By: Bound2explore May 23, 2021

Manila offers different kind of activities and places to visit. From a nice area of Makati where you can dine on their top floor restaurant while enjoying a skyline view of Manila to its historical sites and traditional market. For adventurous travelers, Manila also offers adventures of a lifetime.  

If you are looking for adventurous things to di in Manila, Philippines, here are some ideas for your next vacation:

1. Swimming with the shark.

Probably swimming with the shark is a top ten on every thrill seeker’s bucket list. So, while you are in Manila, make that dream come true like I did! Since I was short on time and have no plan to do Island hopping, I decided to swim with the shark in Manila. 

First of all, this is not as scary as the Jaw movie because no white sharks were involved in this activity.  This time I swam with nurse sharks. Touching their skins while swimming was an unreal experience. While nurse sharks are calmer and less aggressive compared to white sharks, the risks of getting hurts are still there, that is why they make you sign a waiver. Will I do it again? Maybe. Definitely, the scariest and one of the most adventurous things to do in Manila, Philippines.

2.  Snuba diving

Snuba diving is similar to scuba diving. Both rely on oxygen tank for a diver to move freely under water. The different is when it comes to the way oxygen tank is placed. With scuba diving, you carry your own oxygen tank whenever you go but with snuba diving, the oxygen tank is located on the boat or above the water and you wear helmet attached to the tube that carries oxygen from oxygen tank to helmet. So, you can only dive as far as the tube let you. 

This was my first time doing snuba diving. I found it quite exhilarating. Imagine, watching the colorful tropical fish so close where you can touch them, feed them and swim with them or just watching their movements under water. What a beautiful feeling! By far this is one of my most favorite adventurous things to do in Manila, Philippines.

3. Swimming with sting ray

Who doesn’t want to swim and play with this “sea pancake?” They are cute and adorable sea creatures. While stingrays are not dangerous animals in general, they will sting you if you disturb or step on them. Theirs long thin whipped like tail contain venom. So, while you swim with them, make sure you don’t step on them. Sometimes it is hard to see because they like to hide under the sand at the bottom of the sea.

4.  Train a sea lion

Maybe you dreamed about training an animal when you were a kid. How cool is that to be able to train wild animal. So, dream no more, because in Manila, your childhood dream can become a reality. So I enrolled in this class because why not? I adore wild animals. This seemed like an opportunity of lifetime. The class was very intimate, there were two of us and an instructor who taught us on how to train a sea lion named Isis.

Every time Isis followed the instruction, it was rewarded with fish. First we learned  on how to direct Isis to throw the ball,  then we moved on to swimming with Isis and the last and the most impressive one, was to direct Isis to jump through the hoop. By far, this unique experience should make a top ten list of the most adventurous things to do in Manila, Philippines.

5. Stay at H20 hotel

If you are not a dare devil but still like to do something that seemingly adventurous but more on relaxing side, staying at the H20 hotel is the way to go.  H20 hotel is a unique place and beautiful place to stay.  This hotel is located right by Manila Bay.  You can choose one of the aquarium rooms if you like waking up to the view of tropical fish and corals or you can choose a room with a view of Manila Bay.  Imagine sleeping among the fish and corals.  H20 Hotel offers room service, many different cafés and restaurants and a full- service spa. The spa at this hotel is top notch.  The spa offers massage, facial and fish pedicure. Based on my experience, the massage and the fish pedicure were really relaxing and definitely worth the money.

6. Try a fish pedicure

If you are not familiar with fish pedicures, you might be wondering what is a fish pedicure? It started in Turkey and Croatia and now has become a trend everywhere.  Basically, you place your feet inside a pool filled with “doctor fish” (garra ruffa).  The fish then will remove your dead skins by eating them. For anyone who

haven’t tried fish pedicure, this is a perfect spa to try it.

For more things to do in Asia, click the following link.