Binondo is the "Chinatown" district in Manila. It became the center of commerce during the American occupation. Many of Binondo's commercial establishments were destroyed after World War II, with companies moving to Makati, one of the financial capitals of the Philippines.

As part of the Spanish Dominican Fathers' mission to convert the Chinese to Catholicism, the Spanish Governor Luis Pérez Dasmarias founded Binondo in 1584 as a town for the Chinese immigrants (known as Sangleys). Chinese people were forced by Spanish officials to become Catholics; if they refused, they would be put to death.

Following the Chinese revolt in 1603, Luis Pérez Dasmarias had a significant role in the execution of 24,000 Chinese. He carried out the slaughter in order to exact revenge on the Sangleys for killing his father. A large number of Chinese Mestizos, the offspring of intermarriage between the native Filipinos and the now-Catholic Chinese, contributed to Binondo's rapid population growth.

Therefore, the area is referred to as the origin of the Chinese Mestizos, notably Mother Ignacia del Espiritu Santo, a Mestiza de Sangley who founded the community of the Religious of the Virgin Mary, and St. Lorenzo Ruiz, who became the first Filipino saint.

upon entering Binondo, you will be greeted by this huge arch, which is considerd as the "Worlds Largest Chinatown Arch". the best time to visit it is at late afternoon until night for you to see and enjoy the lights.

Named after the Holy Cross, this church is dedicated to Nuestra Señora del Pilar (Our Lady of the Pillar), whose image was brought from Spain. The parish was established by the Jesuits in the early 1600's for the growing community of Chinese Christian converts in Manila. The current church reflecting Baroque influences was completed in the 1950's.

Jones Bridge is where you could see the
entrance arch to Binondo. It crosses the Pasig River and connects Manila's first communities - Intramuros and Binondo. This newly-restored bridge is one of the new tourist destinations in Manila.

The City of Manila's restoration project on this iconic and historical bridge made it more popular among local and foreign visitors. With the bridge's new look and neoclassical lamp posts, it's now a new go to a place for people wanting to take photos of it, watch the sunset, or just to enjoy the view.

The best purchases are pastries and sweet meats like hopia (mooncakes). In Binondo, folks may also find exotic ingredients like ginseng, shark fin cartilage, deer horn, dried snake, bird's nest, and animal testicles in apothecaries.

Since the majority of the population is of Hokkien descent, Hokkien cuisine is popular in the area. Some dishes to try include tikoy a type of sticky rice cakes, Hopia or mooncakes, Kiampong a type of fried rice, Siomai a type of dim sum, Siopao a glutinous rice with a meat filling wrapped in banana leaves, Machang or noodle soups, and Hakaw which is also a type of dim sum.

Lucky Chinatown Mall is a modern shopping mall with a supermarket, wide array of restaurants and shops, as well as great entertainment facilities. If you're looking for bargains, check out the annex building for a wide variety of cheap finds.

Showcasing all things Chinese and traditional, Ongpin Street is a must-visit when in Binondo. It is known for cheap eats, gold, jeweleries, lucky charms, herbal remedies and alternative
medicines.

It was named after Román Ongpin, a Filipino-Chinese businessman and philanthropist who aided Filipino revolutionaries against the Spanish and American colonial administration in the Philippines.