How A Three-Day Manila Trip Left Me Craving 'Dirty Ice Cream' And Rainy Alleys

When I boarded the Air India flight from Delhi to Manila, I sensed this was not just another journey. India and the Philippines had once been connected by direct flights, but that link had faded. Now, in October 2025, as I settled into business class, I was part of its revival. Welcome notes, chocolates, and tote bags marked the occasion, turning the cabin into a small celebration at 35,000 feet. I looked out at the clouds, wondering what waited beyond. Manila greeted me with warmth, not just from the tropical air but from the people. Bright lights, glass towers, the rush of traffic, the constant hum of city life - and yet, beneath it all, an undercurrent of calm. Before long, the city gave way to green. We drove out towards Laguna, where Pagsanjan Falls waits with a force of its own.

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The Wild Side of the Philippines: Canoeing to Pagsanjan Falls

The journey to Pagsanjan Falls is not one you forget easily. You sit in a wooden canoe as two boatmen paddle through a narrow gorge framed by thick jungle. The sound of the water builds until it surrounds you. Every stroke takes you closer to that curtain of white - the falls crashing down with power that humbles. We drifted behind the waterfall, into a small cave, where the water thundered so loud it drowned everything else. I thought of Kerala's still backwaters, but here, the energy was raw and untamed. The spray, the chill, the smell of wet stone - everything felt alive.

Afterwards, a bowl of Halo-Halo felt like victory. Shaved ice layered with sweet beans, fruit, coconut, ube ice cream, and milk - chaotic and balanced all at once. A colonial-era church stood nearby, its quiet halls filled with filtered light. The calm after the wild.

Dinner that night was at Queens of Bollywood in Greenbelt. Familiar aromas, bold spices - it was a piece of home tucked into Manila's heart. The laughter, the clatter of plates, the warmth - it reminded me that comfort travels well.

Gold, Art, and Rain in the City

The next morning, Manila revealed its modern pulse. The Ayala Museum dazzled with gold - not jewellery, but ancient craftsmanship, centuries old. The pre-colonial pieces told stories of people who valued artistry as much as survival. The Indian in me found that connection immediately. Gold is sacred in both lands - not just wealth, but memory cast in metal.

Outside, Bonifacio Global City pulsed with art and design. Murals covered entire buildings; boutique stores sold objects that felt handmade, heartfelt. As rain began to fall, umbrellas bloomed across the pavements. In that gentle drizzle, Manila seemed to breathe differently - its colours deepened, its rhythm softened.

Lunch at Feta, a Mediterranean restaurant in Greenhills, was all lightness and flavour. Fresh vegetables, olive oil, herbs - simple ingredients done right. Later, at Okada Manila, grandeur returned. Fountains danced under lights, the casino buzzed, and opulence met spectacle. By nightfall, the city's beat had changed again - softer, slower, more reflective.

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Dirty Ice Cream and the Stories Streets Tell

On my last day, nostalgia called. Luneta Park, with its view of Manila Bay and the Rizal monument, offered quiet. I stopped for ice cream sold from a colourful cart - "dirty ice cream," they call it. But it is not dirty at all. The name comes from how it is made and sold - open to city air, churned by hand, often using coconut milk instead of cream. It tastes fresh, uneven, real. Served in small cones or soft bread buns, it is the kind of dessert that stays with you longer than fancy ones ever could.

From there, I walked into Intramuros - Manila's old walled city. Cobbled streets, wooden windows, red-tiled roofs. History did not feel distant here; it felt like it was still speaking. Lunch at Barbara's Restaurant turned into an event - traditional music, folk dancers, bright costumes. When they called for a volunteer, I found myself on stage, awkward and thrilled, clapping along as strangers cheered. For a moment, I was not a visitor anymore.

Through the Streets of Old Manila

Later, a Kalesa ride carried me through the lanes - past Fort Santiago, San Agustin Church, Casa Manila. The horse-drawn carriage, once a mark of Spanish nobility, now moves with quiet grace through the city's past. Every turn revealed another postcard moment: thick stone walls, ornate doors, balconies that have seen centuries.

Then, modernity returned at Mall of Asia - massive, buzzing, and full of energy. Shops stretched endlessly, the promenade shimmered beside the bay. At Kultura, I picked up local crafts - baskets, textiles, trinkets - each one a story made by unseen hands. Dinner by the waterfront closed the day perfectly. Good food, a warm breeze, the sea's rhythm - it was hard to leave.

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What Three Days in the Philippines Can Teach You

Looking back, those three days gave me more than I expected. If time is short, fly direct - every extra hour in transit steals from your story. Visit places like Pagsanjan Falls to remind yourself what it means to feel alive. Taste local desserts; they tell you about the land. Visit museums; they show where people came from and why they stayed. Walk through old neighbourhoods, and when someone calls you to join - in a dance, a prayer, a conversation - say yes.

Food will always be your best guide. It carries the memories that language cannot.

A Familiar Warmth Between Two Lands

What surprised me most was how familiar the Philippines felt. The love for colour, for festivals, for food that gathers people - it all echoed home. The warmth, the humour, the way strangers make you feel seen - it felt almost Indian.

That inaugural Air India flight was more than a new route. It was a reminder of connection - the kind that goes beyond geography. In waterfalls, in rain, in music, in laughter - I felt it everywhere.

So, if you find yourself in Manila, let the city happen to you. Lose your way in Intramuros, eat that ice cream from a cart, get drenched under a waterfall, dance when invited. Three days in the Philippines may not be enough, but they will be enough to make you fall in love.