Sightseeing

Manila American Cemetery and Memorial occupies 152 acres on a prominent plateau, visible from the east, south and west. It has the largest number of graves of our military dead of World War II, a total of 16,859, most of whom lost their lives in operations in New Guinea and the Philippines. The headstones are aligned in 11 plots forming a generally circular pattern, set among masses of a wide variety of tropical trees and shrubbery. The chapel, a white masonry building enriched with sculpture and mosaic, stands near the centre of the cemetery. In front of it on a wide terrace are two large hemicycles. Twenty-five mosaic maps recall the achievements of the American armed forces in the Pacific, China, India and Burma. On rectangular Trani limestone piers within the hemicycles, are inscribed the Tablets of the Missing containing 36,286 names. Rosettes mark the names of those since recovered and identified. Carved in the floors are the seals of the American states and its territories.

World heritage site.

Historical landmarks & museums.

Destileria Limtuaco, in case anybody needs remembering, is the oldest distillery in the Philippines, manufacturing local spirits like the ever-popular White Castle Whisky since 1852 — that's more than 165 years ago. Wine tasting is optional