Walk This Way (walking tour)

We found this walking tour in a Lonely Planet guide book and were intrigued by the descriptions of a charismatic guide who carries a boom box on his tours. I would highly recommend taking a tour with Carlos, even if you already live in Manila! We took the "If these walls could talk" tour of Intramuros and were very impressed with the enthusiasm and personality that Carlos had with his performance. I would recommend it as a walking tour for people with ADD, as Carlos' energy keeps you on your feet and allows even the most easily distracted engrossed in the history of the area. His life and passion during the tour were evident and our large group were kept silent in attention.

For weary and tired travellers, there is actually very little walking in this tour. Rather Carlos leads you from spot to spot and continues his performance in each place.

We called ahead for reservations, however, many people just showed up at the meeting spot (locations and tour details on the website), at the time listed and joined it. We had a large group (I don't believe there is a size limit), but Carlos has a microphone so it isn't hard to hear.

Manila isn't that exciting but for those interested in the history of the Philippines, try Carlos Celdran's Walking Tour of Historic Intramuros. He'll take you for a leisurely stroll around the streets of Old Manila for a highly perceptive yet entertaining and irreverent account of how the Philippines came to be. You'll be sure to laugh, gasp and maybe even shed a tear or two. I've taken the tour twice and highly recommend it to everyone visiting Manila. The same goes for fellow Pinoys - it's a great way to rediscover our history, better than any classroom experience, I promise.

Visit Carlos Celdran's website for detailed information on this and his many other tours happening around town. It's an incredible altenative to spending half a day at the mall. Happy, happy, joy, joy guaranteed!