Makati, Manila

Best place for people watching would be in the wonderfully developed Greenbelt in Makati. While sipping coffee in one of the many cafes, feast your eyes on the endless throng of beautiful people from virtually all four corners of the globe. And nothing prevents you from making new friends.

Dress Code: Come as you are, but some dressing up may come in handy in making new friends.

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If you wanna experience world-class clubbing and hear pure HOUSE and TECHNO in Manila, TIME is the place to be.

TIME - 7840, Makati Avenue lies in the heart of the big metropolis of Manila – the address speaks a lot about the history of our country’s clubbing scene. This address has earned its reputation as a can’t miss for dance fans. It is a reputation well-deserved.

A modest-sized area that sports a roof deck and designed with a rugged minimalist style inspired by NY's meatpacking district, providing an intimate feel. The atmosphere is made even more compelling as state of the art sound system and lights, definitely enhancing the impressive electronic dance music performed by local and international DJs. Whether you want to surrender to the hard bass or just want to relax to the ambient beats at the roof deck, then this is the place to be - minus the steep price tag.

This is a new club - a new nightlife spot that is definitely worth looking forward to. With the goal of propelling the Philippine’s dance music culture forward and leading the country to the forefront by pushing boundaries, the club aims to raise and set a new standard that will defy the common. It's a place where you can move forward to the future or go way back memory lane, and of course embrace the present with more good vibes. What better name for it than TIME? Makati's newest driven night spot, the new frequency is here - it's about TIME!

Dress Code: NO SLIPPERS/SANDALS/SHORTS

I've heard his place described as the place to "see and be seen" in Makati, but in fairness I didn't find it to be anything particularly special. Located upstairs in a dark and moody corner of the mall, it rather reminded me of my student days! Everyone was trying that bit too hard to be cool. But the crowd was friendly enough.

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They say some of the best places are "off the beaten path". Saguijo is one of them. Found along Guijo St. in the residential Makati suburb of San Antonio (Sa means "at" + Guijo = Sa Guijo). An old house that was converted into a venue for watching the best indie musicians, Saguijo's enclave of resident artists have transformed the place into an art lover's mecca.

Aside from aural indulgences (take your pick from metal, indie rock, disco punk, electronica, acid jazz, stinq quartets and hip-hop) from at least 5 bands per night, the second floor is home to the Theo Gallery, a quaint home to some of the best up-and-coming Filipino talents and Baul (which means "treasure chest"), a shop that sells vintage fashion as well as consigned items from young, avant-garde designers. Baul used to be the iloveyou store, which now moved beside gay bar Government.

Definitely the place to go to if you're in for a dose of art, live music, laid-back atmosphere and free-spirited company. Some nights have themes, such as Karaoke Night, Prom Night, Punk Goes Pop Night, etc. so be open to anything!

There is a cover charge of P 100 (USD 2), inclusive of a local beer. Very very cheap.

Dress Code: Come as you are. Some people even enter with their house clothes on (ie. shorts, tank tops, flip flops). The less articles of clothing, the better as it tends to get really hot during popular nights.

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An art masterpiece on its own, the M Cafe at Greenbelt 3 in Makati City is officially known as Museum Cafe, as it is housed under the new Ayala Museum. Boasting of sleek white and wood interiors mixed with original contemporary Filipino art, this is certainly a destination for a classy night out.

Dress Code: Dress to impress. Although there is no "dress code" expressed, come casual at your own risk. People are stylish - frequent haunt of haute couture fans and people from the fashion industry. M Cafe is situated in the same building as Louis Vuitton et al.

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The only certified "superclub" in the Philippines, Embassy a huge white structure that stands out among the buildings located at the Fort Strip in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig.

The newly-renovated Embassy is made up of three venues: Embassy Cafeteria, a restaurant open til the wee hours in the morning serves as the perfect venue for dousing the ten shots of tequila you haphazardly took; Embassy Cuisine, a chill out lounge that serves more upscale dishes such as sushi, salmon and rib-eye; and Embassy Club itself, which also has three divisions: the main room, where anything from trance to house to hip-hop is played; the Champagne (formerly the VIP) room is a smaller, more intimate area that plays deep house, chillout and 90s music on some nights; and the VVIP room, an invitation-only area behind the elevated DJ's booth.

Celebrities, society figures, yuppies, college students and expats are among the 2,500 that flock the venue every Wednesday to Saturday.

Dress Code: Only the chic and fashion-forward can enter. A "door ***" screens the people that come in (though I haven't seen her for a while). Women can get away with anything except rubber flip-flops but men can not wear caps, sleeveless shirts, shorts or sneakers.

Saturday nights at Jaipur are pretty dope. Its the place to see and be seen. It gets really friggin hot inside, and you'll probably sweat real bad, but that shouldn't really matter cuz everyone else will too. hahaha.

Dress Code: no dress code... but don't walk in looking like a bum.

Tuesday nights at V Bar (Bar Venezia) were pretty dope. They have an outdoor tent and bar set-up so that you can smoke outside (as smoking indoors in Makati is illegal) and get a drink at the same time. The inside plays some of the best r&b, hip hop and dancehall I've heard of any club in the Philippines.

Dress Code: Dress smart. No shorts, slippers, tank tops.