All the best experiences
Full customer support
Verified quality services
Filipino Travel Experts

Information about Manila Chinese Cemetery

4.1
35 Google reviews
Type
Cemetery
Location
1960 Consul Gen Young Rd, Santa Cruz, Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines
Opening hours
09:00 - 15:00
Distance from center
451 m
Family-friendly
Yes
Average rating
4.1
Number of reviews
35

Manila Chinese Cemetery

Manila Chinese Cemetery is a  two-way street lined with houses and villas, some of which are two to three stories high. These buildings are tombs, but they aren't just facades. They are completely functional homes with modern amenities including air conditioning, toilets, bathrooms with hot and cold running water, and kitchens. On weekends, families will often visit the deceased in their houses, taking food and incense sticks.

The Manila Chinese Cemetery, was established in the late 1800s for non-Catholic Chinese who were refused burial in Catholic cemeteries by Spanish colonials. At the time, the Chinese settlers who traded in a number of trades were among the wealthiest citizens in Manila. They designed the grandest of all cemeteries to reflect their growing economic success and influence.

Even today, many of Manila's wealthiest families have a blend of Chinese and Filipino ancestry, as shown by the extravagant tombs they have constructed for their ancestors. A plot in the Manila Chinese Cemetery will easily pay up to 50 million Pesos for a 25-year lease, after which a new rental charge must be charged or the body must be relocated. In addition to non-Catholic Chinese, many Chinese Christians are buried in this cemetery today.

 

How to get there

The best way to get here is to ride a jeepney or bus going to Santa Cruz, Manila. Ask the driver to drop you off at the cemetery.

 

Best time to visit

It is available for tourists everyday from 9 AM to 3 PM.

Frequently asked questions

Are there only mansion-type burials in Manila Chinese Cemetery?

Not all buried here can afford to live in opulent mansions. A smaller portion of the graveyard includes regular-sized tombs and mausoleums. These are found in small byways leading away from the entrance.

What are some of the nearby attractions in the area?

The cemetery contains a number of attractions, including the Chong Hock Tong Temple, the oldest Chinese temple in Manila. The Martyrs Hall, which was built in the early 1950s in honor of the Chinese community leaders who were executed by the Japanese during World War II, is well worth a visit. Within the cemetery is also the Ruby Tower Memorial, which is devoted to the Chinese-Filipinos who died in the 1968 earthquake.

Attractions Nearby

Link to appstore phone
Install the Philippines’ biggest travel app

Download the Philippines’ biggest travel marketplace to your phone to manage your entire trip in one place

Scan this QR code with your phone camera and press the link that appears to add the Philippines’ biggest travel marketplace into your pocket. Enter your phone number or email address to receive an SMS or email with the download link.