towers, with trees, lawns and restaurants around the edge. In the evening it fills with office workers and families. The Greenbelt and Glorietta malls sit close together in the Ayala Center, so shopping, food and cinemas are all within a short walk.

Poblacion

Poblacion is the oldest part of Makati, just north of the business towers. Its streets are narrow and busy, with small bars, cafés, street art and cheap places to eat. It changed from a quiet area into one of the city's best-known nightlife streets in the late 2010s. In the daytime it is calmer, with coffee shops and small restaurants. It is a good contrast to the polished towers nearby. The area is crowded on weekend nights, so keep your phone and wallet close.

BGC: a planned city

BGC, in Taguig, was built on former government land and has grown fast since the 2000s. It was planned from the start, so it has wide pavements, clear street grids, bike lanes and many small parks. Bonifacio High Street is the centre: a long, open-air strip of shops and restaurants with a green lawn in the middle. Around it are new offices, condo towers, malls and the large Uptown and Market! Market! areas. Public art, murals and sculptures are placed along many streets. Walking here feels very different from the rest of Manila.

Food and coffee

Both districts are full of restaurants, from simple Filipino canteens to international chains and high-end dining. Makati has two weekend markets with food stalls, fresh fruit and local snacks: Salcedo on Saturday and Legazpi on Sunday, from early morning to early afternoon. Check before you go. BGC has many specialty coffee shops, bakeries and brunch places, especially around High Street and the side streets nearby. Prices are higher than in other parts of Manila, but quality is good. Most places accept cards and e-wallets such as GCash.

Getting there and between them

Makati and BGC are next to each other, but traffic between them can be slow at rush hour. Grab cars and taxis are the easiest way to move around. MRT-3 has stations at Ayala and Buendia, which serve Makati. BGC has no train station, but buses link it to the Ayala area and to other parts of the city. A ride between the two districts usually takes 15 to 40 minutes, depending on the time of day. Try to avoid travelling between about 7 and 10 in the morning and 5 and 8 in the evening.

BGC and Makati at a glance

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