Carlos Celdran has, for a few years now, been shedding a new light on the way we go about Manila; his walking tour, aptly called ‘Walk This Way,’ tackles Filipino history, art, religion, politics, and society. Equally educational as it is theatrical, it has gained popularity among Filipinos and foreigners alike—even garnering an impressive 4.5-star ranking on TripAdvisor.
Given the heat, humidity, and unpredictable weather, the three-hour tour may not be for everyone—at least until the rainy season passes. Though that didn’t seem to be a problem for Celdran’s recent group who experienced the walled city slightly differently: on bikes.
Last Jun. 23, Celdran in partnership with VivaManila and ofo, a bike sharing platform, held a ‘book bike barter’ tour of Intramuros. Individuals could participate in a bike tour led by Celdran, so long as they brought a helmet, plus a book to barter in exchange for the service.
The tourists biked through the city, visited gardens and museums, and passed by the murals from Manila Biennale. Despite the rain, it looked like the participants enjoyed. Celdran, however, might have enjoyed himself too much.
While Celdran has no plans of making bikes a permanent fixture in his tours, the positive reception it received makes us feel hopeful that we will see more of this fun and eco-friendly type of tourism around the country.
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Main images from @DontSkipManilaPH
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Writer: JESSICA ALBERTO
