There is a saying in Chinese that goes, “Pearls don’t lie on the seashore. If you want one, you must dive for it.”

This philosophy – to be the master of one’s fate – must have been the driving force for millions of immigrant Chinese through the ages, as they left China’s shores in search of a better life. But even far from home, one cannot easily forget one’s roots – which is why you’ll find Chinese enclaves in many major cities around the world.

The oldest Chinatown on this side of the globe can be found in Manila, Philippines. Known as Binondo, the district was established in 1594 by the Spaniards, to house the baptised Chinese Catholic community. 400 years on, it is still dominated by Filipino-Chinese businessed, and remains one of the city’s major commercial and business hubs.

N and I met up with one of my blog friends, The Monching’s Guide, who took us on a tour of the vicinity, where we were able to soak in the vibrant sights and sounds of this historic district.

Take a stroll along Jones Bridge to the New Binondo Chinatown Arch

Welcoming visitors to the area is the New Binondo Chinatown Arch, completed in 2015. At 63 feet tall and 74 feet wide, it is the largest Chinatown arch in the world, and sports typical southern Chinese architecture, featuring predominantly blue, green, yellow, and red colours. The arch sits at the end of Jones Bridge, a historic bridge that spans the Pasay River which connects Intramuros, the former seat of the Spanish government, with Binondo.

tidbit: The building of this new arch was not fully supported by the local Tsinoy (Filipino Chinese) community. Apart from being fully funded by the Chinese government, the sign, which translates to “China Town” (zhong guo zhen) and not “Chinatown” was seen by many as the Chinese government trying to exert its soft power, without accounting for Binondo’s rich history and the experiences of the local Chinese diaspora, as the choice of wording seems to imply that the area is an ‘outpost’ of China. Overseas-born Chinese, such as myself, will never refer to ourselves as “zhong guo ren” (literally, person from China), but rather “hua qiao” (which denotes Chinese ethnicity but not nationality), so a term like hua qiao qu (district of the Chinese people) would sound more appropriate. In Malaysia, our Chinatowns are much smaller and are usually just referred to as tong yan gai in Cantonese (literally ‘street of the Chinese people’)

Whatever the case, the arch has become a popular photography spot for tourists to Binondo, and is quite picturesque, especially if you’re entering from Jones Bridge.

Snap a photo of the Filipino-Chinese Friendship Arch

About 100 metres from the new arch is a smaller one built in the 1970s, called the Filipino-Chinese Friendship Arch. This structure was actually built by the local community, and incorporates a blend of Chinese and local influences, including Chinese, English, and Tagalog inscriptions. There are three other such arches in Binondo, each sporting a unique look. The Ongpin South Bridge arch, for example, has an inscription that says “Develop Metro Manila”.

Soak in the eclectic architecture and bustling atmosphere

Binondo is a booming commercial district, but unlike the glitzy, modern confines of Makati or Bonifacio Global City, with its beautifully landscaped garden, glittering malls and towering skyscrapers, Binondo’s flavour is much more vibrant and eclectic, or closer to the common people, so to speak.

Its streets are narrow and haphazard at times, with tricycles honking and puttering their way through traffic, picking up passengers along the way. Buildings are not uniform, so you might see a tiny two-storey building sandwiched between taller ones, and boasting completely contrasting styles, from neoclassical to art deco to modern. As you squeeze your way through crowded pavements, electricity wires form an intricate, tangled web overhead.

Go food hunting

Binondo is packed with generations-old food establishments, and thanks to social media, has made quite a name for itself as a foodie destination in recent years. Restaurants here are usually no frills, serving good, fresh food at wallet-friendly prices, and there is plenty of street food fare being sold too.

If you’re looking for something filling, I recommend Sincerity, a decades old restaurant that has become synonymous with tasty and authentic Chinese food in Binondo. They are especially known for their juicy deep fried chicken and dishes such as kikiam (minced meat and veggie rolls) and oyster cake.

Of course, no trip to Binondo would be complete without a visit to the legendary Eng Bee Tin Chinese deli for some hopia (baked biscuits with filling) as souvenirs. While their signature is the ube (purple yam), they carry a variety of other interesting flavours as well, such as munggo (mung bean), pineapple, pandan, and durian. They also offer other desserts and snacks, some of which incorporate Filipino / Spanish influences. I’ve never seen a dulce leche flavoured sticky rice cake before!

You can take a breather upstairs at The Great Buddha Cafe, which serves Cantonese-style dishes, rice, noodles, and dimsum. A must order here is their lava buchi, sesame balls filled with gooey, oozy custard. You can also get them just outside Eng Bee Tin at their Binondo Bites kiosk.

These were just some of the food places we managed to try during our short time there, but there are many other popular establishments ofering a plethora of cuisine. Masuki Mami is known as a go-to spot for mami noodles; and you can dig into freshly wrapped lumpia at New Po Heng Lumpia House, or savour fried siopao from Shanghai Fried Siopao, which always boasts a queue in front of its tiny, unassuming-looking shop.

Explore Binondo’s rich and unique history

History buffs will love Binondo. In the 400 years since it was founded, the area has seen, and has been part of, pivotal moments in history. The Chinatown Museum in Lucky Chinatown Mall offers a glimpse into how the district has evolved through the ages through interactive exhibits and galleries, whilst chronicling the stories of Binondo’s residents, and how they have contributed to the colourful tapestry of culture and influences that make up the Philippines.

The Binondo Church, centrally located at the heart of the district, cuts an impressive figure with its grey and red granite facade. Founded by Dominican priests in the early 16th century to serve Chinese converts, it was destroyed several times by invading forces and natural disasters. The current building was rebuilt in the 19th century, with only the original octoganol belfry surviving. Chinese influences are also evident in the architecture, such as the red paint and pagoda-like belltower with its multiple tiers.

The interiors are equally impressive, with rose pink walls, beautiful hand-painted celestial art on its ceillings along the nave, a dome, and stained glass windows. The most striking feature is the reredo (a wall decoration at the back of the altar), which depicts the St Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

Shop for souvenirs and take in the local way of life

Binondo is packed with interesting shops and stalls, selling everything from lucky charms and feng shui items, to decor, antiques, gold, and medicine.

There is a comforting familiarity to the setups – the above could very well be a shop in any of the world’s Chinatowns – from the red and gold colour scheme down to the aisles, where every inch of space seems to be taken up by either displays or boxes of goods.

And of course the gold shops have these bars on them that make them look like jail cells lol.

Our trip to Binondo was a short one, but it was packed with interesting spots to visit alongside excellent food establishments. Allocate at least half a day if you’re in town, and another half day to explore historic Intramuros just on the other side of the river.

PS: If you enjoyed reading this, please consider supporting my website via Patreon. This will go towards hosting fees and ensuring that I can continue to deliver authentic content for your reading pleasure. Or buy me a cup of coffee at paypal.com @erisgoesto. Thanks for stopping by!

PS2:  All travel and food expenses are out of my own pocket unless otherwise stated. Views here are my own and are based on my personal experience. They are not meant to endorse or disparage businesses in any way.