Old Manila Walks

Old Manila Walks has been running heritage walking tours of the city since 2005. It was founded by Ivan Man Dy, a heritage advocate who is still its lead guide and who appears on the Intramuros Administration's list of accredited tour guides. He guides in English, Filipino, Mandarin and Hokkien, which suits tours that dwell on the history of the Chinese-Filipino community.

The company's best-known walk is the Big Binondo Food Wok, a leisurely tour of about two and a half hours through Manila's Chinatown. It takes in Binondo Church, Ongpin Street and the Carvajal Alley market, stopping at restaurants and shops along the way for a tasting menu that has included meats, nuts, dairy and seafood. Vegetarian options can be arranged in advance. The tour is as much about history as food, explaining how the Chinese community shaped the district and the city's cooking.

Other walks cover Intramuros, with a night version available, the San Miguel district and the area around Malacañang Palace, which has run on weekdays only, and the Chinese Cemetery, one of the more unusual heritage sites in Manila. Combination tours have paired Intramuros with the cemetery, Malacañang or Rizal Park, and a customisable option has included halo-halo along the way.

Scheduled tours are published on the company's website, and there is a booking form for other dates and private groups. Weekend tours have cost a little more than weekday ones. Book ahead, especially for the food tour. Wear comfortable shoes, bring water, a hat and some small change, and come hungry for the Binondo walk. Tell the company about dietary needs when you book.

Because the company has been guiding in the same districts for two decades, its walks are a good way to understand how areas such as Binondo and Intramuros have changed. Ask your guide about recent restorations and losses along the route, as heritage advocacy is part of the company's purpose as well as its tours.

The tours suit first-time visitors who want context for what they are seeing, food lovers and travellers interested in the Chinese-Filipino story of Manila. They also work for returning visitors, as the cemetery and San Miguel walks cover areas most people never see. Confirm the meeting point when you book, as it depends on the tour, and allow time for Manila traffic if you are coming from Makati or BGC.