A Guide to Manila’s Chinatown: Binondo, Tondo & Santa Cruz, Manila, Philippines

Set in the Binondo area, this area was already a major hub for commercial activities by the Chinese immigrants, even before the Spaniards officially designated this area as the city’s Chinatown back in the year of 1594.

While Binondo is the core of Manila’s Chinatown, the influence of Binondo has grown towards its surrounding neighborhoods as well. Most prominently, you can sense the Chinese influences in the Tondo and Santa Cruz area. There are also noticeable Chinese influences in Quiapo and San Nicolas as well, though this guide does not focus on the latter two.

This guide will walk you through the key sites which can be visited while you are exploring the Chinatown of Manila. Without further ado…

The beautiful Jones Bridge is a major landmark that signifies your official crossing across the Pasig River from the Ermita district into the Binondo area.

Originally built in the year of 1910s, the Jones Bridge is named after the United States legislator William Atkinson Jones, who had previously exercised jurisdiction over the country of Philippines.

Built in the year of 1914, the El Hogar Filipino Building is one of the earliest skyscrapers in the city of Manila. The building is designed with architectural elements of Beaux Arts, Neo Classical and Renaissance styles. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).