Ayala Center
You can buy authentic brand-name clothes in Manila for a
fraction of the prices charged in Europe, Australia, Japan or the USA. Locals
happily note that the designer stores stock this year's collections, so you won't
have to worry about looking like last year's sensation. Look for them at Ayala
Center, a vast complex of interlinked buildings, shops, hotels and enclosed malls,
which at times seems to have taken over the entire town.
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Balikbayan Handicrafts
The kind of place that pulls in tourists by the busload. The
merchandise is of a surprisingly good quality, considering how much of it they have.
The speciality is beautiful, glazed coconut dishware, decorative balls and other
products.
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Solidaridad Bookshop
Owned by the award-winning Filipino author Francisco Sionil
Jose, it is well stocked with books on topics from history to existentialism. Among
the titles on offer are the owner's own collections of short stories and
essays.
Read more about Solidaridad Bookshop