Binondo is often described as the world’s oldest Chinatown, founded in 1594. On a weekday it is a crush of traders and delivery trucks. On a Sunday morning it slows down enough to walk.
Morning
Start with dumplings and a bowl of congee at one of the small places on Ongpin Street. Most open early and are full by nine.
Noon
Binondo Church is a short walk away. Its octagonal bell tower is one of the few parts of the original structure that survived the Second World War.
Afternoon
Getting there and around
Take the LRT to Carriedo and walk across the Jones Bridge, or take a jeepney to Binondo Church. Driving is possible on Sunday mornings, but the narrow streets fill quickly after ten.
The district is small enough to walk end to end in twenty minutes, but plan for two hours with stops. Many of the best food places are on side streets off Ongpin and look like nothing from the outside.
Wear comfortable shoes and bring an empty bag: you will want to take hopia, dumplings and tea home.
Beyond the food
Binondo is also a place of temples, small family associations and old shops that sell herbs, paper offerings and calendars. Many open on Sunday mornings, and most welcome visitors who are polite and curious.
The estero, the narrow canal that runs through the district, is lined with food stalls in places and is a good landmark if you get lost. The bridges across it lead back towards the main streets.
Leave before the afternoon heat, or stay for a long lunch and walk it off along the river.
End with tea and hopia from a bakery that has been making them the same way for decades. Bring cash and patience; the best places don’t take cards and don’t hurry.
