Discovering Manila...in comfort

The ideal vacation is relaxed, without the hassle of having a schedule to follow, without having to navigate through the busy streets of the city. Unfortunately for most, vacation is exactly the opposite – waking up early and rushing through tourist sites because of a tight tour schedule, wasting time waiting for the inevitable slowpoke in the tour group. For those daring enough to do their own driving, it can be a challenge trying to navigate the clogged and often signless Manila streets. Offering a new –  and colorful – solution is Wow Manila, Sakay Na! Hop On Hop Off service around the tourist sites of the metropolis.

Patterned after a similar service in Singapore, Busina Company, Inc.’s Wow Manila, Sakay Na! Hop On Hop Off is a fleet of bright and colorful vans that stick out cheerfully among the other regular vehicles as they make their way around Manila. With 15 pick-up and drop-off points highlighting interesting tourist sites, hotels, and shopping centers, the service provides hassle-free transportation for tourists and curious locals alike.

For P500, paid directly to the driver at any of the designated stops, a passenger gains unlimited access to the service for the whole day. With the recently launched boarding pass privilege program, visitors can get 30 percent off from the fee by presenting their Cebu Pacific boarding pass seven days upon arrival in Manila. The amount, if used wisely, saves a lot of money considering the price of gas or taking a taxi around the city. The clean, air-conditioned vans are a comfortable alternative as well to other forms of public transportation. One may, in fact, opt to take a tour of the city by staying on through the whole route and enjoying the sites from the comfort of the van. Most of all, Wow Manila, Sakay Na! Hop On Hop Off saves the weary traveler from the hassle of having to follow strict schedules.

With 15 different stops, the service offers a balance between historical sites, shopping centers, and hotels: Glorietta complex, where from the drop-off point the passengers can find their way to Greenbelt, Ayala Museum, the Filipinas Heritage Library, and the many hotels in the area; Oxford Suites Makati which brings tourists near Jupiter Street and the Powerplant Mall; SM Mall of Asia, one of the most popular stops; Sofitel Philippine Plaza, which brings tourists within walking distance of the Coconut Palace, Manila Film Center, and the Philippine Internaional Convention Center (PICC); the Cultural Center of the Philippines where they can experience Filipino art and talent in the CCP itself as well as in nearby museums like the Metropolitan Museum of Manila; Rajah Sulayman Park near Malate Church and the café and bistro scene of Adriatico and Nakpil Streets; Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila; Rizal Park, one of the obligatory historical sites in Manila which is also near the National Museum of the Filipino People and the National Art Gallery; Manila Cathedral and Intramuros, where tourists (who have booked ahead of time) can join a walking tour with Old Manila Walks and literally go back in time to Spanish-era Manila; the Bureau of Im-migration, also the stop for Quiapo and the bustling Chinatown; Manila Hotel; Baywalk; Philippine World Trade Center; Blue Wave; and finally the Heritage Hotel.

With this service, tourists can go at their own pace and are free to do what they want with their time. With vans arriving at pick-up points every hour starting at the Glorietta complex at 9:00 a.m. and ending at the Heritage Hotel at 7:06 p.m. from Wednesday to Sunday and every two hours from 10:00 a.m. to 6:06 p.m. on Mondays and Tuesdays, tourists can spend as long as they want at a certain site. They may also choose to get down at every stop or only explore the sites that they are interested in.

The Hop On Hop Off service also features drivers knowledgeable about the sites around Manila. The articulate drivers point out landmarks along the route such as the National Museum, Manila City Hall, and Manila Bay, and share interesting trivia on the locations with the passengers. This personal touch in the Hop On Hop Off is exclusively found in the Filipino version of the service.

With the variety of stops, Wow Manila, Sakay Na! Hop On Hop Off showcases some of the exciting sites around the city. The colorful and comfortable vans are an ideal and convenient way for tourists – and even jaded locals – to discover Manila, the city of our dreams.