Stand on the walkway above 3rd Avenue in Bonifacio Global City at dusk, and you get Taguig in one frame: glass towers catching the last light, pedestrians crossing wide clean pavements, and the smell of grilled food drifting out from the ground floors. It is a city built around walking, eating and looking up.
Taguig suits travellers who want a modern, walkable slice of Metro Manila with contemporary art, science exhibits, memorials and a long list of places to eat and drink. It also suits anyone with a spare day between flights or meetings who would rather explore on foot than sit in traffic.
This guide covers the districts of Bonifacio Global City and Pinagsama, plus two historic sites outside them, and ends with a single-day plan that strings the best of them together.
Top things to do in Taguig
1. Bonifacio Global City
BGC is a sight in itself: modern skyscrapers, contemporary architecture, wide walkways, street art and mixed-use developments full of cafes, restaurants and shops. It is possibly the most pedestrian-friendly area of Metro Manila, and it deserves a few hours of exploration both in the day and in the evening, when some areas get more alive.
To take in panoramic views of the area, head to one of BGC's several rooftop bars and sky lounges. The Metrobank Tower, part of Grand Hyatt Manila, is the tallest building in the Philippines at 318 m (1,043 ft).
2. Manila American Cemetery and Memorial
The largest American World War II cemetery in the world, with 17,206 graves of U.S. soldiers who died fighting Japanese forces during the Pacific War. Beyond the graves there is a chapel, monuments, sculpted gardens and a museum with 25 mosaic maps depicting U.S. battles in the Pacific, which makes the area well worth a visit.
It is open daily 9AM-5PM except Christmas and New Year, entrance is free, and photo ID is required. It sits just before McKinley Hill, so it pairs naturally with the Venice Grand Canal and Tuscany Private Estates in Pinagsama.
3. The Mind Museum
The top science museum of the Philippines, with striking architecture and five main galleries of interactive exhibitions. It is at JY Campos Park, 3rd Avenue, Bonifacio Global City.
It is open Tuesday to Sunday, 9AM-6PM, with admission from ₱150 to ₱750. Because it is on 3rd Avenue, you can walk to Bonifacio High Street and Serendra afterwards.
4. Venice Grand Canal
The main attraction of McKinley Hill in Pinagsama is the Venice Grand Canal mall, built around a canal with gondola rides. The atmosphere around the canal is lively, especially in the evening.
Gondola rides run 10AM-10PM and cost ₱250 Monday to Thursday and ₱350 Friday to Sunday, a small fraction of the price of the real thing. Combine it with the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, which lies just before McKinley Hill.
5. Burgos Circle
A traffic circle and public park surrounded by skyscrapers and by alfresco restaurants, cafes and bars, described as a window to the Parisian lifestyle in the heart of Manila. In the centre of the circle is "The Trees" art installation by Reynato Paz Contreras, a bronze and brass sculpture of three interlocking trees forming a dome.
It links directly to Forbestown Road, so walk the two together and stop at one of the alfresco places around the circle.
6. Forbestown Road
Linked to Burgos Circle, Forbestown Road is probably one of Manila's most beautiful and pleasant streets, with plenty of greenery and mixed-use developments holding several alfresco restaurants, cafes and bars.
It is a natural continuation of a Burgos Circle visit rather than a separate trip, and it works well on foot in the cooler part of the day.
7. Bonifacio High Street
A shopping and dining strip within BGC, and the anchor that connects the surrounding developments. Serendra links Bonifacio High Street to the Market! Market!, so the three form one continuous walk.
Pair it with Serendra and the Mind Museum, which are both close by on the same side of the district.
8. Serendra
A mixed-use development at 11th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, with contemporary decoration and several alfresco cafes and restaurants. It links Bonifacio High Street to the Market! Market!.
Treat it as a lunch or coffee stop in the middle of a BGC walk rather than a destination on its own.
9. Uptown Parade
Next to the Uptown Mall, this is a two-floor dining mall at the crossing of 9th Avenue and 36th Street, with several alfresco restaurants and some clubs.
It is a good evening stop if you want dinner followed by a club without moving far, and it sits on the same 9th Avenue axis as the BGC Arts Center.
10. The Fort Strip
A building at 28th Street corner 7th Avenue in The Fort Bonifacio containing several restaurants, bars and clubs.
It is one of the more concentrated nightlife spots in the area, so it works best later in the evening after dinner elsewhere in BGC.
11. Tuscany Private Estates
A mixed-use development in Neoclassical style on Upper McKinley Road, with plenty of alfresco restaurants and cafes facing the road. It sits next to the Venice Grand Canal, and the next project in the area is named Florence.
Walk here from the Venice Grand Canal for a meal or a coffee, and combine the whole McKinley Hill stop with the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial.
12. BGC Arts Center
At 26th Street corner 9th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, this is one of the few dedicated facilities in BGC for concerts and cultural events.
Check what is on before you go, and note that the Samsung Hall indoor theatre and convert venue is located at SM Aura Premier if you are looking for another performance space in the district.
13. MO_Space
On the 3rd floor of the MOs Design Building, B2 9th Avenue, Bonifacio High Street, this gallery shows contemporary exhibitions, shows and performances from emerging artists.
It is open daily 11AM-8PM, and it sits right on Bonifacio High Street, so it slots easily into a shopping and dining walk.
14. Libingan ng mga Bayani
The Heroes' Cemetery on Bayani Road, for Filipino soldiers who perished in World War II as well as national heroes and former presidents, including Elpidio Quirino, Carlos P. Garcia, Diosdado Macapagal and Ferdinand Marcos. It contains several monuments, such as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and memorials to Korean and Vietnamese soldiers who died in the Philippines.
This is outside BGC and Pinagsama, so plan it as a separate stop rather than folding it into a walking route.
15. Saint Anne Parish Church
Also the Archdiocesan Shrine of St. Anne, at 18 Gen. A Luna St, Sta. Ana. The church was built in Baroque style in 1587, and in the old cemetery of the parish lies the Simborio, a dome-shaped funerary chapel built in the 1700s.
Like the Heroes' Cemetery, it lies outside BGC and Pinagsama, so give it its own slot in your day.
If you only have one day
Morning. Start at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial when it opens at 9AM, with photo ID ready. From there, continue into Pinagsama to see the Venice Grand Canal and Tuscany Private Estates, and take a gondola ride on the canal.
Afternoon. Move into Bonifacio Global City and spend the afternoon at The Mind Museum, then walk Bonifacio High Street, Serendra and MO_Space, which sit close together and are easy to cover on foot.
Evening. Walk Burgos Circle and Forbestown Road for the sculpture and the alfresco strip, then have dinner at Uptown Parade or The Fort Strip. Finish with a drink at one of BGC's rooftop bars or sky lounges for the panoramic view over the district.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial open?
Daily 9AM-5PM, except Christmas and New Year. Entrance is free and photo ID is required.
How much does a gondola ride at the Venice Grand Canal cost?
₱250 Monday to Thursday and ₱350 Friday to Sunday. Rides run 10AM-10PM.
Is Bonifacio Global City walkable?
Yes. BGC has wide walkways and mixed-use developments, and it is possibly the most pedestrian-friendly area of Metro Manila. It is worth a few hours in the day and again in the evening.
Which sights lie outside BGC and Pinagsama?
Libingan ng mga Bayani on Bayani Road and Saint Anne Parish Church on Gen. A Luna St in Sta. Ana. Plan these as separate stops from a BGC walking route.
Pick your dates, decide whether you want a BGC-focused day or one that reaches out to the cemetery and the church, and start building the itinerary.