Poblacion

Manila's nightlife area with lots of bars, restaurants, and a young creative crowd. Safe enough with people around but grittier than Makati. Good if you want to go out and meet other travelers.

Street art, craft beer bars, vintage shops, and live music most nights - Poblacion is where Manila's creative types hang out. Quiet during the day, but after 8pm the narrow streets fill up with young Filipinos, expats, and travelers bar-hopping. Cheaper and grittier than BGC, with more local character. Sitting at a bar alone is normal here - you'll see other people doing it. The crowd skews young (20s-30s) and artsy. It's generally safe because there are always people around and some police presence, but stick to the main bar streets and don't wander down empty alleys. Gets rowdy after midnight on weekends with drunk people everywhere. The main annoyance is bar promoters aggressively trying to pull you into their places. Small enough to walk around easily.