Things to do in Manila: Ride a Bambike around Intramuros

Bambike is one of the most popular locally-made bicycle brands in the Philippines. These unique bicycles made from durable and all-natural bamboo and abaca materials are hand-made and crafted by builders from Gawad Kalinga, a Philippine-based community development organization. Bambike aims to be one of the greenest bikes on the planet.

Aside from crafting and selling sustainably-made bicycles, Bambike is known for offering Eco-Tours, which give tourists a chance to explore the country’s tourist spots aboard these cool bikes.

For first-time international tourists visiting Manila, there’s no better place to try riding a bamboo bicycle than in Intramuros, the Historic Walled City of Manila. Intramuros is the oldest district and historic core of the capital of the Philippines.

While the rest of capital is mostly chaotic and modern, in this district, you can still find old Spanish-era structures, well-preserved churches and get to pedal along cobblestone streets right next to vintage horse-drawn carriages.

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Location

The Bambike Headquarters is located in Plaza San Luis Complex. Real St, cor General Luna St, Intramuros, Manila City. This is the same building as Casa Manila Museum (which is worth a visit on its own), with a facade that’s made to look like a house that was built in the 1850’s.

At the HQ, guests can choose from a wide variety of Bambike designs which include their signature Ligtasin Cove beach cruiser, Victoria city bikes and other Bambike designs.

There are vintage-looking bikes outfitted with baskets so you can carry your things easily as well as sportier bike models. Each Bambike is unique, so you’re sure to find something that suits your taste and style. The HQ has lots of cool bike-related stuff and bamboo products for sale including Bamboo Shades.

Bambike Intramuros Full Tour

The Intramuros Bambike Ecotour is a 2.5 hour guided bike tour goes through 8 – 10 major historical and cultural sites inside Intramuros. Tourists who want to hear from a knowledgeable guide and get a background on the history of each destination can avail of this tour for about P1,200 per person. The main stops include:

Plaza San Luis
Japanese Cannon
Puerta Real Gardens
Baluarte de Dilao
Puerta Del Parian
Aduana Building
Plaza Roma/Manila Cathedral
Fort Santiago
San Agustin Church

The Express Tour is a 1-hour tour where you can choose from the sites you want to visit above for P600 per person per hour. Tourists can really cover more ground than walking around. Biking also provides a more active and fun way to get around compared traveling around by motorized transport, making this a great activity for friends or families. Solo travelers can also join up the schedule tour groups.

Bambike Intramuros Rentals

But if you want to explore the Intramuros area on your own without a guide, you can simply rent bikes for P200 per Bambike per hour. Since biking buddy Outside Slacker and I are based in Manila and are familiar with most of the sites here, we decided to just bike around the Intramuros area on our own. It’s a fun activity especially for those staying in one of the hotels in the Pasay area and have a morning or afternoon to spare or if you just want to rediscover Manila with friends.

The major landmark you can and should visit is Fort Santiago, a citadel and defense fortress of the walled city considered one of the most important historical sites in Manila. National Hero Jose Rizal was imprisoned here before his execution on 1896 and the Rizal Shrine museum displays memorabilia of the hero in their collection and the fort features, embedded onto the ground in bronze, his footsteps representing his final walk from his cell to the location of the actual execution.

The historic Manila Cathedral is another popular stop. This cathedral was damaged and destroyed several times since the original structure was built in 1581 while the eighth and current structure of the cathedral was completed in 1958.

Aside from heritage spots and churches, Intramuros is a great place to spot modern street art which can be seen adorning some of the housing complexes and walls along the side-streets and alleys. I really like the piece “Ang Bakunawa at Minokawa” by Ang Gerilya along Gen. Luna Street corner Anda Street, which features Philippine mythological creatures. The Bakunawa is a giant sea serpent that swallows the moon causing an eclipse. The Minokawa is a giant bird from the dragon family that swallows the sun.

We really felt the heat biking around, so we decided to stop for a snack at Ilustrado Restaurant, a classic restaurant that’s been serving Spanish and Filipino cuisine since 1989 in a charming old-world setting.

One of their uniquely Filipino specialties here is Sampaguita Ice Cream, inspired by the aromatic national flower of the Philippines.

We biked some more around the side streets and alleys before looping back to the main starting point in Casa Manila, where you can find another major point of interest right across. The San Agustin Church of Manila is one of four Philippine churches constructed during the Spanish colonial period designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, under the collective title Baroque Churches of the Philippines. It was named a National Historical Landmark by the Philippine government in 1976.

We capped our DIY bike tour with fresh fruit shakes and a filling lunch at Barbara’s, a heritage restaurant boasting of old-world charm right next to Bambike’s HQ.

Intramuros Night Experience

For those who prefer to bike in the evening when it’s not too hot, Bambike has a new Intramuros Experience Night Edition, where you can enjoy the night scenes of Old Manila and have local craft beer after your biking tour! They now serve local craft beer on tap and bottles in the Bambike HQ.

Who should try it

Taking the guided Bambike tours or renting bicycles to go around on your own in Intramuros is a great way especially for first-timers to explore the historic walled city and is one of the most recommended activities to do in Manila. The guided cycling tours give guests a deeper perspective about Filipino life during the Spanish colonial period.

It’s a great activity for history buffs, photographers, families, groups of friends, couples or solo travelers, who just want to learn more about culture and history or take fun and unique photos in historic sites around Manila.

Aside from Intramuros, Bambike also offers other Bambike Eco-Tours and bike rentals in different spots around Metro Manila and the rest of the Philippines including:

Poblacion, Makati (Z Hostel)
Bonfacio Global City (BGC), Taguig (Street art tour)
Corregidor Island
Iloilo City, Iloilo
Panglao Island, Bohol
Baler, Aurora

Rates

Bambike Intramuros Full Tour – Ph 1,200.00 per person (Book via Klook for discounts)
Bambike Intramuros Rental – P200.00 per hour per Bambike (additional P100 per hour)

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Travel Tips & Useful Information

Tour schedule: Mondays to Sundays at 10:00 and 3:00. Guests are requested to arrive 30 minutes before their tour so they can choose their preferred Bambike.
What to wear: Athletic wear and sun protective gear are recommended.
What to bring: To help reduce plastic waste, Bambike encourages everyone to bring their own reusable water bottles.
Route info: The tour starts and ends at the Bambike Headquarters in Casa Manila Complex near San Agustin Church, Intramuros.
Infant seats are available on request if advised upon booking.
Alternative modes of transportation can be provided for those who cannot bike. Simply inform the tour operator upon booking. They have a bike with a sidecar (like a pedicab) for those traveling with kids or guests who can’t ride bikes.