Manila (Pasay) MNL: What to Do on a Layover
Intramuros in 3 hours: Spanish walled city, lechón, tricycle through history. MNL is worth leaving the terminal.
Getting from the airport
MNL to city center: 35 minutes by bus (P2P Airport Bus). Trains run every 30 minutes. Service runs 04:00 to 22:00. Skip the taxi unless your connection is under 5 hours.
What to do in Manila (Pasay)
The stops worth making: Intramuros walled city, BGC rooftop bars, Binondo Chinatown, Rizal Park. Rated above 4.4: Quiapo Church - Minor Basilica & National Shrine of Jesus Nazareno (4.7), Rizal Park (4.5), De La Salle University Manila (4.6), National Museum of Fine Arts (4.7), Fort Santiago (4.5). You do not need the full tourist circuit. Pick two and commit.
Visa and entry
Manila (Pasay) is visa-free for US passports. No application, no fee. The border process at MNL is standard — budget 30 minutes.
How long do you need
The minimum useful layover is 6 hours. That gives you 35 minutes in each direction plus about 200 minutes on the ground. Up to 24 hours is a proper overnight.