Manila Bay has been famous for its sunsets for centuries — the smoke and pollution that have historically plagued the city also created spectacular skies at dusk, when the light turns deep orange and red over the South China Sea. Roxas Boulevard, the waterfront drive that runs along the bay from Ermita to Pasay, is where Manila comes to watch.
The baywalk — the promenade along the bay — fills in the late afternoon with families, couples, and the occasional vendor. The Manila Hotel (built 1912, MacArthur's wartime residence) anchors one end of the view. The sunset, when it is good, is genuinely world-class: cloud formations over open water, the silhouetted skyline, and the light changing quickly from gold to red to purple. It is one of the few things in Manila that slows the city down for a few minutes.